Sony and value for the dollar? Just checking.

Well, here I go one more time wanting to the opinion of those with the Vaio series. Sales people will tell you almost anything, so I wanted to see what you all think. As a general rule, with the Vaio series (about mid level in the series), do you get what you pay for with Sony by getting either superior build quality or superior components, or was the last sales person I talked to right when he said part of the money is just going for the name Sony?

Opinions please.

Thanks all.

 

Honestly, specs wise, HP are pretty cheap especially with its $400 off coupon right now, and you can get some pretty high specs.

With Sony, its kinda like the Apple of the PC world, you get great build quality, but spec wise, Dell and HP can give Sony a run for its money.

 

The name and the looks. Build quality is about average. Specs compared to other notebooks is overpriced by a little, but you pay for the style and the name. Though the VAIO CR series looks okay.

 

A little bit of both..

 

They're a little overpriced. Just like Apple, you're paying for design and the name. However, they are also generally made of superior materials (carbon fiber in the Z, magnesium alloy in the SR, etc).

 

Thanks everyone. I think I am starting to see the picture now.
I have mostly looked at the big name places like BB and CC + Sam's Club.
So far, I have only been able to actually look at two of the Sony's. One was what I assume is the bottom of the lineup, and the other one was the CR. CR looked good, I have a feeling the Z and the SR are out of my price range most likely.

 

If you look on consumer and business surveys, Sony laptops are often above both Dell and HP in terms of satisfaction and reliability - below only Apple and Lenovo. And considering Lenovo's designs are utter garbage....

Sony has pretty much the best design out there, their build quality is spectacular - I dunno about laptops, but I have a Sony camera and a Sony Ericsson cell phone, and both have literally been with me through rain and snow - and I personally find them to be very nice.

Just my $0.02...

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Now playing: The Killers - Mr. Brightside
via FoxyTunes

 

What model Sony do you have?

 

If THIS isn't "value for the dollar", I don't know what is.

 

That does look good. Now I will see if BB has it too.

 

Nope. The only ones they carry have the Eco screen, not the better HiColor screen.

 

That's too bad. I really don't see the point in having an Eco-color screen. Wouldn't most people want to get the Hi-color screen, regardless of how much more it will cost?

The quality of a notebook's screen is very important. Remember, you'll be working with the screen you choose all the time.

 

I sure would. That's why I ordered mine from Newegg... they had the HiColor screen and a killer deal. Not to mention free shipping and no tax.

 

That does sound like a good deal. Does it come with a warranty? Do you have a link to the website?

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834117780

 

Thanks. It looks like a great deal.

 

Also look at the BZ vaio, you can find it on portableone.com or through sonys business channel(search on google). It has a full magnesium alloy chassis(unlike the SR which has a magnesium lid and bottom with plastic on the sides), its spill resistant, has a great screen, looks like a black macbook pro and is cheap! You can get one of these puppies for around 1000 bucks!

Best of all, they all come with Vista Business/XP Downgrade Kit included. Worst of all, they only come with the X4500MHD integrated video, which can handle some light gaming, but nothing else.

It is most likely the most reliable/durable of the bunch and a great looking business machine.

I myelf am going for the looks and the pure horsepower with the SR.

 

If you mean my camera and cell, I have the Sony W80 - pink, and the Sony Ericsson W580. Not the best, but reliable as far as I care.

 

I am not familiar with that. What is the Eco Screen basically? Is this is something with Sony, or do other laptops have both the Eco and the HiColor?

 

It's a Sony thing.

 

I think Sony's main stream line-up really improved in the past year or so, before that you do pay some extra just because it's a Sony. I personally found my Sony laptops have the tendency to refuse to die and ruin my dream of upgrading to their latest products, like Z, but that's just me. Good thing is, even after 6 or 8 years, their design still looks better than the HP and Dell produced now.