Thinking of getting Sony FW

Well since my HP dv5z turned to crap.
I've decided to get a new laptop.
Looking for something that is more of a desktop laptop. Since I don't really travel much.
Play some games, but nothing crazy. But it would be nice to play them on high specs. (WoW, ect.)
Not looking to spend to much. Maybe a little over 1000 if I have to, for something good.
I saw the FW series and it looks great. Love the keyboard. Going to have to get a new carrying bag since its bigger then my last laptop but that's all good.
Anyone got any opinions on this series or problems?

Was looking at getting:
P8700 (2.53GHz), should I go higher?
250gb, does RPM make a huge difference?
4gb but thinkin 6 maybe..since 4 might be outdated in a few months... worth it?
6.4" VAIO extra-wide HD display (1920x1080)
HD 4650 graphics with 1GB

 

no one......?

 

I think it's a great choice actually. I own a FW290 but I'm thinking of selling it and getting a 590 because of the upgrades. My current config is 2.53 GHz, 250gb, 4gb ram, HD-display and ATI 3650 (512MB). It still works great, and I'd imagine the specs you want will be sufficient for games on medium settings.

I'll leave out my opinions of the software since those aren't too important but there are some hardware annoyances. The left hinge (the one that houses the AC adaptor plug) can be quite fragile. My sister stepped on my adaptor cord, and it pulled the hinge loose. It'll still stay in place because it's held together on one side by a screw, but the other side is extremely fragile.

Next, all three USB ports are on the right side. It's a bit stupid because when you have some peripherals plugged in, the cords will be very near your mouse (if you're right-handed), they might get in the way and restrict your movement, especially if you have a small desk.

I think that's about it.

 

I have a FW590CTO with Intel Core Duo P8800 (2.66 GHz), 320 GB (7200 RPM), HD display, ATI 4650 1 GB dedicated video ram and blu ray. I went through HP, Dell, Toshiba and Lenovo laptops. I ended up returning them all and keeping the Vaio FW. I think it is great laptop but a little too big for what I need it for, so I may sell it. I may "upgrade" to a smaller VAIO. I have had it for a month and the likes are: HD screen, quiet and solid build. Dislikes: too big, not really portable. I wanted to sell it in the NBR marketplace but couldn't per their forum rules. It will probably end up on ebay.

 

You're thinking of selling it? I might be interested. I wanted to send you a PM but the forum isn't letting me. Does it have a BD-rom drive? And what's the external color?

 

I have the FW510F (a lower spec than you're looking for) with the 4650 (512 VRAM) and it's a great laptop. Screen is 1600 by 900...very light...awesome keyboard. Does not have bluray drive, but everything else about this machine is great. I play Dragon Age at native res, full detail..haven't run into anything this machine won't play smooth.

Highly recommended...especially if you lock onto one with a better proc, etc.

 

Question.
I don't really have any blu Ray DVDs at all. And barely watch DVDs on m laptop since I got a 360 and just bought a new flat screen. So is it worth it to buy the full HD screen? Like does it affect anything else other then the movies?
Also is dragon age like wow? Never heard of it for some reason. I got warhammer but that was just too much for my current laptop.
And is it better to get a better processor or ram. Idk if I want the 6 or the 4 of ram.

 

And yea. That three ports on one side does see a little dumb. Especially on the right side. If it was on the left I wouldn't mind so much.

 

No, Dragon Age is not like WOW. Dragon Age is basically a Baldur's Gate/KOTOR/NWN2 type of game...but the graphics are stellar for the genre. WOW would not be a problem on this machine.

Yes, the 3 USB's on the right side was not a good design decision. But...when USB placement is the worst thing I can say about a laptop...that's a good thing. I got this monster for $649 before Best Buy pulled the model. Incredible power for the dollar.

Processor vs RAM is a decision to determine based on what you play. For me, I'd always rather get the best processor I can since the RAM is easy to upgrade later.

 

same thing happened to me, I also own a hp dv5z and it turned to crap.
as a replacement, I got my FW550F today. Just played with it for a few hours, everything has been great. Config is very close to what you are looking for except for th e 320GB HDD and 1600x 900 LCD. Original price is 1050 but sony is doing a $50 rebate so its a pretty good deal.

 

Sony is great. Too many details that make them among the best. I went for the VAIO Nebula model and couldn't be happier.

 

Ahh. Maybe I'll stick with the four gigs. And get a better processor then.

Ahh. And yea my dv5z is workin still but barely. Fan about to die. Battery gone pretty much. A key popped off. My Internet port doesn't work from banging the side since the fan would go crazy.
Lol.
But it's a great upgrade then?
And is the reg screen good? Debating if I should get the full HD or not. Don't really watch movies on my laptop.
I can't wait to get this laptop.
I heard they might upgrade it... Should I try to hold out then?

 

I just bought a FW with near this specs. I am very happy.Its screen and performance impress me.I didn't try crysis but I tried to play pes 2010 with 1920 1080 and High and I can play gta IV with the same specs.The result was fantastic. the model code is in europe is FW5MTF..

 

Hi

I purchased the FW490 several months ago, and have no regrets. I recently installed the free upgrade to windows 7, and after a few hitches, everything runs well. I purchased the notebooke with 4 gigs memory, 320 GB 7200rpm drive, the P8800 processor, the 16.4 hi-def screen, the blue ray player, and the ATI 4650 card with 1gb ram. I have no problems with the usb connections on the right side. I also use a blue tooth mouse which eliminates one usb connection.

 

Thank you all for all the responses.

 

I have basically the same laptop (except P8700 processor) and it has never failed me. When I installed Windows 7 it went smoothly. The FW490CTOs are well manufactured, but I wouldn't recommend it if you walk to class (unless you like exercise), go for a smaller Sony. I never owned a Sony product before my FW490 laptop but now I know that the next laptop I get will also be a Sony.

Pros: Most comfortable laptop keyboard I've ever used. Trackpad is responsive, and adequate quality. The GPU is quite capable (I am able to play Serious Sam HD at 1920x1080 on high settings @ 40-60 FPS). The screen is very crisp, great colors, and very bright. The blu-ray drive works. I dropped the laptop, by accident, and it survived without a scratch or problem, maybe because it was still in my backpack. All-in-all, it is a perfect balance of multimedia, gaming ability, and practicality.

Cons: The USB ports and the power plug-in are on the wrong sides, in my opinion. The GPU is a downclocked variant (this may be an advantage, for longevity). Battery life on Ubuntu 9.10 is abysmal (probably poor chipset support). Some people say 16:9 is a bad aspect ratio for coding/word processing, but I like to view multiple files side by side.

 

Ok, I have the Sony FW510 also. Got it 5 days ago. LOVE IT. Nothing! is slowing this computer down. I am playing PSX emus full speed 1600x900, Leauges of Legends, Dragon Age, CoD2.

best purchase of my life. Now I was thinking I want to clean install it.. where do i get started? Would it make a large difference? I mean.. task manager says there are 80 processes. (normal for win7? or bloatware?)

sorry I am pretty new at this..


BTW I BOUGHT IT OFF EBAY WITH 20% BING CASHBACK
so it was 780-150= 630!!!! way better then best buys deal because there is no tax either. Too bad bing is at 8% now..

 

I'D like to also know about clean install. Because beore thinking about buying a new laptop I bought win7 from te student discount site. But now since that ain't going to really happen.

 

I'm also considering purchasing an FW. I've looked at so many different laptops my brain's going to implode - ASUS, Dell, Sony, Toshiba.

The FW590 has the specs I'm looking for. How does 1600x900 look for streaming HD content from ABC, CBS, FOX, etc as well as watching downloaded HD? Also, is the text size when internet browsing ideal? I've read that the 1366x768 resolution can be bothersome (larger text) on 16:9 screens, requiring more scrolling, which is why I'm looking at 1600x900. I may bump up to 1920x1080 if it makes browsing more pleasurable.

Will Sony honor a third party warranty, from Provantage for example, if the FW is bought from Sony Style? Sony's extended warranty is quite costly.

Finally, do you think the FW is superior to a comparatively spec'd Dell Studio 15?

 

I also have a sony fw510 freaking thing is sweeet. I play CoDMW2 and Dragon age flawlessly. Now what is this clean install everyone is talking about..(im a newbie laptop owner). I also wonder if I can buy my warranty through sony at anytime in the next month or so (after Christmas).

 

They are referring to a clean install of Windows 7, which is formatting your hard drive to wipe it clean, getting rid of all the bloatware that comes installed, and then reinstalling Windows 7. Without all the undesired bloatware the laptop will perform better, faster.

 

Is it possible to do it without a Windows 7 disk being that these Vaios come with a recovery partition?

 

I would also like to know this? I have only the recovery disks. I would like to do a clean install if its possible.

 

Have not seen a semi-clean install method described for the FW series and WIN 7. (there are several threads on doing a Vista semi-clean install). Only versions so far have been the upgrades or clean install with the DVD. From everything I've seen you'll need the WIN 7 media to do it. The recovery disks are designed to put you in the "out-of-the-box" state your computer came in (includes the bloatware). You can get the download for WIN 7 at this link:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=428068

 

is there no way to rip your product key from the windows 7 factory image?

just get it off a torrent for GAD sakes

 

As long as you have a legitimate 7 key, you can download 7 from the official Microsoft website. An OS is something I wouldn't download off torrent sites.

 

I've been searching for Windows 7 download on Microsoft site for a while.. And how can you figure out your Win 7 serial key from a new laptop? (bottom of laptop?) Sorry if they are stupid questions... im clueless. But thank you

 

theres apps you can download from the interwebz that will be able to find it in your registry

or something of that nature

one of these chaps will know

 

If you go to:
- Control Panel => System and Security => System and scroll down to "Windows activation"... isn't that your product key right there?

 

I've decided to get the fW590 CTO after heavy research. Other notebooks that I considered were the Dell studio xps16 and Asus G51J. It seems both of those computers, while having good specs, suffered from too many issues that I don't have patience for.

 

Well it seems after all these questions and getting hyped up about getting thus laptop.. Ima have to wait atleast a month to even get it...
(((((

 

will i be able to play cool games like Crysis and Solitaire with the 4650 1GB DDR3 radeon ati?

 

See this link for a clean Win 7 64-bit install guide:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=410250

Good luck!

 

Third party warranties are not Sony warranties BUT many of them actually function in the same manner and some of them are even linked into the Sony techs. My understanding is that only the Sony warranty does the full replacement for any accidental damage and it must be purchased from Sony at the very same time as the computer is purchased. It cannot be added on afterwards.

Remember that these warranties start after the year of the Sony manufacturer warranty and that they basically clock in every repair for a dollar value -- and stop when they reach the purchase price you paid for the computer. So, when you get a deal on the purchase price, well, then the extended warranty is worth less....

As for Sony FW vs. Dell 15 -- no contest. Sony.

 

The FW590 CTO no longer offers even BD playback, let alone a BD burner. The only optical disk playback option is CD/DVD RW. I predict that a new FW series is just around the corner and if you can wait, then you should.

 

hmmm. how long you think? I don't have much time, I'll be overseas in a little over a month. so maybe I'lll have to opt for the Asus? lol

I mean, the Sony should fit my needs, I don't need a Blue Ray, the T9600 should be good enough CPU, and the ATI 4650 will most likely suit my needs for gaming. What improvements you think will come with the new fW??

 

I had bought recently and I try to play gta 4 and pes with 1920x1080 res. and high graphics(all of the graphic settings are high) and I can play fulently with high performance mode.I haven't played crysis yet but I am downloading call of duty 6 . I will write my experiences when I'll play

 

sounds good mr invader. GTA4 needs alot of horsepower I believe, not as much as Crysis, but i think this will do for most people except the hard core gamers. I just have this game sitting here(crysis) for 2 years that I haven't been able to play lol..

 

I think that's more of an issue of BD drive supply. Go through some of their other CTO configurations and you'll see the same issue.

That was the case a week or so ago when I was looking.

 

When it is a supply shortage, they typically gray out the option and indicate "Out of stock". In this instance, the option has been removed entirely.

 

When the new FWs come out do you think pricing will be the same or will Sony bump it up across the board? I have a budget of @$1000 which currently gets me a P8700 cpu. Would $1000 get me a better notebook when the new models come out?

Any concrete news on i5 or i3 Sony notebooks coming in January? Would an i3 cpu be superior to the P8700? I think I'd be willing to wait for a January release, but not longer.

Finally, any insight on a FW590 - Asus N61Vg-A1 comparison? I read the notebook review N61Vn review, which seemed favorable, except for the screen. Does the FW have a better screen? One thing I didn't see, which I've come across in user reviews of the N61 is how bad the touchpad software was. The N61Vg-A1 was on my short list, but the reported touchpad issue as welll as limited reviews made me wary.

 

In terms of new FW refresh... generally components get cheaper so until now, with every new FW refresh you could get more for the same price. As for when is the refresh... have no clue. Generally, new laptop model releases are leaked ahead of time (like when Sony originally released the FW, SR, Z) but there's never any news of refreshes, they just show up on Sony's site. So, if Sony plans on keeping the FW, your best bet is to keep an eye on their site. If Sony plans to completely replace the FW model, then information would be available ahead of time.

As for the FW590 vs. Asus N61Vg-A1, the FW has an amazing screen, no problems there. The touchpad is also fine to use but the buttons are loud. However, the keyboard makes up for that.

 

I am thinking about crysis too I think this will be enough to play between medium and high so If you don't care money I advice vaio FW.also blu ray and screen are also a reason for buying a FW

 

Meh. It's just a guess on anyone's part until Sony announces it.

Nebula was available, then backordered, then gone completely, then backordered and now gone again.

At this time of the year it's hard to make assumptions on why supply of a component is low. Is it just normal demand or are they draining supply in preparation for a new chassis that will no longer accept the existing component.

I didn't feel like waiting for an unknown refresh. The current 590 with a 2.8GHz Duo is enough for me. I have a desktop for any hardcore needs.

 

I am selling it. I wish I could PM too but the forum isn't letting me also. It's on ebay right now. Probably one of the only 590 models on ebay. It does have a blu ray drive. I bought on 11/02 and never really used it. It sat in the sleeve for weeks before it was too late to return it. The external color is black.

 

They probably ordered for a fixed number of BD-burners/playback-drives (based on their sales forecasts) and I am guessing that demand outstripped supply and the BD units are now completely exhausted. And the supplier probably has already re-tooled for the NEW BD drives for the upcoming models, which in turn may not fit into the current chassis. Just guessing of course.

PS: Why would one buy an FW model with 1920x1080 Full-HD screen and not have a BD-player/burner within it ? Under the obvious understanding that a BD-player/burner can play/burn all of the "lesser" formats like a standard DVD/CD etc. Sony seems to be one of the rare players selling laptops, that offer high-end BD-players/burners and I personally would not want to buy short by going for a low-end DVD/CD burner than a BD-burner/player.

 

another experience from me.. I tried call of duty modern warfare 2 recently. I adjust the resolution to 1920 1080 and all the graphical settings as high.I played just training session because I haven't a mouse now but it will come monday. it was perfect and fluently.so that is anıother reason to buy a FW

 

This laptop has 800 mhz ddr2 ram. If your planning to keep your laptop fast i'd suggest you buy something with atleast 1064 (or is it 1066?) or 1333 mhz ram. This way, when you'll put in more ram in the future (lets say in 2 years), you will have a big difference when going to 8 gigs. 8 gigs of 800 mhz or 8 gigs of 1064 seems like a big diference in total mhz to me. But then again I can be mistaken, some say a faster hard drive (7200rpm- makes a bigger difference, which this fw also doesn't have. baisicly this is old technology is a fancy, sturdy package.

 

Why spend extra money on a blu ray drive, just so you can spenc even more money on overexpensive blu ray drives. I prefer watching cheap dvd's, or rather free movies with even less quality.

 

That's funny. My FW came with a 7200rpm drive.

I'll pass on the laptops that have marginally more performance but generate enough heat to roast marshmallows.