Vaio FW or SR - I really need a recommendation based on your collective input

OK, so I am definitely going to purchase either a Sony FW or SR series laptop. While I know that they are basically two completely different machines, I wanted to see if all of you helpful good Samaritans would steer me in the right direction.
The two configurations I am looking at are such:

FW:
http://www.jr.com/sony/pe/SON_VGNFW455JB/

SR:
http://www.jr.com/sony/pe/SON_VGNSR430JB/
But a CTO model with the Blu Ray drive from the SonyStyle store

My usages will be the following
-Light AutoCAD
-Decent amount of Photoshop
-Basic video creation and editing
-Multimedia Hub (music, movies, etc)

I will not be schlepping the laptop around too much at first, but there is a good possibility that I will need to carry it a lot in the near future. Also, I have an extra Dell 20" IPS panel lying around that I will probably use as my main monitor, so screen size is not much of an issue. My questions are such:

1)Do any SR owners use it a lot for video and photo editing? If so, how does it perform.

2)Is the HD 4570 that is the top graphics option in the SR enough of a vid card for my uses? If it isn't, then I will probably have to go with the FW series. According to notebookcheck.net, the 4650 is something like 40% more powerful than the 4570.

3)Exactly how cumbersome to move is the FW? It is a rather large laptop, though not especially heavy. I checked the measurements and it barely fits into my current shoulder bag, and it might not in the end if I decide to get a laptop sleeve for extra padding. I would probably have to get another laptop bag if the FW with a sleeve is too large.

4)Also, cost is somewhat an issue. The FW can be had for less than $1,000 total (-$100 Rebate and Bing Cash), while the CTO SR will run me around $1,700. Is a 35% price premium worth the level of portability that the SR will afford me in conjunction with my listed uses, or should the superior video card and lower price automatically deem the FW the wiser choice.

I will be making this purchase at the latest in the next 5 days or so. Thanks in advance for all your help, and I cannot wait to join the ranks of proud Vaio owners

 

since noone is answered I can offer some thoughts on your situation. I own a FW31M with a 16.4" screen. Also using the adobe suite and audio processing apps on my own. If you want portability and 13.3" for graphic manipulation, forget it. Also check out if the 4650 has dedicated memory and NOT turbocache like mine. My FW fits on a supposed 16" carrying bag with ease. At least 1-2 cm space on all sides. You will need all the CPU juice you can get for such intensive jobs. Get the faster CPU you can afford. Since laptops are not doing very well in 3D you might want to rethink your choice

As always it up to you

 

I can't help out to much since I have no first hand experience with the laptops but with regards to question 2 yes the 4570 is the maximum graphics card in the SR series, if you find you want more graphics power go for the 4650.

It is mainly a question of how portable do you want your laptop to be, if you feel that the FW size can fit in your bag and you think you can carry it in the bag for an extended period of time then the FW will probably suit you better. The higher screen resolution may help in photoshopping and using autocad, allowing you to see more on the screen.

On the other hand if you feel that you want a smaller form factor while still retaining some power the SR series should work fine as well. If you need a higher resolution you can always connect it to an external monitor for editing and what not, but the graphics solution will not be as powerful as that in the FW series.

TL;DR - SR series - 4570 max, more portable, less resolution
FW series - 4650>4570, larger, high resolution

Hope this helps

 

In the end, I finally decided on the FW465. The reasons are as follows, and I hope that my experience will help others that may have a similar conundrum:

-After visiting a few local stores to see the two laptops, the build quality, which wasn't a factor at first, really came into play. While the FW is on paper about 3 lbs heavier than the SR, the design and materials on the FW work together to make it seem lighter than the listed weight. Also, the SR felt incredibly flimsy and brittle in the hand. Comparing it to laptop of similar size and weight, if not smaller size and weight, it could not compare to the Apple, the Lenovo, or even the Sony Z or TT series notebooks for stiffness, materials, and overall feel. While I'm sure that the SR would hold up, it just didn't feel like it would, and spending a lot on a laptop I would rather have some piece of mind from the outset.

-Given my usages, the graphics card should provide a huge boost. The 4650 tests consistently 50% better than the 4570, and I will be doing a decent amount of video viewing on this machine.

-The blu-ray option on the CTO is rather expensive, given that the only 9.5mm Blu_Ray drive on the market is a Blu-Ray reader, and the drive itself doesn't support Dual Layer DVD burning. I don't need Blu-Ray burning, but I do need DVD dual-layer burning, so it was as close to a deal breaker that there was.

Also, in going to a few local stores to gloss over a selection of Laptops, I was able to take a gander at the new NW Vaios. In general, I hated the faux wood grain design, though it was least obtrusive in the titanium / dark brown color, the form factor was halfway decent, though for some reason it felt heavier in the hands than the FW's, and the screen, at least to me, seemed a bit sharper than that of the FW's. Maybe because of a different screen coating, or the smaller screen, but at least to my eyes it just seemed like side to side the NW had a higher contrast screen. Just my $.02

 

nice to hear that you made your decision. your FW will serve you well!

 

Hello chung_sotheby,I'm happy and kind of sad because i have that dilemma too...i'm going to study in college and i will not have a powerful desktop as backup,FW is perfect as a desktop replacement with mobility,but SR can be easily move in school and may be a good laptop if i don't play game,BTW,my Major is CS and I could by SR in hongkong where my friend live,i mean,FW's and SR's price are same......god ......

 

Hmmmm... The NW series has the Eco screen, 1366x768 and your FW465 also has Eco but at 1600x900. It is VERY interesting that you should consider the NW as having a higher contrast screen. Would love to know who the device managers say are the manufacturers of those screens.

 

i was the same with this situation but im into lightweight notebook category. at first, i was about to buy the SR, but in the end i bought the Z instead. like chung said, the SR poor built quality certainly make me choose to other , like Z. ive also has play around the FW and i could say it has better built over SR (maybe the rubber-ish feel on SR bottom make the difference alot with sturdy plastic material/carbon fibre for FW/Z)..

well, if you concern about always moving with a notebook, certainly has to go with SR since its smaller and has better batt life over FW...or maybe you can consider for Z series, but its expensive machine.

 

Guess what? My coin told me SR is the best option,so...and as far as i know,Z is a mechine that can not be perfect anymore...I swear to get one when i get a job!carbon fibre

 

Hendra, could you compare the quality of the screens in your laptops for us: the HiColor in your FW and the Duraview in the Z? I'm curious about the perception of brightness and the contrast -- as well as the ease of reading text.

My friend's FW190 HiColor was much brighter and crisper than her FW390's FullHD. I am interested in learning how the Z compares in the mix.

If I'm not mistaken, you're one of the few on this forum who have seen all three screens (although not necessarily all of them at the same time or in the same series). I do wonder about the FullHD and the HiColor's variations across the different series, as well. I'm not convinced that the FullHD and the HiColor are the same screens -- or else the FullHD on the FW390 I saw (and which was similarly reviewed at notebookjournal.de) was defective.

And, of course, there's that mysterious new use of "multiple lamps" rather than "dual lamp" in some of the European advertisements....

Thanks for anything you care to share....