W3j vs Sony, which is your choice?

I'm stuck inbetween both, and honestly need helpful comments on the 2!

 

W3J, powerful and portable (tis one is better)
Sony, (i assume that it is the newer FE series) ... mayb just the better screen?

 

heres my thread where I asked exactly the same thing (well regarding Sony SZ and W3J)

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=60624

 

I see, thanks bijanv

 

for looks though is the W3j nice as nice looking as the SZ?

 

Unless portability is of paramount importance to you go with the W3J.

The SZ is a great laptop, but the graphics card in the W3J is twice as powerful. Buy the W3J if you plan to game and you dont need something ultraportable.

If you do need something ultraportable and dont plan to game as much then the SZ or the new Asus W7J are for you.

 

It'd be helpful if you listed which Sony you are considerng because they make a number of models.

Assuming you're talking about the Sony SZ.. then its closest competitor is the Asus W7J, not the W3J, as they are both 13" with an Nvidia 7400.

I personally prefer the Asus because I'm not too keen on the SZ's keyboard.. it's quite unique. I highly suggest you try the keyboard first.. it's got a different feel than most other laptop keyboards and you'll either love it or hate it.

 

VGN-SZ240, sorry

 

it's hard to give you a fair answer since they suit different needs.

the SZ is a powerful notebook for it being so portable and lightweight, 3.7 - 4 lbs, (and considering the 13" screen). it has 2 GPUs (intel & 7400) which allows you a choice between saving battery life and more graphics intensive use. it also has a built-in webcam and extra security features. it also has a better screen IMO

for a heavier 5+lbs and slighter bigger screen in the W3j, you get a way better graphics card - 7600. this is important if you're a big gamer on FPS (and you want to play on the best settings) and use other graphically demanding applications. no dual GPU, no built-in webcam, but it is also cheaper in price.

 

very useful information catherine, thank you!

 

you're welcome! if you have more questions about comparing them, feel free. that said, if you post on the sony forum, you'll definitely see people choose the SZ, the opposite goes if you post on the asus forum. in the end, you'll receive people's personal biases. it's up to you to choose the specs and features best for you.

 

Catherine

How long have you had the Sony Vaio SZ? Any problems yet?

 

well, that's kinda OT, but i'll digress...

i got my first SZ on the last few days of april. i ended up asking for a replacement because it seemed to me that the battery life was decreasing way faster than it should when it was turned off. i complained to the retailer and he got in touch with sony. i don't know what transpired between them but i got my replacement the next week.

after some time researching, i realized that it was probably the USB battery drain problem that caused it. i also learned that some people were saying that their SZs only had an average of 3.5 hours when mine could easily reach 5! but since i had already signed for a replacement, i couldn't do anything.

fortunately, my new one can still reach 5 - 5.5 hours (in certain configurations which is what i primarily use in school). it also doesn't have the keyboard problem and i haven't noticed a drain in the USB (i did download the hotfix and i always have the memory adapter inside). the battery is a lil wobbly, but that's easy to fix.

i have no complaints. i take it with me almost everywhere i go and use it for hours everyday (it's become my main pc even for gaming, heh)

note that mine is the premium asia model. i just noticed that people who say they get longer battery life than ave have the same (like lithast).

 

I m kinda neutral for notebooks, I compare it by everything. W3J simply outedge the sony by everything except at battery life. That's y i chose the W3J. They are actually 2 different class of machine, it all comes down to wat suits ur needs the best. One excels at power, while another excels at battery durability.

 

well when you say everything, can you actually be more specific? i mean list down the specs and features and compare it with the SZ.

when you say power do you mean the GPU (since they have the same CPU and HD options)?

edit: i just rechecked the review here for the w3j and it says that the HD is 5400 PATA which is less powerful than the 5400 SATA (which the SZ has). does anybody know if you can configure the w3j to SATA?

 

Well.. i dunno how to do a table of tis. Hope u understand. I compare the top of the line system aka THE MOST EXPENSIV CONFIGURATION

Compared Resouce:
SONY http://www.notebook.de/main.php?section=shop&group=471 (Germany, did a price convertion, mayb it's lesser in US)
ASUS http://www.powernotebooks.com/product.php?itemId=1371

CPU: SONY T2500(2.0GHz x2), ASUS T2500(2GHz x2)
Winner: BOTH
Note: There are T2500 versions of W3J, maybe hav to wait a little while. But the performance difference between a T2400 and T2500 is minimal.

GPU: SONY 7400go, ASUS X1600
Winner: ASUS
Note: Well, i guess all of you know that a x1600 is certainly faster than a 7400.

RAM: SONY 533MHz 1Gb, ASUS 667MHz 1Gb
Winner: ASUS
Note: Something like the CPU, not significant performance difference, but I ll list it as a ASUS win.

HDD: SONY 100Gb 5400rpm SATA, ASUS 100Gb 5400rpm Ultra ATA
Winner: SONY
Note: SATA are little bit faster than UATA as aboth to the RAM note, significant difference is notice IF 2 SATA drive are connected compared to 2 UATA.

Screen: SONY, ASUS
Winner: SONY
Note: This is just my guess....

Battery Life: SONY, ASUS
Winner: SONY
Note: Well, i dun need to explain, do i?

Price: SONY $2900(1year warrenty GLOBAL?),ASUS $1999(3year local waranty) / $1799(1year global)
Winner: ASUS
Note: The price says it all.

Portability: SONY 1.69kg, ASUS 2.2kg
Winner: SONY
Note: They r purely without the adapter stuff.. i presume

The OTHER FACTORS: Heat, Ports, Keyboard, Style are bout the same, but mayb SONY is better since it has the Fingerprint scanner and Webcam.
Winner: SONY

Result: SONY wins
Note: At the PRICE of 1000$ more... I know the fingerprint scanner and webcam doesnt cost that much (especially the webcam is just a 0.3MP cam...) Price plays a big roll in my purchase, but i dunno how u would look at it then.

 

true, price is a huge factor in most people's decision. i don't even recommend it for people who don't have it in their budgets (i give other options). however i don't think the $1000 is only for the fingerprint scanner and webcam. i believe these also add up.

> the second GPU, whether that be the intel integrated or the 7400
> better LED lighting which allows for a slimmer screen, x-bright colors with wider viewing angles and sharper color contrast (and also saves battery life)
> extra security features like TPM and HD shock protector
> the light weight amazes me, since it's packed with so much and it even beats some 12"
> style and design is just a huge plus, i'm willing to pay $100-150 for this
> solid build (and i admit asus has good build too, which is why i assume the w3j is more expensive than the a8j or some other brands), i really can't quantify this one though
> i also think that the SATA HDD costs more than a couple of $$
> the bloatware that comes with the SZ adds to the price too. many don't like them, but many don't mind them either. i'm one of the latter since i appreciate the fact that it made me aware that my notebook can even do those tasks. if i find better software, it's easy enough to replace. you can also customize some SZs and remove some of the added charges coming from them.
> finally, the brand name - hey, you do it with clothes, cars, food, jewelry, sports teams, other technologies - why not notebooks? i can't deny premium prices for premium brands exist!

 

lunateck--I don't know why you would compare the two most expensive configurations when there is only one option for the W3J ($1799). You can get an SZ for as little as $1449 (from portableone) or as much as $3000. Really, its like comparing apples and oranges.

They're both nice looking notebooks and relatively portable but the W3J has more power while the SZ has more portability and battery life. Another thing to consider is that you'll get proprietary sony bloatware on the SZ but ASUS's come relatively clean. Also, you'll be buying the ASUS (in the US) from a business small enough to care about it's customers. If I buy an extended warranty from one of those guys, I'm not going to have to worry about 2 hour hold times, powerless and clueless customer service reps, or dealing with a faceless multinational corporation.

If I had $2000 to spend I'd have a hard time deciding, but the $1449 portableone SZ looks pretty tempting to me.

 

One correction to lunateck's post...the Sony comes with a 120GB hard drive. The Sony is overpriced but I agree with catherine...you pay the price to say you have a Sony.

 

i reiterate that "more power" only refers to the GPU, since they run on the same range of CPU and the SZ may even have the faster HD (unless someone confirms you can use SATA on the w3j).

but to be fair, saying this again too, the real choice would be between the SZ and the upcoming w7j. the x1600 puts the asus in a different category IMO, and the 3.7 lbs of the SZ does the same.

 

Its not really a hard decision. If you plan to take this laptop with you everywhere you go or you dont want to play the latest FPS games at max settings, get the SZ

If you are only taking it with you sometimes or you would like the extra graphics power then get the W3J.

Both laptops are great machines with solid build quality.

 

Oh well... Guess that sums up all u ll need to know collegeboy.
Anyway, it all depends on ur need (personally i dun think the SZ is any prettier than the w3j, their bout the same to me, the onli laptops that i think it's tight is the macbook pros and asus w2j, just personal taste, no offence.)
The post above is the suggestion, go for sony if u like sony and it's feature is wat u need, go for w3j if u game a lot(like me )

 

If you want "top elegance" in a laptop, the Sony is hard to beat. The ASUS W3j, on the other hand, is one of the dullest and most uninspiring designs I've ever seen. That being said, you really can't go wrong with both; let me explain. While the Sony has the ASUS beat in the style department, the ASUS have its specs to cover its shortcomings. The W3j's top of the line X1600 graphics (as opposed to the 7400 Go on the SZ) makes it a far superior gaming machine, and the 14" screen (compared to 13.3") makes it far more comfortable to the eyes for long periods of use. However, having said that, if you're one who takes out your laptop quite often, the Sony SZ would be the better choice. Weighing a pound lighter than the W3j and having 2 extra hours of battery life (under stamina mode), it's the best machine the road warrior can ever hope for; portable enough to not cause back strain, yet powerful enough compared to the average desktop system. Wait, why did that sound like a sales pitch? Argh.. whatever. Hope you get what I meant though. It all comes down to two things: extra portability or extra performance.

edited for typo. Thanks lunateck.
About the 7600 Go, the AR-series has it. Not too sure its worth the money though. For $2699.99 Canadian, you can get the ASUS W2j for the exact same price.

 

SZ doesnt hav 7600go. It only has a 7400go, we all know sony 2 well, aint we. Sony will never (like ever) give any of it's Laptop lines the top range of GPU.

 

I'm not sure how you figure that the SZ is "top elegance". The sony is nice looking but it no nicer looking than the W3J. In fact the premium version just looks like a smaller version of the W3J.

The other thing you may want to consider is the keyboard and the trackpad. I've been really torn lately between the A8JM and the SZ and went to check one out today. The keyboard is really squishy and I found myself missing taps pretty often. Also, I kept hitting the finger-print reader instead of the mouse buttons. I didn't have any problems with the spacebar, though, as some have reported. I love the formfactor, but I wouldn't want to type on that for very long. It's not as bad as the apple keyboard, but it's pretty similar

Very true . . . you should get both . Really, though, go to a B&M retail store and check out (at least) the SZ. It's really a beautiful notebook but it's maybe not for everyone.

 

Hey, beauty's a subjective thing.

Yeah, checked out the SZ two weeks ago. Keyboard felt a little bit too mushy for my liking, but it isn't too bad. Definitely nothing that'll prevent me from buying the laptop if I had the money. Oh, and did I say the thing looked exquisite?

 

I love how sexy the SZ is and W3j is performance which I doubt I really need

 

Go for w7j (not gaming) or w3j (gaming) if air vent location is not a key factor, both are much cheaper than sony sz series with the comparable or higher performence. By the way, the build quality of sony sz non-premium models is totally dissapointing and the ac adapter is also so so bigger.

 

Hey collegeboy (^_^) one thing to consider... I think you'll get more dates from the ladies if you buy the SZ. The women I work with at the University want to touch it all the time (my VAIO), it's a great conversation starter. Ask them out for a drink then let them play with it *(^_~)!

EDIT:

Have you tried the SZ? Word starts in 3 seconds and CS2 17 sec, it's fast enough for college stuff.

 

haha, shame on you for using sex appeal to push a product! i can almost see the ad...

 

U should get the vaio with diamonds...

 

rofl bugman thats great..Thats exactly what I was thinkin bro that laptop is teh ****z and will get me all the ladies

 

The graphics card in the W3J is actually an ATI X1600 256mb

 

While I appreciate the fact that the w7j exists (it increases the competition in 13.3 wxga+graphics card dept.), I find it to be relatively fugly. That giant cyclops-looking webcam just doesn't do it for me. Aside from that, it's supposed to have a lot less battery life than the SZ (<3 vs. 4-5). To top it off, you can get a decent SZ for less than $1500 while the w7j, when it shows up, may cost as much as $1800 (though it may be as cheap as $1500).

 

whoops, yes that's right - thanks for the heads up!