Which Sony VAIO Z or SR to get?

I've been looking for a new laptop recently, and after getting some general suggestions in the "What Notebook Should I Buy" sub-forum, I've decided to look into the VAIOs, specifically the Z and SR lines. I'm posting in here b/c you guys know your stuff when it comes to the VAIOs and would be able to help me a lot more with the specifics. So here goes:

1) What is your budget?
~$1500 (since I know VAIOs are generally expensive, I'll listen to suggestions for higher-priced configs up to $2000, but I'd really prefer to keep the price down as much as possible without losing too much on quality)

2) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Thin and Light; 13" - I just think 13" is a perfect size for portability and using it as my main computer at home

3) Where will you buying this notebook? US
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like? Sony

5) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
Internet, MS Word/Excel/PP/etc., movies/DVD watching, MP3 listening, very minor graphic design (I'm talking like MS Paint and Paint.NET; nothing as intensive as Photoshop, though I'd like to know if that even really needs that much GPU-power)

6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both? Both
7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games or types of games? No games
8) How many hours of battery life do you need? At least 3hr, preferably 5+

9) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?
Online's fine, but if you all can suggest any websites with a gallery of pics (for size comparisons or screen views, etc.) that would be cool too

10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
Has to be Windows. I can do Vista (assuming the laptop can run it smoothly), but ones with the option of downgrading to XP are a plus.

11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
WXGA – 1280x800 - I'm used to this resolution (and all my wallpaper's this size ), but any should work (unless you all have any concerns about the "small-ness" of text/pics depending on the resolution)

12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Any I guess.

13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
It's a Sony, so it already looks good.

14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
Preferably now, but I can wait for a little (like 1-2 months max) if you all know of any upcoming deals/releases to look out for. Also, I will have to use this comp for around 3-4 years, so please tell me of any reliability issues and the ilk.

15) How much hard drive space do you want; 80GB to 500GB? Do you want a SSD drive?
Preferably in the 250GB+ range, but 120GB at the very minimum. No SSD b/c of price.

16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
Yes. At least a DVD Burner.

extra: Both Z and SR look good to me, but I want the best value I can get, all things considered. Since I'm really outdated with what constitutes "good" specs/parts nowadays, please suggest what configurations (like what processor speeds, RAM amount, etc.) I should get so I won't be terribly outdated in a year or two (or whenever Windows 7 comes out). On the same note, reliability and usability are just as paramount. I don't want something that'll burn out in a year (or needs constant repairs) or can't last me for like 3 hour stretches doing basic web-browsing or typing. Thanks all!

 

Hope the following link helps:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=4515269&postcount=6337

 

Very interesting. Thanks!

Also, in general, what's considered "good" specs nowadays. I'm not looking for bleeding edge configurations, but I want something solid that'll weather the next couple of years pretty well and won't require me having to upgrade parts to comfortably handle like Windows 7.

 

anything that is 1.4ghz and faster can handle anything, 2ghz is probably the standard right now and is more than enough for anything

2 gigs of ram is also enough

integrated graphics is enough for anything other than current games

and hard drive size is up to you

windows 7 will use less resources than vista so even a netbook will run it fine

anything out right now is enough for anything for the next couple of years, unless you do a lot of photoshop and video editing and whatnot and require faster components so you spend less time on applying filters/adding effects into videos (which i doubt you do), then you don't need anything faster than 2ghz and 2gigs of ram

anything extra is just bonus

 

Interesting, my thanks to you! And with all that being said, would it still be "better" to get a Pxxxx processor instead of a Txxxx processor? And do you all suggest any specific model number of VAIO for either the Z or SR line? I see so many mentions of VGN-Z5xx or VGN-SRxxx, but I'd like to know if there are any good ones or if there's a rule of thumb regarding them (like is the higher the number, the better? or vice-versa?) Finally, assuming that I don't do anything that graphic-intensive, do you think it's worth it getting a Z if I'll never really do anything that utilizes the full power of their dedicated graphics card? Thanks!

Oh, and is newegg.com a good place to buy VAIOs? Seems like they have quite a few good deals, but I'm kinda wondering if there's any downside to them like the SR250 for $1064 or the Z570 for $1514. Not sure of those particular models. http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2034940032%2050011447%20103980223&name=13.1%22%20-%2013.3%22

 

If you really care about the screen. You probably want to go for the Z.
If you scroll down to the bottom of the page. You can see the Z and SR size by size. The color reproduction on the Z is clearly better:

http://kunkoku.livedoor.biz/archives/51484778.html


I don't see the point of getting the SR. The Z's better in pretty much every way. Only if you want the slightly faster ATI graphics card in the SR. The SR's also slightly cheaper too because of the material used.

 

it is better to get the P processor because it produces less heat and uses less energy = longer battery life

the Z 5 series is the older model and the only difference is that it has bluetooth 2.0 instead of the 2.1 in the 6 series (i think those are the numbers.. and you can update your bluetooth for i think 10$ after you buy it). other than that, i really don't see a difference, the 6 series is a refresh, and with all refreshes, they increase the base cpu / hdd and decrease prices. this also applies to the SR series, the older model starts with a 2 and the newer models start with 3, but the only difference is that the base stuff have faster components.. which you could add on to the older model anyways so.. i really can't see a difference

the Z 540 and Z590 have different resolutions, the 540 has 1366 and the 590 has 1600, the 540 also has 128mb of gpu memory and the 590 has 256mb of gpu memory (mainly to handle the higher resolution). the price difference is quite big, so if you don't care about higher resolution, then you should stay with the lower resolution. if you've used laptops before, most likely the size of everything will be more similar to the 540 screen.. with the 590, everything is smaller, but you can fit more stuff on the screen

i can tell you are more of a casual laptop user than an enthusiast. if you never game, then you'll be happier with an integrated graphics card (saves on battery life, runs cooler), the Z and SR are quite similar in most regards but the Z is better, by a little, in most things (besides gpu performance, the SR graphics card is faster by a bit) for example, the screen colors, however the SR's screen is probably going to be the best screen you've ever used anyways, and weight (the difference is 500g). the the Z's palmrest is made from aluminum, which looks nice to me.

i think people should spend their money on what makes them happy. so, if you really like laptops, get the Z. otherwise, get the SR and spend your extra 500$ on something else that would make you happier .. like lots of cupcakes

 

Yep, you pegged me correct, I'm a casual laptop user. I'm just so lost when it comes to laptops but you've been a big help. I'm basically looking for a nice reliable and portable laptop that's also powerful enough that it can last awhile and also double as a home unit since my desktop is really old and slow (I'm thinking circa 2003 ). The Z definitely has an aesthetics edge, but $500 worth of cupcakes sounds mighty delicious.

 

The best advise I can give you is to go to a local store that sells the Vaio SR & Z, if possible. Then play around with it. That way, it'll make your decision a lot easier.

 

yup, go look at both, and both basically have the same cpu / hard drive space.. graphics.. it's just the casing for those components that you're really paying for

all of the base specs are enough for what you need, my 1.8ghz 2gig ram 5.8lbs m1210 will last me for a long time, there's really nothing out there (at least in the next 4 years) that requires anything faster unless you game

 

If you think that you might want to hook your laptop to your tv via hdmi one day then don't get the SR with integrated graphics. The SR with integrated graphics will get you about 4 hours 30-5 hours in power saver mode with wifi on, bluetooth of with 30% brightness.

The SR with dedicated graphics does have a hdmi port. Battery life is not great though and with wifi on with the standard battery you will get about 3 hrs 20-30mins battery life in power saving mode and less than half brightness.
You can get an extended battery but that costs more money no doubt and it raises the profile of your laptop.

The Z has hdmi built in and a dual graphics card. This means that you can switch of the dedicated card and use the integrated card if you want better battery life. The Z should be able to get you 5-6 hours in integrated graphics mode using the same settings that i mentioned above. The Z's standard battery is a higher capacity battery than the one you get with the SR.

Depending on which Z you go for some models have also got WWAN built in. Having mobile broadband built in gives you a better signal than getting an express card mobile broadband card. Mobile broadband will allow you to have internet access on the go.

I think that the Z is the better option. It is built better, most people agree that the display is also better and battery life is better also. The SR is still a decent laptop though.

Check amazon, jr.com, buy.com and techonweb for some good deals.

 

So I went to the store yesterday to get a feel for both the SR and Z and I'm 90% sure I'm getting a Z. However, I have just a couples questions first:

1.) Is there a noticeable difference in speed between a P8400 and P8600 processor? (assume I'm only using Word, watching a movie, or going thru albums of photos)

2.) Is there a noticeable difference in speed between HDD that run at 5400rpm vs. 7200rpm? (assume I'm only using Word, watching a movie, or going thru albums of photos)

3.) Is there any major differences between the VGN-Z520 and VGN-Z540 models in terms of potential bug fixes or stuff of that nature? Basically, what is the reasoning for changing the model number when a lot of them seem to have the same configuration and specs? Am I getting an "inferior" model if I chose the Z520, or just an older one, from a production order standpoint?

4.) What exactly do those letters at the end of the model numbers mean? For example, for the VGN-Z520 N/B or Z540 NCB, what do the N/B and NCB deal with?

5.) Assuming I want to put more RAM into the laptop, does the VAIO require some sort of Sony-propriety-based RAM, or can I go with any brand? Do they have to be the same speeds?

I know that's a lot of questions so I want to tell you how much I appreciate you all for educating this laptop newb.

 

My answers:

1) No.
2) No.
3) Z540 - CTO model (Assembled in USA); Z520 - pre-config model (Assembled in Japan)
4) N - Windows Vista Business; B - Regular Black Carbon (screen) lid
5) You can go with any brand as long as they are laptop memory modules & it is the same speed with what is being installed originally.

 

Awesome. Thanks for the input! So I guess I can get a P8400 and 5400rpm-configured system with little performance hit and save some money.

 

Yes, based on what you're going to use the Vaio Z for. Good luck.

 

Hard drive speed will be noticeable if you plan to start up and shut down the computer (or hibernate/resume) or load programs. However, once the word processor or photo browser is up and running, it won't really matter.

I agree that the processor difference probably won't be noticeable for the stuff you mentioned.

 

Thanks for the input guys. I just placed an order for a Z, and I should hopefully receive it in 7-10 business days.

 

Congrats on your purchase. You'll love your new Vaio Z.