Which one: CR or SZ (in NZ)

Both of these laptops fit within my budget but I can't decide which one. Beware that I am buying in New Zealand so the prices will seem kinda strange. I am looking for a laptop for university (doing a law and/or arts degree). I don't plan on much gaming, I basically realized you buy a gaming laptop and within a year its out of date. However, I still want a dedicated graphics solution...

So the laptop specifications

 

the SZ hands down. it has a better graphics card and is smaller.

no one is sure about the ATI card yet, but i think its pretty bad

 

I think SZ will be a better choice here. for you can hybrid graphic option and the 8400m GS when you want graphic power. plus the size of SZS is really pleasant. I have no problem using it's keyboard since day1 from a desktop keyboard. the weight should prove worthy as well.

I own a SZ680. and there is nothing I can complain about it except my power supply is 2 pronged (all sony laptop are 2 pronged I guess...) and is made in China. hybrid graphic option is one of the main reason I bought Sony SZ and 680 just for the my personal craving for performance.

 

Just so you know the display on that model of SZ does not have an LED back light.

 

I would go one model up on the SZ.

 

May I ask how you getting your SZ6?

Its not out in australia and nz yet right?

EDIT: Interesting I just noticed there is a SZ5 on sony NZ and it comes with a 8400GS graphics card.

 

I went to BestBuy today.. and saw an actual CR... it's huge
... for the price that close... you should go for SZ.

I live in the USA >_> I don't know the difference between the SZ5 in Sony NZ and the SZ6 in US..

as for the screen LED backlight.... I am not sure what you mean...
the screen is very bight even in total darkness...

 

For Furia: The cheap NZ SZ model as stated above does not feature the LED lighting system, instead it uses what you could call the 'traditional' system of back lighting. Their is however a more expensive NZ SZ model that does have the LED back lighting but it costs a hell of a lot more and yet the other hardware specifications if anything are worse.

Oh and Remedi: NZ does surprisingly well with what products we got offered from Sony let alone any other company considering NZ is such a small market. The only real disadvantage we have is that Sony doesn't offer customized Vaio's in New Zealand.

here is a link to a page detailing all of the Sony Vaio models available in NZ. http://sony.co.nz/products/product/computer/vaio-notebook.jsp

 

That CR is Santa Rosa (afaik). That SZ55 is not.

The CR weighs 2,4 kilo, that SZ weighs 1,7 kilo.

They come in very different design. Personally I love the black version of the CR, but the weight kept me off buying it. I went for SZ680 import from US.

You may want to consider importing your SZ from Japan (conics.net).

 

Hello,
just stubled across this thread and I wanted to ask how much was the import of the SZ680 in total? did you also included the 2 year warranty with all the trimmings??.

I'm having a hard time choosing between the SZ or the ASUS F8 series notebooks and one of the main concerns I have is the price and "globality" of the SZ's warranty!! ASUS just thgrow theirs in with it.

 

I got a 2,2Ghz, 1GB, 120GB for 1800$ including delivery to Netherlands. It has one year USA warranty. If anything mayor happen I will have to send it back. Otherwise I take care of it myself.

If you want international warranty: www.compusa.com sells SZ680. It's expensive though. Conics.net might sell you a japanese SZ6 with VOS.

If you look at it that way the Asus is a better deal. But I look at the styling, Sony blows Asus away imo.

 

Sony VGN-SZ94 (3 yr warranty) santa rosa!
- 1st AC Adapter Option Standard, Sony World voltage
- 1st Battery Sony VGP-BPS2C (3 - 6hrs)
- Colour Premium Brown (-$50 if you want standard black)
- Conectivity Bluetooth
- CPU Core 2 Duo T7500 (2.2 GHz) (-$250ish if you want 1.8GHz)
- Custom Recovery DVD(s) Apps & Drivers on HDD only
- English setup YES, required
- Extra AC Adapter None Required
- Hard Drive 120GB
- Keyboard US English (Black)
- Memory 1GB + 1GB (2GB total)
- Networking Wireless LAN a/b/g/n
- Plug shape Adapter none required for USA/Canada
- Security None Required
- Windows Version Vista Home Premium

It'll set you back $2,861.70AUD + $80 postage. And about the warranty, I'm guessing that 3 year warranty only works in japan.

 

Remedi, where did you get this price?

Edit: got it, it's conics.net. I think ordering in USA is cheaper. Pricegrabber.com

 

Yeah thats what I think so as well. Phil where did you order yours? p1?

 

I went for Techonweb.com I DON'T RECOMMEND THEM for international orders. They are very slow.

I did not go for P1 because I want to do upgrades myself.

A friend of mine ordered at Sparco.com he got his in 1 week!

 

Didn't you say that CompUSA will set up international warranty, Phil?

If you can find a model in the US that suits your needs, then go for it.

Your main advantage in ordering from Japan is the customisability and standard 3-year warranty with an option to add-on accidental damage at a low cost (although the new SZ has one of the highest costs of all the notebook models).

 

Yes I did. 2 Year International Laptop Repair Plan $399.99.
http://www.compusa.com/products/pro...N=200334+400098&Ne=400000&product_code=346315

 

Hi,
I'm not sure where your specs came from, but to my knowledge, the CR series does not have bluetooth—or even the ability to upgrade to a card with bluetooth (I have one in front of me).
NeoDavinci

 

The Australian model does come with it.

I also checked the Japan site, and they do as well.

 

nice information, thanks a ton. if ordering from japan is going to be quicker and roughly the same price (from my online browsing I've found they are roughly the same price) then I might go with japan!!

I won't end up with a japanese keyboard though will I?

 

Thankyou for your help but if you look a little closer at the specification there pretty bad for that price! 80 G HD, 1G RAM, T7300 (2.0Ghz) LCD instead of LED!!

I'm sure you didn't notice, those japanese sure know how to make a buck!

 

You can choose if you want to Japanese or English keyboard

 

Actually I did notice

For the SZ6, US is cheaper now than Conics.