Why a Z over a new Apple MacBook

My brother in law is in the market for a new 13" notebook. He remembered that I had an SZ and asked me my opinion and I told him he should look at the new Z series. He went to BestBuy and saw both the Z and the new aluminum MacBook and he's asking me what the Z has over the MacBook considering it's quite a bit more expensive. What can I tell him is the biggest advantage, I know it might be a little lighter in weight and you can get an extended battery but is there anything else I can bring up to him?

 

much better screen, potentially better cpu, blu-ray; express card, firewire 400, docking, doesn't gives you burns, etc

 

Most importantly..... It's a Sony! "Like.N ther"

 

Not a mirror. Unless your brother feels the need to constantly keep on the look out for things behind him, in which case he should choose the macbook, or buy a mirror.

 

the Z is lighter, has longer battery life, and is more durable

 

The main advantages of the Z over the MacBook are:

- Weight - the Z is much lighter than the MacBook (especially when you feel it in your hands). You may say 3.3 pounds is "only" 1.2 pounds less than the MacBook's 4.5 pounds, but at this weight range even a few ounces makes a huge difference. If you hold a MacBook in one hand, and a Z in the other, you'll agree (keep in mind though that many store models don't have the battery installed, and since the MacBook's battery is heavier than the Z's, probably would make the difference feel less apparent).

- Screen - the Z's screen quality is amazing. Not only is the resolution incredibly high on the expensive model I think you're referring to (the low-res models actually cost about the same as the cheapest new MacBook), but many people say it's possibly the best non-IPS screen on a laptop ever. The new MacBook, on the other hand, has a somewhat "mediocre" (and some would even say bad), screen.

- Heat management - I'm not sure how the new MacBook is at heat management, but it's doubtful that with a full aluminum body it will be able to stay as cool as the Z's carbon fiber chassis with it's well-designed cooling system. One thing you can be sure of is the Z keeps cool remarkably well according to most reports, even under stress of intense video games, etc.

- Durability - both the Z and new MacBook seem to be very durable, but the Z can definitely take more "punishment" in terms of drops, bumps, etc. according to Sony's drop-test videos: Thanks to the Z's carbon fiber and sturdy design, it can be dropped from ~3 feet with no apparent damage in some cases, while the MacBook would no doubt be dented (an unfortunate disadvantage of metal casing) and possibly damaged internally.

Some less major differences are:

- Keyboard - the Z's keyboard is much better than the MacBook's in terms of spring quality, feel, responsiveness, etc., according to most reports.

- Wireless - as with other metal laptops from Apple, the MacBook's wireless reception isn't very good since the aluminum case blocks out signals.

- Battery life - the Z can potentially last a lot longer on battery than the MacBook on a standard battery since it can switch to low-power Intel graphics when you don't need gaming-level 3D performance.

- Blu-ray, faster CPUs, firewire, fingerprint reader, etc., etc.

And here are the advantages I can think of for the MacBook:

- Slightly larger screen (13.3" compared to 13.1")

- Glass "clickable touchpad" (might be a disadvantage if you don't like it)

- Glass screen should be easy to keep clean, and you don't have to worry about scratching or ruining it with pressure like you would a thin plastic one, although the glare can be a big disadvantage.

- You might personally prefer the aluminum look or MacBook design to the carbon fiber look or Z's design

 

The Z is 500 grams lighter and contrast on the screen is twice as high as the Macbook.

If you want an Apple with a good screen go for MBA or MBP.

 

Great folks, all good reasons, I'm going to email him these right now.

 

And if he goes for a Z be sure to tell him there are ways to get the set up he wants for cheaper than through a place like BestBuy. (student discount, cto z540 coupon, sites like portable one, things like provantage for a cheaper warranty, etc.) Maybe he can end up not paying much more to get the Z.

 

I'm an OSX user myself and I find that there are too many advantages the Z has over the aluminum MB. However, the SZ had many advantages over the original MB as well. If it wasn't for it's price, the SZ probably would have been more popular than the original MB.

 

Does your brother need to run MacOS? If so, he should buy the MacBook. If he wants to run Windows, he should buy the Z. For me, it really is as simple as that

I know a Mac can run Windows, but I've done that and I didn't think it was fun. Little things like no right-mouse-button, no separate backspace and delete keys, etc. make the experience annoying.

 

Not quite sure if you think this is an advantage or not. But Sony Vaios are made in the USA(Depending on where you live) and therefor contribute to our countries GDP. The parts are from Japan but it is still assembled in San Diego. That's if you buy it in America. I myself think this is an advantage because why not help your own economy out?

 

Hey AlaskaGrown! Thanks for the mention! Its always appreciated.

We do sell both Apple & Sony. I have to say though the Sony Zs are by far are best sellers. If you're looking for a special configuration (like an Intel X25M SSD drive) check us out. 100% customer feedback as well!

 

The advantages are mentioned in previous posts and I agree with most of them.
Tell him to check out the SR too. Its price is closer to macbook. The SR's screen is still better than macbooks' from my eyes. If he doesn't need a graphic, the intel x4500 SR will allow longer battery life.

If he really likes OSX, no doubt; go for macbook.

 

Yeah, the SR screen is even better than the Z's (according to Phil)

 

It seems that every time someone asks about the hardware differences between a Mac and a PC, someone brings up OSX (???). Unless you absolutely must have Windows/OSX/etc., it's a very bad idea to let an OS preference influence you to buy a piece of inferior hardware that you'll probably be disappointed with in the long run.

I'm not saying hardware X is superior to hardware Y, or OS X is superior to OS Y, I'm just pointing out that to some people, OS is far less important than weight and battery life, for example.

 

I understand what you're saying but unfortunately, there are still a number of people who love the Vaio Z but only need to use OSX.... So what do you think he/she should do? Buy a Z & run *******? (I censored the word out because I believe it is not appropriate to use that word but you all know what I'm saying)

 

Then those people should just use Windows
There is nothing that OSX can do that Windows can't
but it's not the other way around.

 

I also understand what you're saying.... But how do you use software like Final Cut Pro on MS Windows?

 

there are many many windows video editing softwares.. like sony vegas pro, adobe prmiere pro, avid liquid 7 pro, etc

but i see what you mean though, i guess if they are required (by school or work) to use a certain software that only works on OSX, I guess they have no choice but to buy a Mac

 

Very good point - this is why I said "Unless you absolutely must have Windows/OSX/etc. [...]" - like you say if you have to use OSX for a certain type of software like Final Cut Pro, OSX development tools, etc., that would obviously narrow down the possible laptops for you to Macs only. But this is a special case that doesn't apply to most people, especially those looking for ultraportables, that's all.

 

Have you ever seen SR and Z screen at the same time?I have them both.The SR screen look wash out and less saturation compare to Z screen.

 

Did you see me say *according to PhilFlow*??

The SR has higher contrast rate (because of the glossy screen)
and you can turn up the saturation btw

 

I'll second the sentiments on the weight - big deal breaker for me on the macbook.

A note on durability - I managed to drop my Z with the screen open (was balancing on one hand), and what happened was the bezel of the screen popped apart at various points on the side, including the bottom. However, I was pretty impressed - everything is still solid, even after 'snapping' the bezel back together... no damage done at all!

 

This might be true for *some* people - indeed, the people here on this forum might be expert computer users and therefore this might be true for them.

However, I think for most people this is really bad advice. For most users, the experience of the OS and associated software is more important than the hardware. In my opinion switching from Windows to MacOS or vice-versa is non-trivial for someone with no experience on the other platform. Advising someone to buy a Mac because the hardware is nice seems like a recipe for disaster.

 

Well obviously we disagree here. I think hardware should be the #1 deciding factor of a laptop, because it's that hardware that you carry around all day, not the OS. But that's just my opinion, and we probably shouldn't debate this too much in this thread

Actually the first time I used OSX was a few months ago, and after using Windows all my life, it was actually fairly easy to pick up. I mean, it took be probably 5 minutes to figure out what was different, etc., but honestly it's no big deal. But I guess it's different for each person.

 

So after 5 minutes with MacOS, you were productive? There are so many things that are slightly different, I'm really surprised: setup email accounts, use Keynote to build presentations instead of PowerPoint, edit spreadsheets, master Finder, IE bookmarks imported into Safari, find where MacOS stores user files and personalization settings, transfer and organize all your digital photos, etc. Every task is slightly different on the two platforms and therefore has a learning curve.

For a computer expert, each transition might not be too bad, but for an average user the time and frustration do add up. For someone that really wants to switch, they will learn this stuff and get comfortable eventually, but it requires a commitment to learn a bunch of new software. I've had a few friends buy a Mac and then get surprised when it's not quite as easy as the Apple commercials make it out to be

 

Good points . Needless to say I wasn't a Mac "expert" after 5 minutes, but I was able to find my way around fairly easily and get things done, although I am quite a bit more experienced with computers than the average person.

Anyway I just think in the long term the OS isn't nearly as important as the hardware in laptops unless you either need to use special non-cross-platform software or there's something about a certain OS that you really love/hate.

 

When jobs finally gives in and adds a right-click button to his laptops, then maybe... =)

 

for the op: the new Apple laptops are way to glossy. make sure your friend understands that, or he will return it for being a mirror just a few days later (like a did)

As for the Leopard, for me was more a trouble to find the proper software. For example, the office for mac doesn't open properly SOME files saved by Office for Vista. Yes, it's saved in the proper format that both versions read/use but somehow there are errors (big) that made me really upset about the office for mac. It's not an issue caused by Apple but for me was a big problem considering my whole company files are saved by Office 2007 for Vista. Also, copy and paste doesn't work properly for multiple/complex paragraph, another huge issue for ME. As for your friend, he may encounter other problems.. or not.

 

the right click is a click with 2 fingers, it's actually nicer cause u don't have to move your fingers down the pad, you just click or right click. all the 1-2-3-4 fingers clicks/movements are really nice and they do help, the 2 fingers scroll is GREAT. I hope Vista will get that sometimes soon.

 

it doesn't depend on vista
it depends on if the touchpad driver has this feature
afaik
synaptics and alps touchpads all support multitouch like the mac's touchpad

 

My 2 cents...

I personally would choose the Z over a Macbook for 3 main reasons.

One, you have a much more wider choice when it comes to hardware whether you are buying a new pre-built unit or building one to fit your needs. While Macs do give you that option, it is still very limited in comparison to, in this case, the Sony Z. This goes double for the ports as the new Macbooks kind of skimped on this area in the now current generation in my opinion.

Second, I agree about the screen. I have had notebooks with glossy screens before and it didn't bother me that much even when I could see a bit of the glare and my reflection when using it in case for example. When I went to my local Apple store, I was surprised by just how glossy it really was in person and within 30 minutes of use, I found that I was starting to slowly develop a headache. If your friend wants a Mac, I hope that there is an Apple store near that person because it is worth the trip to actually view and test the product in store, especially when you are talking about this much money now and days.

Third, if your friend plays his cards right and works the internet a bit, it isn't uncommon to find the Z for less that what Sony out right sales it for. As for Apple, good luck. About the only discount they provide is through their student program which is still only a small percentage off in the long run.

By the way, for what it's worth, I have owned Macbooks and Apple G4s in the past, so I in no way feel bias toward either brand. In fact, the Macbook was on my list this time around until I saw it in person. This time, I decided on the Sony SR personally to fit my needs.

BBGus

 

Thanks for all of the info everyone, he'll have some reading to do! He never had a Mac so OS X means nothing to him really. He also expressed some concern that the Z looks "delicate", he thought the display is so thin it could easily break, thinking the MacBook seemed more durable. I explained to him last night that the Z might look delicate (I kinda know what he means) but that it's really more durable than the aluminum MacBook.

 

Yes I have seen them on several occasions, and I owned a Z for a while.

The SR can come with at least 2 different panels, Samsung and Toshiba as far as I know. The Samsung looks washed out and doesn't have the punch that the Toshiba screen has. The Samsung can look ok after calibration. Judging by your observations you have probably seen the Samsung screen.

The Toshiba screen is measured at a contrast rate of about 500:1, while the Sony Z screen has 334:1. Check Notebookjournal.de for details.

If the Z would have a glossy coating instead of the Duraview coating the contrast rates would be higher.

 

If he's worried about how the super-thin display flexes, he shouldn't. This is not a "mistake" or accident - Sony designed it this way intentionally for durability. To illustrate, consider what happens when you drop a glass (100% rigid) ball. Now consider what happens when you drop a rubber ball

If you dropped a MacBook with the screen open I bet there's a high probability that the screen will shatter due to the glass. For the Z, the screen was designed to be flexible, and as Sony's drop tests will confirm, it will just bounce around where normally it should shatter (or in severe cases like keisuke_z's, the bezels might pop off and need to be snapped back).

Out of curiosity - how far did it fall when you dropped it?

 

When I saw that guy take a picture of him flexing the screen/lid of the Z I was convinced that this is one durable laptop. Do that with a Macbook and say goodbye to your screen.

Personally, I prefer OSX over vista but the Macbook's flaws (mirror for screen, poor quality LCD panel and relatively high price) were deal breakers and ended up with a Z for my laptop. As for the Z's screen, I love the fact that the screen seem to be a hybrid of glossy and matte with great contrast without the horrible glare that the glassy Macbook/Pros have.

 

Hi.
How can I know my screen is toshiba or samsumg?

 

PC Wizard 2008 trial version will tell you. Please report back what you find as there may be more or different panels going around.

PS. have you tried calibrating your screen? this can help.

 

Hi.
How can I calibrate my screen ?Do they need some speacial tool? Can you help me with that?
Thanks

 

lamtutu did you find out what screen you have? what type number?

For calibration, can't really help you there. I just use the settings in the Nvidia(/Ati/Intel) panel and adjust them to what looks good to me. Surely there must be tools available. I just don't know them.

Often when a screen looks washed out changing the gamma and/or digital vibrance can help.

 

About case resistance: I dropped my SZ from my desk twice, first time really severe cause I actually inflicted some speed into the drop by my stupid movements around the desk, and second time (yesterday) just a nice drop due to moving some monitors around with the laptop being very close to the edge on top of some books - it hit the floor right with a corner! The laptop had no issues after turning it ON, but I saw 5 minutes later the corner popped open like 3 mm and I had to snap it back together. After I snapped it back I looks like brand new, no scratches and no open spaces. I did feel bad about it, especially cause I plan to keep it as a secondary laptop just in case my Z fails (no reasons to fail, right?).

 

Is there anything that will enable multi touch in Vista? Any drivers, software, updates, etc?

 

Some added functionality here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=309346&highlight=gestures

But Alps does not support multi touch as far as I know. Synaptics does.

 

I have a question for my own knowledge, what is special about the Dura screen on the Z? Are there any less expensive Sony laptops than the Z that use the DuraView display?

 

- 100% NFTS color reproduction
- Scratch resistant coating
- Special matt/glossy hybrid coating which is excellent at reducing glare from lights behind you, yet doesn't become unreadable in sunlight or bright vertical lights like most matt screens

AFAIK just the Vaio Z and Vaio TT have "DuraView" screens.

 

Hi.
I had no idea what Manufacture screen I have on my SR. I checked with PC wizard 2008 and it show some thing like this.
Information :
Product ID : MS_0040
Manufacture : 2002
Video Input Type : Digital in 0.7/0.3v
Aspect Ratio : 16:10
Gamma Factor : 3.55
DPMS Active-Off : Yes
DPMS Suspend : No
DPMS Standby : No
EDID version : 1.3

Features :
Maximum Resolution : 1280 x 800 @ 59 Hz
Bandwidth : 70 MHz

 

I dropped it about 3 feet - tried to balance it on one hand on top of some clothes I was moving around the room... granted - I was on a carpeted floor, but the carpet itself is on a very thin underlay so... not a whole lot of padding. All in all, I'd consider the Z to be much more durable than my previous SZ. Flex is good - it means it can absorb impact better.. =)

 

And when you see that information you need to left click on 'monitor type' for details. Then it will show the manufacturer. I've attached a screenshot (dutch).

Maybe yours is Matsush-ita or something like that. I Googled it and it seems to be used on some SZ's too. Independent of which display it really is, I think you should try calibrating it anyway.