New laptop opinions...

Pacifico

Hi,

I'm looking for a new laptop atm, and want something light enough with 1GB RAM.

Was looking at this...

Sony VGN-FJ3M

* Intel® Centrino™ Mobile Technology with Intel® Pentium® M Processor 740 (1.73 GHz) and Intel® Pro/Wireless 802.11 b/g
* Genuine Microsoft® Windows® XP Home with service pack 2 (English version)
* Hard disk: 80GB Serial ATA 5400rpm
* Memory: 1 GB DDR2-SDRAM (PC2-3200 DDR2-400 CL=3) (2x512 MB, maximum 2GB with 2x1 GB)
* 14.1" WXGA (1280 x 800) LCD screen
* Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 900 with up to 128MB Dynamic Video Memory shared with main memory
* Super Multi Double layer DVD±RW drive
* Built-in 'Motion Eye' Digital Camera (30 frames per second, 0.37 Mega Pixels) with Motion Picture Function (max. resolution (pixels) VGA/640*480/raw data)
* QWERTY keyboard
* Intel, Intel logo, Intel Inside, Intel Inside logo, Intel Centrino, Intel Centrino logo, Intel SpeedStep and Pentium are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.


Any thoughts? The X-Black screens are very nice!

Also, can you recommend some places online that might have it cheaper?

ircoha

Dell have one now that doubles as a BBQ.:)

U dont mention the weight of this one and what battery life it has.

Is the processor a little underpowered?

Pacifico

Cant link to specific laptops on the sony site for some reason....

Its 2.4Kgs, and battery is 3.5 hours.

Processor underpowered?......hmm i wont be gaming or anything on it, want it for college really.

Re Dell, yeah i was also looking at the 640m, but it is bigger and slightly heavier. Oh, and it doesn't look as good

iremex

i'd recommend a macbook.
i am currently using one with XPPRO running on it and its superfast (duo core 2GHz, 1gbram) ,superlight(5lbs) and its got the equivalent x-brite screen..

i am by no means a mac head but i am really very happy with my purchase.
bought mine off typetec btw..

i sold sony laptops before and found them to be a little bit flimsy and underpowered. as urs has 1gb but with a 2x512mb configuration with only two bays so if u want to upgrade the ram, either one or both chips are going to be dumped!!!

Pacifico

Here is the link btw http://vaio.sony-europe.com/view/ShowProduct.action?product=VGN-FJ3S%2FW&site=ite_en_GB&pageType=Overview&category=VN+FJ+Series

Yeah macbooks are great, you can run xp pro on them? Any limitations? Also, they aint cheap!

Cant ever see myself needing more than 1GB RAM on the laptop!

TerrorFirmer

If you don't play games both the processor and ram are fine. Even if you plan playing games, actually, the processor and ram are totally fine but you won't be able to play any new games with that gfx option. I don't know why someone said the processor is underpowered...

How much are you paying? As long as you don't mind paying 2x for the Sony compared to another brand simply for the name....they look beautiful but are very badly priced.

To be honest it its only for college work a more basic Sony Vaio would do, no? They start around 999 for a Celeron Processor and 512mb Ram - more then sufficent for any college based work, unless you need to do seriously heavy multimedia editing.

K.O.Kiki

The difference between similarly specced Sony & Macbook is around €200 -- although, you have to factor in that you're getting a 2Ghz CoreDuo for that.
So the real difference is an OEM copy of WinXP, which TBH I wouldn't even bother with.

Having said that, the re-furbished model on the Sony page looks like a good deal.

*edit* Don't forget that Apple give a nice little student discount!

Pacifico

HavoK wrote:

If you don't play games both the processor and ram are fine. Even if you plan playing games, actually, the processor and ram are totally fine but you won't be able to play any new games with that gfx option. I don't know why someone said the processor is underpowered...

How much are you paying? As long as you don't mind paying 2x for the Sony compared to another brand simply for the name....they look beautiful but are very badly priced.

To be honest it its only for college work a more basic Sony Vaio would do, no? They start around 999 for a Celeron Processor and 512mb Ram - more then sufficent for any college based work, unless you need to do seriously heavy multimedia editing.

Yeah i was thinking going for a celeron and 512 RAM, and they have a refurbished one for like €900, but its 3KG's and has a larger screen....The one i posted above is €1070 refurbished. And i want something portable really.

It seams like a good deal, now to find some money

jo.king

Guys,

what the story with the Macbook...i have used PC's all my life and have no idea with a Macbook... if i wanted to install Win XP on it is it just like a Dell but its Apple hardware? - Any insight would be appreciated!

Where is the best place to buy one on the net?

Thanks,

Jo.

Anti

The only difference in the " innards " of the macbook is that it has Mac OSX ( operating system ) installed on it. All the hardware is the same these days. an i mean everything, cpu, ram, graphics, hard drive. All you have to do is format mac osx and compile a bootable winxp cd with modified siles on it iirc. Im more then likely wrong on how to install it. But all the hardware is the same as what can be found in a dell or similar

Pacifico

K.O.Kiki wrote:

*edit* Don't forget that Apple give a nice little student discount!

€70 off the base model iBook? Hmmm thats ok i guess, but adding another 512 RAM costs €100.

So would an OEM copy of Windows XP install right onto this?

Pacifico

I've decided on the Sony.....

Has anyone ever bought from www.laptopsdirect.ie ? Any good?