Vaio TZ vs MacBook
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: UK.
Vaio TZ vs MacBook
Intend buying PORTABLE laptop.
Vaio TZ seems best bet for size and weight.
Not particularly loyal to PC so had a look at MacBook but it's bigger and twice the weight. Mac can spec a HDD twice the Sony and 802.11n (if it works)
Can anyone comment on pros & cons whilst I'm making up my mind?
Vaio TZ seems best bet for size and weight.
Not particularly loyal to PC so had a look at MacBook but it's bigger and twice the weight. Mac can spec a HDD twice the Sony and 802.11n (if it works)
Can anyone comment on pros & cons whilst I'm making up my mind?
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From: Twickenham, home of rugby
Basil, I assume you are aware that 802.11n is as yet unratified, and anyone selling such kit is taking large liberties!
If performance, weight and battery life are an issue, start looking at solid-state drives - 32GB flash SSD drives (PATA) are now available, costing about £350, but are way faster than conventional HDDs, weigh less (for a comparable capacity) and use less power. Expect about a 15-20% performance boost, plus about 10% longer battery life.
AFAIK, 64GB SSD drives with SATA interface are slated for early next year, or even sooner.
SD
If performance, weight and battery life are an issue, start looking at solid-state drives - 32GB flash SSD drives (PATA) are now available, costing about £350, but are way faster than conventional HDDs, weigh less (for a comparable capacity) and use less power. Expect about a 15-20% performance boost, plus about 10% longer battery life.
AFAIK, 64GB SSD drives with SATA interface are slated for early next year, or even sooner.
SD
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,369
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From: UK.
Thank you all for your valued input.
This is interesting:
Review: Solid-state drives versus hard disk drives
I presume one could always install a SSD at some time in the future?
This is interesting:
Review: Solid-state drives versus hard disk drives
I presume one could always install a SSD at some time in the future?
Administrator
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From: Twickenham, home of rugby
I presume one could always install a SSD at some time in the future?
SD
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,369
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From: UK.
no guarantee that the screwholes to fix the original HDD in its tray will match up
OTOH, if the guarantee's run out; soddit just drill some new holes
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Joined: Dec 2004
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Hahah good work! As the proud owner of a TX and an SZ series vaio, whilst my brother who I see once in a while is a mac habitual with a macbook, all I can say is, he gets jealous, and I don't....
Seriously though, the TX is a great piece of kit if you want uber small and light, whilst the SZ is still so small and light that people comment on it, but is significantly more usable over a long period of time (eg as a primary computer, for dvd watching, spreadsheets etc etc.) The keyboard on the SZ is also a little nicer than the TX and the performance of the SZ is noticeably better (although that's not to say the TX is exactly slow!) Connections/peripherals wise they're roughly the same, although IIRC (I don't have it with me) the TX doesn't have an SD card reader, although I might be mis-remembering.
Both good bits of kit, and the SZ is comparable to the macbook, although (in my opinion) better looking, whilst the TX is light years ahead in the portability stakes.
Seriously though, the TX is a great piece of kit if you want uber small and light, whilst the SZ is still so small and light that people comment on it, but is significantly more usable over a long period of time (eg as a primary computer, for dvd watching, spreadsheets etc etc.) The keyboard on the SZ is also a little nicer than the TX and the performance of the SZ is noticeably better (although that's not to say the TX is exactly slow!) Connections/peripherals wise they're roughly the same, although IIRC (I don't have it with me) the TX doesn't have an SD card reader, although I might be mis-remembering.
Both good bits of kit, and the SZ is comparable to the macbook, although (in my opinion) better looking, whilst the TX is light years ahead in the portability stakes.
