Forget MACBOOK get SONY VAIO NS series Laptop- New-Sony: Entry-level Vaios are best

[riz78612]

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tab=wn&q=SONY+VAIO+ns&scoring=n

Sony: Entry-level Vaios are best ever

Sony: "entry-level Vaios to compete on price"

Aggressive pricing but 'still aspirational'


Bringing up the budget rear is the NS series. Think of this as your "Tesco Value" to the AW series "Finest". It does pack a steady load of features not to be quaffed at, including 4096MB of memory, a motion eye web cam and runs on the latest Intel Core processor. For the pretty poultry price of £499 the 15" screen is pretty impressive and compared to the price of other budget notebooks, VAIO's done good.


http://www.t3.com/news/sony-launches-a-raft-of-new-vaio-laptops?=36835

[Fuzzy14]

Seeing as this website is full of Mac Fanboys (and I use that in the nicest possible sense) should you not join a Vaio Fanboy website? :rolleyes:

*EDIT*
Sorry, maybe I was a bit harsh with that comment. I suppose it is relevant because that is the target market for the lower end MacBoks. I still wouldn't be tempted though.

[Aranince]

One of the main problems I have with PC laptops is the amount of junkware they preload on it. Unless there is none, or its really easy to erase, I won't consider it.

[GfulDedFan]

Nice opinion and I wish you the best of luck.

[polaris20]

OMG I am getting sick of these threads. Maybe I should just start posting Ubuntu Linux threads, because they're just as relevant. I'm sure you all want to read about that, right?

:rolleyes:

To the OP: find yourself a nice PC, then a PC forum to go along with it, and have fun. We're happy for you. Really, we are.

[riz78612]

i am a fan of macs and macbook pros. Reason i posted here, i think it would be a good consideration instead of a Mac.

Im between 2 thoughts buying this or new macbook pro.

Im going to wait next month and see how the macbook pro is. But the price is going to be around above 1000 pounds.

For similar spec Sony Vaio NS series is a good deal and it has BLU ray...wooowww...lol

for 450 pounds you get 3Gb ram, 320Gb hardrive. Now thats sweet for 450 pounds what you mac fans reckon.

[MatLane]

Still windows at the end of the day...


Sadly..

[Vulcan]

OMG I am getting sick of these threads. Maybe I should just start posting Ubuntu Linux threads, because they're just as relevant. I'm sure you all want to read about that, right?

:rolleyes:

To the OP: find yourself a nice PC, then a PC forum to go along with it, and have fun. We're happy for you. Really, we are.

I have to agree. We aren't a PC forum, and most users, well, dislike PC's altogether.

[thechidz]

I don't hate my PC. I just despise the operating system I am stuck with for now:rolleyes:

[tiguk]

I don't hate my PC. I just despise the operating system I am stuck with for now:rolleyes:

You're not stuck with it, just buy a Mac like I did!

Thanks, Microsoft, for giving me all the reason I needed to go Apple! Vista. :p

[MatLane]

You're not stuck with it, just buy a Mac like I did!

Thanks, Microsoft, for giving me all the reason I needed to go Apple! Vista. :p
haha well said!

[Cave Man]

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tab=wn&q=SONY+VAIO+ns&scoring=n

Sony: Entry-level Vaios are best ever

Sony: "entry-level Vaios to compete on price"

Here's from one of the reviews (http://www.trustedreviews.com/notebooks/news/2008/10/01/Entry-Level-Sony-VAIO-NS-Series-Unleashed/p1):

Unusually, however, though there will be Blu-ray equipped options the NS-Series doesn't feature an HDMI port

Why put in a Blu-Ray drive if there's no HDMI port?

[mrkgoo]

Can it run Mac OS X?

[GSMiller]

I'd rather take my money outside set it on fire and then pee on it than waste it on another PC.

[Cave Man]

Can it run Mac OS X?

Not at this time. They have x4500hd video cards, for which there are no OS X drivers (hopefully that'll change with the new MacBooks and Minis). On top of all this, the Sony NS uses a T5800 cpu, which is substantially less powerful than the current MacBook (probably even less than the 2 gHz Mini, too). This Sony is probably no match for the MacBook.

[panzer06]

Thanks for the links. Some nice options. I think I prefer the FW line though. We have 4 Macs and have almost completely eliminated the PCs from our home, however, I do like this Sony:

VGN-FW292 Configure-to-Order
VGN-FW292 Graphic Splash
LCD 16.4" (XBRITE-ECO™ 1600x900)
Fresh Start™ (no bloatware)
250 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive [5400 rpm]
WLAN (802.11a/b/g/n) with integrated Bluetooth® technology
ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 3650 with 512MB vRAM
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.40GHz)
Blu-ray Disc™ Read Only Drive
Colorful
Microsoft® Windows Vista® Business 32-bit with Service Pack 1
2 GB DDR2-SDRAM (DDR2-800, 1GBx2)

All for $1394.

If Apple could give me that config, I'd pay $1699 just to have a Mac. Actually rather stylish for a PC and I like the ATI graphics.

Cheers,

[DSG]

The new Vaio TT makes the Air look a bit pathetic too. If it wasn't for OS X there is no way Apple could get away with their current line-up and pricing.

[BenEndeem]

I like the sony Vaio, but I'd still rather have a MacBook as I do now.

Even if Macs didn't exist, I'd probably consider a laptop from the Samsung X Series running either Vista Business or XP Professional (optional downgrade, which I'd probably take). Sony would be an obvious second though.

Fortunately though, Macs do exist so that's not a choice I've had to make, but I must admit I've yet to be dissatisfied with a Samsung or Sony product.

[jaytv111]

The new Vaio TT makes the Air look a bit pathetic too. If it wasn't for OS X there is no way Apple could get away with their current line-up and pricing.

The TT is waaaaay too expensive though, if you get all the options that is. but then again, i think most netbooks (asus eee, msi wind, etc) are better than the Air, they're cheaper, smaller, and are pretty much just as useful.

The Macbook is probably the best Apple laptop right now. It's cheap and powerful, and that works for most consumers. The Pro, however, lacks much needed features and costs a lot, and the Air should have been a netbook. I guess it's true, OS X is all Apple needs to keep their sales afloat. I guess it shows how bad Vista has been in the marketplace, you can bet Microsoft won't make the same mistakes again with Windows 7 (or they'll come up with a whole new round of mistakes, haha).

[nick9191]

The new Vaio TT makes the Air look a bit pathetic too. If it wasn't for OS X there is no way Apple could get away with their current line-up and pricing.

Alienware do it on a daily basis.

Edit: I just looked at the TT. Slower processor, thicker, more expensive.

[NT1440]

While that thing sure has some nice specs (apart from the blue ray with no HDMI, seriously, whats the point of that?), windows is windows.

[DSG]

Edit: I just looked at the TT. Slower processor, thicker, more expensive.

Thicker yes - but a far, far, far more useful size due to its smaller footprint. Also a higher resolution screen (despite being physically smaller), blue-ray, HDMI-out, dual 128mb SSD, no silly sharp edges. Giving the Air the same footprint as the MacBook was, frankly, lazy.

[elppa]

All the lowdown is on the Sony B2B Website (http://b2b.sony.com/Solutions/category/notebooks) even though the usual gadget blogs haven't picked up on it yet.

Ironic that one of the key selling points flagged up is that it still runs XP. Guess that says something about business adoption of Vista.

The Z Series is one of the nicest laptops on the market.

The TT shares much of the design of the Z Series, but obviously is smaller and lighter.

These are outstanding products which raise the bar quite considerably.

I think Apple has been cruising a bit with the hardware since completing their ambitious switch to the intel architecture.

The MacBook Pro has basically been the same case for the last 5 years, which is why it will be interesting to see what they have in two weeks.

With the entire MacBook range approaching EOL, now is just about the worst, most pointless time to compare them with anything.

[nsbio]

Does it come with iLife 08 preinstalled?

[lamadude]

Still windows at the end of the day...


Sadly..

Or linux! First thing I do when buying a pc laptop is installing ubuntu, so I actually prefer as much junkware as possible for my pc (since they subsidize the pc and I wipe the hard drive anyway)

I think it's fair to talk about laptops without taking into account the OS for a while, just to be able to compare the specs and design. Otherwise we can never mantion any pc laptop ever again, and where's the fun in that?

[Consultant]

Forget SONY VIOS, MACBOOK or MACBOOK PRO are the laptops to get.

"Mac laptops have moved to a 20-percent market share (for June/July brick-and-mortar sales), with a near 65-percent market share in measured dollars."

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/desktop_mobile/the_great_windowsmac_laptop_war.html

[apple2E]

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/10/vaio-aw-10-01-08.png

Taken from engadget:
Sony's 18.4-inch Type A VAIO laptop was already impressive enough when it made its debut in Japan earlier this month, but it looks like the slightly revised VAIO AW just announced for the UK has now taken things one step further. Of course, there's not much room to upgrade that 1,920 x 1,080 18.4-inch display, but you can expect to get a slightly speedier T9600 Core 2 Duo processor and, most notably, a 128GB SSD drive that's joined by a 500GB SATA drive in a RAID arrary, something Sony describes as a "world's first." Also, it looks like prices for this monster actually start at a fairly reasonable £999 (or just over $1,700), but you can pretty safely bet that any "world's first" features will demand a hefty premium.

Man, give me an 18.4 inch macbook pro with similar specs and 8 gigs of ram and I'm sold! :D

[DSG]

Forget SONY VIOS, MACBOOK or MACBOOK PRO are the laptops to get.

"Mac laptops have moved to a 20-percent market share (for June/July brick-and-mortar sales), with a near 65-percent market share in measured dollars."

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/desktop_mobile/the_great_windowsmac_laptop_war.html

There are many reasons to buy Apple's products. This is not a good one. Maybe if you didn't act like sheep Apple might feel less inclined to rest on its (well-flattened) laurels.

[NT1440]

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/10/vaio-aw-10-01-08.png

Taken from engadget:
Sony's 18.4-inch Type A VAIO laptop was already impressive enough when it made its debut in Japan earlier this month, but it looks like the slightly revised VAIO AW just announced for the UK has now taken things one step further. Of course, there's not much room to upgrade that 1,920 x 1,080 18.4-inch display, but you can expect to get a slightly speedier T9600 Core 2 Duo processor and, most notably, a 128GB SSD drive that's joined by a 500GB SATA drive in a RAID arrary, something Sony describes as a "world's first." Also, it looks like prices for this monster actually start at a fairly reasonable £999 (or just over $1,700), but you can pretty safely bet that any "world's first" features will demand a hefty premium.

Man, give me an 18.4 inch macbook pro with similar specs and 8 gigs of ram and I'm sold! :D

Im not a fan of large laptops (17" macbook pro included). Can we get some dimensions and wieght of that (windows:() beast?

[eji]

For the pretty poultry price of £499

That's one expensive chicken. But it's pretty, you say?

[apple2E]

Im not a fan of large laptops (17" macbook pro included). Can we get some dimensions and wieght of that (windows:() beast?

I can understand not being a fan of large laptops...I just bought one of those acer apsire netbooks and it's awesome how portable it is.

I need a larger notebook due to being on the go as a motion graphics/post production editor. Sometimes I need the larger screen for after effects or FCP along with other software.

[elppa]

Or linux! First thing I do when buying a pc laptop is installing ubuntu

And you can guarantee the wifi card will work seamlessly? HSDPA? Blu-Ray Drive? Finger print reader? Microphone? Video Camera?

It's a very noble thing you are saying, but for the average consumer it is just not practical yet to run Linux on a laptop (although it is getting better almost every day). For tech orientated people — it is fine.

[lamadude]

Forget SONY VIOS, MACBOOK or MACBOOK PRO are the laptops to get.

"Mac laptops have moved to a 20-percent market share (for June/July brick-and-mortar sales), with a near 65-percent market share in measured dollars."

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/desktop_mobile/the_great_windowsmac_laptop_war.html

Woo windows has a huge market share, let's all buy windows, it'll be fun! :rolleyes:

[NT1440]

I can understand not being a fan of large laptops...I just bought one of those acer apsire netbooks and it's awesome how portable it is.

I need a larger notebook due to being on the go as a motion graphics/post production editor. Sometimes I need the larger screen for after effects or FCP along with other software.

exactly, i was referring to me personnally having no need for a huge powerhouse laptop, even the current macbooks would be fine for my useage. I'm just waiting till I have money, and by then the new ones will have been out for some time :p

[jojo13]

even if i think they are great, my response is still nevaaaa

you know what, if Apple wouldnt exist, i would get Sonys but... too bad:D

[jojo13]

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/10/vaio-aw-10-01-08.png



one word
HOT HOT HOT

but im still getting a mac :)

[DSG]

one word
HOT HOT HOT

but im still getting a mac :)

And that's why Apple doesn't need to even try to compete. So frustrating.

[econoline06]

i am a fan of macs and macbook pros. Reason i posted here, i think it would be a good consideration instead of a Mac.

Im between 2 thoughts buying this or new macbook pro.

Im going to wait next month and see how the macbook pro is. But the price is going to be around above 1000 pounds.

For similar spec Sony Vaio NS series is a good deal and it has BLU ray...wooowww...lol

for 450 pounds you get 3Gb ram, 320Gb hardrive. Now thats sweet for 450 pounds what you mac fans reckon.

I'll pay a premium for quality and software thats designed for the hardware it runs on. I'm sick of hearing how "proprietary" Apple is. Guess what? Thats why they work so well. BTW, every computer company has proprietary software.

[iMacmatician]

With the entire MacBook range approaching EOL, now is just about the worst, most pointless time to compare them with anything.QFT

I'd even say it's more fair to compare the rumored MacBooks with these Sonys. 16:9, improved specs, better GPUs, etc...

[DSG]

I'll pay a premium for quality and software thats designed for the hardware it runs on.

If only that was all the premium was for - rather than also paying for hype, marketing and excessive profit margins.

[DSG]

QFT

I'd even say it's more fair to compare the rumored MacBooks with these Sonys. 16:9, improved specs, better GPUs, etc...

More accurate, certainly! But which one can I go and buy?

[bplein]

Can a moderator please move this thread to the relevant section of the board, such as This Section? (http://forums.macrumors.com/forumdisplay.php?f=47)

[ChrisA]

OK so a buy the Sony. How do I run Aperture on it?


Not matter what the specs and what the price if it does not run the software you use it's useless.

[DSG]

Can a moderator please move this thread to the relevant section of the board, such as This Section? (http://forums.macrumors.com/forumdisplay.php?f=47)

Get a life! Does the sight of it upset you? Are you scared you might give in and buy a computer that, shock horror, you can justify for reasons other than just that it comes from Cupertino?

[elppa]

More accurate, certainly! But which one can I go and buy?

This one if you want it. It's a good, no, great notebook and I doubt anyone who buys it will be disappointed.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/images/article/inline/8831-sonyvaiottspan2.jpg

But anyone considering between a VAIO and a Mac (who is reading this) should probably at least be aware in under two weeks Apple will bring out new MacBooks.

[DSG]

OK so a buy the Sony. How do I run Aperture on it?


Not matter what the specs and what the price if it does not run the software you use it's useless.

That's not the point. The point is that if Sony can manage to maintain a range of well-priced and well-built computers that are updated in a timely fashion in line with the availability of components, then why can't apple?

[jjahshik32]

no way~ No osx means no sony for me.

Especially with this rumor, http://www.macobserver.com/article/2008/09/30.10.shtml

[NT1440]

no way~ No osx means no sony for me.

Especially with this rumor, http://www.macobserver.com/article/2008/09/30.10.shtml

ugh, i just cannot see that. why are they using the OLPC (sp?) concept as the picture?

[DSG]

no way~ No osx means no sony for me.

Especially with this rumor, http://www.macobserver.com/article/2008/09/30.10.shtml

This is why you'll be sorely disappointed (or relieved) on Oct 14th when SJ announces a new power adaptor with some ports in it. Woohoo.

[mosx]

Meh, forget Sony.

Head over to HP.

$1128.99 will get you a 13.3" notebook, 6 cell battery with similar REAL WORLD battery life compared to the MacBook, 2GHz Penryn Core 2 Duo on the Montevina platform (something HP has been offering for months now, why hasn't Apple moved up?), 3GB of RAM, 160GB HDD, 512MB GeForce 9300M GS, memory card reader, fingerprint reader, ExpressCard, VGA, HDMI (HDCP certified!), 3 USB, backlit keyboard, and 1 eSATA. Just a few dollars over $1100 without the backlit keyboard. Tack on an extra $100 if you want a LED backlit display.

[Abstract]

There are lots of notebooks better specced than the air. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter, as they all do everything I'd ever want from an small, light, portable machine. They give decent screen size and keyboards as well.



It's not really fair to compare this new Sony with an old MacBook design that's nearly EOL (end of life) and about to be replaced by an entirely new machine. It would be issue if the new Macbook had specs that didn't match up well either.

[polaris20]

no way~ No osx means no sony for me.

Especially with this rumor, http://www.macobserver.com/article/2008/09/30.10.shtml

That's not really a rumor, more like dreaming. Though it would be cool though.

[MVApple]

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/10/vaio-aw-10-01-08.png

Taken from engadget:
Sony's 18.4-inch Type A VAIO laptop was already impressive enough when it made its debut in Japan earlier this month, but it looks like the slightly revised VAIO AW just announced for the UK has now taken things one step further. Of course, there's not much room to upgrade that 1,920 x 1,080 18.4-inch display, but you can expect to get a slightly speedier T9600 Core 2 Duo processor and, most notably, a 128GB SSD drive that's joined by a 500GB SATA drive in a RAID arrary, something Sony describes as a "world's first." Also, it looks like prices for this monster actually start at a fairly reasonable £999 (or just over $1,700), but you can pretty safely bet that any "world's first" features will demand a hefty premium.

Man, give me an 18.4 inch macbook pro with similar specs and 8 gigs of ram and I'm sold! :D

If that screen is an 8-bit IPS screen with RGB LED lighting I might seriously be tempted. The RGB backlighting is about a 624 dollar upgrade I think though, for that type of money I think it would be an oxymoron to pair a TN panel with RGB lighting but Sony has done wierd things before.

[elppa]

Meh, forget Sony.

Head over to HP.

$1128.99 will get you a 13.3" notebook, 6 cell battery with similar REAL WORLD battery life compared to the MacBook, 2GHz Penryn Core 2 Duo on the Montevina platform (something HP has been offering for months now, why hasn't Apple moved up?), 3GB of RAM, 160GB HDD, 512MB GeForce 9300M GS, memory card reader, fingerprint reader, ExpressCard, VGA, HDMI (HDCP certified!), 3 USB, backlit keyboard, and 1 eSATA. Just a few dollars over $1100 without the backlit keyboard. Tack on an extra $100 if you want a LED backlit display.

The specs are great for the price.

Unfortunately HPs consumer laptops have all the aesthetic quality of something you'd expect to find in a cornflakes pack.

Whilst everyone's tastes are different, in my eyes Sony is way ahead in terms of industrial design. The VAIOs are built from high quality materials have sleek lines and an understated elegance. The HP looks shiny, cheap and tacky.

[polaris20]

The specs are great for the price.

Unfortunately HPs consumer laptops have all the aesthetic quality of something you'd expect to find in a cornflakes pack.

Whilst everyone tastes are different, in my eyes Sony is way ahead in terms of industrial design. The VAIOs have sleek lines and an understated elegance. The HP looks shiny, cheap and tacky.

Consumer HP laptops are cheap pieces of crap. If your going to go PC, the best thing to do with any brand is go to their business section and order from there, like Lenovo Thinkpads (the best PC laptops, IMO), HP 651x series or higher, or Dell Latitudes.

[elppa]

Consumer HP laptops are cheap pieces of crap. If your going to go PC, the best thing to do with any brand is go to their business section and order from there, like Lenovo Thinkpads (the best PC laptops, IMO), HP 651x series or higher, or Dell Latitudes.

Sound advice, although none of the above would tempt me away from the Z Series (budget permitting) or the SR Series if I was in the market for a PC Laptop.

[Alx9876]

It's a nice Laptop in all but if it can't run Leopard then it's not worth it. Sorry dude I'm not a fanboy, I just know what I like.

[angemon89]

No OS X = no thanks.

[bplein]

Get a life! Does the sight of it upset you? Are you scared you might give in and buy a computer that, shock horror, you can justify for reasons other than just that it comes from Cupertino?

Look at the sections and hierarchy here:

This is a section for Apple Hardware, specifically MacBook and iBook models. It's not for non-Apple hardware. Sure, we might discuss other hardware from time to time, but not as the primary purpose of the thread.

Why do you think this forum has different sections? To give it focus. Why not just put all of the threads into one big section where people start threads about iPhones, MacBooks, Digital Photography and the Taliban all in one section? Because that would change the focus of the board. Same rule applies here.

[bplein]

Get a life! Does the sight of it upset you? Are you scared you might give in and buy a computer that, shock horror, you can justify for reasons other than just that it comes from Cupertino?

By the way, I have a whole e-waste cemetary of dead PCs as well as a few working ones in the house, so it's not like I haven't been buying other stuff. Do I bring my MacBook questions to the overclocking section of HardForums, or to the Sony Vaio fanboy site equivalent of MacRumors? NO.

[Alx9876]

It's a nice Laptop in all but if it can't run Leopard then it's not worth it. Sorry dude I'm not a fanboy, I just know what I like.

[DSG]

Look at the sections and hierarchy here:

This is a section for Apple Hardware, specifically MacBook and iBook models. It's not for non-Apple hardware. Sure, we might discuss other hardware from time to time, but not as the primary purpose of the thread.

Why do you think this forum has different sections? To give it focus. Why not just put all of the threads into one big section where people start threads about iPhones, MacBooks, Digital Photography and the Taliban all in one section? Because that would change the focus of the board. Same rule applies here.

And this is a thread that is comparing Apple hardware with other manufacturers' products. It highlights where and how Apple might be expected to advance their own product line. While I am sceptical as to how much attention Apple pays to the outside world, one would hope that they do at least try to compete.

[elppa]

And this is a thread that is comparing Apple hardware with other manufacturers' products. It highlights where and how Apple might be expected to advance their own product line. While I am sceptical as to how much attention Apple pays to the outside world, one would hope that they do at least try to compete.

When Jobs introduced the PowerBook G4 (which re invigorated Apple's Notebook designs) he compared it on stage to a VAIO.

When he introduced the MacBook Air this year he compared it to the TZ Series (and stressed the TZ was a “really good notebook”).

I think Apple know exactly whose tails they are chasing and have done for some time.

[MVApple]

When Jobs introduced the PowerBook G4 (which re invigorated Apple's Notebook designs) he compared it on stage to a VAIO.

When he introduced the MacBook Air this year he compared it to the TZ Series (and stressed the TZ was a “really good notebook”).

I think Apple know exactly whose tails they are chasing and have done for some time.

Umm Apple's sold more notebooks than any other single manufacturer so I don't think Apple is chasing Sony, but obviously there is competition. Also, lets not pretend like other manufacters aren't copying Apple. It's because of Apple that intels special chip is being used in more laptops than just the air.

Anyways, TN screens and RGB LED backlighting is kinda an oxymoron to me. I haven't seen anyone comment on what type of panel technology is in the AW RGB screen, but I've heard that no TN panel can currently reproduce 100% Adobe RGB so theres hope that its an IPS screen. If it is and Apple doesn't come out with an RGB IPS screen to counter then they just lost me to Sony. A blu-ray 100%RGB ips panel would make one mean movie watching machine.

[riz78612]

Meh, forget Sony.

Head over to HP.

$1128.99 will get you a 13.3" notebook, 6 cell battery with similar REAL WORLD battery life compared to the MacBook, 2GHz Penryn Core 2 Duo on the Montevina platform (something HP has been offering for months now, why hasn't Apple moved up?), 3GB of RAM, 160GB HDD, 512MB GeForce 9300M GS, memory card reader, fingerprint reader, ExpressCard, VGA, HDMI (HDCP certified!), 3 USB, backlit keyboard, and 1 eSATA. Just a few dollars over $1100 without the backlit keyboard. Tack on an extra $100 if you want a LED backlit display.


Isnt the Sony Vaio NS entry level laptop got better spec then that?

3Gb Ram and 320Gb hardrive, your HP only has 160Gb hardrive.

Anyway its all about Mac or Sony. HP cant compete.

Im quite surprised the amount of responses iv received from this thread. Hope people can just stick to the title of the thread. Comparing the SONY VAIO NS series with Macs. Ok then Sony VAIo with Macs ill allow.

Thanks guys for your comments. It just makes a bit more easier to decide which one to get.

I notice people are denying the sony vaio if it doesnt/ cant run Leopord or OSX. And that the Sony vaio doesnt have HDMI capabilties but has blue ray.

Ummh nice reasons why NOT to buy the sony vaio. But then you save 1000 pounds approx 2000 dollars not having those features. So its an alright comprimise. Unless someone can figure out how to install leopard or OSX (never used these softwares before- never had a mac- but have played with them at the apple store- didnt like the trackpad when you had to drag or highlite something- proper annoying- but other then that macbooks are cool). Anyway back to the point if Sony VAIo could add HDMI capabilties and can have leopord osx installed then would you guys consider the entry level sony vaio NS series?

What do you reckon of the style / material of the NS series? crap, good? compared to macbooks

Ill wait till your responses.

Thanks

[MVApple]

According to this reviewer "the AW has versatile viewing angles; we were able to tip the screen far forward, and could watch at nearly 180-degree angles." - http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/sony-vaio-aw-series-vgn-aw180yq.aspx

This is a killer feature for me because it means that this is the only laptop that currently offers something other than a TN screen, besides a few other 12" tablet pcs, and you get amazing color reproduction.

The reviewer isn't very knowledgable though, which makes me really wonder how these people even get jobs reviewing laptops because not once did they mention that the killer feature on this notebook is the adobe rgb color reproduction which is probably why Sony went with an IPS screen and which is why this laptop has 180 degree viewing angles (IPS screens have much better color reproduction than TN panels).

Anyways I heard a rumor Apple was going to release adobe RGB screens. I really want a mac so I'd be super happy if they had a similar offering for the same price, especially in a 15" package.

If not that "brick" Apple is talking about is really going to have to impress me.

[Dybbuk]

Not bad, but I'd still get an SR if I was to get a PC.

[alphaod]

Nice computer.

And Windows isn't that bad!

[zotes24]

i have a sony vaio and i got it 2 years ago. This laptop is a piece of crap. I am a college student and all i use it for is to write paper, surf the internet, and listening to music. The fan broke, the mouse button and the part where you rest your wrist to type is worn down to the white plastic (used to be silver). The machine is slow and there was so much useless crap pre-download on it. It is windows XP and i dont think i would buy a sony agian ( i think they are probably 100 times better now but still, i would go with a Dell XPS if i wasnt going with the Apple Macbook!). just my .02 cents

[MVApple]

i have a sony vaio and i got it 2 years ago. This laptop is a piece of crap. I am a college student and all i use it for is to write paper, surf the internet, and listening to music. The fan broke, the mouse button and the part where you rest your wrist to type is worn down to the white plastic (used to be silver). The machine is slow and there was so much useless crap pre-download on it. It is windows XP and i dont think i would buy a sony agian ( i think they are probably 100 times better now but still, i would go with a Dell XPS if i wasnt going with the Apple Macbook!). just my .02 cents

Well problem is that you can find people with both Dell XPS systems and Apple Macbooks complaining about all sorts of problems. I don't think anyone manufacturer is immune to defects. THe problem is we don't have any solid numbers to go by to see which computers are more reliable.

I heard some of Apple's computers are built in the USA and I believe Sony's high end models are exclusively built in Japan. I would trust the workmanship from Japan and the USA a lot more than something being built in China. If you have a low-end Vaio then it was most likely built in China and even though it is a Sony, the Japanese made Sonys are on another level.

[duolu911]

no bad thanks.

[polaris20]

Well problem is that you can find people with both Dell XPS systems and Apple Macbooks complaining about all sorts of problems. I don't think anyone manufacturer is immune to defects. THe problem is we don't have any solid numbers to go by to see which computers are more reliable.

I heard some of Apple's computers are built in the USA and I believe Sony's high end models are exclusively built in Japan. I would trust the workmanship from Japan and the USA a lot more than something being built in China. If you have a low-end Vaio then it was most likely built in China and even though it is a Sony, the Japanese made Sonys are on another level.

I could be wrong, but I doubt any of the Macs are made in the US. Maybe the Mac Pro, but I highly doubt it. I'll find out in Dec though.

As for high end Sonys made in Japan; that's interesting. Do you know which models? I am a bit skeptical, because it seems everything is made in China these days.

[ShadowPuppet]

I fail to see the merit in comparing a 15 inch laptop to the MacBook.

[aleksandra.]

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tab=wn&q=SONY+VAIO+ns&scoring=n

Sony: Entry-level Vaios are best ever

Sony: "entry-level Vaios to compete on price"

Aggressive pricing but 'still aspirational'


Bringing up the budget rear is the NS series. Think of this as your "Tesco Value" to the AW series "Finest". It does pack a steady load of features not to be quaffed at, including 4096MB of memory, a motion eye web cam and runs on the latest Intel Core processor. For the pretty poultry price of £499 the 15" screen is pretty impressive and compared to the price of other budget notebooks, VAIO's done good.


http://www.t3.com/news/sony-launches-a-raft-of-new-vaio-laptops?=36835

I'm fine with it when people say they don't like Macs. Or that they were disappointed by their Mac. Or that they chose Vaio/Thinkpad/whatever. Even when they say those are better. That's freedom of opinion.

Another matter entirely is the sort of advertising you're doing now. Even if your post is because is some sort of Vaio-lover's campaign and you do not gain from it, it's still SPAM. IMO it should be treated as exactly this. The fact that this managed to evolve in normal discussion doesn't change anything.

[Jpoon]

I could be wrong, but I doubt any of the Macs are made in the US. Maybe the Mac Pro, but I highly doubt it. I'll find out in Dec though.

As for high end Sonys made in Japan; that's interesting. Do you know which models? I am a bit skeptical, because it seems everything is made in China these days.

Assembled from parts from China, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan, and who knows where else...... haha

[Breegy]

If I ever had to settle for a PC, I'd definitely choose a Vaio. They're pretty much top of the line for PCs in my mind.

But Windows just isn't worth it, I'd rather buy the current MacBook. ;)

[ravic]

You got me going there with your comment on most notebooks sold.
As an apple stock holder i was getting all excited. But unfortunately that is not even close. Apple is #7 for several past quarters.
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4456


Umm Apple's sold more notebooks than any other single manufacturer so I don't think Apple is chasing Sony, but obviously there is competition.

[alphaod]

As for high end Sonys made in Japan; that's interesting. Do you know which models? I am a bit skeptical, because it seems everything is made in China these days.

Anything that's top end 'Made in Japan' does not get exported. We get all the B-Grade and below stuff.

[MVApple]

You got me going there with your comment on most notebooks sold.
As an apple stock holder i was getting all excited. But unfortunately that is not even close. Apple is #7 for several past quarters.
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4456

Whoops. I thought I read this in a news article somewhere but I was going off of memory so sorry if I got you going. Those numbers are "wordwide" numbers though, I wonder what numbers for just the United States would look like.

I could be wrong, but I doubt any of the Macs are made in the US. Maybe the Mac Pro, but I highly doubt it. I'll find out in Dec though.

As for high end Sonys made in Japan; that's interesting. Do you know which models? I am a bit skeptical, because it seems everything is made in China these days.

Well I'm going by word of reading this forum. I read in the imac forum that people were having better luck with "made in usa" imacs with regards to a yellow tint screen issue. I believe they said a "Q" denotes if its made in the USA but I'm not sure. I did a search in the imac forum and this is what I found.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=495671&highlight=made+in+usa

Here is another thing, some claiming that CTO are made in USA because Apple changes out a few things and can then claim it was assembled in the USA, regardless of that it still has a "Made in the USA" sticker so the only thing that is clear is that some do come with the "Made in the USA" sticker, what exactly that means is still open since I couldn't find a definitive answer.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=340609&highlight=made+in+usa&page=2

Anything that's top end 'Made in Japan' does not get exported. We get all the B-Grade and below stuff.

Wrong, at least according to this thread which talkes about the Vaio TZ,

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=252363&highlight=made+in+japan

Tons of people with the laptop say that they have a sticker claiming "made in japan".

Other people in this thread talking about the newly released Vaio Z say that if you buy a pre-configured model it is made from Japan and a CTO is made in USA.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=3791425&highlight=made+in+japan#post3791425


So all these computers made in japan and the usa will definately cost more because of labor but the quality should be higher.

[BlackMax]

From what I've seen Sony Vaios are great little notebooks, but since they do not come with OS X pre-installed they are not an option.

[Alx9876]

From what I've seen Sony Vaios are great little notebooks, but since they do not come with OS X pre-installed they are not an option.

I agree with this. If windows Vista gave me a Boot Camp option of their own to run Leopard OSX, I would buy the Sony Vaio laptop right now.

I simply fell in love with OSX. It's very much the same as driving a Honda civic around then switching to a Lexus.

Why would you go back to the Civic if you didn't have to?

This is my Operating system analogy.

[Pixellated]

Great news! I just found out that I can buy something from the £1 shop for Waaaay cheaper than anywhere else. Don't mind the quality, or the looks, just LOOK at that price!

[riz78612]

Would you get this Sony Vaio NS if it had Mac OS X installed and running?

[Glennsune]

No way, OS X makes all the difference.

Could not possibly use anything else at home than OS X, it is just that simple.

If Vaio could legally use and run OS X I would consider it, but still - the macs are far more goodlooking.

[budkid]

I just switched to Mac. If I ever go back, I will choose a Vaio.