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A Macbook or a Sony Vaio- I would like advice

Thanks for all your sugesstions. I just thought that mac software was harder to obatin than windows seeing of the populairty of windows- i guess i was wrong.

Right now i am leaning towards the macbook at the moment. I do know windows like the ack of my hand as that is all i have been working on for all my life. I will just confirm with the university if they are macbook friendly before i make my final decicsion.

About bootcamp. I was reading up on it. Now do you have to allot a certain amount of hardive space for this. If so how much is suffiencent enough to effectivly run windows.

Do the other options of running windows on the mac book cost my and addition money to purchase.

Thanks
 
I don't think you can go wrong with either.

I used a Windows-based computer while I was in design school (and should've used Mac, apparently) and I'm using a Macbook now when I'm no longer doing design. Never run into any specific software problems. And coming from a recent convert, I can say these days it's much easier to find mac-version of the softwares. I attended three different universities and I know they're all using both macs and pcs.

Last time I set up Bootcamp, it made 32GB partition. I think if you're thinking about using Bootcamp, get at least 250GB HD, with the base model you only get 130GB of usable space.

Just another comment about Vaio though, I know some people who use it and love it, but I also heard from people who used it said that it's just pretty face. My friend returned her Vaio after it went on system failure on the first day and got Asus instead.
 
Biz = Windows

Just my .02 but,

For the business word windows is still king. That is not to say that you can not or would not be just fine using a mac. It is just that for the most part you will be expected to know your way around a windows machine. I love my mac(s) and I do have windows installed (mainly for vpn), but my career does not live and die by one or the other. I will say that having to boot into windows via boot camp, or other software was a pain when I only needed it for a few minutes or what not. And, if you are going to be in windows most the time anyway, why bother with another operating system?

Also, I have had 3 sony laptops, and one sony desktop. The desktop is flawless, it runs as a full time editing machine and it is many years old. The three laptops are garbage - I have had to have all the screens replaced at least once. I WILL NOT buy another sony laptop.

I recommend getting a windows machine - sure you might want to buy something that will last for many years, but it may be easier to just buy a cheap sub $500 laptop and refresh it half-way through college, or buy a more powerful new one upon graduation for when you enter the business world.

Regardless, because you are a biz major i would get a dedicated windows machine and would look at the following brands: Compaq/HP or Lenevo (IBM).

Good Luck!
 
The Z is more portable it is lighter and it has better battery life. You can buy an extended battery to take you to about 8 hours plus doing office work. An extended battery would take the Z's weight to about 3.5lbs so it is still 1lb lighter than the MB even with the extended battery.

I should imagine that the Z is also more durable than the MB as well due to the Sony Z's carbon fibre chassis. The MB should be ok though if you protect it well. The Sony also has a better display.

The MB has the OS going for it.

Design wise i prefer the look of the Sony the MB looks a bit to flashy but i think it still looks ok.
 
I'd say go for the MB, and get Office for Mac if you need it. I've had a Sony Vaio - briefly, I gave it to my brother when I bought my MBP - and have recently switched to Mac, which I really like and find to be far better. Unfortunately, at the moment, I'm back in the world of Windows (and vicious viruses) for professional reasons, as I'm in the Caucasus, and am working on a Government laptop. Go for the MB, it's a better machine and can run both systems, which should take care of whatever university can throw at you.

Cheers and good luck
 
So if we remove the OS in which ways is the MB an actual better machine than the Sony Z?

The graphics cards perform about the same the 9300GS and the 9400M. The Z also has an integrated card also for better battery life.

The Z has a better display, is more portable and has better battery life.
You can get a processor up to 2.53 on the Z.

The Z has an HDMI port as far as i know there are not any convertors yet that will go from mini DVI to HDMI. Most people want to connect their laptop to their LCD TV's these days.

The Z has built in WWAN for mobile broadband, SD card slot, firewire, express card slot and finger print reader.

The MB has got a multi-touch trackpad, 2 usb ports, mini dvi out and backlight keys.
Both can be had for about the same price.
The Z is made out of unibody carbon fibre and the unibody MB is made out of AL.
I fail to see how the MB is an actual better machine.


Scepticalscribe said:
I'd say go for the MB, and get Office for Mac if you need it. I've had a Sony Vaio - briefly, I gave it to my brother when I bought my MBP - and have recently switched to Mac, which I really like and find to be far better. Unfortunately, at the moment, I'm back in the world of Windows (and vicious viruses) for professional reasons, as I'm in the Caucasus, and am working on a Government laptop. Go for the MB, it's a better machine and can run both systems, which should take care of whatever university can throw at you.

Cheers and good luck
Click to expand...
 
Roba said:
So if we remove the OS in which ways is the MB an actual better machine than the Sony Z?

The graphics cards perform about the same the 9300GS and the 9400M. The Z also has an integrated card also for better battery life.

The Z has a better display, is more portable and has better battery life.
You can get a processor up to 2.53 on the Z.

The Z has an HDMI port as far as i know there are not any convertors yet that will go from mini DVI to HDMI. Most people want to connect their laptop to their LCD TV's these days.

The Z has built in WWAN for mobile broadband, SD card slot, firewire, express card slot and finger print reader.

The MB has got a multi-touch trackpad, 2 usb ports, mini dvi out and backlight keys.
Both can be had for about the same price.
The Z is made out of unibody carbon fibre and the unibody MB is made out of AL.
I fail to see how the MB is an actual better machine.
Click to expand...

The Z is a lot more expensive. It starts at 1650 USD according to Sony's website, even the high end Macbook is cheaper than that. Also it's no longer mini DVI, it's now mini Displayport, FYI.

The average computer user isn't going to use WWAN or a fingerprint reader (I use it and like it on my Thinkpad, but at my school, few other people are even aware of its existance (most of us have the same Thinkpad)). Therefore, the Macbook fits the bill for most computing tasks.

I do dislike the MBP though for it's lack of high end computing features like WWAN, fingerprint reader, and high capacity batteries. It's not a very "Pro" machine in my opinion.
 
...I would stay away from anything Sony...most of the time their customer service support stinks.

I type this from a 6+ year old TR3A that was upgraded to 1 GB ram.

I wanted to get a larger internal HDD for it and Sony wouldn't tell me what would fit (it uses 1.8" HDD's) and there aren't that many options out there - Toshiba makes them primarily for iPods and these Sony compact notebooks.

Barely 6 months after purchase I tried to get a second "original" battery and I was told my "old" computer wasn't supported anymore "look at the on line store" - this was from 3 Sony stores in MD, TX and FL as I was on a business trip to all 3 states...(the on line store was "out of stock")

My TR3 has been great the whole time, just wanted to upgrade the battery and HDD but with these two issues...Sony has lost a $2,000 Z series sale from me as I will never buy another Sony product again.
 
Do you really think Sony is going to support a 6+ year old laptop. Laptops change every year. For that battery your best bet is ebay. Is Apple still supporting their 6+ year old pb's?



J&JPolangin said:
...I would stay away from anything Sony...most of the time their customer service support stinks.

I type this from a 6+ year old TR3A that was upgraded to 1 GB ram.

I wanted to get a larger internal HDD for it and Sony wouldn't tell me what would fit (it uses 1.8" HDD's) and there aren't that many options out there - Toshiba makes them primarily for iPods and these Sony compact notebooks.

Barely 6 months after purchase I tried to get a second "original" battery and I was told my "old" computer wasn't supported anymore "look at the on line store" - this was from 3 Sony stores in MD, TX and FL as I was on a business trip to all 3 states...(the on line store was "out of stock")

My TR3 has been great the whole time, just wanted to upgrade the battery and HDD but with these two issues...Sony has lost a $2,000 Z series sale from me as I will never buy another Sony product again.
Click to expand...
 
I know that the MB is aimed at the consumer market. Some features like the express card slot would be welcomed though. What i was disputing was that other posters point about the MB being a better machine than the Z.

I was aware that i made an error about the display port after i posted. I think if you want to use HDMI that you will still need to go
display port--DVI-->HDMI and DVI to HDMI does not carry any sound. The Z does carry sound through the HDMI port.
The MB with the display port will though allow you to output a higher resolution to monitors.

The Z has also got a VGA port. The OP will probably need to make presentations in college so they will need to either carry a display port--VGA adapter or find some other way to make their presentations.

Mobile broadband is getting more and more popular. I am a student and i use it. You can always get a usb mobile broadband dongle but i don't really like the looks of those.

As for the price of the Z there are cheaper places where you can buy it than Sony Style.

As been said already the MB will allow you to run OSX and Windows software. The Z looks more like a business laptop also to me. If the MB meets your needs then i would say that it is a decent option to consider.
jaytv111 said:
The Z is a lot more expensive. It starts at 1650 USD according to Sony's website, even the high end Macbook is cheaper than that. Also it's no longer mini DVI, it's now mini Displayport, FYI.

The average computer user isn't going to use WWAN or a fingerprint reader (I use it and like it on my Thinkpad, but at my school, few other people are even aware of its existance (most of us have the same Thinkpad)). Therefore, the Macbook fits the bill for most computing tasks.

I do dislike the MBP though for it's lack of high end computing features like WWAN, fingerprint reader, and high capacity batteries. It's not a very "Pro" machine in my opinion.
Click to expand...
 
Well, I think mini displayport to HDMI adapters are possible, but you made a good point about that and VGA. Also mobile broadband is great and all but few students use it and it's still too expensive at 60 USD a month.

Where can you find the Z cheaper anyways? I looked at Newegg and the prices look the same. As for looks I think both do just fine.

I would say some of the features of the Z are nice like the card reader and Blu Ray drive. But it's still expensive, and getting all those options add up quickly. I really like the carbon fiber option too. But it's still heartwrenchingly expensive with all the desirable options :eek:. On a side note, the Vaio Z looks to be the first laptop in the world with a 256 GB SSD, which is very drool worthy, but at 1400 USD(!) is a tremendous heartache lol.

Roba said:
I know that the MB is aimed at the consumer market. Some features like the express card slot would be welcomed though. What i was disputing was that other posters point about the MB being a better machine than the Z.

I was aware that i made an error about the display port after i posted. I think if you want to use HDMI that you will still need to go
display port--DVI-->HDMI and DVI to HDMI does not carry any sound. The Z does carry sound through the HDMI port.
The MB with the display port will though allow you to output a higher resolution to monitors.

The Z has also got a VGA port. The OP will probably need to make presentations in college so they will need to either carry a display port--VGA adapter or find some other way to make their presentations.

Mobile broadband is getting more and more popular. I am a student and i use it. You can always get a usb mobile broadband dongle but i don't really like the looks of those.

As for the price of the Z there are cheaper places where you can buy it than Sony Style.

As been said already the MB will allow you to run OSX and Windows software. The Z looks more like a business laptop also to me. If the MB meets your needs then i would say that it is a decent option to consider.
Click to expand...
 
Roba said:
I know that the MB is aimed at the consumer market. Some features like the express card slot would be welcomed though. What i was disputing was that other posters point about the MB being a better machine than the Z.

I was aware that i made an error about the display port after i posted. I think if you want to use HDMI that you will still need to go
display port--DVI-->HDMI and DVI to HDMI does not carry any sound. The Z does carry sound through the HDMI port.
The MB with the display port will though allow you to output a higher resolution to monitors.

The Z has also got a VGA port. The OP will probably need to make presentations in college so they will need to either carry a display port--VGA adapter or find some other way to make their presentations.

Mobile broadband is getting more and more popular. I am a student and i use it. You can always get a usb mobile broadband dongle but i don't really like the looks of those.

As for the price of the Z there are cheaper places where you can buy it than Sony Style.

As been said already the MB will allow you to run OSX and Windows software. The Z looks more like a business laptop also to me. If the MB meets your needs then i would say that it is a decent option to consider.
Click to expand...


Wait a second? You complain about the looks about the USB dongle but say he should get an ugly Z with fingerprint scanners and stuff? That's a paradox. Adding useless **** like fingerprint scanners make the computer look like crap.

Then for battery life, the MB has better. Trusted reviews say in their test that the Vaio Z got 3.6 hours of battery use at 40% brightness and wifi off. They also say in their MacBook test that at 50% brightness they got 4 hours with wifi on. Sure you can add an extended battery pack on the Z, but that just makes it look uglier, rather buy another normal battery for the MB then and get even longer battery life.

The DVI vs HDMI is just useless. If you sport an LCD TV with HDMI, you got a stereo. A real stereo do not support HDMI anyhow, only poor ass recievers do.

I gotta hand you that the fact that the Z sports an 3G modem is really good, and that is something that the MB lacks. And also the weight issue, less is better as we always say ;)

I would take the Z only if weight and 3G modem was REALLY important, for everything else I would take the MacBook.
 
It is silly that you want to compare a discreet looking fingerprint reader to an ugly usb dongle that sticks out of your laptop. If you think that they are the same thing then there is nothing more to be said on that.

Trusted Reviews noted that 5 hours wireless can be achieved with the standard battery with wireless on. The MB did not do as well as this in their tests. Other reviews have put the Z battery life at over 5 hours. PC Mag, Laptop Mag and notebook jounral.de have all reported the Z to have better battery life than the MB. All these sites have also all put the MB battery life at around 3 hours 30 mins to 4 hours.

The Vaio ships with a 5400 mAh Lithium Ion battery and we managed 5 hours and 15 minutes on the Optimized power plan and Stamina setting with WiFi on and screen brightness set to 65%.

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/notebooks/Sony-Vaio-Z550.htm
Click to expand...
The optimised power plan is the balanced profile in Vista so it was not even in power saver in their tests above.

HDMI maybe useless to you but it is not useless to many people.

Davidkoh said:
Wait a second? You complain about the looks

about the USB dongle but say he should get an ugly Z with fingerprint scanners and stuff? That's a paradox. Adding useless **** like fingerprint scanners make the computer look like crap.

Then for battery life, the MB has better. Trusted reviews say in their test that the Vaio Z got 3.6 hours of battery use at 40% brightness and wifi off. They also say in their MacBook test that at 50% brightness they got 4 hours with wifi on. Sure you can add an extended battery pack on the Z, but that just makes it look uglier, rather buy another normal battery for the MB then and get even longer battery life.

The DVI vs HDMI is just useless. If you sport an LCD TV with HDMI, you got a stereo. A real stereo do not support HDMI anyhow, only poor ass recievers do.

I gotta hand you that the fact that the Z sports an 3G modem is really good, and that is something that the MB lacks. And also the weight issue, less is better as we always say ;)

I would take the Z only if weight and 3G modem was REALLY important, for everything else I would take the MacBook.
Click to expand...
 
Roba said:
It is silly that you want to compare a discreet looking fingerprint reader to an ugly usb dongle that sticks out of your laptop. If you think that they are the same thing then there is nothing more to be said on that.

Trusted Reviews noted that 5 hours wireless can be achieved with the standard battery with wireless on. The MB did not do as well as this in their tests. Other reviews have put the Z battery life at over 5 hours. PC Mag, Laptop Mag and notebook jounral.de have all reported the Z to have better battery life than the MB. All these sites have also all put the MB battery life at around 3 hours 30 mins to 4 hours.


The optimised power plan is the balanced profile in Vista so it was not even in power saver in their tests above.

HDMI maybe useless to you but it is not useless to many people.
Click to expand...


A USB dongle is only there when you need it, you gotta stare down at that ugly fingerprint reader whenever you sit at the computer.

Please stop ur BS, just checked laptop mag, they put the MB at 4 hours and 45 min. So really, stop trying to fool ppl.

HDMI with sound isn't good for anything unless you like crappy TV speakers. And no normal person do.
 
Davidkoh said:
A USB dongle is only there when you need it, you gotta stare down at that ugly fingerprint reader whenever you sit at the computer.

Please stop ur BS, just checked laptop mag, they put the MB at 4 hours and 45 min. So really, stop trying to fool ppl.

HDMI with sound isn't good for anything unless you like crappy TV speakers. And no normal person do.
Click to expand...

Hahahaha, you actually think fingerprint readers are ugly?! hahaha, someone's obviously not familiar with any computer that has one. First off, it's a little piece of glass, it's not intrusive nor ugly at all, and it's faster to swipe my finger than type my password.

Laptop Mag also put the Vaio Z at 5 hours of battery life too. Granted 15 minutes doesn't really mean much, but whatever.

Um, people want HDMI so they only need one cable for audio and video. And TV speakers are usually better than laptop speakers. Also modern receivers are coming out with HDMI. I don't know why you're trying to argue inconvenience is better than convenience.

Granted, the price is still the problem. The Vaio is a high end product, the Macbook is mid range. The MB is still a lot cheaper than the Sony.
 
Laptopmag must have updated their review.
You do seem very defensive.
Still in those reviews that i mentioned the Z did get the better battery life in all of those tests.
I am sure if the MB had HDMI you wouldn't be coming out with some of the things that you have been.
Performance wise the Z and the MB are very close. Feature wise the Z does have more features and it is more portable.
Like i said before if the MB meets your needs then it is a good option.


Davidkoh said:
A USB dongle is only there when you need it, you gotta stare down at that ugly fingerprint reader whenever you sit at the computer.

Please stop ur BS, just checked laptop mag, they put the MB at 4 hours and 45 min. So really, stop trying to fool ppl.

HDMI with sound isn't good for anything unless you like crappy TV speakers. And no normal person do.
Click to expand...
 
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