Macbook Pro vs. Sony Vaio w/blu ray burner

[twobslick]

I am a long time mac user and I am shopping to replace an Imac G5. I really would like to purchase something with Blue Ray Burner. I need it to back up HD home movies from SD card. I am torn because I can get a Sony Vaio vgn-aw235 with 18 inch 16:9 HD screen and blue ray burner for $1600 and unfortunately can't find anything from apple in that price range with those features.

Any thoughts on apple configurations that may give me the blue ray burning capability?

 

[Tallest Skil]

Any Mac can burn Blu-ray data disks with Toast. Any Mac can also author Blu-ray movies in Windows.

 

[alexbates]

I would still have to go with the MBP. Maybe in the future, someone will come out with an external Blu-Ray burner that can connect to a computer using USB. I would wait for that to come out if you need Blu-Ray badly.

 

[Tallest Skil]

Maybe in the future, someone will come out with an external Blu-Ray burner that can connect to a computer using USB.

I have one now. I've had it since March 2007. It also does HD DVD.

 

[twobslick]

the feature set on the sony is very rich in order to configure something like this on an apple if available would be over $4000 easily. As much as I dislike the idea of going to Vista the value and features on this machine are too attractive. I need some good reasons to stay mac and I just can't seem to find any. HELP!

VAIO® AW Series Notebook PCIntel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.40GHz, 3MB L2 Cache) vista home premium, 18.4inch 16:9 HD screen, 4gb, 500GB, built in tv tuner, HDMI out.

I think I would need to wait at least a year or more to see a similar config in an apple product and pay at least twice as much.

 

[kabunaru]

Any Mac can also author Blu-ray movies in Windows.

You mean watch Blu-ray films in Windows?

 

[Tallest Skil]

the feature set on the sony is very rich in order to configure something like this on an apple if available would be over $4000 easily. As much as I dislike the idea of going to Vista the value and features on this machine are too attractive. I need some good reasons to stay mac and I just can't seem to find any. HELP!

VAIO® AW Series Notebook PCIntel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.40GHz, 3MB L2 Cache) vista home premium, 18.4inch 16:9 HD screen, 4gb, 500GB, built in tv tuner, HDMI out.

I think I would need to wait at least a year or more to see a similar config in an apple product and pay at least twice as much.

The processor is currently the same, you can get 6GB of RAM and a 500GB HDD fairly cheaply, and you get to keep the HDD in your MacBook Pro as an extra/external.

16:9 is good for TVs, bad for computers.

You mean watch Blu-ray films in Windows?

Well, on what platform are Blu-ray movies made? If it can be done in Windows, it can be done in Windows on a Mac.

 

[kabunaru]

16:9 is good for TVs, bad for computers.

How is 16:10 with a few more pixels any better for computers?

 

[chrmjenkins]

16:9 is good for TVs, bad for computers.

How so, meatbag?

 

[Tallest Skil]

How is 16:10 with a few more pixels any better for computers?

It's just better, okay?

I much prefer 1920x1200 over 1920x1080. I don't know why; it just looks better to me.

Plus, the extra pixels are the point. It seems silly to me that we should conform to the television standard. We don't use HDMI on computers

"Yes, we..."

Good ones.

How so, meatbag?

Incredulous Statement: I believe that you are saying that the opposite way...

...meatbag.

 

[kabunaru]

I much prefer 1920x1200 over 1920x1080. I don't know why; it just looks better to me.

16:9 seems more natural to me, 16:10 seems like an extended square. 16:9 is "true" widescreen.

 

[chrmjenkins]

16:9 seems more natural to me, 16:10 seems like an extended square. 16:9 is "true" widescreen.

2.35:1 called, it says hi

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

the feature set on the sony is very rich in order to configure something like this on an apple if available would be over $4000 easily. As much as I dislike the idea of going to Vista the value and features on this machine are too attractive. I need some good reasons to stay mac and I just can't seem to find any. HELP!

VAIO® AW Series Notebook PCIntel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.40GHz, 3MB L2 Cache) vista home premium, 18.4inch 16:9 HD screen, 4gb, 500GB, built in tv tuner, HDMI out.

I think I would need to wait at least a year or more to see a similar config in an apple product and pay at least twice as much.

Yea, but you are looking at the hardware. A computer is not solely about specs. It's about hardware + software combined. 18.4 is simply too big to be a portable computer. Period. A 17" MBP is already pushing it. And having a 16:9 is cool for watching movies but when you are paying more for less pixels.

$4000 is a bit much. A baseline MBP has that and more. Everything except for memory, which is about $160 to upgrade to 4GB. And HDD which is like another $100.