Sony X505 or Macbook Air?

[trancepriest]

Once again, why would you choose a 4 year old laptop over a new one when the prices are hovering around the same?

Because the X505 is obviously better. Haven't you been paying attention to the thread? firewire, ethernet, pcmcia, stereo sound, lighter weight, smaller size, pc slot can support 3g cards... come on now... this is innovation at its best. Who the heck wants an iPod drive in there sub notebook... its absurd. The X505 is $400 cheaper too on ebay.

 

[taylorwilsdon]

Once again, why would you choose a 4 year old laptop over a new one when the prices are hovering around the same?

Because the x505 is a brilliant laptop and the macbook air looks like a goofy, mismatched toy? Or because the x505 is a real business laptop with hot swappable batteries, weighs half as much and is thinner? Old doesn't mean bad.

Yeah, trance is on the right path. It has a pc card slot, which is a world of change right there. It means when the macbook air user is searching for a wifi hotspot, you will be chilling with your 3g cell internet.

If someone gave me 2k+ I would sell the x505. I've got 3 batteries, the case, all accessories, the wifi card.

 

[DOUGHNUT]

Because the X505 is obviously better. Haven't you been paying attention to the thread? firewire, ethernet, pcmcia, stereo sound, lighter weight, smaller size, pc slot can support 3g cards... come on now... this is innovation at its best. Who the heck wants an iPod drive in there sub notebook... its absurd. The X505 is $400 cheaper too on ebay.

if you need a PC instead of a Mac, you can get much better ones that are still very portable and cost much less.

 

[trancepriest]

because the x505 is a real business laptop with hot swappable batteries, weighs half as much and is thinner? Old doesn't mean bad.

I keep forgetting that feature... I'll add it to my list of why its better than the MBA.

 

[Cybergypsy]

Nothing but a old laptop, I cant see spending money on that and not the Air, what ever you do enjoy

 

[Catch]

if you need a PC instead of a Mac, you can get much better ones that are still very portable and cost much less.

Totally agree. If you do not care for OSX there is a huge choice out there including much better tech both for more money and less money. If you want it for collectable reasons then go for it!

C

 

[Mastamarek]

I dont want to start windows vs. mac war. I have a mac pro for my desktop machine and since apple just introduced very thin ultraportable machine I was thinking of getting one. Now I really like the thin design as general and my ultraportable laptop will mostly be used for internet, typing, email and very easy stuff. Now as I have a mac already I thought that I might go with windows on a laptop, nevertheless it has to be thin. I just like that design. So its only the X505 or MBA. The toshiba R are very nice but I just dont like toshibas somehow.
The X505 is old but I dont need xeon procesors for my useage, and its veryyy small, thin and light. Now the MBA is even better looking but when I saw the X505 I fell in love with it. Now my question is rather ... plz guys talk me out of it!!!! I dont have billions of $ so this laptop will have to last a bit. Mayby 2 years and will be used mostly on planes etc. So smallest 4 year old laptop for $1400 (mayby I can get it down a little) or also very small and light and runs OSX laptop for $1800.

 

[Mastamarek]

If someone gave me 2k+ I would sell the x505. I've got 3 batteries, the case, all accessories, the wifi card.

wow, hello. U actually have a x505. How is it?? Would be willing to sell it?? However we'll have to talk about that price going little down

 

[JWest]

Because the X505 is obviously better. Haven't you been paying attention to the thread? firewire, ethernet, pcmcia, stereo sound, lighter weight, smaller size, pc slot can support 3g cards... come on now... this is innovation at its best. Who the heck wants an iPod drive in there sub notebook... its absurd. The X505 is $400 cheaper too on ebay.

Ok, it has more ports, but:

-1.1GHz Pentium M versus a 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo
-512MB 400mghz single channel DDR RAM versus 2GB of 800MHz Dual channel DDR2

The iPod hard drive is simply a PATA 4200 rpm drive, it's not absurd (although sluggish by today's standards). I don't know the exact specs of the X505's HDD, but I'm sure it's at least the same as the MBA's, if not worse (it's also only 20GB).

The x505 is also negligably thicker, not thinner. But we're talking about .1", so it's not really a factor.

So yes, the x505 has more ports and a swappable battery (c'mon Apple, not user replaceable? Seriously?), but significantly less power over all.

 

[Catch]

I dont want to start windows vs. mac war. I have a mac pro for my desktop machine and since apple just introduced very thin ultraportable machine I was thinking of getting one. Now I really like the thin design as general and my ultraportable laptop will mostly be used for internet, typing, email and very easy stuff. Now as I have a mac already I thought that I might go with windows on a laptop, nevertheless it has to be thin. I just like that design. So its only the X505 or MBA. The toshiba R are very nice but I just dont like toshibas somehow.
The X505 is old but I dont need xeon procesors for my useage, and its veryyy small, thin and light. Now the MBA is even better looking but when I saw the X505 I fell in love with it. Now my question is rather ... plz guys talk me out of it!!!! I dont have billions of $ so this laptop will have to last a bit. Mayby 2 years and will be used mostly on planes etc. So smallest 4 year old laptop for $1400 (mayby I can get it down a little) or also very small and light and runs OSX laptop for $1800.

In my opinion you would be crazy to go for 4 year old technology in the hope it will last you for two more years. Are you comfortable opening up the machine and spending money upgrading the internals? Hoe much ram can you add to the machine if you don't mind opening it up and doing some custom installations of 3rd party ram? 512mb RAM must be very painful even in Windows XP...

I would be very careful in listening to 'trancepriest' on ANY advice regarding the MBA. If you look at his previous posts its pretty clear he is very upset with Apple about them releasing the MBA without his needs in mind...

It seems to me that the majority replying in the thread are suggesting that you either go with the MBA OR a current laptop from the Windows stables...

Regards,

C

 

[Catch]

So yes, the x505 has more ports and a swappable battery (c'mon Apple, not user replaceable? Seriously?), but significantly less power over all.

Carrying a battery just makes it less portable in my opinion. I have never done so myself. Having said that, the x505 only has 2.5h battery life, and as one poster already mentioned, carrying spares may be necessary...

C

 

[Anonymous Freak]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A93 Safari/419.3)

I was hoping for something more X505-like from the MacBook Air, too. Apple could have fit a full-size keyboard on a machine with a 12.1 widescreen. I take exception with the idea that a smaller-than-13.3 inch display is a 'compromise'. Some of us want a smaller display. Oh, and a 12.1 inch widescreen at 1280x800 would still have lower pixel density than the HD 17" MacBook Pro.

 

[Mastamarek]

I think I m gonna go with the MBA. There is just no logical reason to buy the X505. + I will never buy anything over Ebay. I ve been cheated so many times, I had nothing else to do but to take the case into the court. The MBA is little bigger but its still very sexy and very thin. Much better battery life and is way faster. Feel free to join in though if u have your thoughts ...

 

[trancepriest]

I would be very careful in listening to 'trancepriest' on ANY advice regarding the MBA. If you look at his previous posts its pretty clear he is very upset with Apple about them releasing the MBA without his needs in mind...
C

Simple not true at all. Yes I am upset with Apple for not including a measle firewire port... even a lil mini one. Yes I'm upset about the lack of 3G wireless. But that still does not take away the fact that the MBA sucks. do you want your laptop running off an iPods battery? Do you want only one USB port?No firewire, no ethernet, no PC slot. these are all legitimate criticisms. with that said I would take the MBA if it had 3G and a firewire port. If i'm going to spend all that money for sleekness.. why the heck would I want to use a USB EVDO card.. where the heck would i place my iPod nano or iPhone while using the card??? Come on now... I'm speaking the truth... Amen brother... we all know it.. this is geek gospel. Let the fashionistas go waste their money and have 60 or 90 days of glory. I want the James Bond MBA and will settle for nothing less.. other than a free MBA that I'll hypocritically sport like its the coolest thing since the microwave.

 

[Catch]

Simple not true at all. Yes I am upset with Apple for not including a measle firewire port... even a lil mini one. Yes I'm upset about the lack of 3G wireless. But that still does not take away the fact that the MBA sucks. do you want your laptop running off an iPods battery? Do you want only one USB port?No firewire, no ethernet, no PC slot. these are all legitimate criticisms. with that said I would take the MBA if it had 3G and a firewire port. If i'm going to spend all that money for sleekness.. why the heck would I want to use a USB EVDO card.. where the heck would i place my iPod nano or iPhone while using the card??? Come on now... I'm speaking the truth... Amen brother... we all know it.. this is geek gospel. Let the fashionistas go waste their money and have 60 or 90 days of glory. I want the James Bond MBA and will settle for nothing less.. other than a free MBA that I'll hypocritically sport like its the coolest thing since the microwave.

I rest my case...

C

 

[Catch]

I think I m gonna go with the MBA. There is just no logical reason to buy the X505. + I will never buy anything over Ebay. I ve been cheated so many times, I had nothing else to do but to take the case into the court. The MBA is little bigger but its still very sexy and very thin. Much better battery life and is way faster. Feel free to join in though if u have your thoughts ...

I think you will love the machine. Matching it with your MacPro will be a match made in heaven!

Regards,

C

 

[trancepriest]

Hold your wallet there mate... check this out: Lenovo already prepping "Air killer" subnote?

http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/01/19/lenovo.x300.leak/

Lenovo is already developing a notebook that would compete directly with the MacBook Air, as claimed by a tip supplied to Gizmodo. To be known as the ThinkPad X300, the reported ultraportable would also have a 13.3-inch, LED-backlit screen in an "extremely thin" chassis that would weigh just 2.5 pounds while offering a processor with the performance of larger notebooks: a 2GHz low-voltage Core 2 Duo with an 800MHz bus. However, the system would also have advantages such as a sharper 1440x900 display resolution, optional 3G or WiMAX wide-area Internet, and an empty drive bay that can be filled with a DVD burner, ExpressCard slot, or a second battery.

The system is said to ship with a 1.8-inch 64GB solid-state drive as standard and will include both a trackpad and Lenovo's signature trackpoint stick in the middle of the keyboard; it should also have the upgradability of fuller-sized notebooks with up to 4GB of memory, three USB ports, and options for devices as varied as a GPS receiver. No release date or price has been leaked with the X300, though the portable uses current-generation mobile hardware and is likely due in the first half of the year.

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

the x505 is lighter, thinner and cheaper. the mba is faster, newer and has a bigger screen but with 1/8th of the features. they are both sexy as hell and will both do what you need to get done. they are both not super computers. but if you ask me, coming on mac site and asking that question when 75% or more of the responses will be biased. i've always love sony and their style and i've been through many vaio laptops and all were great and would actually recommend the vaio for every day portability and comfort. if you like to listen to music or watch movies on the go while if you got the free time, will be kinda hard to do or unpleasant on the mba.

 

[Jack Flash]

Get a MacBook and max it out instead.

 

[JWest]

Simple not true at all. Yes I am upset with Apple for not including a measle firewire port... even a lil mini one. Yes I'm upset about the lack of 3G wireless. But that still does not take away the fact that the MBA sucks. do you want your laptop running off an iPods battery? Do you want only one USB port?No firewire, no ethernet, no PC slot. these are all legitimate criticisms. with that said I would take the MBA if it had 3G and a firewire port. If i'm going to spend all that money for sleekness.. why the heck would I want to use a USB EVDO card.. where the heck would i place my iPod nano or iPhone while using the card??? Come on now... I'm speaking the truth... Amen brother... we all know it.. this is geek gospel. Let the fashionistas go waste their money and have 60 or 90 days of glory. I want the James Bond MBA and will settle for nothing less.. other than a free MBA that I'll hypocritically sport like its the coolest thing since the microwave.

iPod battery? What have you been smoking? It has it's own custom Lithium-polymer battery (which takes up about half of the internal space). The MBA is a bit overpriced, but the main reason I think you dislike it is the fact that it's not meant for power users. No one who buys this will ever need a firewire port (I've never even used the firewire ports on my iMac), and lack of 3G shouldn't really be the missing feature that kills this computer. The MBA certainly wouldn't fit my bill, but it works for someone who's in the market for a computer like this (like the original poster).

 

[aosman]

I would definitely go for the MBA. Better, more powerful than an outdated machine. OSX or Win is up to you (depending on the soft you run) but definitely go for the MBA.

 

[philbarnes]

X505

I have an X505 and have looked at a MBA in the Apple Store on Regent St, but didn't find enough there to buy one yet. I really really like the X505 - I use it every day as it's so portable that I can chuck it in a briefcase, bag or rucksack and not notice it's there. THAT is portable, to me.

If you're getting a new laptop now, you can pick up the X505 for under £500 on ebay and a MBA for over £1000 - that's quite a price difference IMO. The MBA is faster, has more memory, more screen real-estate and more hard drive space so that is what you pay for and I'd say it's worth it. If you don't need anything particularly fast then get the x505 or an Eee but if you need a bit more grunt, fork out for a MBA.

I've not played with an Eee, but apparently the keyboard leaves something to be desired - I don't particularly like the MBA keyboard but it's passable. I really like the X505 keyboard, over normal keyboards.

In other news, I hardly ever use anything with my X505 (network cables, headphones, external monitors, CD drive, DVDs) - almost everything can be done using wireless internet or a USB thumbdrive and the MBA can cope with those.

My ideal is a laptop under 1kg and about as thin as the X505 or MBA, so the MBA is a bit of a porker in my book!