dadkins
Merry Whatever
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
 ·Comcast
edit:
May 11th, @05:56PM
|  Another one!
LOL!
Great deal(I think):
$1688.99
VGNAR730E/B
T8100 2.10GHz
3GB DDR2 PC2-5300
320GB HDD(160 x 2)
MATSHITA_BD-CMB_UJ-120(BD ROM Combo)
1440x900(I'll live)
Gigabit ethernet
HDMI
Intel Wireless 4965AGN (a, b, g, n(Draft))
nVidia GeForce 8400M GT
Yeah yeah, Vista Home Premium...   
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera |
|
AdamB
join:2001-01-07
Westerville, OH | Well it looks pretty good. Interesting though that you picked a Blu-ray drive with that resolution. I have no desire to go with Blu-ray yet, unless I were to use HDMI and hook it up to my TV. |
|
PeteC2
Ballad Of A Thin Man
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-20
Bristol, CT
clubs:
 ·AT&T Yahoo
| reply to dadkins
I think that it is quite nice...a little high priced for the configuration, though not that much.
Just to point out a similar notebook in another brand:
HP 9700T, 17" screen
The more "base" configuration with the T8100 CPU, same ram, screen resolution, video card/memory, etc., can be had for about $1387, and if you bump up the specs, to a much better video card, w/512 video ram, up the system ram to 4gb, get the higher resolution LCD, then you get in the $1600 range...about the same as the Sony.
Now, that does not mean that there may not be other reasons to favor one over the other...and there are other brands with similar configurations...some more, and some less expensive.
Dadkins, it is a nice configuration for a desktop replacement, my biggest quibble would be the Nvidia 8400 video card. For not much more money, without a doubt the Nvidia 8600 is more capable, in a way, I would go for either integrated graphics, and save the moola, or go for the Nvidia 8600 (the 8800 really ups the cost), but that really is just a small quibble.
I have always liked the design of the sony notebooks, my wife has a Vaio 12.1" model (several years old now), and it has been very dependable.
--
...something is happening here but you don't know what it is...do you, Mr. Jones? |
|
dadkins
Merry Whatever
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast
edit:
May 12th, @12:44PM
| reply to dadkins
Adam,
Bluray was just a default item in the build(non-custom - BestBuy).
Since there is a HDMI, connecting to a screen/HDTV is simple enough. 
______________________________________
Pete,
Yes, I did look at a HP9xxx laptop... close in price.
The 8400 GT and screen res are acceptable for the price and whatever games I may throw at it - should do ok.
Specs state that card has 256MB dedicated with 1535MB total available graphics memory(Dynamically Allocated?)
'''Processor: NVIDIA® GeForce® 8400M GT GPU with Total Available
Graphics Memory of 1535MB (max.)*(14)
Video RAM: 256MB Dedicated Video Memory
*14. Total Available Graphics Memory refers to the new Windows Vista
classification of graphics memory, which is the total of Dedicated
Video Memory, System Video memory and Shared System Memory.
Shared System Memory varies depending on the operating condition
and system memory size.'''
That'll work!
I'm not the ordering type, I hate waiting.
I could have ordered - anything really.
But...
Was near BB, had money, this was sitting there looking at me... you know how it goes. 
THANKS Guys!
David
EDIT: Oh yeah. sticker on box states that Vista SP1 is/was preinstalled at factory... Yay?
320GB HDD space - 160 x 2 - 2 actual HDDs, NO RAID.
C drive is separate from D drive.
CANNOT move space from C drive to D drive( I moved space on AR190 as it had 2 drives in RAID 0 and worked as a single drive).
Imaging the C drive(140GB Total, 8.xGB used for restore partition)) looks to be taking 11 minutes? Cool!
Storing C Image on D drive.
Hitachi Travelstar drives.
Factory crap...
Norton 360 Trial - gone!
QuickBooks Trial - gone!
MS Office Teacher/Student Trial - gone!
Napster - gone
Several AOL "goodies" - gone!
Corel PaintShop X2 - even Vista warned me that is was junk... gone!
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera |
|
Hiker 2
Zeus
Premium
join:2002-10-27
Lebanon, NJ |  reply to dadkins
Ahh dadkins, still a dyed-in-the wool Sony man I see. Sweet machine. Enjoy it... |
|
dadkins
Merry Whatever
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast
| HP, the touchpad was too far to the left.
The Toshiba, the touchpad looked like it was sprayed on, LITERALLY!
The Gateways... eh.
Apple was never a consideration.
The CR VAIOs were integrated graphics... pass.
FZ, they only had one... $1099(I belive) and rather sparse on specs.
This one had a BD ROM combo drive, and had the best "Bang for Buck" of all that were on display.
This is Best Buy we're talking about here.  LOL!
NOTE: Sony has apparently opted for Synaptics touchpads as opposed to the Alps Touchpads that my other VAIOs have.
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera |
|
PeteC2
Ballad Of A Thin Man
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-20
Bristol, CT
clubs:
·AT&T Yahoo
| I am no Best Buy fan, but what the heck...if the price is right...besides, I never go for any of the store warrantys anyway, I am more concerned with the manufacturer. I don't find really decent "service" at any of the electronics stores. I am like you...I got the money...I want the product, I am not so patient with "delayed gratification"!...
I agree that the 17" screen HPs have a peculiar placement on the touch pad...I am not so great with that, though never using one of those models I can't say if it would be an issue or not.
Although I am sure Toshibas probably are no better/worse than most other models, I just can't warm up to 'em, design-wise particularly.
The only video memory to concern yourself with, IMHO, is the dedicated vide memory...any shared memory past that is such slow access as to be of little/no value.
Historically Ive preferred the Alps touchpads, but my HP has Synaptics, and it has been just fine...for a touchpad, I prefer mice anyway.
Gateways seem to be an all right budget machine, but IMHO no match for Sony, Dell, or HP
I am fine with integrated graphics...but I am not a gamer...if I was, then I'd definitely go for a discrete video card.
--
...something is happening here but you don't know what it is...do you, Mr. Jones? |
|
dadkins
Merry Whatever
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast
| Thanks Pete!
You HAVE TO go see the Toshiba(I think it was t a Toshiba) lineup, just for that odd touchpad...
That one touchpad is spraypainted on!!! I swear!
I had to stand there and look at it for a few myself... freaky!
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera |
|
PeteC2
Ballad Of A Thin Man
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-20
Bristol, CT
clubs:
·AT&T Yahoo
| said by dadkins  :Thanks Pete! You HAVE TO go see the Toshiba(I think it was t a Toshiba) lineup, just for that odd touchpad... That one touchpad is spraypainted on!!! I swear! I had to stand there and look at it for a few myself... freaky! I don't know, maybe it is just me, but for the most part, I really just do not particularly like the design of the Toshiba notebooks...probably they are just as good as the others. I am sure that part of my reaction is because we had so many issues with Toshibas when we used to have them at work.
--
...something is happening here but you don't know what it is...do you, Mr. Jones? |
|
dadkins
Merry Whatever
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA | I just wanted you to see that sprayed-on touchpad... |
|
jstack
join:2001-12-09
Los Angeles, CA | reply to dadkins
Didn't you just buy a 17" Viao with blu-ray last year? What happened to that one? |
|
dadkins
Merry Whatever
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast
| said by jstack :Didn't you just buy a 17" Viao with blu-ray last year? What happened to that one? Running fine... also have another 17" non-Blu-ray VAIO sitting on the desk.
More = Better... right?
@ $1688.99, it is alot less expensive than the model I REALLY wanted($3299)... eh.
LOL!
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera |
|
dadkins
Merry Whatever
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast
| reply to dadkins
Sitting here surfing, hovered over the Power icon...
2 hours left @ 75% battery running on wireless.
Standard battery.
Not Earth shattering, but not bad, eh?
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera |
|
dadkins
Merry Whatever
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast
| reply to dadkins
Boogie! |
8.60MB/sec BD rips!
50GB BD being ripped. |
|
ninjatutle
You can keep the "change"
join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA | reply to dadkins
Weight: 8.2 lbs
|
|
dadkins
Merry Whatever
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast
| said by ninjatutle :Weight: 8.2 lbs Yep!
8 lbs is a rather easy task for a grown man.
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera |
|
PeteC2
Ballad Of A Thin Man
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-20
Bristol, CT
clubs:
·AT&T Yahoo
edit:
June 1st, @09:44AM
| said by dadkins :said by ninjatutle :Weight: 8.2 lbs Yep! 8 lbs is a rather easy task for a grown man. Yep, 8.2 pounds is not "light", but after all, we are talking about a 17" screen lappy, which really is more in the desktop-replacement category, right?
Besides, 8.2 pounds? Hell, remember the KayPro II? (I hate to admit, but I do) Now there was a "man-sized" portable (almost wrote "laptop"! ) The two (state-of-the-art) 5 1/4" floppy drives weighed in at around 8lbs, themselves!
--
...something is happening here but you don't know what it is...do you, Mr. Jones? |
|
dadkins
Merry Whatever
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast
| Had a Compaq like that!
El Loco Suitcase! 
30? 40lbs? They were portable desktops.
Aint going on your lap, that's for sure!
Yes, These are classified as a "Mobile Studio" - a step above desktop replacement.
I have 3 of them.
Magnesium cased monsters.
Sure! I could have purchased *ANY* laptop made.
But I wanted something that had some hardware inside.
Not just a 3lb plastic box with a processor and a 12" screen.
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera |
|
amysheehan
Premium,VIP,MVM
join:1999-12-21
Huntington Beach, CA | reply to dadkins
Another Sony fanatic |
|
dadkins
Merry Whatever
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast
| Sony, Blu-ray, magnesium cased & a $1688.95 pricetag.
Yeah! I suppose you're right!
None of the Macs were up to par, or the Toshibas, or the HPs, or the Gateways, or...
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera |
|
