SonOfSylvanus
2004-06-03, 15:44
Sony's new A Series (http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start;sid=0ZevVRFKzZSvfVH10gqlXl5HqPQZ4Dd9ZDo=?Cat egoryName=cpu_VAIONotebookComputers_A&ProductSKU=A04SU1NB&Dept=cpu) is pretty nice.
It equals the DaddyMac (http://www.apple.com/powerbook/index17.html) in many respects:
Same 80GB HD space
Same 2GB memory max
Same standard ATI 64MB Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics card
Same DVD read (8x) and DVD-R write (4x) speeds
Same gigabit ethernet
Same PCMCIA slot
Same REAL-USE battery time (I imagine) at 1.5-3.5 hours
Same option for 5400rpm 80GB HD.
It even 'beats' the PowerBook G4 17" in a few ways:
The WUXGA screen resolution at 1920x1200 gives a work area much bigger than the PowerBook's
The XBRITE LCD is really very bright. I've seen it in person and I was stoked
The optional Dock (hate them) includes a TV Tuner (love them, though)
The 1.8GHz Pentium M 735 (http://arstechnica.com/reviews/004/software/intel-naming/schema-2.html) with 2MB L2 Cache and 400MHz FSB could probably kick the PowerBook's G4, 512KB L2, 167MHz
The one-year telephone support beats standard AppleCare
However, rest assured, the DaddyMac is still king:
It's got MacOS X (heh heh)
It's got superior design and finish*
It's got the back-lit keyboard
It's got a V.92 modem
It's got DVI out
It's got an option for an ATI 128MB Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics card
It weighs 6.9lbs (a stunning 1.7lbs lighter than the Sony!)
It's almost half the thickness at 1" rather than 1.7-1.8"
It hasn't got sucky proprietary storage technology like Memory Stick
So, yeah. Sony makes an impressive challenge with TIVOesque potential, enormous real-estate and an ultra-fast chipset/architecture. Eh... But, the PowerBook has superior ergonomics, is more aesthetically pleasing and is more pleasurable to use (heh)... so what the heck...
:D
*I was really disappointed with the build quality of the Sony VGN-A190 17" (I played around with three models today). It is all plasticky, flexy and hollow sounding. The lid hinges are really stiff requiring both hands to open the 'book. The mouse buttons dug into my thumbs. Plus, the bezel at the top two corners of the display is fugly, designed so that it curves away from the screen. I hate this, much preferring the uniform bezels of the Apple notebook line.
Comments? Opinions? Have you found a PC notebook to challenge your PowerBook/iBook?
It equals the DaddyMac (http://www.apple.com/powerbook/index17.html) in many respects:
Same 80GB HD space
Same 2GB memory max
Same standard ATI 64MB Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics card
Same DVD read (8x) and DVD-R write (4x) speeds
Same gigabit ethernet
Same PCMCIA slot
Same REAL-USE battery time (I imagine) at 1.5-3.5 hours
Same option for 5400rpm 80GB HD.
It even 'beats' the PowerBook G4 17" in a few ways:
The WUXGA screen resolution at 1920x1200 gives a work area much bigger than the PowerBook's
The XBRITE LCD is really very bright. I've seen it in person and I was stoked
The optional Dock (hate them) includes a TV Tuner (love them, though)
The 1.8GHz Pentium M 735 (http://arstechnica.com/reviews/004/software/intel-naming/schema-2.html) with 2MB L2 Cache and 400MHz FSB could probably kick the PowerBook's G4, 512KB L2, 167MHz
The one-year telephone support beats standard AppleCare
However, rest assured, the DaddyMac is still king:
It's got MacOS X (heh heh)
It's got superior design and finish*
It's got the back-lit keyboard
It's got a V.92 modem
It's got DVI out
It's got an option for an ATI 128MB Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics card
It weighs 6.9lbs (a stunning 1.7lbs lighter than the Sony!)
It's almost half the thickness at 1" rather than 1.7-1.8"
It hasn't got sucky proprietary storage technology like Memory Stick
So, yeah. Sony makes an impressive challenge with TIVOesque potential, enormous real-estate and an ultra-fast chipset/architecture. Eh... But, the PowerBook has superior ergonomics, is more aesthetically pleasing and is more pleasurable to use (heh)... so what the heck...
:D
*I was really disappointed with the build quality of the Sony VGN-A190 17" (I played around with three models today). It is all plasticky, flexy and hollow sounding. The lid hinges are really stiff requiring both hands to open the 'book. The mouse buttons dug into my thumbs. Plus, the bezel at the top two corners of the display is fugly, designed so that it curves away from the screen. I hate this, much preferring the uniform bezels of the Apple notebook line.
Comments? Opinions? Have you found a PC notebook to challenge your PowerBook/iBook?