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Dual Core: Dell or Sony?

post #1 of 40
1/28/06 at 3:11am
Thread Starter 
Which system should a get? My choice for two Configured PC's

Dell E1705


Sony VAIO VGN-FE590PA


System One

Dell Inspiron E1705
Intel® Core™ Duo Processor T2500 (2GHz/667MHz FSB),
Operating System Genuine Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005
LCD Panel 17 inch UltraSharp™ Wide Screen UXGA Display with TrueLife™
Memory 1GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz
Video Card 256MB NVIDA® GeForce™ Go 7800
Hard Drive 60GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
Network Card Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Drives 8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Wireless Networking Cards Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 802.11a/g Mini Card (54Mbps) + Dell Wireless 350 Bluetooth Internal(2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate)
Primary Battery 80 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Hardware Warranty 1Yr Ltd Warranty, 1Yr Mail-In Service, and 1Yr
Standard Software Adobe Acrobat Reader. 6 mo Free Earthlink.

System 2

Sony's VAIO VGN-FE590PA
Processor Intel® Core™ Duo Processor T2500 (2GHz, 2MB L2 Cache)1 Intel® 945PM Chipset Front Side Bus Speed 667MHz
Operating System Microsoft® Windows® XP Media
Integrated Wireless LAN Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (802.11a/b/g)4
LCD 15.4” WXGA5 (1280x800) with XBRITE HiColor™ technology
Hard Drive100GB4 5400rpm SATA
Memory 1GB (512MB x 2) PC2-4200 533MHz DDR2
Graphics NVIDIA® GeForce™ Go 7400
256MB dynamically allocated (RAM/Video) memory
Graphics Interface VGA out w/ Smart Display Sensor
Optical Drive DVD+R DL Write: 4x (max.)DVD+R Double Layer/DVD±RW Drive2
Ethernet 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet with RJ-45 interface
Audio Sony® Sound Reality™ - Audio Enhancer Audio Interface
Memory Stick® Media Slot Memory Stick Duo™ media with MagicGate™ functionality, ExpressCard™ /34 Slot,
Other Interfaces 4pin i.LINK® connector(IEEE 1394)35, 3 USB 2.081 ports, port replicator connector, VGA out
CameraBuilt-in Camera and Microphone
Power Requirements110W+10%
Supplied Accessories
AC adapter (VGP-AC19V11)
Memory Card Adapter (VGP-MCA20)
Large Capacity Battery (VGP-BPL2C)
Weight 6.17 lbs. with standard battery
Measurements 14.41” (W) x 1.02” -1.39” (H) x 10.81” (D)
Standard SOFTWARE
Click to DVD® - DVD Creation
Image Converter - PSP Transfer
Adobe® Photoshop® Album Starter Edition
Intuit® Quicken® 2005 New User Edition (previous Quicken users may require additional upgrade)
InterVideo® WinDVD®
Roxio® DigitalMedia SE
Norton® Internet Security™ 60-Day Subscription
VAIO® Security Center VAIO® Update software VAIO® Recovery Wizard software VAIO® Support Central
• Internet Services:AOL 180 day free (yuk)
• Limited Warranty and Onsite Service
1 Year Limited Warranty with Onsite Service40

PROS And CONS

LCD
Dell:
Pros: Larger Screen
Cons: LCD Light leakage.

learned from this post
Sony:
Pros: Much Crisper Screen no signs of light leakage
Cons: Only 15.6 Inches (which is still decent for a Laptop)

Power Useage:
Dell
Cons:Useses more power than sony does

Sony:
Cons:None in THIS catagory

Style:
Dell:
Con: Dell Standard plain style laptop
Sony:
Pro: Lighter & Thinner and more stylish

This is where Dell Shines....
Video Card:
Dell:
Pro: Uses 256MB NVIDA® GeForce™ Go 7800
Sony:
Con: Uses 256MB NVIDA® GeForce™ Go 7400

Software
Dell:
Con: Standard package does not come with much.
Sony:
Pro: Standard Package comes with allot (but how much will I use?)

Both of the Machines are within $150 dollars of each other (dell $150 more)

Any Suggestions?
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post #2 of 40
1/28/06 at 3:14am
Dell
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post #3 of 40
1/28/06 at 3:16am
I have a 9300 and the parts are really crappy, if that means anything to you...

-jcll2002
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post #4 of 40
1/28/06 at 3:59am
I prefer Sony to Dells.
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post #5 of 40
1/28/06 at 4:16am
i had a sony, and the parts werent crappy, BUT THE PRICE WAS!!!

get a dell, and be satisfied. yes they are cheaper. but sony support blows.
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post #6 of 40
1/28/06 at 4:30am
I've attempted to repair 4 sony laptops in my time here at college (semester and two weeks). As far as I'm concerned, they're crap. True the Dell isn't as stylish, but it has great parts (dunno what the guy above is talking about) and it's a work horse. Two of the sony's I've seen had the motherboard go completely. On one, the 9200 graphics chipset (onboard) failed. On the other, the sound went and the PCI bus. The other two had some minor cosmetic repairs and bloatware cleaning/system optimizing to do, but in all cases I'm not impressed by sony in the least. For that kind of money, you should get a much better machine. Also remember that Dell has coupons .
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post #7 of 40
1/28/06 at 4:55am
Are you sure the Sony doesnt have light leakage also? Most laptop lcds have at least some form of leakage (that I've seen and heard). Although the 9400 does have leakage, I dont really notice it anymore and the image quality, vividness, and sharpness of the display has made me very happy with it.

Personally, I think the Inspiron 9400 is an amazing laptop. So far, it's blazing through everything i throw at it, other than the defective DVDrw (that is being replaced on monday). I do, however, think i paid too much for it. I think that those who can wait, should wait for the prices to drop a bit more, or for coupons to go into effect for the 9400. I cant say much about the Sony as I'm not familiar with it. Good luck in your decision
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post #8 of 40
1/28/06 at 7:59am
I would get the Dell I9400 in a heartbeat.
AFAIK, no other notebook manufacturers/vendors offer the WUXGA screen.
I love the WUXGA screen on my Dell I8600.
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post #9 of 40
1/30/06 at 5:31pm
I'd go with the Dell. I'm the one that posted the picks of the light leak on the Dell, and to be honest, I don't even notice it all anymore. (except during the windows boot screen, but with a blazing fast T2500 you won't be seeing that long!). I have to agree with Sydney on this, the screen is very nice. I've been playing FEAR on it and it looks incredible!
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post #10 of 40
1/30/06 at 5:40pm
I've got a 9400 and like the others here I love it. The screen is really good. The light leakage is really only visible while booting or when you're otherwise looking at a completely black screen. During regular work or play you will not notice it.

Besides all this the Dell has better specs:

DVD writer is faster (8x vs 4x)
The memory is faster (667Mhz vs 533Mhz)
Video is better
Screen is better.

I don't have any experience with Sony lappies, but this Dell feels very solid to me.
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post #11 of 40
1/31/06 at 7:29am
are you kidding are you even comparing Sony to DELL ?

sony the great CD Player company, that as far as they can go
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post #12 of 40
1/31/06 at 8:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SirBA
are you kidding are you even comparing Sony to DELL ?

sony the great CD Player company, that as far as they can go
Hear hear.
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post #13 of 40
1/31/06 at 3:08pm
Will you be carrying this thing much? The Dell is at least 1.5 pounds heavier, but that's not too bad in my book considering the size of the LCD. But I'm not sure I'd want to lug a 7.5 pounder through the airport or around campus very often.

I was actually looking at the same 2 models. I know my brain keeps telling me to rule out the Sony because of their terrible support and possibly their quality, but that screen just keeps calling my name. I wish I could see them side by side just for a few minutes and that would answer it for me.

I know people complain about speaking to Indian tech support, but I've done it before and was extremely pleased with my service. But I've also had friends who were ready to pull their hair out over it.

I do believe you'll get better quality and service with Dell overall. But the Sony is still Sexy. Sony's like the hot stupid girl that you end up getting caught with. You know better, but you can't help yourself
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post #14 of 40
1/31/06 at 4:38pm
I had such a horrible experience with Sony support (on defective hardware) that I'll probably never buy a Sony Computer again.

This goes back a number of years

Drive died on a business trip thru China. Clicking and eventual death.
Sony REFUSED to do anything until I got home and FAXed them the original invoice.
Then they had to send me a 'special' box. (4 days)
Then I had to send them the machine (at my expense)
Then they kept the damn thing for a month and a half - to replace the drive.
Then they sent it back (4 days)
It arrived with a drive half the size of what was in it!!! Then Sony acted like it was my fault. Finally after days of agruing with them they agreed to correct it.
Had to send me a NEW 'special' box (4 days)
I had to send it to them again (at my expense)
This time they kept the thing for nearly 60 days!
Finally sent it back, I go to open the machine and it's making a horrible squeeking noise when I lift the lid.
Sony again is rude and acts like this is my fault.

So I called CDW where I got it from. They were very nice and friendly admitting they were having a lot of trouble with Sony laptops and support and offered me a full refund which I accepted.
And that was the end of me and Sony computers.

I'll also note that ALL the hardware in the machine was propriatary and nothing but Sony drivers would work which really sucked since I was trying to get an OS on it that it didn't ship with - never succeded. I think it was win2k, or XP, I forget which now.
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post #15 of 40
1/31/06 at 5:41pm
Wow, that's BAD. I'll stick with Dell.
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post #16 of 40
2/1/06 at 3:20am
Dell
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post #17 of 40
2/1/06 at 3:23am
Dell!!
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post #18 of 40
2/1/06 at 3:36am
Dell is your best choice. (o and u just might get a lot of answers that say go with dell because u posted this in the dell section. )
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post #19 of 40
2/1/06 at 4:39am
dell without thinking not even 1 milisecond
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post #20 of 40
2/5/06 at 5:50am
I'd say go for the Dell, better service than you'd get from Sony. Because with Sony you're going to either Deal with Sony themselves, or the place of purchase's service department. I worked in a Best Buy over the Holidays one year at their tech bench and Laptops NEVER got back faster than a week. Most of the time they had to go back twice because the chowder-heads couldn't see an obvious defect until we pointed them out with nice big sticky-notes. Heck, I find stuff wrong with my Dell customers' laptops that they themselves don't even notice, but more often than not I'm calling into the DSP Queue to get the CORRECT parts. I once got a Power Supply and Motherboard for an i9300 that OBVIOUSLY had a dead Hard Drive (Click of death)

Quote:
Originally Posted by T120ted
original post edited to fit in the space alotted...
Now I might just be off my rocker here a bit, but the last time I took apart a Sony Laptop (I don't just repair Dells, I have my own shop where I work on other brands of notebook too.) And these were fairly new Sony notebooks mind you...but they were 100% plastic construction for the outer shell just like the Inspirons, and just like HPs, and just like Gateways. The only metal construction laptops you find on the market are the powerbooks, certain special models of IBM thinkpad, and some special Military grade Laptop. Dell Latitudes have a metal LCD top cover, but the rest of the notebook is plastic on the outer shell. And if you're counting the metal that lines the plastic in most notebooks...it's nothing more than a thin Aluminium RF shield.
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