Dual-core
Operating System Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
RAM - 4GB installed DDR3 RAM
Graphics card Intel® HD Graphics
1751MB total available memory
Screen type LCD widescreen
Screen resolution - WXGA
1366 x 768 pixels
Screen size 15.5"
Screen features 16:9 aspect ratio
Hard drive 500GB SATA
Optical disk drive DVD Writer
Memory card reader Memory Stick and SD card slots (SDHC, SDXC compatible)
USB 4 x USB 2.0 (including 1 x USB/eSATA combo)
FireWire No
Modem/Ethernet 1 x RJ45 Ethernet port
WiFi IEEE 802.11b/g/n WLAN
Bluetooth Yes
Video interface 1 x HDMI
1 x VGA
TV output 1 x HDMI (digital video/audio)
1 x VGA (analogue video)
Expansion card slot ExpressCard slot
Sound Dolby Home Theater®
Integrated microphone
Webcam Yes
Battery Lithium-Ion battery (6-cell)
Up to 3 hours battery life
Additional features Web button - instant web access without full boot-up
Accessories included Power cord, AC adapter, battery, documentation
Software included VAIO Gate
PMB VAIO Edition
Media Gallery
VAIO Media plus
VAIO Care
VAIO Transfer Support, VAIO Update, VAIO Smart network
Adobe® Reader® 9, Microsoft ® Office Starter 2010
McAfee® Complementary subscription, Norton Online BackUp Trial
Remote Keyboard, Remote Play with PlayStation® 3
Google Chrome Browser (Default), Internet Explorer® 8
Size 369.8 x 248.2 x 31.1 mm (W x D x H)
Weight 2.7 kg
I won’t comment much on the machine you listed. I’m sure it’s a great machine and would run your desired software without issue – once you went through the initial setup.
In my experience, Sony Vaio’s are good laptop machines, but they do not justify the large price tag. You really do end up paying for Sony’s name in my opinion. For a similar price, you could get a macbook that would be more easily used for audio work. It’s not that the PC wouldn’t work, it’s just for the price of Vaio’s you could have a mac which is better for dj/production work.
Now, if you want to get a Windows based computer, there are many cheaper alternatives that will have the same hardware or better. Look at some asus, dell and possibly Toshiba alternatives. You can get the same hardware from a reputable company and spend the money you save on software, music or hardware. The reason why I recommend a mac is you do not have to have the same concerns regarding audio drivers and audio handling. As well as additional configuration regarding system processes and resource handling. You can still get PC’s to work, you could just possibly have to troubleshoot some unknown issue.
This is just my opinion and the viao is a great machine, but i’ve never came across a reason why I could see a viao is worth the extra large price pack.
As someone who has fixed many laptops in my day, I would suggest you do everything in your power not to buy a Sony Laptop. I have had nothing but problems with them stemming from poor build quality. The most common problem is that they overheat all the time. I would suggest look at an Asus, or even an HP machine if you want to stay with windows. Otherwise you can definitely not go wrong with a MBP.
Its only £500 for this above mentioned laptop…and thats my budget tbh. I would love a Macbook but i cant even afford a refurbed one at the mo as even they seem to go for £700 +
As long as i get the same kind of spec with another brand then?
I run on HP and on Dell/Alienware. Both rigs thumbs up.
My biggest recommendation is when you get a laptop, nuke everything and install a fresh copy of the Windows OS, or try to un-install all the bloatware that comes with Windows laptops.
Then do yourself a favor and nuke the Norton installs of AV/security etc etc.
Get yourself a less system hog of AV program and additional malware protection. I believe there are forum posts on here with recommendations.
Sony has become a mere shadow of it’s former self. Not only computer but pretty much everything they used to be on top of their game, their have been surpassed by other companies. Read this: http://gizmodo.com/5477633/how-sony-lost-its-way at the end of the article they have a lot of other links to other Sony clusterfucks and simply imbecile decicions.
Due that ALL SONY PRODUCTS have suffered from a fragmented company and Vaios are very well there. I have also has my share of repairing Vaio computer and they are just OVERPRICED. Flimsy cheap components whith an OS so cluttered with trials, demos and other bloatware that bring the OS to it’s knees no matter the specs you have.
Usually they wont come with a pure Windows but rather when you reintall all the shit will install too. That said the best Windows based laptops are made by Clevo. If budget is an issue just get something with a good warranty and a service center near where you live.
youre definately paying for the name, i picked up my 3rd HP a few months ago, granted its an i3, not an i5 but for £300 i wasnt complaining, it has 500gb hdd, led screen, came with 4gb ram, upgraded to 8gb as soon as i got it home. nuked everything that i dont need and when running tsp2 no matter how many fx i run on a stress test the cpu does not exceed 8/9 %, and consider i also use it as my day to day for browsing etc… i think you could do far worse, dont get me wrong if i could afford the price of a mbp id have one in a flash, but dont waste the money on a name like sony.
check out packard bell’s, asus took over them a couple of years ago and are now producing good stuff. Really happy with mine. Also solved my ground buzz problem that i used to get with a tosheiba.
I was planning on buying a high spec vaio (F series I think) when my old laptop was on it’s way out. I saved up for a few months to buy it, when my old laptop just completely died. This left me with the choice of being without a laptop for a few months or buying a cheaper one.
I decided to swerve waiting and bought the one I have now. But if my old laptop would have just held on to life for a few months longer I would have bought the vaio
Edit: from reading a few of the responses, it was a good job that I never ended up buying a vaio
A quick look through the tinterweb shows that Vaio’s have problems tracking down high DPC spikes … I’d say go for a Dell, but NOT one with USB3, because it doesn’t work with NI hardware, it’s hardware specific not driver related …
A friend bought a “cheap as chips” Toshiba i5, integrated intel graphics etc. nothing fancy and it renders 3D images during the daytime, and mashes Traktor Pro at night. He’s had no problems at all.
Im looking to buy a MBP, I found a couple older ones, 2.2/2gig RAM/320hd for around $500-$550 in black, you guys think this will be ok for SSL? All I know is pc and I know nothing of MAC, and cant afford to spend $1300 on a new one.
