Lap Top Advice

[liquidsuite]

I need laptop advice. I have 2 sony vaios to choose from I dont know which is best one and if it will run software like adobe and macromedia on it well. Please can anyone help out. Also one has a core2 due and the other does not but has better GHZ. can someone tell more about core2 as well.
One is the sony vaio VGN-N31Z/W which is 166ghz and has core due 2 T5500
The other one is sony vaio VGN-N21E/W and is 1.73ghz and only has core due.

So one has better ghz but other one has core due 2. Need advice guys on which is good if any of them are good at all.

[ACtheTROLL]

The dual cor is the more powerful machine
GHz are not the only (or a reliable) measure of speed.

If you require the machine primarily for media you've got a dilemma
dual core - is good ...
Laptop graphics - is bad
Memory ... you need as much as possible ... and both machines are sold with the max possible ...)
(laptop memory generally costs more and is slower)

Personally I'd get a desktop ... (esp if games are also a temptation) - but generally � for � you'll get more for your money with a desktop - (there are more upgrade options also) - but using it on the train is a little less convenient.

All the crits are relative ... these machines are not rubbish - of the two options you ask about ... the VGN-N31Z/W is best.

[liquidsuite]

No I have to get a laptop so I can use on the road when out and about for work and enjoyment.
If you go to sony uk website they have both those lap tops spec. The one with Core 2 has 2x 1024mb memory, 120 hard drive. The thing that worries me is its only 1.66GHZ. Anyway so do you recommend the Core 2 one?

[vehelpfulguy]

There was a time when Ghz was about the only measure of a CPU speed.

This is no longer the case. Because CPUs were getting faster and faster they were getting too hot.

So Intel slowed them back down, and found other ways to speed them up such as more cache, more done per CPU cylce etc, so as ACtheTroll says, Ghz is no longer a reliable measure of speed.

The Core 2 Duos from Intel are currently top of the tree when it come to CPUs, remember there are TWO processors in there, hence the name.

Here is a chart which compares T2250 Core Duo (third column) with the T5550 Core 2 Duo (fourth column).

As has been said, the VGN-N31Z/W is better, but then it is about �150 more expensive so you would expect it to be.

[vehelpfulguy]

Whoops, forgot the link to the chart

http://www.intel.com/products/centrino/compare .htm

[vehelpfulguy]

One thing to consider, you say you are going to use Adobe and Macromedia software, but both laptops you suggest have 15.4" screens.

There are laptops with 17" screen, and this would make using graphic intensive software much more pleasant.

A 15.4" screen is pretty small when trying to use products like Dreamwaever or Photoshop.

For example here is an Acer with a 17" screen for the same price as the most expensive Sony you listed.

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-8231.aspx

You can even get a laptop with a 20" screen, but that may be a lot to carry around

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-8390/btnResult Sort.x%3d36/btnResultSort.y%3d12.aspx

[liquidsuite]

Yeah the thing is I am buying from where I work at costcos as I get nice discount. They only have the ones i mentioned. To be honest the lap top I will only use for maybe sometimes for graphics stuff. As long as its smooth and work good speed it will be fine. Most of my main graphics will be on desktop at work. Laptop will be also good to showcase any on going projects on the road to customers.
My current desktop is P4 2.4ghz has a 128 graphics card and 1028 memory. So the laptop which has this new due 2 processer and 1.6 but with 256 graphics card should be on a par and maybe better then my desktop. My graphic software run fine on my desktop so if its same on laptop or faster would be nice. As long as its not slower then I am used too.

[ACtheTROLL]

You never know what's round the corner

If you can afford - go dual core - no such thing as future proof ... but you'll get a couple of extra months.


The whole speed thing was (is) a total con which was why AMD changed their system. The actual measure of "speed" is MIPS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million_instructi ons_per_second
(and even that is up for discussion)

A PC is like a model road layout with a lorry carrying boxes from A to B .... one section (the processor) is 70 MPH ... another (PCI) is 40mph, (IDE) 20mph etc etc.

Upping the processor to 100mph looks good .... but actually may only result in a 5% increase in the number of boxes carried overall.

Put in a second road and even if you reduce the speed limit .... overall you will still see an 80% increase in the boxes carried.

Unfortunately ... you still have to get into the warehouse to store the boxes ... so the speed comes down further.

Graphics is mainly about shifting boxes ... so benefits immensely
Converting sound is about wharehouse space ... so not as big a gain.

We'll leave heat issues for later ... but its about track thickness

[liquidsuite]

Lets say I plan on playing a game on there how slow would it be. On my 4 year old desktop the game GTA San Andreas played fairly smoothly. Will I be able to play a game like that on a laptop? Specailly if it seems better spec wise to my pc desktop.

[ACtheTROLL]

The answer is probably - in fact almost certainly ....
I assume you'll get Vista ... the real problems are with Low level and system utilities (virus, defrag etc etc) because of the different system folders. Games are generally self contained ...

with Speed/power everything is relative ...
fast and slow today compared to a 2.4Ghz p4 isn't realy a fair contest esp if you go dual core.

you should see an overall improvement - smoother ...
forget the "lower" GHz - you are shifting twice as many boxes.
its PATA vs SATA , pci vs pcie and AGP vs pcie16
the all the speed limits have increased whole road has been re-surfaced ... and the engine now has twin carbs

Graphics is the one possible sticking point ... the latest (desktop) cards have more memory than an average p4 - system had and the laptop will have a better gpu than was available to your p4 ... so it will kik ass - it's just compared to a modern desktop it will be slower (by microSeconds not minutes).

The magazines give a totally false impression of "faster" they review 10 cards ... and the "fastest" and "slowest" generally have so little between them that you'd never notice.

[liquidsuite]

Also I am probably taking my laptop to canada from UK. so the adapter for my vaio laptop will not work over there. Is it just a simple case of buying a sony vaio adapter from over there to replace my one. Or will I have probs with it. Also the voltage is diferent I think. Any advice on that part of things please

[ACtheTROLL]

don't be too certain it won't work

I don't have a sony ... but my laptop's psu works with all voltages from 110 up

I think all you'll need is a plug (but wait 'till you get there)

Just in case - you could check up on the price of a universal adapter which may well be cheaper