Comparing Laptops...

[abbeh15]

I am getting ready to purchase my first laptop and honestly I am not too computer knowledgeable. I have narrowed my two choices down to two different laptops though. Those two laptops are the Toshiba X205-SLI1 and a Sony Vaio model number VGN-AR630E. I would mainly like to know what a lot of these terms mean.

1. The first term comes in the Display type. The Toshiba comes with a WXGA+ widescreen TFT-LCD with TruBrite technology while the Sony comes with WXGA + widescreen with XBRITE-ECO technology. They are both 1440 x 900.

2. The next term I do not understand is Cache Memory. The Toshiba comes with 4MB on die level 2 while the Sony comes with 2MB at die level 2. Now I am on to Type of Memory. The Toshiba has PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM and Sony comes with DDR2 SDRAM.

3. Now onto the hard drive type, Toshiba has Serial ATA and Sony has Serial ATA (5400 rpm)/ The Toshiba hard drive size is 240GB and the Sony is 320GB.

4. Optical Drives for the Toshiba are Double-Layer DVD+-RW/HD DVD-ROM/CD-RW and the Sony has Double Layer DVD+-RW/BLU-Ray Disc/CD-RW.

5. Toshiba has Optical Drive Speeds of 2.4x DVD+R DL; 2x DVD-R DL; 4x4x8 DVD+RW; 4x4x8 DVD-RW; 3x DVD-RAM; 1x HD DVD-ROM; 24x10x24 CD-RW, while Sony has 4x DVD+R DL; 4x DVD-R DL; 8x8x8 DVD+RW; 8x6x8 DVD-RW; 5x DVD-RAM; 2x BD-ROM; CD-R; 24x16x24 CD-RW.

6. What is the difference between the Toshiba NVIDIA SLI Dual GeForce 8600M GT Graphics and the Sonys NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT?

7. Toshiba has a video memory of 512MB GDDR3 discrete graphics memory; up to 767MB total with 255MB of dynamically allocated shared graphics memory using NVIDIA TurboCache technology and Sony has Up to 256MB as allocated by Windows Vista. What exactly does a video memory do and what is the difference between these two models?

8. Both models have a modem that runs 56 Kbps, except the Sony says something about ITU V.90 /V.92. What does that mean?

9. Toshibas networking is Built-in 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector) and Sony has a Built-in 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T Fast Ethernet LAN.

10. Wireless networking for the Toshiba involves a Built-in Intel® Wireless Wi-Fi 4965AGN network connection (802.11a/b/g/n); Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR and the Sony with a Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965AGN wireless LAN (802.11a/b/g/n).

11. Both models have a HDMI video connector, but the Toshiba has a SPDIF output. I'm not sure what this does.

12. What is a PCMCIA Slot? Toshiba has a ExpressCard/34/54 & the Sony has a Type I/Type II with CardBus support.

Sorry for such a long and lengthy post, I just want to know what I'm buying.

This will be a personal laptop used for college, gaming, & work(sales). I'm going to purchasing the lap top on BestBuy.com. The Toshiba runs for $1850.00 and the Sony Vaio goes for $1550.00. Do you think the Toshiba is worth the $300.00 price difference?

Any and all input is greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much,
Scooter

 

[daisymtc]

Toshiba dual 8600GT. Sony just 8400GT.
Toshiba is the choice.

 

[Nanoware]

I agree.

 

[curtains]

Have to agree with the other guys the toshiba's the one to go with .. (cause i'm a gamer)

1) with the screen you'll have to look for youself to see what you like (though i don't think this should effect your decision any way both should be pretty decent)

2)Think of cashe as like short memory for your brain .. kinda thing the more you have the better it'll run so .. 4mb > 2mb

3) Harddrive sony is better with size.. but I also don't think this should effect your decision, how much space do you think you'll need and you can always upgrade your harddrive later or just get a external.

4)the blue ray drive can be an attraction .. but thats only the only difference.(one supports blue ray other doesn't)

5)the write read speed shouldn't effect your decision there both fast enough... that you wouldn't really notice a difference between write speed

6)SLI means 2 FX cards pretty much in few words so 2x 8600gt > 8400gt the sli 8600gt is alot better than the 8400gt(single), this would be a big factor in choosing your laptop .. but then again you should only care about this if your into gaming(or anything else graphics intensive, like 3d editing cad work etc) .. other wise the 8400gt will do everything you'll need it for (including watching HD movies)

7)long story cut short ... toshiba has more video ram, more video ram = better.

8)a dial up modems a dial up modem .. i'm not sure what that other crap they put in to try make you buy it .. but they do the same thing and + broadbands the way to go now anyways.

9)LAN connection both means exactly the same thing, sony just wanted to write it up fancy .. they'll both support 1000Mbit data transfure (8bits = 1byte) roughly like 125mb/sec(max) transfure rate

10) same standard for wirless(they'll do the same thing), cept one support blue tooth as well(you know for like cell phones)

11) SPDIF is a opticial audio output .. if you don't know what it is you prob won't use it .. (its just better quality audio)

12)PCMCIA slot is a expansion slot .. if you want to put other random stuff in your lapto most laptops have them ... (jst standard)

I'd say the $300 is worth it if your a gamer otherwise .. go for the sony cause its got Blueray drive great for portable media + bigger harddrive