Any of the X300/X200 series vs VAIO VGN-Z590

[csioucs]

Hello All.

I used to rave about Thinkpad design almost as mac-guy's do for the mac. But seeing and reading about the above mentioned Vaio VGN-Z590 (PC Mag, jan 09 issue) makes one wonder how is it possible that Thinkpad doesn't offer a product with that target in mind with a similarly powerfull offer. And their batterylife is not three hours as in X300's...And let's not mention the screen either...

Could it be that the TP doesn't strive for that type of business-individual anymore?! Unlikely, but happening.

What are your thoughts comparing any TP ultraportable and the Z590-Vaio?

[asundstrom]

I have used the Z series and all the machines in the x200/300 series. The Z series has an excellent screen which is extremely bright, vivid and high-contrast and has good viewing angles for a TN display. It also has a more powerful video card than anything found in the x200/300 series. I almost bought one, but refrained because (i) it has poor build quality and feels very fragile, and (ii) the keyboard is uncomfortable to type on and eventually develops the problem of randomly producing double type when a single key is pressed (I noticed this on three separate units at a Sony store). The 16:9 aspect ratio is also pretty bad for surfing the web or working in text documents, and the flashing green light on the side of the computer in sleep mode is incredibly annoying.

I ended up with an x200 tablet with the frameless LED/IPS backlit screen, which is a fantastic display - better than anything Sony uses. It has the usual excellent Thinkpad build quality and keyboard. I would strongly prefer the Z to any of the other Thinkpads in the X200/300 series, however, simply because their displays are generally so poor, with washed-out color and terrible viewing angles (which are a huge step down from the T-series TN Thinkpad displays of five years ago). If you don't want a tablet but want to strike a balance between good screen and build quality, the Vaio TT has a better build and equally-good screen to the Z, albeit in a small 11" form factor.

I would personally buy the x200 tablet, vaio TT, vaio Z, x300, x200s and x200, in that order.

[Marin85]

I ended up with an x200 tablet with the frameless LED/IPS backlit screen, which is a fantastic display - better than anything Sony uses. It has the usual excellent Thinkpad build quality and keyboard. I would strongly prefer the Z to any of the other Thinkpads in the X200/300 series, however, simply because their displays are generally so poor, with washed-out color and terrible viewing angles (which are a huge step down from the T-series TN Thinkpad displays of five years ago). If you don't want a tablet but want to strike a balance between good screen and build quality, the Vaio TT has a better build and equally-good screen to the Z, albeit in a small 11" form factor.

And if you add 8-cell battery and a SSD to it, it becomes one great X200t with really long battery life and excellent performance

[csioucs]

Thanks asundstrom. Snakkar du svenska?

And Marin85, your right about that...with the battery.

As regarding to the issue per se, I have yet to see the famous display in person of th X200t. I'd love the tablet but the screen has so low resolution (wxga) (1280x800) whereas sony has stepped up to wxga++ (1600x900). I am not a sony fan. Quite on the contrary. But there are two main picks about it. 1. the screen resolution. I could agree that the angles of a wxga LED/IPS are good, but well i can't quit the height advantage of sxga+ (1050). I think I could swallow a wxga+ tablet, and compensate a bit with the 1440 height in slate mode....and 2: The equipping as mentioned: better performing video-card and a real work CPU...

Regarding point 1. I think it's "wait and see." Perhaps wxga+ will become available from the X200s? Regarding the second 2. It seems unlikely for TP tradition to pack much power into small packages (the T series were promising)...

Self-notice: Ahem. The price for a vaio configured with dual ssd, BD-Drive, Capable video-card, wxga++ is over 4K USD. While the TP is in a more accessible zone. Perhaps here lies one of the conundrum's solutions...

[Marin85]

I agree about the resolution. Some SXGA+ would be much better (like X200s) for those of us who like higher resolutions. If you put a work-horse cpu in that little baby, you will have to sacrifice battery life, on the other hand a T9600 won´t be bad at all I also wish it was available with switchable graphics, but I guess it would all be too much heat for that little treasure. As of now I believe such "dreams" are highly unrealistic. Besides, correct me if I´m wrong, but the Sony Z is slightly bigger than the X200, Sony Z rather seems to be in the range of X300, which brings me to the another point. If they put an LED IPS screen in X302 or X303, give it more life and breath with a work cpu and switchable graphics and rise battery life up to 9 hours without having to pull in an utrabay battery (and if they could bring back "normal" screen bezels and the silver-looking hinges - yes, I like them more than the black colored ones), it would be then just The laptop. But all this is as of now pretty utopic.

Cheers

Marin

[csioucs]

Marin85, Man your singing from my score. Yes a X301s, I would deem it somewhat feasible. I personally don't carry laptops in envelopes and I wouldn't mind some 0.5 cm/0.25 inches thicker but with above settings. Yes it is utopic, from a decisional viewpoint, not from a available hardware viewpoint, i.e. given the current mind set that seems to drive Lenovo this thinking has been left behind when the T was THE LAPTOP, while now we have to have more laptops...because we can't afford one, we have to have more at the same price a TXXp would have cost initially. One would argue that the W is around there...well not quite. BUT if there were a W400 , we'd all forget about some other frustrations we have elsewhere around us wouldn't we...especially the "almosty" but "not-there-y" current lineup .

Only the Best!

[syhead]

I had a Sony Vaio last year.

Suffice to say I'm never buying a Vaio again.

[Marin85]

Marin85, Man your singing from my score.

I guess we are all in the same score