Sony or HP?

McZiderRed

Champion Elect
Supporter
I'm buying a new laptop and I would like peoples' opinions.

Option one: Sony Vaio 15.5" Touch-screen - £749.99

Intel Core i5 1.8 GHz, 8GB of RAM, Nvidia Geforce graphics card, DVD-RW drive

Option Two: HP Envy 17" - £899.99

Intel Core i7 2.4 GHz, 12GB of RAM, Nvidia Geforce graphics card with 2GB graphic card memory, no DVD drive and it's not touch-screen.

Both come with 1TB HDD and a similar number of USB ports.

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So although the HP is the more powerful machine and has a bigger screen, the Sony is touch-screen and has an optical drive (DVD).

Is touch-screen all that, is the i7 CPU that much better than the i5 and will the extra graphics card memory make that much difference?

Your opinions would be much appreciated... :)
 
It all depends on your user needs but for me I wouldn't go near a 15 inch screen I tried using a notebook once and it was bloody impossible but then I do have eye problems so this may not be an issue for you...
 
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Not a big fan of HP but if you go by specifications alone, the HP is a much better proposition than the Sony. Touch screen is just nice to have IMHO but the DVD could be useful for taking backups and watching movies. I would get a more powerful Sony for 899.99.

BTW, the difference between i5 and i7 can be huge in terms of performance. See if you can test drive both of them.
 
I bought an HP Ultrabook 15" core i5 a year ago. Its a great computer, start up time is about 5 seconds and the battery last around 7 hours.

The only minor gripes is the touch pad doesn't have separate buttons, which makes them stiff. However I just tap the pad to click 99% of the time,its only when you need to click hold and drag thats its a pain. Oh and the space bar needs a firm stab or it sometimes doesn't register. But really these are minor gripes. Its a good bit of kit.
 
Until I changed sides, I had an HP Pavilion, I had it for nearly six years and it was brilliant for most of those. Towards the end it was getting...well...a bit bad tempered, and grouchy about things, but it still worked. I kept it as back up for a while, and then loaned it to a daughter who had managed to destroy her own computer. She is not good with electronic things. The result was inevitable really.
I know nothing of the Sony ?
 
I have some friends who have a Sony Vaio, they have a lot of problems with their wireless connection so keep that in mind. I have a HP (a different one than the one you listed) and it works great.
 
If you do want a branded laptop have a look at Toshiba or Acer, they do make very good average laptops. What are you going to be doing with your laptop? I can help to spec up what you should be looking for.
 
F1Yorkshire I'm really just looking for a new computer. My present PC, a mini-tower, is quite out of date - a dinosaur.
I suppose I'll be using the new laptop to surf the net (watch BT Sport, BBC iPlayer, etc) and play a few games (but not that much gaming). Other than that - I don't know. General stuff - watch films?

Anyway, I'm probably going to The Mall at Cribs Causeway on Saturday and check out the Laptops there.

And FB, you can suggest Apple as much as you like but I won't be getting one! :D
 
Can I suggest Alienware then - Bit of a lump, but never had a notebook that didn't complain, regardless, before
 
There's no point spending over £400 on a laptop if it's not going to be used for gaming or high end software. Alienware is epic but you have to be a hardcore gamer to justify spending the cash needed to get one.

If you do want to be gaming then a half decent graphics card will be needed and that is what usually starts putting the price up.
 
When I got my HP Pavillion laptop I got it as a replacement for my old and lumbering tower and desktop, it was brilliant, pick it up and take it anywhere I wanted, and so much better than the elephant in the corner.
Now ... well... I have moved on to an Apple all in one and an iPad, I know you all hate Apple, but they work like a dream. Sorry, I'll get my coat. But before I do, I just have to say that I have put a painting and music games Apps on my little iPad ( 7inch) for my 3 year old granddaughter to use, and I am more than happy for her use it for those things It's indestructible.
I'll go now!
 
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