Looks Like I May Be Swapping My Z90 for the HP 2530p

[FenderP]

The R600 just arrived. It's setting up now. I'll back up the Vista config (x64) once it's done and install Windows 7.

[Xotica]

I am curious about the performance of the 512gb ssd. Please let us know!

[FenderP]

I've spent most of the day figuring out a Windows 7 issue which had to do with newer drivers. I finally figured out how to get everything working (had to do it via an Upgrade and not install some newer drivers). Unfortunately, VMware screws a few things up under W7 that I have to live with.

There's very little bloatware on here which is actually really nice.

[FenderP]

Look at the disk numbers (see graphics) and compare to the Windows Experience Numbers. This shows how every component can make or break a system. The Toshiba falls about where I thought it would based on my ULV computer experience.

What this also tells me is that the LV processors are really a good bargain, and if more manufacturers used them, they could make lighter and faster notebooks in small form factors that really would come close to their bigger siblings. I'd love to see Sony do that ...

I was copying from a USB 2.0 hard drive, downloading some ISOs from TechNet, and installing in VMWare with no problems. That would bring the G to its knees.

Windows Experience Numbers
Vaio VGN-Z90NS (Windows 7 with Build 7000 x64)
Processor 6.1 (P8600 2.53 GHz)
Memory 5.9 (4GB PC3-8500 1066 MHz)
Graphics 4.4 (Speed, not Stamina)
Gaming Graphics 4.4
Primary Hard Disk 7.0 (RAID 2 x 64GB)

Toshiba R600-ST4203 (Windows 7 RC x64)
Processor: 4.4 (SU9400 1.4 GHz)
Memory: 4.9 (5GB PC2-6400 800 MHz)
Graphics: 2.8
Gaming Graphics: 4.9
Primary Hard Disk: 6.9 (Toshiba 512GB SSD)

HP 2530p (Windows 7 RC x64)
Processor: 5.3 (SL9400 1.86 GHz)
Memory: 5.7 (8GB PC2-6400 800 MHz)
Graphics: 3.8
Gaming Graphics: 4.9
Primary Hard Disk: 7.8 (Intel X18-M 80GB)

Vaio VGN-G2AANS (Windows Vista Business SP1 32-bit)
Processor: 4.4 (U7600 1.2 GHz)
Memory: 4.2 (2GB DDR2 533 MHz)
Graphics: 2.1 (Intel 950)
Gaming Graphics: 2.8
Primary Hard Disk: 5.3 (64GB SSD 1st or second gen)

[Phil]

Originally Posted by FenderP

Look at the disk numbers (see graphics) and compare to the Windows Experience Numbers. This shows how every component can make or break a system. The Toshiba falls about where I thought it would based on my ULV computer experience.

I'm not following your last post. Are you talking about the bad graphics score of the Toshiba?

PS. I'd like to see the HDTune scores from Sony RAID SSD & Toshiba 512 SSD.

PS2. How about using a better benchmark than WEI? Passmark for example. Free for 30 days. Notebookjournal has a large database of scores that can be compared.

[FenderP]

No, the disk scores which are highlighted in the graphics I attached.

I'm a bit busy at the moment finishing up my book (which is one of the reasons why I needed the Toshiba). Maybe if I get a chance I'll run some of those tests next week.

[Phil]

But the Crystal Mark scores of the Toshiba are excellent. Better than the RAID SSDs. I'm still not following you... And I don't see any parts highlighted.

So are you saying the Toshiba is a good performer?

[FenderP]

Yes, the Toshiba is a great performer. To be honest, I don't perceive a ton of difference from the Z90 to the R600. Today alone I had a few browser windows open, Outlook, Word, and five VMs (including some 64-bit ones) in VMware. Other than an odd lag here or there (which, to be fair, sometimes happened on the Z as well), the R600 handles everything great. I always loved my G (even after getting the Z), and this seems to just be the widescreen version of the G. Similar designs. The new G with the RAID would probably perform like the R600, but my G2 couldn't do any of this well. When Outlook would kick in and get e-mail, the G would grind to a halt.

What's nice is that the Japanese tip (the one you use to put it flush with the wall instead of using a cord - see http://conics.net/catalog/product_in...roducts_id=201) for the adapter for the G works on the R600's (same tip as the one Sony ships with the TZ/TT I believe in Japan as well). The R600 also fits in the small VGP-CKG1 case (http://www1.jp.sonystyle.com/Qnavi/Product/VGP-CKG1/) that was made for the G (that case apparently also works for the TZ/TT), so when I'm local, I don't have to schlep a backpack.

So far, I'm a happy camper.

[nando4]

Originally Posted by FenderP

Windows Experience Numbers
Toshiba R600-ST4203 (Windows 7 RC x64)
Processor: 4.4 (SU9400 1.4 GHz)
Memory: 4.9 (5GB PC2-6400 800 MHz)
Graphics: 2.8
Gaming Graphics: 4.9
Primary Hard Disk: 6.9 (Toshiba 512GB SSD)

HP 2530p (Windows 7 RC x64)
Processor: 5.3 (SL9400 1.86 GHz)
Memory: 5.7 (8GB PC2-6400 800 MHz)
Graphics: 3.8
Gaming Graphics: 4.9
Primary Hard Disk: 7.8 (Intel X18-M 80GB)

Interesting how the one-gen older 2510P compares as shown here:

HP 2510p u7600 @1.2/@1.6
Processor: 3.7 / 4.4
Memory: 4.2 / 4.6
Graphics: 2.7 / 3.3
Gaming Graphics: 3.0 /3.2
Primary Hard Disk: 3.7 (80GB 4200RPM 1.8" ZIF) / 6.3 (64GB Runcore ProIV ZIF SSD)