Looking for a powerful, portable high budget laptop

[google19]

General Questions

1) What is your budget?

$2,000-2,500

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

a. Netbook; 10” screen or less
b. Ultraportable; 11" - 12” screen
c. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
d. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
e. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen

3) Where will you buying this notebook? You can select the flag of your country as an indicator.

Canada

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?


a. Like:
b. Dislike: Dell, Mac (dont like the OS)

5) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed?

no

6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?

I will be using the laptop for powerful statistics. Mainly though I will be using it for school work (I am a medical student) and want it to be portable as I will be taking it everywhere with me.

7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?

Moving

8) Will you be playing games on your notebook? If so, please state which games or types of games?

I might play some games occasionally like League of Legends but I can use my parents desktop for that as well.

9) How many hours of battery life do you need?

4 hours at least. I like to avoid carrying the adapter with me

10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?

Depends, if I am uncertain about its weight then yes.

11) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista or Windows 7), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
Windows

Screen Specifics

12) From the choices below, what screen resolution(s) would you prefer? Keep in mind screen size in conjunction with resolution will play a large role in overall viewing comfort level. Everyone is different. Some like really small text, while others like their text big and easy to read. Click here for Screen resolution information.

I really do care about screen quality and resolution. I would like to have 1080p Full HD

13) Do you want a Glossy/reflective screen or a Matte/non-glossy screen?

Not sure

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?

Yes

15) When are you buying this laptop?

Before August

16) How long do you want this laptop to last?

Untill I get my degree so 4 years

Notebook Components

17) How much hard drive space do you need; 80GB to 640GB? Do you want a SSD drive?

128-250GB I want an SSD

18) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD Burner, Blu-ray Reader or Blu-Ray Burner?

Not necessary but it is not a bad thing to have

[pepper_john]

thinkpad X1 carbon though it is not here until aug

[google19]

What about the new VAIO Z3 ?

[misterhobbs]

It depends if you feel like you'll need more than 8GB of RAM because the stick is soldered onto the board. I think you'll be ok for what you want to do with it. There is no on board video card or optical drive so you'll also have to get the optional media dock that has an AMD video card and blu ray drive if you need them. I've heard that the video card they use is just average and it's not upgrade-able, though I haven't seen what they are using in the new dock. Obviously, that's something you may not have to buy and you can hold off on it. The CPU it comes with is pretty good with it being a new IB quad core and should handle statistics just fine. It uses the 3612qm CPU designed specifically for ultrabooks in that it uses less power but is slightly slower than the 45w CPUs. It's still quite fast, though.

The screen is 1080p so that's a plus. It also comes with an SSD which is a huge plus. It's a very sleek, thin, and light computer so portability is excellent. It also looks like it has a high build quality and is as nice as a Mac.

It's a little pricier than other ultrabooks but it has better specs than any of the others I've glanced at. I'd browse through the Sony subforum to see how people like them and how the previous generations of the Z have held up.

[gamerish]

Not to be a troll, but it's a shame you dislike OSX. The new 15" Macbook Pro with Retina is literally perfect for you (your dislike of OSX aside of course) and right in the middle of your price range.

But for Windows, I'd recommend the Vaio S over the Vaio Z. Even with the Power Dock the graphics card options for the Z suck (the 6650M won't be able to play many modern games even on low). They don't come with SSDs but you can add them for an insane mark up or install them yourself once you get the laptop for half the price.

And not to high jack your thread but can anyone tell me what makes this a $3000 laptop?

[Ranessin]

And not to high jack your thread but can anyone tell me what makes this a $3000 laptop?

The best specs in the smallest package with a high-quality screen. Right until yesterday it was without peers if you wanted a ultrabook size and weight, but quad-core CPU power and a high-quality screen (the Lenovo X230 has everything too sans the high resolution). Even now the new Macbook Pro is quite a bit bigger and heavier. Sony loves to bleed their customers dry if they can.

[google19]

Not to be a troll, but it's a shame you dislike OSX. The new 15" Macbook Pro with Retina is literally perfect for you (your dislike of OSX aside of course) and right in the middle of your price range.

Yes I kinda wish I liked the OSX as the MBP seems to fit my needs but I just cant stand the operating system, and I have tried to do so


Right now I am leaning towards getting the VAIO Z. I was just wondering are there any new laptops apart from X1 carbon coming out at the end of the year because I can wait as well.

Also I keep reading things about windows 8 coming out. Is the change big enough that I should wait?

[Threshold]

Also I keep reading things about windows 8 coming out. Is the change big enough that I should wait?

This question I can answer: Microsoft is running a promo where anyone who buys a new PC with Windows 7 installed, from June 2nd of this year until January 13th of next year, can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $14.99.

So unless you're looking for something more touch-centric, as Windows 8 is supposed to be focusing more on that, and systems designed for it likely will as well, there's no real need to wait. Not to mention the fact that for the past 6 months or so the rumor has been that Windows 8 won't launch until October, which is a bit more than you're able to wait.

[google19]

Anyone have experience with sony customer support?

Also do the old VAIO zs have problems with sound or heating?

[tian105]

former z1 z2 owner. you will love the screen quality.
they use 2day shipping back and forth for repairs. good customer service overall

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