| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Best notebook for the booth and translation Thread poster: francybi
|
|---|
francybi 
Germany
Local time: 05:31
German to Italian
+ ...
Hi I would like to change my old Sony Vaio F series and buy a new notebook that is suitable both for the booth and for translation. The main features I am looking for are: portability (less than 2 kg), noiseless, compact, powerfull and quick. At the same time I would like that it is powerful and quick since it will have to run with Trados SDL2009 and Transit NXT on the same PC. I would also like to have a DVD or CD-ROM drive, since many dictionaries I bought are on CD.
I already had a loo... See more Hi I would like to change my old Sony Vaio F series and buy a new notebook that is suitable both for the booth and for translation. The main features I am looking for are: portability (less than 2 kg), noiseless, compact, powerfull and quick. At the same time I would like that it is powerful and quick since it will have to run with Trados SDL2009 and Transit NXT on the same PC. I would also like to have a DVD or CD-ROM drive, since many dictionaries I bought are on CD.
I already had a look at some models (Sony Vaio, Asus, Lenovo), but I don't know much about CPUs, Hard Disks, RAM and so on, that's why I am asking your help in order to take the right decision (I wouldn't take Acer anyway because I heard a lot of bad reports about service and guarantee). I had a look at Sony Vaio Z series. It is very expensive, nonetheless I don't know if it is the best choice for my needs.
I thank you in advance for your help
Francesca ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jerzy Czopik
Germany
Local time: 05:31
Member (2003)
Polish to German
+ ...
| Vaio Z-series with i5 or i7 processor | Jan 18, 2011 |
If you look at these Vaios, they offer what you need.
Take one without DVD drive (less weight), then select a i5 or i7 processor, as much RAM as you cay pay for, the biggest HDD you can afford. Very important: select a model with full HD screen resolution.
When I configure such a PC in German Vaio online store, the price is 2200 EUR incl. VAT
| | | | LEXpert
United States
Local time: 22:31
Member (2008)
Croatian to English
+ ...
| Love my Vaio Z-series | Jan 18, 2011 |
I concur with Jerzy about the Vaio Z-series. My own is a late-2009 model but it's a fantastic machine. Also they are quite robust--mine (albeit in a neoprene sleeve) fell out of an (accidentally-left-)unzipped computer backpack compartment onto a tile floor from a height of about 1.2 m with no ill effects. Not that I would recommend trying that little experiment, of course...but I think it speaks well of the make and series.
| | | | francybi
Germany
Local time: 05:31
German to Italian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you very much for your answers.
Jerzy, why is the Full HD screen resolution so important? I was wondering whether an S series would go as well (it's a bit heavier but much cheaper and does have a DVD-Rom), but in that series I can't find any Full HD screen.
Is Vaio really the only (best) alternative and does it really offer the best price/quality ratio? Is it really noiseless? My F series isn't actually noiselss and I don't know on what it depends (may be the applications I us... See more Thank you very much for your answers.
Jerzy, why is the Full HD screen resolution so important? I was wondering whether an S series would go as well (it's a bit heavier but much cheaper and does have a DVD-Rom), but in that series I can't find any Full HD screen.
Is Vaio really the only (best) alternative and does it really offer the best price/quality ratio? Is it really noiseless? My F series isn't actually noiselss and I don't know on what it depends (may be the applications I use).
I am sorry to ask so many questions, but I really would like to be sure that I buy the right machine for me if I have to pay so much money.
What do you think?
Thanks a lot for your answers.
Francesca ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Jerzy Czopik
Germany
Local time: 05:31
Member (2003)
Polish to German
+ ...
| Studio requires a very hig resolution | Jan 18, 2011 |
A Vaio z and Vaios S will never be completly noiseless unless you chose SSD hard disks.
However, I would indeed preferr a Vaio with a legacy HDD with 7200 rpm.
My configuration includes i7 2,6 GHz, 8 GB RAM, no DVD, 1980x1080 pixel resolution and 500 GB HDD. It weighs 1,43 kg then...
I do not really know if Sony Vaio is the beest what you can get. This is individual question and I answer IMHO. My next laptop will be a Vaio, as I am not really satisfied with Dell.
IMHO Vai... See more A Vaio z and Vaios S will never be completly noiseless unless you chose SSD hard disks.
However, I would indeed preferr a Vaio with a legacy HDD with 7200 rpm.
My configuration includes i7 2,6 GHz, 8 GB RAM, no DVD, 1980x1080 pixel resolution and 500 GB HDD. It weighs 1,43 kg then...
I do not really know if Sony Vaio is the beest what you can get. This is individual question and I answer IMHO. My next laptop will be a Vaio, as I am not really satisfied with Dell.
IMHO Vaio is the best quality you can get, superior to Apple and any other brand. But this is really my own opinion, so if anyone loves his iPad I think it is a nice machine ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I love my MacBook Pro | Jan 18, 2011 |
Silent, beautiful, user-friendly.
The best choice for any translator and/or interpreter.
| | | |
This calls for a 12- or 13-inch full-power laptop, depending on whether you want to tip the balance a bit towards usability or a bit towards portability, and whether you want an optical drive.
If high prices don't deter you, there are three good options in my opinion: Lenovo, Sony and Toshiba.
Sony has been covered - the small vaios are supposed to be excellent machines, but I could never justify the price. They probably have the best screens in this category if you ca... See more This calls for a 12- or 13-inch full-power laptop, depending on whether you want to tip the balance a bit towards usability or a bit towards portability, and whether you want an optical drive.
If high prices don't deter you, there are three good options in my opinion: Lenovo, Sony and Toshiba.
Sony has been covered - the small vaios are supposed to be excellent machines, but I could never justify the price. They probably have the best screens in this category if you care about that sort of stuff - I don't, and for text, it doesn't matter anyway.
Lenovo makes the X201 and X310, the former being a 12-incher with no optical drive, and the latter a 13-incher with a CD-DVD drive included. You may not be able to get an x310, I think it was discontinued. The X-series machines are all ultraslim, ultralight Thinkpads, with the traditionally great Thinkpad quality and reliability. Can't go wrong with one, but they don't come cheap.
Toshiba makes the R705, a very slim 3-pound 13-incher with a CD-DVD drive and all the power of a full-size laptop. I think it's the only ultraportable with a full-voltage, non-ULV core i3/i5/i7 processor, so if you want to make no compromises in terms of power, go R705. It's what I did, and I'm very happy with my choice. Of course the powerful processor generates a lot of heat, so the fan has to run at high revs when the processor is stressed, which means it makes a lot of noise when it is working hard. In the booth, I don't do anything processor-intensive, so it remains dead silent.
The Toshiba is the cheapest of the three main contenders, and by quite a margin.
Note that if you use any of these as a main work machine, an external monitor, a keyboard and a mouse is very warmly recommended. I have a dock for the Toshiba at home, so I can just drop it in there and I have the charger, monitor, keyboard, mouse and an external hard drive connected instantly. ▲ Collapse
| | | | claude
Thailand
Local time: 05:31
English to French
| Read the press ... | Jan 19, 2011 |
Generally there is always some survey in some computer magazine about notebooks (or printers, phones and any technology item), I would suggest to look for one, as they are a reliable source about the latest models.
In fact I was just reading one (in french).
These surveys contain performance tests which allow real comparison.
For example, in this case, for 15 models, the battery life is in the range of 2h39 to 5h00 in standardized intensive conditions, which can make a differen... See more Generally there is always some survey in some computer magazine about notebooks (or printers, phones and any technology item), I would suggest to look for one, as they are a reliable source about the latest models.
In fact I was just reading one (in french).
These surveys contain performance tests which allow real comparison.
For example, in this case, for 15 models, the battery life is in the range of 2h39 to 5h00 in standardized intensive conditions, which can make a difference.
Also, there are useful info like : the Toshiba satellite R630 incorporates a noisy fan. I had a noisy notebook like that in the past, and this is, from my point of view unacceptable by nowadays standards.
Also, this same model has a mat screen, which means it is less good for videos (but we don't care so much) but you can read on your screen more easily under strong illumination (on the beach for example !!).
Otherwise, make sure you have a dual core (should be the case) and preferably a SSD hard disk (they start your computer so fast !).
So reading the press would be my advice.
Anyway in my french magazine, the three best models are :
1. Samsung QX310
2. Macbook Air
3. Samsung SF310
I use Samsung and I confirm their products are robust and powerful.
Sony S12 is 8th, Toshiba 4th and Lenovo, far away (not a thinkpad).
Seems like Acer and Asus make good products too and for very affordable prices, but never tried these brands.
About the Macbook Air, it seems like it can work either under MacOS or Windows 7 rather simply, so Mac would be a reliable alternative to a PC and as Serguei mentioned, they are fantastic machines inside and outside, so I am thinking about trying a Mac myself next time I throw a glass of wine on my laptop (bad idea for the wine and the computer).
[Edited at 2011-01-19 00:53 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
The Samsung QX310 is a nice find. It's pretty similar to the Toshiba R700 in terms of specs. It's a bit bulkier and more than half a kilogram heavier, which matters more than one would think, and it doesn't have a docking port, but otherwise, it looks like it's a reasonable replacement. If it's cheaper than the R700, I would consider it.
The macbook air is a different story, that's not designed to work as a primary machine.
| | | | claude
Thailand
Local time: 05:31
English to French
| Weight considerations | Jan 19, 2011 |
Farkas, you're right, I forgot the question is initially about using one machine only.
Generally, if you want to use only one machine, my feeling is that you have to look at the 2 kg (and +) side of the range in terms of performance, connection, DVD reader, etc.
| | | | francybi
Germany
Local time: 05:31
German to Italian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you very much for the comments. I found them very useful, even though I think the most powerful solution at the lowest price is still the Vaio Z series. Anyway now I have some clues about all other Vaio competitor, which are almost as good, but by far cheaper.
I actually haven't decided yet what I am going to buy, but I think I will choose betwenn Sony, Samsung and Toshiba.
Francesca
| | | | Jerzy Czopik
Germany
Local time: 05:31
Member (2003)
Polish to German
+ ...
| Samsung can never beat Vaio, even a Macbook will not get so far... | Jan 19, 2011 |
This is my personal opinion on general quality, including the screen quality.
Maybe you are right, Andras, that for text any TFT laptop screen may fit, but if you then have two different brands at the same time, like I have, you may change your mind.
I have a Dell Vostro 1310, a 13-inch business laptop, sold to me as a made for business device, and an old Sony Vaio BX197XP, a 17 inches business laptop.
While the Sony is not perfect because of a noisy fan and a huge weight (17 i... See more This is my personal opinion on general quality, including the screen quality.
Maybe you are right, Andras, that for text any TFT laptop screen may fit, but if you then have two different brands at the same time, like I have, you may change your mind.
I have a Dell Vostro 1310, a 13-inch business laptop, sold to me as a made for business device, and an old Sony Vaio BX197XP, a 17 inches business laptop.
While the Sony is not perfect because of a noisy fan and a huge weight (17 inches), working with it is much nicer than with the Dell, and this because of the screen quality.
The picture on Sony screen is sharp, clear and with good contrast. The Dell screen is a disaster. The same applies to screens by Toshiba, Samsung and Mac I have had the possibility to look at. Again - this is a personal opinion, nothing more. ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
francybi wrote:
I think the most powerful solution at the lowest price is still the Vaio Z series.
Well, it may be the best out there (which is debatable depending on your preferences) but it's definitely not the best bang for the buck, not even close. They have always been premium machines at a premium price.
Sonystyle.com says Vaio Z prices start at 1899 USD and that's confirmed by a newegg search.
In comparison, Toshiba R700 prices start at 1214 USD, and there is a slightly lower-specced variant called the R705 that's only 799 USD. $799 still gets you the same ultraslim, featherweight chassis, 4 gigs of ram, a full-voltage corei5 processor, dvd drive, 8 hours of theoretical battery life, a card reader and all the rest of it. Most average users would be [i]very[/i ] hard pressed to tell the difference between the 1900 dollar machine and the 800 dollar machine, apart from the fact that the sony looks flashier.
If you are looking for the best value for money in the high-performance ultraportable segment, there has never been anything that came close to the R705, and there probably won't be one for a while. $799 is the an amazing bargain, but I'm not sure it's available outside the US.
Of course, the 1900 dollar "entry-level" vaio is pretty high-specced, so a more direct comparison would be an R700 in the 1500-1600 range. There's one for 1569 that has about the same specs as the $1900 Vaio Z. The R700 has a better processor, the Vaio has a better graphics card (useless for translation) and a significantly better screen (higher resolution, better colours). They are a bit different machines, with the vaio geared a bit more towards the consumer/enthusiast/gamer market with the graphics card and the premium screen, and the R700 geared towards business users with a no-nonsense design and feature set, but I'd say the value for money comparison still favours the R700.
| | | | | Not any more | Jan 19, 2011 |
claude wrote:
Farkas, you're right, I forgot the question is initially about using one machine only.
Generally, if you want to use only one machine, my feeling is that you have to look at the 2 kg (and +) side of the range in terms of performance, connection, DVD reader, etc.
In the last year or so, a couple of impressive models came out that provide no-compromise performance in a diminutive 3-pound chassis.
The Vaio Z, the Lenovo X310 and the Toshiba R700 all weigh in at about 1.5 kg, slip into any backpack easily and they will all match any 15", 2.5 kg fullsize laptop in terms of performance. Hook any of these up to a keyboard and a large monitor when you are at home and you're set.
There were similar machines before, but not quite this powerful and slim, and the prices were stratospherical back then. Now they cost less and do more.
| | | | Jerzy Czopik
Germany
Local time: 05:31
Member (2003)
Polish to German
+ ...
| Vaio Z is a business high-end notebook | Jan 19, 2011 |
If you look for a slighty cheaper model, go for Vaio S, which is around 2 kg in weight, but around 40% less in price.
However, the Vaio Z I specified would come equipped with the fastes laptop processor, 8GB RAM and 500 GB HDD with a screen of 1920 x 1080 pixel, having a fingerprint scanner, a WWAN integrated and a backlighted keyboard. The price is 2.209 EUR in Germany, including VAT.
When you go for basics specs with i3 the price drops to 1.599 EUR in Germany.
| | | | | Pages in topic: [1 2] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Best notebook for the booth and translation | CafeTran Espresso | You've never met a CAT tool this clever!
Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer.
Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools.
Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free
Buy now! » |
| | Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
