I’m after some advice as I am looking to buy a laptop and I can’t decide between a Sony TR or a Sony GRT laptop.

Does anyone have 1st hand experience with both models?

I like the internal TV that comes with the GRT 360&380; series but I’m not sure if buying a USB TV receiver and using it in a TR2 would give me the same result whencompared to the GRT’s TV offering (I think the GRT comes with additional TV software as well as a remote control).

But I do prefer the sub-notebook form of the TR2 (drool) - but is it’s keyboard useable for hours of use (playing games).  When I went to the shops I used the keyboard and it seems a bit ‘quaint’ - usable but maybe too small to use for an extended period of typing -> I’m only guessing that it isn’t good for extended keyboard use - I didn’t stay in the shop all day typing away

Both have XBRITE screens (wonderful!).

I’m not too interested in using the TR to burn DVDs so a TR2 is just fine for my uses.

I guess I would play lots of games on it (damn my honesty) - I know that the TR doesn’t have T&L and that the keyboard might take some getting use to.

Can any one give me an insight as to the hands-on differences (I know the technical differences).

I know I’ll get flak for this, but if you are mainly a gamer, don’t get the TR. You will be much happier with an nVidia-based graphics card than the Intel one in the TR. The keyboard takes a little getting used to, but it’s surprisingly easy considering its size. I wouldn’t consider it a problem.

Nah, I’ll back you on that.  :D

The TR is definitely not a gaming notebook and you shouldn’t get one if you want to play a lot of games. It can play some games decently but it not one of the strengths of the system. There is currently no “real” subnotebook that has great gaming ability so you’re going to have to decide how important that is for you.

I have an office set up at home in which I call, “Thunder and Lightning”.

Thunder is my powerful desktop, which I play heavy 3d games on.

Lightning is my TR2a, which comes with me where ever I go, and I play non-graphic intensive games on.

So If you a heavy 3d gamer, and this will be your only machine, then I wouldn’t get the TR2A. But if you have a desktop dedicated for high performance games, then I would get the TR2A in a second.

Thanks for your insights.

I would’ve like to have got a TR because it looks so cool but I will go with a GRT (with HyperThreading, and in-built TV).

Thanks again

brthrmnss, you sound as if you didn’t try out the TR enuff before you bought it? All the complains about the keyboard and the screen now…zzz…I hope you know what you are buying in the first place without committing to it…What a ?!?!?... haha…

Anyway, I do agree Sony’s bigger notebooks are quite crappy. But they’ve finally came out with something more then decent with their Z series. Its definitely the lightest 14.1 inch you can find in the market. Specs are cool too.

check it out, friedtomato.

Anyway, I did 3 weeks of research before buying the TR…  :D

Drachen: What were you thinking…. ATI clearly make better laptop GPU’s than Nvidia at this present point in time when it comes to performance

Yes the Sony Z series is excellent. It still isn’t a gaming machine as the graphics is a 16MB first gen Radeon but other than that it’s a great laptop. I’ve had one of the first models in the series myself.

I don’t think much of some of the larger Sony laptops but I wouldn’t say they all suck either. I’d have to say Sony don’t go for the performance crown, they don’t have hardly any models with really good graphics in them but as long as your not a gamer they still are reasonable all rounders.

I’m really not a fan of putting desktop CPU’s into laptops. I think it’s horrible. I’m personally go for rockut111’s approach as well, I’m sure a few people here do. I’ve got my TR3SP and then I have my desktop which has a 19 inch display, logitech THX speakers, 3.3Ghz (Clocked) P4C, 1GB DDR 400, 2 x 250GB SATA RAID’s and an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro, Pioneer 106 DVDR all in a nice Shuttle case. That cost me less than the TR laptop did by a long way. I see some people buy laptops as desktop replacements yet they never leave the desk they are sat on. If it’s not going to move much, get a real desktop. No laptop called a desktop replacement will actually be as good as a real well speced desktop.

If you can find an ATi-powered GRT or TR, I’d be happy to discuss it.