Sony EE34: Sony Makes Budget AMD Laptops?
by Dustin Sklavos on February 22, 2011 4:43 PM ESTMiddling Gaming Even at 720p
The 720p resolution should really be the low-ball target for graphics hardware at this point, but virtually no integrated parts are really there yet. While Intel's HD graphics largely had their way with the Sony EE34's Mobility Radeon HD 4250 in Futuremark, actual gameplay promises to be an improvement.
The situation is pretty dire when even the GeForce 310M is running wild. That said, while Intel's HD graphics certainly look to fare reasonably well against the HD 4250 it's important to keep in mind that AMD's graphics hardware has vastly superior drivers and much better compatibility. The HD 4250 is probably fine for gaming at 800x600 in a pinch and at least the CPU can handle the load (unlike the E-350), but really no integrated part except maybe the delayed Sandy Bridge hardware can promise a good gaming experience on recent titles. Set the way-back gaming machine for 2005 or so and you'll be a lot happier.
Unfortunately, updating the HD 4250's drivers is going to be an exercise in futility. Much like Toshiba inexplicably chose to, Sony has also opted out of AMD's mobile graphics driver program. That leaves you stuck trying to update the video drivers for a laptop Sony seems terrified of even acknowledging on its website. If you happen to have another notebook with AMD mobile graphics in it, you can use that to download the driver package and it'll install fine on the EE34, but that seems like a silly step to even have to take.
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yyrkoon - Saturday, February 26, 2011 - link
Sony's higher end laptops aren't particularly known for their reliability either. SO buying a budget laptop from them makes little sense to me. Things like support for different OS's backwards, and forwards are pretty important as well.Here Sony falls short as well.So when you can purchase a similar system at a lower cost, that *does* support multiple version of windows ( and perhaps even linux ): From a different manufacturer. It only makes sense. Especially if that company regularly has consistently reliable systems. To find these system however, one has to spend some time reading through reviews, weeding out the idiotic reviews, and then wait for the system to be sold at a reasonable enough price for them to feel happy. At $499 however; You can get an Asus with "discrete" nvidia graphics for $300 more. SO sometimes a hard judgement call to make.
And yes ! Anyone buying a budget laptop to be used as a tool to beat dents out of their car fender is not very smart. Seriously, when you buy any laptop, it should be treated with care. So why treat a budget laptop any differently ?
Sabresiberian - Monday, February 28, 2011 - link
As you said, there is a place for the inexpensive, but I couldn't have said it better myself. Personally, I don't put up with people making whiny little remarks about cheap service and products all the time. "You get what you pay for" certainly isn't an absolute, but there's no substitute for buying smartly rather than cheaply.
;)