Sony VAIO TT vs HP dv2
This is an article about the Notebook PC
The Sony VAIO TT and the HP dv2 series notebooks are by far two of the most stylish notebooks currently on the market and both have their advantages but which is better? Lets take a tour round the features and design of each notebook and we shall see!
Models used:
In this particular comparison I won’t be looking at a particular model as there are 3 variations on the dv2 and even a custom build option for the TT series. Therefore I shall be looking at the possible options that you can have in each model (e.g. there is a 4GB version of the dv2 and you can custom choose a Blu Ray disk drive for your TT).
Design/Size/Weight:
The HP dv2 and Sony TT are two stunning notebooks, they have a fantastic finish to the cases and you even get the option to have a carbon fibre case on the top of the range VAIO TT. While HP are only giving the option to have a ‘Chocolate’ colour Sony give a Red, Gold, ‘Intense Noir’ and Carbon case colours.
As anyone would expect the VAIO TT is lighter than the dv2 due to its smaller screen (11.1” on the Sony and 12.1” on the HP) with the Sony weighing 1.3kg while the HP weighs 1.7kg; either way both notebooks fit in the ‘ultraportable’ class of design.
At its thinnest point the HP dv2 is just 2.37cm while the VAIO TT is measures in at 2.35cm so overall there is not much difference in case thickness.
Processor:
Intel have been producing ultra low voltage processors for some time now and in the VAIO TT you get the choice of a 1.2ghz or 1.4ghz Intel Core2Duo (dual core) processor, while certainly not the fastest processors out there they can handle HD video playback and provide excellent battery life.
The dv2 series on the other hand uses the all new AMD Athlon Neo processor, its only a single core (so isn’t ideal for multiple application loads at the same time) but is clocked at 1.6ghz. This extra clock speed could very well give the dv2 an advantage however any application which can make full use of a dual core processor will run better on the VAIO TT.
RAM/Hard Drive:
Both notebooks give the option to go all the way up to 4GB of RAM. The VAIO TT uses the latest DDR3 RAM with a clock speed of 800mhz while the dv2 is using DDR2 clocked at 667mhz therefore giving the TT a distinct advantage.
If you are looking for a massive amount of storage space the HP dv2 is your best bet with a 500GB hard drive in the top of the range model and a 320GB hard drive in the mid range. At the same time the VAIO TT only gives you a maximum storage space of 160GB however if you can put in some extra cash you can upgrade to the ultra high speed flash based hard drive giving you another performance boost on Windows and application load times.
Bottom line is for performance the VAIO TT wins and for capacity the HP dv2 wins.
Graphics/Display:
In great wisdom Sony and HP have made both models capable of HD video playback, while the dv2 includes no internal optical disk drive you can easily utilise a USB Blu Ray drive and watch 720p video on the 12.1” screen. The VAIO TT on the other hand can have a integrated Blu Ray disk drive (again if you have the cash for the upgrade) and a 11.1” 720p screen. Furthermore both notebooks include a HDMI output and the HP dv2 certainly is capable of full 1080p HD playback with its ATI Mobility Radeon HD3410 graphics core.
Bottom line in this case is that the HP dv2 has the best graphics ability with a ATI HD3410 graphics core in the mid range+ model.
Wireless:
Here its simple, the HP dv2 comes with standard b/g Wi-Fi while the VAIO TT gets a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and the option to upgrade to 3G mobile internet access.
Frosting on the top (extras):
The HP dv2 comes with a integrated webcam, microphone, 5 in 1 memory card reader, 3 USB ports and dedicated media controls; while the VAIO TT gets a integrated webcam, microphone, 2 in 1 memory card reader, 2 USB ports and fingerprint reader.
While you maybe loosing out on a USB port the VAIO TT is certainly one up with a fingerprint reader on all models mid range+ models.
Final Word:
- If you have lots of money get a VAIO TT
- If you want a stylish latest generation notebook get a HP dv2
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