Top 5 Blu-ray notebooks
With Blu-ray winning the format wars and prices for its drives dropping, there is no better time to hop onto the next-gen optical standard. Where once you had to fork out almost S$7,000 (US$4,453.49) for a VAIO AR laptop, which used to the be only line carrying a Blu-ray writer, cheaper alternatives have been popping out of the woodwork.
Besides Sony--creator of the Blu-ray format--Dell and HP have released Blu-ray models at affordable prices. Though the Inspiron 1520 may be significantly cheaper, we prefer the HP Pavilion dv6700 for its HDMI output. This allows it to display Blu-ray movies on a larger HD-capable monitor rather than relying on its relatively low-resolution LCD panel. Moreover, its mini remote control allows you to control playback from a distance.
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Dell Inspiron 1520 (Core Duo T7100 Processor 1.8GHz, 2GB RAM)
Outlook
The Dell 1520 is one of the pioneering Inspiron lines which come available in eight colors. The 15.4-inch targets the basic entertainment user and, as such, comes at an affordable price, though it's considered thick and heavy compared with its contemporaries. One of the key selling points of Dell Inspiron laptops is that they are highly configurable at point-of-purchase. In this case, you can choose to put in a full Blu-ray writer or a cheaper Blu-ray combo drive (which only reads but cannot write on Blu-ray discs) if watching high-definition movies is your thing.
Specifications: Core 2 Duo T7250 2.0GHz processor; 2GB RAM; 160GB HDD; 15.4-inch display; Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS graphics card; Blu-ray optical drive; Windows Vista Home Premium.
Price: S$2,154.98 (US$1,371.03) (Blu-ray combo drive) / S$2,573.35 (US$1,637.20) (Blu-ray writer)
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Dell XPS M1730 (Core 2 Extreme T7700 Processor 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM)
 
CNET Asia rating: 8.4 out of 10
The good: Excellent gaming performance; inexpensive for a high-end dual graphics card system; options for Intel Core 2 Extreme processor and Blu-ray drive; backlit keyboard; GamePanel LCD as a secondary data display; high-resolution 1920x1200 panel.
The bad: Barely portable; no HDMI or VGA output; no subwoofer; lacks TV tuner; noisy particularly when running full load.
The bottom line: When most desktops replacement tend to target power users or entertainment seekers, the Dell XPS M1730 makes no bones about being a gaming machine. At under S$4,000 (US$2,544.85) for the base configuration with dual graphics cards, it offers great value for the gaming community. Moreover, it can be decked out with a Blu-ray drive for high-definition entertainment.
Specifications: Core 2 Duo T8300 2.4GHz processor; 4GB RAM; 160GB HDD; 17-inch display; dual Nvidia GeForce 8700M GT graphics card; Blu-ray optical drive; Windows Vista Home Premium.
Price: S$4,254.32 (US$2,706.65) (Blu-ray combo drive) / S$5,261.19 (US$3,347.24) (Blu-ray writer)
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HP Pavilion dv6700 (Core 2 Duo T8300 processor 2.4GHz; 2GB RAM)
Outlook
The Pavilion dv6700 is HP's midsized offering to the world of mobile entertainment. It has most of the important features needed for proper multimedia enjoyment--HDMI output, Altec Lansing speakers, mini remote control and QuickPlay software. It is also rather pretty as the top cover has the HP Imprint design which makes it instantly identifiable. Our only gripe is that the Blu-ray drive in this machine can read only the next-generation media, though it can write to almost any flavor of DVD and CD discs in the market.
Specifications: Core 2 Duo T8300 2.4GHz processor; 2GB RAM; 250GB HDD; 15.4-inch display; Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS graphics card; Blu-ray combo drive; Windows Vista Home Premium.
Price: S$2,699 (US$1,717.14)
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Sony VAIO VGN-AR59GU (Core 2 Duo T7700 Processor 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM)
Outlook
This is the top-of-the-line premium entertainment desktop replacement from Sony. It is also the first series sporting a Blu-ray optical drive. Besides a 2.1-channel audio output, the bright 17-inch screen, TV tuner and remote control makes this a suitable alternative to a full home theater setup. However, be prepared to pay through your nose for, at almost S$7,000 (US$4,453.49), it could very well be the most expensive laptop in the market.
It is also one of the few to sport a full HD display.
Specifications: Core 2 Duo T7700 2.4GHz processor; 2GB RAM; 500GB HDD; 17-inch display; Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT graphics card; Blu-ray writer; Windows Vista Home Ultimate.
Price: S$6,999 (US$4,452.86)
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Sony VAIO VGN-FZ28G (Core 2 Duo T7700 Processor 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM)
Outlook
If the premium VAIO AR series is too rich for your blood, but you still want a Sony laptop with Blu-ray drive, then the VAIO FZ is the one for you. At over S$2,000 (US$1,272.43) cheaper than its 17-inch brethren, this model sports a powerful graphics engine for gaming and HD video rendering. Cheaper variants are available, but they only sport the older DVD writer optical drive.
Specifications: Core 2 Duo T7700 2.4GHz processor; 2GB RAM; 160GB HDD; 15.4-inch display; Nvidia GeForce 8600M GS graphics card; Blu-ray writer; Windows Vista Home Premium.
Price: S$4,699 (US$2,989.57)
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