Where to buy a good Sony Laptop

If you’ve decided that you want a Sony laptop, then good for you – some of them really are very good. Unfortunately, the good ones also tend to be dazzlingly expensive, which is why you’re probably looking for ways of getting that laptop a little cheaper. Here are a few suggestions. If you live near a Sony Store, then they are probably one of the best places to get cheap Sony laptops. Not only are you buying directly from the manufacturer, cutting out a few middlemen in between, but you will often find that they have a good selection of special offers on slightly older models and refurbished laptops – unless you always need the latest leading-edge technology, you’ll often find that these models are perfectly good. If there’s no Sony Store around, try your local independent computer shop. These shops are often very good at giving impartial advice about all the different models available, and won’t overcharge you massively like the high street and big-box computer retailers like to do. If you’re lucky, you might find that they have a used or reduced Sony laptop, or know where to get one. Another thing to try is looking online at auction sites such as eBay. Used laptops there can be very cheap indeed, and as good Sony laptops are so hard-wearing there is usually no reason not to buy them used. However, do be careful not to fall for any eBay scams when buying something as expensive as a laptop – always check the description carefully, and read up on eBay works if you’re ever unsure about an offer you see (use eBay’s own ‘Help’ button). And whatever you do, never pay for laptops by Western Union wire transfer, as the moment you do that, your money is gone forever.

Sony Laptops - Are they value for money?

It used to be the case that Sony laptops were very much better than others – they had much better build quality, better components and so on. Lately, though, Sony has been cutting a few corners to try to maximise its profitability, believing that once the Sony label is on something, their reputation will win through and they will be able to sell mediocre laptops at high prices.

To a certain extent, this is true. There are still plenty of buyers who remember Sony’s glory days and have stuck with them out of loyalty and genuine conviction that their Sony really is better than the competition. And while it might be better than the very cheapest laptop out there, a Sony laptop is really no longer any match for the best, and certainly not the laptop of choice for running Windows as it used to be.

Of course, all this doesn’t so much apply if you buy only from the very top of Sony’s range, where the laptops are generally just as good as they ever were, but even more expensive. Sony’s strategy has been to try to make normal laptops and top-end luxury ones at the same time, which basically results in the Sony laptops people want being the ones that are priced for people who’ll pay anything – Apple have a similar strategy for their iBooks and MacBooks.

However, if you can get your hands on a top-end Sony laptop, you will notice a genuine difference in quality. The components are very, very good, the case is high quality, it’s small and rugged and everything fits together well. It’s just a shame that they can’t make all their laptops like that. So, beware: while Sony do make good laptops, the Sony name itself is no longer a universal badge of quality, and you need to do more research and read reviews before you buy anything that today’s Sony produces.