Laptops With Built-In Blu-Ray Players

[Miadaskate]

I'm thinking about getting a new Laptop. For a long time, I wanted a Macbook Pro, but they're just too damn expensive. Then I noticed that some new Laptops come with built-in Blu-Ray drives. I'm preferably looking for one of the Sony Vaio laptops. The 17.3" one has definitely caught my eye. What I'm wondering is, will watching a Blu-Ray on a laptop be a similar experience to watching one on my HDTV? Can laptop computers output in 1080P and at 24 Hz? Just wondering if someone could give me any information on Blu-Ray enabled Laptops. Thanks.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olstempl...c=abcat0500000

[BLindsay]

On a 17" screen you have to sit pretty close to appreciate 1080p content so as long as you dont sit too far away yeah it will look good. And laptops can output 1080p over HDMI and should be able to do 24hz but i would have to confirm that part.

I had a blu-ray burner on my laptop that i got last april (2009) and it was nice and that was only a 15.4" screen. Only downside is that the software for playback can be a bit troublesome sometimes

[Miadaskate]

Originally Posted by BLindsay

On a 17" screen you have to sit pretty close to appreciate 1080p content so as long as you dont sit too far away yeah it will look good. And laptops can output 1080p over HDMI and should be able to do 24hz but i would have to confirm that part.

I had a blu-ray burner on my laptop that i got last april (2009) and it was nice and that was only a 15.4" screen. Only downside is that the software for playback can be a bit troublesome sometimes

Thanks for your post. So wait, what you're saying is I need to hook my laptop up via HDMI just to watch Blu-Rays in 1080P on my laptop? Or does that mean I could use my Laptop as a Blu-Ray player for an HDTV via HDMI? Sorry I'm just a tad confused. I would love to be able to watch Blu-Rays while at work (best job ever) or traveling; wherever. Also, does the playback software come pre-loaded, or would I have to purchase that as well? Thanks again.

[BLindsay]

Originally Posted by Miadaskate

Thanks for your post. So wait, what you're saying is I need to hook my laptop up via HDMI just to watch Blu-Rays in 1080P on my laptop? Or does that mean I could use my Laptop as a Blu-Ray player for an HDTV via HDMI? Sorry I'm just a tad confused. I would love to be able to watch Blu-Rays while at work (best job ever) or traveling; wherever. Also, does the playback software come pre-loaded, or would I have to purchase that as well? Thanks again.

no sorry for the confusion. you can do can either watch them on the laptops screen OR hook up via hdmi to a big screen

And alot of the time they come with playback software but mine at least shipped with a very outdated version

[Miadaskate]

Originally Posted by BLindsay

no sorry for the confusion. you can do can either watch them on the laptops screen OR hook up via hdmi to a big screen

And alot of the time they come with playback software but mine at least shipped with a very outdated version

Thanks for the clarification. I'm excited to get a new lappy with Blu-Ray! Out of those 13 from the Best Buy link, which would you buy? I'm either going for the gunmetal black 17.3" for $799, the black 16.4" for $1,349.99, or the titanium gray 16.4" for $899?

[BLindsay]

Originally Posted by Miadaskate

Thanks for the clarification. I'm excited to get a new lappy with Blu-Ray! Out of those 13 from the Best Buy link, which would you buy? I'm either going for the gunmetal black 17.3" for $799, the black 16.4" for $1,349.99, or the titanium gray 16.4" for $899?

depends what else you want to do with it. The high end one have really fast processors (intel core i7) and dedicated graphics card making them good for gamming. Others have a bit slower processors i3 or i5 but lack a dedicated graphics card so they wont be good for much gamming

[Bollywood Blu-ray]

i have a sony vaio 18.4 inch AW21z model its awesome
it has full hd spec with bluray recorder built in it cost £1875.00

[eric oc]

My dad just got a Samsung with 15.6 screen and he loves it. Think it was like 750.00 from bestbuy 4gb ram and 500 hd if i remember correctly.

[Miadaskate]

Originally Posted by BLindsay

depends what else you want to do with it. The high end one have really fast processors (intel core i7) and dedicated graphics card making them good for gamming. Others have a bit slower processors i3 or i5 but lack a dedicated graphics card so they wont be good for much gamming

Mostly I'd be using it to go on the internet and watch movies. That's pretty much it. I only play video games on consoles. I kinda like the gunmetal $799 one, because $1349 is a bit pricey. Is i3 really all that bad? I'll have to think about it some more. Thanks!

[travelbug]

the 799usd model is more than enough.
the 2.26ghz i3 is a good cpu that also has great battery life. the laptop also comes with a midlevel ati video card that will help in playing back blurays and will allow you to also play games.
i3/i5 laptops usually come with igp enabled, that means that when you are not using graphics intensive programs the laptop switches to an integrated graphics card built into the cpu that uses much less power and helps prolong battery life.
also with some specialized software, you can also rip your blurays into your hard drive so you dont need to carry around all your bdroms wherever you want to watch them. these are legal, legitimate software like dvdfab.
it is also much easier to update firmware on laptop software than it is on a stand alone player.
and of course you can get more than one bluray playback software like powerdvd and total media theatre 3. they have upgrades that will allow you to play 3d bdroms and even play normal dvds in 3d. some will even allow you to play 3d blurays even in a normal non-3d hdtv or laptop monitor.

[BLindsay]

Originally Posted by travelbug

the 799usd model is more than enough.
the 2.26ghz i3 is a good cpu that also has great battery life. the laptop also comes with a midlevel ati video card that will help in playing back blurays and will allow you to also play games.
i3/i5 laptops usually come with igp enabled, that means that when you are not using graphics intensive programs the laptop switches to an integrated graphics card built into the cpu that uses much less power and helps prolong battery life.
also with some specialized software, you can also rip your blurays into your hard drive so you dont need to carry around all your bdroms wherever you want to watch them. these are legal, legitimate software like dvdfab.
it is also much easier to update firmware on laptop software than it is on a stand alone player.
and of course you can get more than one bluray playback software like powerdvd and total media theatre 3. they have upgrades that will allow you to play 3d bdroms and even play normal dvds in 3d. some will even allow you to play 3d blurays even in a normal non-3d hdtv or laptop monitor.

not sure which one you are referring to, but i hope its not the one with the ATI 4250 cause that thing is crap if you want to game and if its the 5470 its going to struggle quite a bit even then. If you were going to do any gaming you wouldnt want to have anything really less then a 5650


that said though since the OP doesnt want to game it would be fine for surfing the net and blu-ray

[travelbug]

im talking about the gunmetal vaiao at 799 with the 5470.
the op will most probably not be able to play modern games like mw2 or mass effect2 on native resolution but will be able to play them at 1440x900.
but then again he did mention that gaming isnt his priority, but it can be done with this machine.

[BLindsay]

Originally Posted by travelbug

im talking about the gunmetal vaiao at 799 with the 5470.
the op will most probably not be able to play modern games like mw2 or mass effect2 on native resolution but will be able to play them at 1440x900.
but then again he did mention that gaming isnt his priority, but it can be done with this machine.

yeah its a decent machine overall but the price isnt that special for 768 i got

core i7 720
4GB
500GB
ATI 5650 which is overclocked to 5750 speeds

and the 5470 would only be able to play mw2 at lowest settings at like 1024x768 it is not a gamming card for anything modern. would be fine for something like HL2

http://www.notebookcheck.net/ATI-Mob...0.23698.0.html

OP: 700-800 can get ya a nice laptop for what you want, but id suggest looking around a bit for a better deal

[theuserjohnny]

My brother recently got a laptop that had a bluray player built in. I hooked it up to my HDTV to see if there was a quality different with a stand alone player and I honestly saw no difference.

[Rico_1]

Been in the market for a laptop for awhile. Might have to look again at these with Blu-Ray drives in them.

[RainPlex]

$130 DVD RW+ BR Combo drive + screw driver. Remove one screw - Swap drive -Re-screw- Power on. Drivers should automatically install. You can check Bios if you want to make sure BR is being recognized...or just throw in a BR.

[penguin]

Many laptop users are international travellers. Unless the laptop Blu-ray player allows region free play one will not be able to pick up discs accross the Atlantic unless region free play is possible. What we need is an "oppo" style laptop drive for international travellers! Any out there?

[MaximusBlu]

I have a Sony Vaio F series laptop with a 16.4" 1920x1080 display, i7 processor, Blu-ray reader, 6gb ram, 1gb dedicated graphics. I bought mine from Best Buy. It plays blu-ray movies great and the output to my HD tv's with the hdmi hookup gives a great picture. I have a standalone Sony blu-ray player also and they both put out equally nice picture to my tv's. The intel i7 processor in this laptop is such a powerhouse that I can never max it out. I could have made due with an intel i5, but I just wanted an i7.

[Capreories]

Originally Posted by eric oc

My dad just got a Samsung with 15.6 screen and he loves it. Think it was like 750.00 from bestbuy 4gb ram and 500 hd if i remember correctly.

I got the same one from Best Buy for $730 and I love it too! (I3 with Bluray Disc drive and HDMI port)

[kris26]

I just bought the gateway core 13 4Gb ram 320 Gb HDw/bluray rom for $590.00
I awesome laptop