Selecting the right computer for your needs can be a bit of a challenge especially when a lot of computers seem to be able to carry out the same tasks.

Here we will take a look at two mid range laptops and see how they differ, what the benefits of each one is and what kind of users each one would be suited to.

The two laptops we will compare here are the Sony Vaio SVF 1521 D6E and the Asus X550CC-XO071H. Both come in just under €700 meaning they should have a good bit of power and range of features.

Speed

The first difference to note is between the processors. At face value both provide the same processor speed of 1.8MHz. But if we take a peek under the hood we can see that they are running two different chips.

The Sony Vaio is using the Intel 2117u where the Asus has an Intel i5-3337u. Both have 2 cores but the Asus processor has 4 threads to Sony’s 2 and 3MB of L3 cache to Sony’s 2MB. This is not a huge difference but if you expect to run a lot of programmes concurrently the Asus processor will keep things ticking a little smoother.

In terms of RAM the Asus has 8GB to the Vaio’s 6GB although the Sony can be upgraded to 8GB if that is something a user wanted to do later on. With 8GB of Ram the Asus will load and run programs noticeably faster than the Sony. This will be important for anyone running heavy duty programs like Photoshop.

Storage

For storage the Vaio has a 750GB hard drive which is likely to be more than enough even for movie hoarders but the Asus comes out ahead again with a full 1000GB of hard disk space. If you store a lot of large files for image or movie editing the extra 250GB might be what you need.

Graphics

The Asus provides more power in the graphics department too with an Integrated Nvidia GT730M card providing additional acceleration. Again, this makes the Nvidia more suited to those requiring video editing, 3D modelling or Photoshop applications for their laptop. If you plan on playing video games this is the better option too.

The screens for both models have the same size and resolution but the Sony Vaio screen is LED backlit. This means colours are brighter and clearer. LED backlit screens not only provide a better picture, making them suitable for watching media such as TV shows or movies but they also make it easier to see the screen in the outdoors where glare will often make a laptop screen difficult to see. Sony’s display also provides a touch sensitive interface allowing you to get the most out of the app oriented Windows 8.

Peripherals

The Vaio offers much more in the way of peripheral ports with twice as many USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports as the Asus model. This is useful if you spend a lot of time transferring data onto devices such as an MP3 player or your Smartphone.

The Vaio also uses near field communication to make it much easier to wirelessly transfer data between the laptop and devices such as your smartphone.

Sony’s device offers a little more in the way of styling too. This might not seem like an important factor on paper but if you plan to spend several hours a day staring at your laptop, how it looks can make a big difference.

Conclusion

Overall the Vaio will likely suit those who intend to use their laptop for more media related activities such as listening to music, streaming movies online, giving presentations and sharing data between other mobile devices.

The Asus is more of a workhorse, ideal for those using their laptop for more intensive applications like gaming or graphics processing. Both will carry out normal office related applications such as document and spreadsheet creation with ease.