So, as you know (you being the one reader out there left after all these UX posts), I've been using a UX390N for a little over a week.  At the time of purchase, I was familiar with the UX180P, the UX380N, and the UX390N.  Naturally, the UX180P was old and old had half a meg of RAM, so it wasn't a choice. The UX380N, though, is basically the same as the 390 other than the 40GB physical hard drive compared to the 32GB flash disk in the 390, for a $500 premium and theoretically better battery life.

However, I became aware of the UX280P recently when Sony had refurbished units for $1,129 that I missed out on.  What would one get for $900-1400 les money?  Turns out, not much is different.  You get 133MHz less on the processor, a mere 10%. You get only a physical 40GB hard disk. It also comes with Windows XP Pro instead of Vista Business, but if you'd purchased before March 15 (refurbs went on sale March 16) you would have qualified for an express upgrade. Compared to the UX390N it has a silver body.  That's all.  Well, besides the fact they aren't in retail channels.

Actual selling prices on eBay range from a rare $1000 to the more common $1500 to an occasional $1800.  I found one for a little over $1100.

So, I'll probably be swapping for the 280P and upgrading to an 80 or 100GB drive in it.  To make up for lost battery life, I'll get the large battery.  That'll still leave me with over $1000 left.  That'll take the "sting" of the 10% loss in processor speed.  ;)

(NOTE: Neither image is of the US model variant.  Do you know why?)

Posted by Shane on April 3, 2007 8:18 AM | Permalink