Panasonic Toughbook CG-18 went with Centrino 753 Ultra Low Voltage 1.2GHz CPU built in, and Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z with Core 2 Duo T5600 1.83GHz.
Chipset used in Panasonic Toughbook CG-18 is Intel 915GMS and Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z uses Intel 945PM Express.
We've found 15.4" monitor size on Vaio VGN-FE31Z quite better than 10.3" at Toughbook CG-18.
Maximum screen resulution on Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z is 1280x800, which might prefer graphic experts rather than 1024x768 on Panasonic Toughbook CG-18.
Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z came with more RAM memory - 2GB comparing to 0.5GB on Panasonic Toughbook CG-18.
No empty RAM slots on both laptops.
Duration time on accumulator on Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z and Panasonic Toughbook CG-18 is the same - 3 hours.
Toughbook CG-18 is quite lighter with its 2.1kg weight, than Vaio VGN-FE31Z with 2.82kg.
Video card in use in Panasonic Toughbook CG-18 is Intel 915GMS and in Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z is Nvidia Go 7600.
Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z had more capacity of hard disk (200GB, comparing to 60GB).
For some devices like phones and cameras, you might need bluetooth communication which initially contains in only in Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z.
Buying any, you might experience lack of infrared device.
Firewire is available only on Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z.
PCMCIA is available only on Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z and it is needed by some TV cards and external modems.
If you sometimes travel to destination without broadband connection, you don't have to worry since both laptops have internal modems.
Small advantage of Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z is built-in cardreader which reads 1 card types.
We look to existence of floppy drive in Panasonic Toughbook CG-18 as a disadvantage since that technology is obsolete and unreliable and you shouldn't use it any longer.
Disadvantage of both is lack of DVI output for connection to some modern TFT monitors.
Laptops are able to use standard 54Mbit/s wireless connection.
Only Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z has web camera useful for video conferencing.
Operating system is XP Pro on Panasonic Toughbook CG-18 and XP Media Center on Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z.
Only Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z has some additional software : Adobe Acrobat Elements 7.0, Works, Photshop Elements, DV Gate Plus, WinDVD, Roxio Digital Media SE7, Norton Internet Security 2006, Skype 2,0.
It is worthy to note that Panasonic Toughbook CG-18 has touch pad and touch screen. Also Sony Vaio VGN-FE31Z has some important speciality - .
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