Harga Laptop Sony Vaio Terbaru Mei 2013

Notebook Hybrid / Tablet SONY Vaio Duo SVD11215CV - Black

Intel
Core i5-3317, 4GB DDR3, 128GB SSD, GbE NIC, WiFi, Bluetooth, VGA Intel
HD Graphics

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Sony Vaio Tap 21 PC AiO Sekaligus Tablet 21 Inci Full

Sony baru saja memperkenalkan produk PC desktop all-in-one (AiO) yang juga bisa dipakai selayaknya sebuah tablet bernama Vaio Tap 21. Perangkat ini pun merupakan suksesor dari pendahulunya, Vaio Tap 20 yang menawarkan bobot 30 persen lebih ringan dan ukuran lebih besar.

Dengan bobot 3.6 kilogram, Sony Vaio Tap 21 ini memang tidak seringan tablet lain yang ada di pasaran. Meskipun begitu, perangkat ini akan bisa dengan mudah dipindahkan dari satu tempat ke tempat lain di dalam rumah.

Vaio Tap 21 ini hadir dengan layar berukruan 21.5 inci yang menawarkan resolusi 1920 x 1080 piksel. Layar tersebut pun lebih canggih dibandingkan pendahulunya yang mempunyai layar 20 inci dan resolusi 1600 x 900 piksel. Dengan mencolokkan sebuah keyboard dan mouse, Vaio Tap 21 ini pun bisa digunakan selayaknya sebuah PC desktop.

Perangkat ini datang dengan baterai yang mampu bertahan untuk beberapa jam pemakaian ketika dalam mode tablet. Di dalamnya, terdapat opsi prosesor Intel Core i5 dan Core i7 serta mendukung penggunaan SSD dan HDD. Sayangnya pihak Sony belum mengumumkan harga dari perangkat ini.

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Sony Vaio Drivers

Sony Vaio VPCEB26GM | Windows 7
Sony Vaio VPCEB36FG| Windows 7
Sony Vaio VPCEH26EA  | Windows 7 

Sony Vaio VGN-CR363 | Windows Vista | Windows 7

Sony Vaio VGN-FW4ZTJ/H  | Windows 7

Sony Vaio VGN-SR129E Windows XP |
Sony Vaio VGN-SR130E Windows XP |
Sony Vaio VGN-SR130E Windows XP |

Sony Vaio VGN-NR110E  | Windows Vista |
Sony Vaio VGN-NR115E  | Windows Vista |
Sony Vaio VGN-NR350E Windows XP |
Sony Vaio VGN-NR260E Windows XP |
Sony Vaio VGN-NR310E  Windows XP |
Sony Vaio VGN-NR320E  Windows XP |
Sony Vaio VGN-NR330E  Windows XP | W

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Daftar Harga Laptop Sony Vaio Terbaru Bulan Juni 2013

Daftar Harga Laptop/Notebook Sony Vaio Terbaru Bulan Juni 2013, Harga terbaru bulan ini dari Laptop Sony Vaio . D-harga.blogspot.com menampilkan Daftar Harga Laptop Sony Vaio Terbaru Bulan Juni 2013 dan harga lainya meliputi harga hp terbaru, harga ponsel terbaru, harga sony xperia bulan ini, harga samsung android bulan ini, harga nokia lumia bulan ini, harga tablet terbaru, harga laptop/Notebook, harga mobil, harga motor terbaru, harga knalpot motor, harga TV LED, harga promo terbaru dan masih banyak lagi yang akan update setiap bulan Januari, Febuari, Maret, April, Mei, Juni, July, Agustus, September, Oktober, November dan Desember.

Akhirnya kami ucapkan Selamat datang di portal informasi harga terlengkap hanya D-harga.blogspot.com. Harga diperbaharui setiap bulan baik itu barang baru maupun bekas. D-harga.blogspot.com akan selalu memberikan yang terbaik buat sobat semuanya termasuk dalam memberikan informasi mengenai harga terkini dan terlengkap yang bisa sobat dapatkan di blog ini.

Ok kita kembali ke topik dan dibawah ini adalah Daftar Harga Laptop Sony Vaio Terbaru Bulan Juni 2013 dan mudah-mudahan bisa menjadi Patokan harga bagi para pecinta blog D-harga.blogspot.com karena setiap waktu dan daerah memilik perbedaan harga.

Daftar Harga Laptop Sony Vaio Terbaru Bulan Juni 2013 :

Sony Vaio SVD11-215CV
13.100.000
-400.000
Core i5 3317U 1.7Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 128GB SSD, No Optical Drive, Intel HD, 11.6” WXGA, Wifi, Bluetooth, Camera, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVE11-125CV
4.200.000
-300.000
AMD E2 1800 1.7Ghz, 2GB DDR3, 320GB, No Optical Drive, Wifi, Bluetooth, AMD Radeon HD 7340, Camera, 11.6” WXGA, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVE11-135CV
4.600.000
(same)
AMD E2 2000 1.75Ghz, 2GB DDR3, 320GB, No Optical Drive, Wifi, Bluetooth, AMD Radeon HD 7340, Camera, 11.6” WXGA, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVE14-118FG
10.100.000
(same)
Intel Core i7-3612QM, 4GB DDR3, 640GB HDD, DVD±RW, GbE NIC, WiFi, Bluetooth, VGA AMD Radeon HD 7550M 1GB, Camera, 14inch WXGA, Win7 Home Premium 64 bit
Sony Vaio SVE14-122CV
5.600.000
(same)
Core i3 3110M 2.4Ghz, 2GB DDR3, 320GB, DVDRW, Wifi, Bluetooth, Intel HD, Camera, 14” WXGA, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVE14-126CV
6.600.000
-900.000
Core i5 3210M 2.5Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 500GB, DVDRW, Wifi, Bluetooth, AMD Radeon HD 7550M 1GB, Camera, 14” WXGA, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVE14-128CV
9.000.000
-1.000.000
Core i7 3632QM 2.2Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 750GB, DVDRW, Wifi, Bluetooth, AMD Radeon HD 7550M 1GB, Camera, 14” WXGA, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVE14-132CV
5.500.000
(same)
Core i3 3120M 2.5Ghz, 2GB DDR3, 320GB, DVDRW, Wifi, Bluetooth, Intel HD, Camera, 14” WXGA, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVE14-136CV
6.800.000
(same)
Core i5 3230M 2.6Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 500GB, DVDRW, Wifi, Bluetooth, AMD Radeon HD 7550M 1GB, Camera, 14” WXGA, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVE14-A15FG
9.100.000
(same)
Intel Core i5-2450M, 4GB DDR3, 640GB HDD, DVD±RW, GbE NIC, WiFi, Bluetooth, VGA AMD Radeon HD 7670M or Intel HD Graphic 3000 (hybrid), Camera, 14inch WXGA, Win7 Home Premium 64 bit
Sony Vaio SVE14-A25CV
7.900.000
-600.000
Core i5 3210M 2.5Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 750GB, DVDRW, Wifi, Bluetooth, AMD Radeon HD 7670M 2GB, Camera, 14” WXGA, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVE14-A27CV
12.000.000
(same)
Core i7 3632QM 2.2Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 750GB, DVDRW, Wifi, Bluetooth, AMD Radeon HD 7670M 2GB, Camera, 14” HD Touch Screen, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVE14-A37CV
11.900.000
(same)
Core i7 3632QM 2.2Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 1TB, DVDRW, Wifi, Bluetooth, AMD Radeon HD 7670M 2GB, Camera, 14” HD Touch Screen, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVE17-135CV
10.900.000
(same)
Core i7 3632QM 2.2Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 750GB, Bluray, Wifi, Bluetooth, AMD Radeon HD 7650M 2GB, Camera, 17.3” HD, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVS13-115GG
10.100.000
(same)
Intel Core i5-3210M, 4GB DDR3, 640GB HDD, DVD±RW, GbE NIC, WiFi, Bluetooth, VGA Intel HD Graphics 4000, Camera, 13.3inch WXGA, Win7 Pro 64 bit
Sony Vaio SVS13-116FG
11.200.000
(same)
Intel Core i5-3210M, 4GB DDR3, 640GB HDD, GbE NIC, WiFi, Bluetooth, VGA NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M 1GB or Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Hybrid), Camera, 13.3inch WXGA, Win7 Home Premium 64 bit
Sony Vaio SVS13-123CV
9.100.000
100.000
Core i5 3210M 2.5Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 500GB, DVDRW, Intel HD, 13.3” WXGA, Wifi, Bluetooth, Camera, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVS13-125CV
9.900.000
-1.100.000
Core i5 3210M 2.5Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 750GB, DVDRW, Nvidia Geforce GT640M 1GB, 13.3” WXGA, Wifi, Bluetooth, Camera, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVS13-127PG
13.100.000
(same)
Core i7 3520M 2.9Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 750GB, DVDRW, Nvidia Geforce GT640M 1GB, 13.3” WXGA, Wifi, Bluetooth, Camera, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVS13-137PG
12.900.000
(same)
Core i7 3540M 3.0Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 750GB, DVDRW, Nvidia Geforce GT640M 1GB, 13.3” WXGA, Wifi, Bluetooth, Camera, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVS13-A25PG
14.900.000
-200.000
Core i7 3520M 2.9Ghz, 8GB DDR3, 750GB, DVDRW, Nvidia Geforce GT640M 2GB, 13.3” WXGA, Wifi, Bluetooth, Camera, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVT11-125CV
8.700.000
200.000
Core i5 3317U 1.7Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 500GB, No Optical Drive, Intel HD, 11.6” WXGA, Wifi, Bluetooth, Camera, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVT13-125CV (Ultrabook)
8.500.000
(same)
Core i5 3317U 1.7Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 500GB, No Optical Drive, Intel HD, 13.3” WXGA, Wifi, Bluetooth, Camera, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVT13-126CV (Ultrabook)
9.500.000
-100.000
Core i5 3317U 1.7Ghz, 4GB DDR3, SSD 128GB, No Optical Drive, Intel HD, 13.3” WXGA, Wifi, Bluetooth, Camera, Win 8 64 Bit
Sony Vaio SVT13-133CV
8.300.000
(same)
Core i5 3337U 1.8Ghz, 4GB DDR3, 500GB HDD + 24GB SSD, No Optical Drive, Intel HD, 13.3” WXGA, Wifi, Bluetooth, Camera, Win 8 64 Bit

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Sony VAIO Fit 14E Sony VAIO Fit 15E

Selain model Fit 14 dan Fit 15, Sony juga baru saja merilis duo model notebook mainstream terbaru lainya yaitu Sony VAIO Fit 14E dan Sony VAIO Fit 15E.

Berbeda dengan Sony VAIO Fit 14 dan Sony VAIO Fit 15 yang chasingnya terbuat dari alumunium, Sony VAIO Fit 14E dan Sony VAIO Fit 15E ini justru hanya menggunakan  chasing plastik fiberglass saja. Terlebih untuk dukungan tampilan layarnya sendiri, Sony VAIO Fit 14E dibekali oleh layar berukuran 14 inci dengan dukungan resolusi 1600×900 piksel sedangkan untuk Sony VAIO Fit 15E dibekali oleh layar 15 inci dengan didukung resolusi Full HD (1920×1080 piksel). Dan bagi Anda yang menginginkan kemudahan akses tampilan yang didukung oleh fitur layar sentuh, kedua model notebook Fit E tersebut juga sama-sama telah menyediakannya secara opsional.

Tak hanya itu saja, kedua notebook VAIO Fit Series terbaru ini juga sama-sama didukung oleh fitur processor Intel Core i3 hingga Core i7, Windows 8/Pro, opsional kartu grafis NVIDIA GeForce GT740M, RAM sebesar 4GB hingga 12GB, hardisk hybrid/Solid State Drive (SSD) berkapasitas 500GB hingga 1TB, optional Blu-ray drive, full-size backlit keyboard, large touch pad, Bluetooth, WiFi dan NFC. Selain keberadaan webcam Exmor R sebagai sensor PC yang mampu memberikan kinerja cahaya rendah yang lebih baik, kedua laptop mainstreem tersebut juga didukung oleh speaker besar dan powerfull subwoofer (hanya untuk model Sony VAIO Fit 15E saja) serta fitur Sony ClearAudio+ yang sanggup menghadirkan kualitas suara terbaiknya.

Tersedia dalam beberapa pilihan warna seperti black, pink dan white, Sony VAIO Fit 14E dan Sony VAIO Fit 15E tersebut masing-masing bakal dipasarkan dengan banderol harga mulai dari 549 USD (5,37 jutaan rupiah) dan 579 USD (5,67 jutaan rupiah) per unitnya termasuk juga bonus berupa premium digital art software ArtRage Studio di dalamnya.

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Sony VAIO Y Laptop Review

Sony VAIO Y Specifications:

Intel Pentium U5400 (1.2GHz, 3MB cache)

4GB DDR3 1066MHz RAM (8GB max)

500GB 5400RPM Toshiba Hard Drive

13.3" Widescreen LED Backlit Display (1366 x 768)

Intel GHA HD Integrated Graphics

Atheros B/G/N, 1Gb LAN, Bluetooth

Ports: 3 x USB 2.0, Headphone Output, Microphone Input, VGA, HDMI, RJ-45 Ethernet, FireWire

6-cell 54Wh battery

Dimensions: 12.8"(W) x 0.93 - 1.2"(H) x 8.9"(D)

Weight: 3.81 pounds (with standard capacity battery)

The VAIO Y is a 13.3" ultraportable CULV-powered notebook from Sony, acting as the affordable-brother to the high-end VAIO Z. This model includes Intel GMA HD integrated graphics, an Intel Pentium CULV processor (New models feature Intel Core i3 and i5 ULV processors), 4GB of DDR3 memory and a WXGA resolution display. In this review we see how well this model stacks up against other ultraportable systems and if it should be added to your back-to-school notebook buying list.

At the time of publishing this review, Sony has phased out the older Intel Pentium processors, as seen in this review, and replaced them with the newer Intel ULV Core i3 and i5 processors

Build and Design

The Sony VAIO Y has a laid back design compared to the more expensive VAIO Z, with slightly thicker panels, smoother lines, and a more tried-and-true color scheme. Whereas the Z might include a custom machined faceplate, the Y offers a standard painted body panel. Another change is the color selection between the two models, with the Z offering more professional finishes and the Y including fun and sporty color options. As a whole the Y-series seems to be the thin and light system designed for a younger crowd. The design still includes many cool elements, including the hinge-integrated power button, slice power indicator light embedded in the top edge of the notebook, and island-style keyboard.

Build quality is top notch for a sub-$800 notebook with sturdy body panels and a very strong chassis. The screen cover provides more than adequate protection for the display, preventing any distortions from showing on the LCD with a firm grip to the opposite side. The keyboard and main body dont seem to have much flex and without the optical drive cavity inside the notebook, it almost seems to have less flex on the right side. Without going to the extremes with a fully machine top-plate Sony still managed to create a very sturdy notebook.

Compared to the Vaio Z which included a proprietary SSDarray, the Sony VAIO Y uses a much more basic, and easier to upgrade 2.5" hard drive. This, as well as the system memory, is accessible through the bottom of the notebook. For users looking to upgrade to anSSD down the road this means you wont have to fully dismantle the notebook just to swap out one component.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The VAIO Y has a comfortable Chiclet-style keyboard that is easy to type on for long periods of time. Compared to the Vaio Zthe spacing is a bit different, putting dedicated Page Up/Down and Home/End keys on the right side of the keyboard, instead of including them as secondary functions over the direction keys. This caused some shrinking of the right shift button and left control button as well as slightly tighter spacing. The keyboard also lacks one of the luxurious backlit keys seen on the VAIO Z, but that was expected given the much lower starting price. Keyboard support is excellent with no noticeable keyboard flex under strong typing pressure. Key responsiveness is great as well as very quiet key actions that dont emit much noise when fully pressed.

The touchpad on the VAIO Y is a Synaptics model that is very responsive and has no discernible lag. The touchpad includes some multitouch features, including two-finger scroll which the Z actually skipped in favor of the chiral-scrolling motion. Refresh rates were excellent, preventing any "trails" from the cursor drawing fast circles on the screen. The touchpad settings out of the box were near perfect, with no tweaks needed during the review. I also found the touchpad buttons to be easy to trigger with the edge of your thumb and had shallow feedback when fully pressed. Overall the touchpad was very good and one of the nicer models seen on a thin and light notebook.

Ports and Features

Port selection on the VAIO Y was very good for a thin and light system, including three USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400, VGA and HDMI-out, audio jacks, and LAN. Expansion slots included a SDHC and MemoryStick card reader, as well as an ExpressCard/34 slot.

Screen and Speakers

The Sony VAIO Y comes standard with a 13.3-inch WXGA panel with no upgrade options for higher resolutions. Compared to other CULV-based notebooks the screen rates above average with good color and contrast. I have to admit that this screen was a step down from the one seen on the VAIO Z, which had a higher color saturation and deeper black levels (at nearly triple the cost!). For users looking to enjoy a movie on the road, enjoy a YouTube clip during class or type a term paper during a study session the screen is perfect. Backlight levels were good for bright indoor viewing conditions, with the surface measuring 196nit at full brightness. Viewing angles were good, although colors did seem to have a narrow sweet spot of roughly 10-15 degrees before colors started to shift or invert vertically. Horizontal viewing angles were much better, spanning over 60 degrees from the side.

Speaker performance was good for a thin and light system, with strong volume levels to fill a small room. Bass and midrange were lacking, but that was not unusual for a system in this class. Sony does include a headphone jack which puts out clean audio for private listening, as well as an HDMI-out jack for connecting the notebook to a HDTV and stereo.

modified from: notebookreview.com

http://bestnew-laptop-review.blogspot.com/

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Sony VAIO EA Laptop Review

Sony VAIO EA (VPCEA3CFX) specifications:

Intel Core i3 370M (2.4GHz, 3MB L3 cache)

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

14-inch LED-backlit display (1366x768)

Intel GMA HD integrated graphics

4GB DDR3 (1066MHz) system memory

500GB hard drive (5400rpm)

CD/DVD player/burner

Bluetooth (2.1 + EDR)

Ethernet: 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T

Wi-Fi: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 (802.11/b/g/n)

Intel Wi-Di (wireless display transmitter)

Standard Capacity Lithium-ion Battery (5000mAh)

Dimensions: 13.60(W) x 1.07(H) x 9.39(D) inches

Weight: 5.2 pounds

Color: Coconut White

Build and Design

The Sony VAIO AE is the latest 14-inch general purpose laptop from Sony. The E-series notebooks are the most affordable full-featured notebooks in the VAIO product line and you can probably argue that the "E" stands for "Economy class." The laptop body is made of a combination of matte black plastics and polished plastics in your choice of Lava Black, Hibiscus Pink, Coconut White, Iridescent Blue, or Passion Purple colors. Our review sample is "Coconut White" but pearl white might be a more accurate description of the color in real life. All of the plastics feel firm with no obvious flex or creaking sounds when you apply pressure to the chassis. Despite being designed as a budget laptop, the VAIO EA feels reasonably well built. The screen hinges offer enough resistance to hold the display in place yet arent so tensioned that opening the laptop is difficult.

The screen lid, palm rests and touchpad plastics are made with overlapping layers of clear acrylic with different patterns on different layers. The end result is a multi-layer design that looks a bit like the scrolling pixel code in The Matrix movies. Dont let that description prevent you from considering this laptop; the effect is pretty subtle since the layered patterns are done using the same color as the rest of the laptop. Most people wont even notice the design on the lid or palm rests unless they are within a few feet of your laptop.

Users looking to upgrade or tweak the VAIO EA will find plenty to keep them happy once they look at the bottom of the notebook. Sony engineers were kind enough to include two access panels on the bottom of the chassis that allow you to replace the RAM or the hard drive with whatever you want. Since our review unit came with 4GB of system memory and a 500GB hard drive its unlikely that most consumers will upgrade either, but if you decide to purchase a high-performance solid state drive (SSD) then its good to know that you can easily put it inside the VAIO EA.

Ports and Features

Port selection on the VAIO EA is excellent. The system has three USB 2.0 ports, one additional eSATA/USB combo port, a headphone and headset jack, VGA output,  HDMI output, Ethernet, and both SDHC card and Memory Stick slots. USB 3.0 would have been handy given the increase in compatible accessories these days, but since the VAIO EA also includes an ExpressCard slot you can add a USB 3.0 adapter.

modified from notebookreview.com

http://bestnew-laptop-review.blogspot.com/

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Sony VAIO SZ2 laptop

Background of Sony VAIO SZ2 laptop

The VAIO SZ is Sonys latest thin and light range of notebooks, available in a range of specifications all with dual Intel / nVidia graphics and Intel dual core processors.

Sony VAIO SZ2 (view large image)

I opted for the flagship SZ2VP model with the following specifications:

• Intel Core Duo T2600 -- @ 2.16Ghz per core
• 1GB DDR2 RAM
• 120Gb 54000RPM hard drive
• 13.3" LCD with LED backlight, running at 1280 x 800 resolution
• Dual Layer DVD +/- RW optical drive
• Switchable Intel GMA 950/nVidia GeForce 7400 graphics

Being the limited edition prestige model, this was only available to purchase through Sony Centres or Sony Style online. After a visit to my local Sony Centre and being told a very vague "we might be able to get one for mid September" I decided to pursue the online method!

Build and Design

Sony VAIO SZ2 setup (view large image)

My first thoughts on unpacking the SZ were "wow...its small!" This is my first laptop, yet with the top level VP only weighing in at 1.69 kilos (3.7 lbs) I was very pleased with the size and weight of the unit.

(view large image)

The VP features a carbon fibre top casing, yet there is much discussion as to how much carbon fibre is actually present in the laptop! The casing does not feature the weave you would expect from this material, yet it still provides an interesting effect and also contains blue metallic particles visible in certain light conditions.

The palm rest and keypad area have a brushed aluminium finish which makes a great change from the plastic of many other machines and gives great aesthetic appeal.

There are a total of 5 switches located above the keyboard; two shortcut switches, a wireless on/off switch, power button and the graphics switch. Its a shame you cant turn off wifi/Bluetooth independently with hardware switches but it is easily done from the software utility.

VAIO SZ2 right side view (view large image)

VAIO SZ2 left side view (view large image)

VAIO SZ2 front side view (view large image)

VAIO SZ2 back side view (view large image)

Screen

The LCD features LED backlight technology, which gives a very thin screen and lid -- only around 5/6mm thick. Whilst helping to reduce weight and giving a great look to the product, it does make the LCD seem slightly fragile with a little amount of twist (though probably not as much as youd expect from something this thin).

The 1280 x 800 resolution works excellently on the 13.3" screen. Not having perfect eyesight, I was concerned about a high resolution on a smaller screen but I find it a pleasure to use with absolutely no problems.

It features Sonys X-Black technology, which gives the typical glossy effect to the screen. Not having a massive range of experience with various manufacturers, I cant really compare it to others, yet suffice to say it also seems to feature some kind of anti glare coating which is hard to describe but it seems to reduce the visible reflections from objects behind you. I am also impressed with the very large viewing angle on the screen, far more so than any other LCDs Ive used.

The brightness on the screen is excellent and I find myself turning it down from the highest setting when indoors and only using the brightest setting when outside, which still gives a decent picture.

Features and Performance

Im not a gamer yet I tend to run multiple applications at the same time, particularly resource hogs like Photoshop. The Core Duo seems to live up to the task very well though I cant say its any faster compared to my desktop running an Athlon XP at 2.17Ghz with the same 1GB of RAM and a lowly graphics card.

The dual graphics are a fantastic feature and allow you to switch between the integrated Intel GMA 950 chipset, or the dedicated nVidia GeForce 7400 with 128mb dedicated memory. Use the Intel while running office applications to conserve battery life, or the nVidia for more extreme use. A restart is required to flick between the two chips, which is a bit of an annoyance yet it is still an excellent innovation and something I havent come across in any other laptops.

The fingerprint reader is located between the two touchpad buttons and although I considered it a toy in the pre-purchase stage, I now consider it a godsend! It can be used for logging onto Windows, launching applications (assign an app. to each finger) or entering passwords into web windows. It does the job very well and recognises my fingers first go around 95% of the time. To check security I asked a co-worker to try and logon to my system but they were denied access even after 5 minutes of trying! While Im sure its not that secure, it is certainly a viable alternative to entering hundreds of passwords.

The optical drive provides pretty much every kind of functionality I could ever dream of with dual layer DVD +/- rewrite ability. My only gripe would be that the disc tray seems a little fragile, yet for the amount I use the drive this is only a minor concern. I suspect this is due to the thin form factor of the laptop.

Expresscard 34 and a PCMCIA slots both feature on the laptop, yet the Expresscard is filled with Sonys included card reader which seems to cope with all the main formats such as SD and MMC. A built-in Sony memory stick duo reader takes care of their own format, but its a shame they shun the popular SD format to a separate reader in favour of their own cards.

Included media card reader in the ExpressCard slot (view large image)

It also seems Sony were a bit tight on room by only including two USB 2 ports, which although is adequate for myself, Id have preferred to have seen more.

Theres VGA out but no composite video for outputting to a TV, which I consider a major downside on a laptop costing £1800 ($3,000)! Also, my VGA to TV converter doesnt work on this laptop like it did on my Mac Mini meaning it will be difficult to output the image to a standard TV screen.

Heat and Noise

The laptop seems exceptionally quiet, and the fan noise is almost inaudible in anything other than total silence. Ive yet to hear the fans totally shut down, but this may be because I primarily use the nVidia graphics. Shortcut button 2 is pre-set to drop fan noise and CPU clock, yet whenever Ive used it the difference has been minimal.

The optical drive is far from quiet when in use and during start-up, yet again as I use it so little this is not a problem for myself.

It seems to produce a fair amount of heat when using the nVidia graphics, though no more than Id expect from a performance orientated machine with dedicated graphics and it never gets annoyingly hot, just quite warm. Again this is something I can live with. Using the Intel graphics allows the laptop to run very cool and quiet.

SONY Keyboard and Touchpad laptop

(view large image)

After reading various forum reports of problems with the spacebar and keyboard in general on the SZ I was very sceptical. However after using it for a few weeks it seems to have none of these problems. I neither greatly like or dislike the keypad and assume its something Ill grow to like over time but at the moment Im still adjusting from my full sized Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard.

The key travel seems about right and it seems relatively quiet in operation. Being a touch typist, I still occasionally hit the wrong key but again, Im sure this is something I will adjust to over time.

The touchpad has a slightly rough texture to it which works well, and it is easily configurable from within windows for scrolling and tapping speed, etc. Another neat feature is the ability to use the top left corner to maximise, minimise or close windows. Perhaps this is common to other laptops too, but I was still impressed by this simple feature. I later discovered, however, that I kept inadvertently tapping the top left corner while typing and this led to me closing the window I was working in! So this corner functionality has now been disabled; a shame really.

Sony peakers laptop

I was all set to purchase a cheap pair of speakers to supplement my laptop, yet I think Ill leave this for a while now given the quality of the built in speakers. Peering through the grille results in what looks like a pair of tiny (half-inch) diameter drivers which result in an exceptionally clear and loud sound. Of course, theres no bass but I really wouldnt have been disappointed had the speakers had JBL or similar logos on!

External audio is provided through a 3.5mm line out socket, though the output seems very quiet when using this into my amplified external speakers. There is also a massive amount of hiss/feedback that appears only when the AC power cord is plugged in. If someone uses the external audio a lot then this will prove annoying and the Sony representative I spoke to did not have any idea what it could be. SPDIF optical output would have been nice, especially as this one of the most expensive laptops on the market today!

Sony Battery laptop

Doing everyday tasks as I have been for the past weeks, using the nVidia graphics and wireless and Bluetooth on I reliably get just under three hours battery life. This is using a high/mid LCD brightness setting. I expect 4+ hours easily using the Intel graphics with wireless switched off. Sony offer an extended life battery, but it is far too expensive at around £240 and increases the size and weight of the laptop considerably (see the notebook review forums).

Sony Bundled Software laptop

This is by far and away the laptops worst feature. The amount of bundled useless software was unbelievable and performance out of the box was far below my expectations. Sony make it reasonably difficult to do a clean install, by not providing a separate windows CD (or any CDs... for that matter) in the box. They include a hidden recovery partition on the hard drive and there is an option to create your own recovery discs. The problem with recovery is that it would reinstall all the bundled nonsense!

I have a separate standalone copy of XP pro so I installed this on the laptop with no problems, using the drivers available to download from Sonys website. Though there are many forum posts relating to this issue, I had a problem free clean install and everything works perfectly.

Benchmarks:

Super Pi calculated to 2 million:

Notebook	Time
Sony VAIO SZ2 (2.16GHz Core Duo)	1m 14s
Asus W3H760DD (2.0 GHz Pentium M)	1m 33s
Dell Inspiron e1505 (2.0GHz Core Duo)	1m 16s
Lenovo ThinkPad T60 (2.0GHz Core Duo)	1m 18s
Toshiba Satellite M100 (2.00GHz Core Duo)	1m 18s
Samsung X60 (1.66GHz Core Duo)	1m 29s
Dell XPS M140 (1.86 GHz Pentium M)	1m 41s
Sony VAIO FS680 (1.86 GHz Pentium M)	1m 53s
IBM ThinkPad T43 (1.86 GHz Pentium M)	1m 45s

3DMark05:

Notebook Comparison	3DMark05 Score
Sony VAIO SZ2 (2.16GHz Core Duo, nVidia GeForce 7400)	1,851
ASUS W3V (2.0 GHz Pentium M, ATI X600	1,263
Lenovo ThinkPad Z60m (2.0GHz Pentium M, ATI X600 128MB)	1,659
ThinkPad T43 (1.86GHz, ATI X300 64MB graphics)	727
Asus V6Va (2.13 GHz Pentium M, ATI Radeon Mobility x700 128 MB)	2,530
HP dv4000 (1.86GHz Pentium M, ATI X700 128MB)	2,536
Toshiba Satellite M100 (2.0GHz Core Duo, ATI X1400 128MB)	1,660

HD Tune:

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Conclusion

I am very pleased with the SZ2VP. Is it a performance machine...is it a thin and light...is it a desktop replacement? It combines extreme performance in an exceptionally lightweight package. I was after a super-fast notebook to take to university and the weight saving is a fantastic plus.

Spending an afternoon reformatting isnt much work for the machine you have at the end, but it shouldnt be a required step.

( From http://www.notebookreview.com )

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Powerful Sony Vaio laptop

The VAIO® CR Notebook (laptop)

DESIGN VAIO laptop

Thin, light and absolutely stunning
Step out and be seen with the VAIO® CR notebook, a gorgeous and colorful 14.1"² thin-and light mobile masterpiece with XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology, built-in web cam and powerful technologies.

Loaded with extras
Both inside and out, special personalized extras are abundant throughout the VAIO® CR notebook. From the unique keyboard font and structure to the A/V controls, radiant silver trim and pulsing LED glow function, this fun and personalized notebook is packed with a great deal of innovative design and entertainment extras that will set itself and its owner apart from the crowd.

High technology meets Fifth Avenue
Like the clothes you wear and the car you drive, the color of your notebook reflects your style and taste. With a deep, glistening multi-layer coating of paint, a luminous silver trim and four gorgeous colors to choose from, the VAIO® CR is a functional fashion statement, helping you get the job done while separating you from the crowd.

Sangria
Energetic, bold and sexy, the glossy deep red chassis and black interior of the Sangria VAIO CR notebook will turn heads and draw attention wherever you roam. Akin to a high-end sports-car, the remarkably beautiful Sangria VAIO CR notebook will impress with luxury and perform with finesse.

Indigo
Stunning, smart and sophisticated, the spectacular Indigo VAIO CR notebook features a radiant deep blue exterior and chic silver interior. Trendy, yet timeless and strikingly cool, the color-combination is so noticeable and unique it’ll draw “oohs and ahhs” right from the box.

Cosmopolitan
Like Grace Kelly and Aubrey Hepburn, the Cosmopolitan VAIO CR notebook is classically beautiful and loved by everyone. Decked in a soft silvery-pink with a strawberry-milk interior, you’ll fall in love with its beauty and elegance and adore its charm and grace.

Dove
Pure and simple, the Dove VAIO CR notebook has a look of natural beauty and elegance. With a silver and ivory blended exterior and smooth white keyboard, it’s warm and comfortable addition to the home and a gorgeous, yet functional travel accessory.

• The lustrous coating is carefully brushed across the chassis like the finish to a luxury sports car
• Silver luminous trim frames the body, giving it a distinguishable shimmering accent
• Pulsing LED ground effects emanate and glow from beneath the silver luminous trim
• Comfortable, cleverly-engineered keyboard is easy to keep clean
• Specialized keyboard font is a unique, fun and personalized touch of personality
• DISPLAY OFF button turn offs display without shutting down your notebook
• Built-in camera and microphone for video chatting⁴
• Instant AV mode & multimedia controls for entertainment without boot-up
• Specialized keyboard font is a fun added touch to an already quite-special approach to keyboard design

Intricate painting process
Available in Sangria, Cosmopolitan, Dove, and Indigo, the VAIO CR notebooks line of lustrous coats and exquisite color shades are the result of a painstaking paint-blending and application process.

Like the finish of a luxury sports car, multiple layers of paint are meticulously applied to the chassis of the notebook, which is then buffed and dried to get that "just right" shade and beautiful luster. Each color is framed by an iconic silver luminous trim, a luxurious characteristic that makes the paint coating pop - especially when the notebook is closed.

Complete the outfit
With such a uniquely colored notebook, you’re going to need some matching accessories. To make the look complete, each VAIO® CR notebook comes with its own funky VAIO branded wallpaper and optional matching carrying bag and mouse.

MOBILITY Laptop

Get moving. Get noticed.
With its cool colors and stunning silver trim, the VAIO® CR Notebook is just too pretty to leave at home. Weighing just 5.9 lbs1 with a built-in CD/DVD player/burner, up to 3-6 hours of standard battery life6 and a 14.1" display², the VAIO® CR is perfect for personal computing and entertainment on-the-go.

Intel® Next-Gen Wireless-N technology
Introducing the next great advancement in wireless technology – Intel® Next-Gen Wireless-N. With built-in Wireless-N technology³, the VAIO® CR notebook lets you wirelessly surf the web and e-mail with greater performance, range and reliability than ever before.

Wireless-N offers a massive boost in speed and considerably more range than 802.11 a/b/g connections. You can even wirelessly stream video throughout your home or office with blazing-fast speed⁵. Also, Intel® Next-Gen Wireless-N is backwards compatible with existing 802.11 b/g networks, so there is no need for any additional hardware or cables – its all built-in

Portable entertainment paradise
Enjoying entertainment on a notebook has never been easier or more fun. Simply select the "AV mode" button just above the keyboard and your VAIO® CR notebook will jump to entertainment mode without booting up the operating system. A complete set of multimedia controls make content navigation a breeze while a built-in 1.3 megapixel digital web camera lets you quickly snap photos and participate in live video chats. Complete with a great set of speakers, a stunning 14.1" widescreen display² with XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology and a CD/DVD player/burner⁵, the VAIO CR notebook is a portable, easy way to enjoy your digital entertainment.

ENTERTAINMENT laptop

AV Mode
Imagine having the ability to enjoy your entertainment on your notebook without ever booting up. The VAIO® CR notebook with instant AV Mode lets you kick off your entertainment with a single push of a button. Go straight to watching a movie, playing music, or viewing photos without ever booting-up the operating system. Convenient, built-in multimedia control buttons also let you play, pause, rewind, fast-forward, stop, eject and control volume – all with one-touch ease.

Built-in camera and microphone
The VAIO® CR notebook features a built-in 1.3 megapixel digital web cam that lets you quickly snap photos and participate in live video chats⁵. The CAPTURE button makes it easy to take digital photos with the MOTION EYE® camera, which is discreetly located above the LCD screen to allow easy angle adjustment and natural eye movement while video chatting.

XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology
Developed by the people you trust to deliver amazing flat-panel TVs, Sonys patented XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology delivers razor-sharp details, crisp, bold colors and glare-free viewing – all while conserving battery life. Brightness is evenly distributed across XBRITE-ECO displays, which also feature a special anti-reflective coating to lessen glare and light reflection while reducing eye fatigue when viewing for long periods of time.

Lots of slots
With plenty of slots, ports and jacks, the VAIO® CR notebook lets you enjoy entertainment easily, and makes it easy to transfer files to and from external devices and your notebook.

• S video out: Connect to a compatible TV and watch a DVD or play games the big screen
• Monitor connector: Connect to a projector or display monitor for larger space entertainment
• Memory Stick® media/SD card slot: Great for photo and music transfers
• 3 USB ports: Connect to a printer, mouse and portable music player at the same time
• i.LINK® port7: Perfect for connecting plug-and-play devices and digital video transfer
• Microphone and headphone jack: Belt out some karaoke or listen quietly to your headphones
• DVD/CD burner4 and player: Watch movies, listen to music and create your own CD or DVD
• Express card slot: Great for memory expansion and adding wireless communication cards

Create your own DVDs
Create, manage and share your home movies and photos with the beautiful and powerful VAIO® CR notebook. With a built-in suite of multimedia tools and CD/DVD burner⁴, you can create your own customized DVDs, complete with interactive menus and customized themes. With Click to DVD® software, you can present your digital video content in a fun DVD package – complete with interactive menus and customized themes.

PERFORMANCE Laptop

Intel® Centrino® Duo processor technology
Get the ultimate mobile experience with unparalleled processing speeds, longer battery life⁶ and enhanced wireless connectivity³. The VAIO® CR notebook features Intel® Centrino® Duo processor technology, Intels latest and best notebook technology to date.

Powered by an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor and an 800 MHz Front Side Bus, this state-of-the-art technology provides screaming-fast performance and the mobility, power and flexibility you need for high-speed⁵, wireless computing on-the-go³.

Windows Vista™ Home Premium
The VAIO® CR notebook comes pre-installed with Windows Vista™ Home Premium, a breakthrough operating system that brings your computing world into sharper focus while delivering the productivity, entertainment and security you need.

See the difference with a spectacular new look, instant search, built-in Windows® Media Center and automated security features. Create beautiful family albums and home videos, listen to your favorite music, and connect with friends and family. Windows Vista™ Home Premium makes it easier and more enjoyable to do just about anything on your PC.

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Sony VAIO NR160N S laptop

Manufacturer:	Sony
Model:	Sony VAIO NR160N/S - Core 2 Duo T5250 1.5 GHz - 15.4" TFT
Description:	Intel Core 2 Duo (1.5 GHz), 1 GB DDR II SDRAM, 6.2 lbs, 15.4 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows Vista Business

The Sony VAIO NR is the latest family of stylish, colorful, consumer friendly notebooks from Sony. What makes the NR series genuinely unique for Sony is that the starting price is less than $800 ... making the NR the lowest-priced notebook the company has ever produced. You can configure a VAIO NR online at SonyStyle.com in a variety of colors or buy a stock configuration from various retailers.

The VAIO NR is available in three colors (brown, white, and silver) with a full range of Intel processors (from the 1.46GHz Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor T2310 to the 1.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5450) starting at $799. The only screen offering is the 15.4" WXGA but the notebook can take up to 4GB of RAM. Built-in wireless 802.11 a/b/g is standard.

We reviewed Sony’s silver version of the NR (VGN-NR160E), priced at $829. Following are the specs for the notebook as reviewed:

• Screen: 15.4-inch screen WXGA (1280 x 800) with XBRITE-ECO (glossy finish)
• Processor: 1.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5250
• Hard Drive: 160 GB hard drive (SATA, 5400RPM)
• Memory: 1GB RAM (PC5300, 667 MHz, DDR2 SDRAM, 2 x 512 MB) -- 4GB max memory
• Optical Drive: DVD+-R Double layer / DVD+-RW Drive
• Ports and Slots: Four USB 2.0, one FireWire 400 port, one ExpressCard 34, one VGA, one MemoryStick Pro reader, one SD card reader, headphone / line-out, microphone-in, modem, 10/100 Ethernet
• Wireless: Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g)
• Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 (965 Express chipset with up to 251MB of shared RAM)
• Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
• Dimensions: 14.2 x 10.6 x 1.5 inches (WxDxH)
• Weight: 6.2 pounds

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Build and Design laptop

The overall first impression that one has when looking at the NR series is that this notebook was designed to look nice yet be affordable. From the range of available colors to the fabric-like textured LCD cover and palm rests the NR is a simple yet striking design. The "granite" silver version looks like metal at a distance but upon closer examination its clear that the notebook exterior is made of thick plastics.

As mentioned above, the lid of the VAIO NR also has a nice textured finish with the VAIO lettering in a recessed silver plastic. Overall the look is very clean. After opening the lid and seeing the matching silver plastic interior of the NR I expected a cheap feel to the case with a significant amount of flex to it. Surprisingly the case is very sturdy with relatively thick plastic and metal interior reinforcement in just the right places.

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The VAIO NR lid does not have a latch to hold it closed, but the hinge mechanism works well and firmly holds the lid in place. There is some flex to the screen lid but it’s just enough to keep the LCD from being too rigid. There certainly isn’t enough screen flex to worry about.

Sony officially classifies the VAIO NR as a "portable" notebook. Were pretty sure all laptops can be considered "portable" but the NR is reasonably thin for a 15.4" notebook (1.5" at its thickest point) and has a weight of only 6.2 pounds. That said, the depth (front to back) of the NR is a little large compared to other notebooks in the same class. In fact, we couldnt get the NR to fit in some smaller 15.4" notebook bags.

Performance and Benchmarks laptop

The dual core processors that come with the VAIO NR-series provide more than enough performance for average use, even at the 1.5GHz Core 2 Duo configured in our test unit. We would have liked to see an option for an even faster Core 2 Duo "Santa Rosa" processor for those consumers willing to pay a little more … particularly since the NR doesn’t offer a dedicated graphics option. The 3DMark06 benchmarks are low, but this is due to the fact that the NR uses the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 which shares the notebook’s system RAM. If the NR was equipped with 2GB or more these benchmarks might have been slightly more impressive.

wPrime is a program that forces the processor to do recursive mathematical calculations, the advantage of this program is that it is multi-threaded and can use both processor cores at once, thereby giving more accurate benchmarking measurements than Super Pi.

Notebook / CPU	wPrime 32M time
Sony VAIO NR (Core 2 Duo T5250 @ 1.5GHz)	58.233s
Toshiba Tecra A9 (Core 2 Duo T7500 @ 2.2GHz)	38.343s
Toshiba Tecra M9 (Core 2 Duo T7500 @ 2.2GHz)	37.299s
HP Compaq 6910p (Core 2 Duo T7300 @ 2GHz)	40.965s
Sony VAIO TZ (Core 2 Duo U7600 @ 1.20GHz)	76.240s
Zepto 6024W (Core 2 Duo T7300 @ 2GHz)	42.385s
Lenovo T61 (Core 2 Duo T7500 @ 2.2GHz)	37.705s
Alienware M5750 (Core 2 Duo T7600 @ 2.33GHz)	38.327s
Hewlett Packard DV6000z (Turion X2 TL-60 @ 2.0GHz)	38.720s
Samsung Q70 (Core 2 Duo T7300 @ 2.0GHz)	42.218s
Acer Travelmate 8204WLMi (Core Duo T2500 @ 2.0GHz)	42.947s
Samsung X60plus (Core 2 Duo T7200 @ 2.0GHz)	44.922s
Zepto Znote 6224W (Core 2 Duo T7300 @ 2.0GHz)	45.788s
Samsung Q35 (Core 2 Duo T5600 @ 1.83GHz)	46.274s
Samsung R20 (Core Duo T2250 @ 1.73GHz)	47.563s
Dell Inspiron 2650 (Pentium 4 Mobile 1.6GHz)	231.714s

PCMark05 comparison results:

Notebook	PCMark05 Score
Sony VAIO NR (1.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5250, Intel X3100)	3,283 PCMarks
Sony VAIO CR (1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7100, Intel X3100)	3,612 PCMarks
Lenovo ThinkPad X61 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, Intel X3100)	4,153 PCMarks
Lenovo 3000 V200 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, Intel X3100)	3,987 PCMarks
Lenovo T60 Widescreen (2.0GHz Intel T7200, ATI X1400 128MB)	4,189 PCMarks
HP dv6000t (2.16GHz Intel T7400, NVIDA GeForce Go 7400)	4,234 PCMarks
Fujitsu N6410 (1.66GHz Core Duo, ATI X1400)	3,487 PCMarks
Alienware M7700 (AMD Athlon FX-60, Nvidia Go 7800GTX)	5,597 PCMarks
Sony Vaio SZ-110B in Speed Mode (Using Nvidia GeForce Go 7400)	3,637 PCMarks
Asus V6J (1.86GHz Core Duo T2400, Nvidia Go 7400)	3,646 PCMarks

3DMark06 comparison results:

Notebook	3DMark06 Score
Sony VAIO NR (1.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5250, Intel X3100)	504 3DMarks
Toshiba Tecra A9 (2.20GHz Core 2 Duo T7500, NVIDIA Quadro NVS 130M 256MB)	932 3DMarks
Toshiba Tecra M9 (2.20GHz Core 2 Duo T7500, NVIDIA Quadro NVS 130M 128MB)	1,115 3DMarks
Sony VAIO TZ (1.20GHz Core 2 Duo U7600, Intel GMA 950)	122 3DMarks
LG R500 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS 256MB)	2,776 3DMarks
HP dv2500t (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS 128MB)	1,055 3DMarks
Dell Inspiron 1420 (2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS 128MB)	1,329 3DMarks
Sony VAIO FZ (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, Intel X3100)	532 3DMarks
Dell XPS M1330 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS 128MB)	1,408 3DMarks
Samsung Q70 (2.0GHz Core 2 Duo T7300 and nVidia 8400M G GPU)	1,069 3DMarks
Asus F3sv-A1 (Core 2 Duo T7300 2.0GHz, Nvidia 8600M GS 256MB)	2,344 3DMarks
Alienware Area 51 m5550 (2.33GHz Core 2 Duo, nVidia GeForce Go 7600 256MB	2,183 3DMarks
Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Xi 1526 (1.66 Core Duo, nVidia 7600Go 256 MB)	2,144 3DMarks
Samsung X60plus (2.0GHz Core 2 Duo T7200, ATI X1700 256MB)	1,831 3DMarks
Asus A6J (1.83GHz Core Duo, ATI X1600 128MB)	1,819 3DMarks
HP dv6000t (2.16 GHz Intel T7400, NVIDA GeForce Go 7400)	827 3DMarks

HDTune results:

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Screen

The 15.4" glossy screen is a WXGA 1280 x 800 beauty with excellent color and contrast. The display features fairly bright and even backlighting with eight levels of brightness. Horizontal viewing angles are excellent, making the screen an ideal choice for two or more people to watch a DVD or streaming video. However, vertical viewing angles are far from impressive for a notebook in this price range. If the screen is tilted just slightly forward the entire screen “washes out” making it all but impossible to see low contrast details.

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Keyboard, Touchpad and Other Input Buttons

The keyboard on the VAIO NR is perhaps just standard fanfare for Sony notebooks, but it is one of the more unique features of this notebook when you first open it. Unlike most traditional PC notebook keyboards the keys on the NR keyboard look more flat. The keys are well cushioned and responsive to light touch though there is a somewhat noticeable degree of travel. If you prefer the traditional “indented” shape of keys then you might not like the flat surface of the keys on the NR. The keyboard is quite solid with no flex whatsoever. Overall, if you can get used to the lack of dedicated keys and the shape of the keys themselves then you will find this keyboard a genuine joy to use.

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The touchpad is nice and large with a very usable and responsive surface. The mouse buttons are likewise nicely sized, the buttons have a reasonably deep feedback with noisy clicks. Along the top of the keyboard is a dedicated “AV Mode” quicklauch button that in theory lets you activate the media player functions without booting Windows. I had to say "in theory" because the AV Mode button didnt work on our notebook. We updated the notebook with the latest software and drivers from Sony but every time we pressed the AV Mode button the notebook would just start Windows.

Input and Output Ports laptop

Lets take a quick tour around the port offerings of the VAIO NR:

Front side: Memory Stick reader, SD card reader, indicator lights, and WiFi on/off switch. (view large image)

Back side: Nothing except the battery, DC power jack, and the modem and Ethernet ports. (view large image)

Left side: Kensington lock slot, optical drive, and two USB 2.0 ports. (view large image)

Right side: ExpressCard 34 slot, two USB 2.0 ports, FireWire port, headphone and microphone jacks, VGA out, and heat vent. (view large image)

Why Sony included a separate reader for the MemoryStick Pro card and another reader for the SD card is likely one of those mysteries that will never be solved. Many notebooks save space and weight by providing a single 5-in-1 memory card slot that reads SD/xD/MMC/MemoryStick type cards. I can only guess that Sony wants to draw attention to their proprietary memory card format.

Audio

The VAIO NR has stereo sound via speakers located above the keyboard. With the speakers located on the top of the interior in this way they tend to direct the sound at you and make for a surprisingly enjoyable listening experience. While the built-in speakers aren’t the best that I’ve heard in a notebook of this size, they are certainly better than most notebooks of this size. The headphone jack is located on the right side (a less than ideal location for people who like to plug in external speakers and use an external mouse at the same time).

Heat and Noise laptop

The VAIO NR runs extremely quiet with the 1.5GHz Core 2 Duo processor. The bottom side gets a bit warm, but temperatures remained comfortable enough to keep the NR on the lap. Temperatures are likely kept within acceptable limits thanks to a rather large heatsink visible through the vent on the side of the NR. Below are images with the temperatures listed in degrees Fahrenheit.

The system fan is quiet when running. You have to put your ear down at desk level to hear it over any other ambient noise in the room. Despite the lack of noise the fan pushes out a significant amount of heat … enough to make your hand uncomfortable if you put your left hand next to the vent during benchmarking.

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Battery

Sony claims the battery life of the standard 6-cell battery at 2.5-4.5 hours of use depending on how you use the notebook. During my test I obtained 3 hours and 2 minutes of battery life using the notebook at half screen brightness, wireless on, and a mixture of web browsing and idling. Clearly you would need to have the screen brightness turned even lower and do little more than let the notebook idle if you want to obtain the full 4.5 hours that Sony claims. You can get a large capacity battery for an advertised 4.0-7.5 hours of usage time unplugged, but the larger battery will add weight to the notebook.

One issue of note regarding the battery is the unusual amount of “battery wiggle” in our test unit, similar to what we found in the Sony VAIO CR. Even with the lock switch in the “locked” position the battery is loose in the back of the NR and makes an audible shaking sound as it moves inside the battery compartment. If the locking switch is set to the unlocked position the battery is so loose that you can accidentally disconnect the battery from the power connectors just by picking the notebook up and tilting it backward. This wouldnt be an issue if the battery lock switch stayed in the locked position. Unfortunately, the lock switch has a tendency to easily slide into the unlocked position. This is an unacceptable design flaw because it means users can unintentionally power off the notebook while using it. The last thing you want is for your notebook to shutdown while you’re in the middle of typing an important document.

Conclusion laptop

The Sony VAIO NR is a stylish, affordable notebook with a solid set of features that is sure to be appealing to college students or anyone looking for an attractive notebook on a budget. It features enough performance and build quality to keep most users happy. However, thanks to the non-functioning AV Mode, lack of dedicated media buttons, and what can only be called a “design flaw” regarding the battery, consumers might be able to find more attractive choices in the same price range.

Overall, the Sony VAIO NR is a genuinely impressive notebook for Sony, in no small part thanks to the low selling price. That said, there is room for improvement.

( From http://www.notebookreview.com )

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Sony VAIO TZ laptop

Sony VAIO TZ Review VAIO TZ Review

Sony Model: TZ90

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo U7600 1.2 GHz, L2 Cache: 2 MB CPU integrated

RAM: 2GB (2GB Max)

Chipset: Intel 945GMS Express

Storage: 32GB Solid State Disk

Optical Drives: Dual Layer DVD super multi drive (DVD±R DL)

Graphic / Video

• Chip: Intel 945GMS Express
• VRAM: 256MB (shared with main memory)
• Display: 11.1" WXGA TFT
• Resolution: 1366 x 768 pixels
• External Resolution: 1600 x 1200 pixels

Reasons for Purchasing

I certainly don’t consider myself a road worrier by any stretch of the imagination and have always disliked ultra portables due to their under performing components and a tiny screen. So why would I opt for one of the smallest and thinnest ultraportables around? Read on to find out!

My last laptop was a ThinkPad T60p 15” screen which was the lightest laptop I have had, but after a while, the weight just started to get to me. I was almost ready to buy the Sony TX when someone on this forum announced that Sony is going to come out with its successor, the TZ series. Pictures were scarce, but when one did pop up, I was sold, and that was when I didn’t even know its specifications yet.

Where and How Purchased

At the time only one web site was ready to sell the TZ and that was the importer Dynamism. I called them up and was told they would start taking orders by the last week of May and it was ready for pre-order. Being an early adopter has its prices. After configuring the top of the line model, it came out to over $3300 which was a lot more than what I wanted to pay.

A couple of weeks later, a forum member mentioned a Japanese import web site PriceJapan.com. My order was placed on May 31^st after numerous inquiries via email. Including all the upgrades like SSD hard drive, 2GB of RAM and Standard battery, it came out to $2,744 with shipping via DHL. Since it comes with Vista Basic Japanese you would have to install your own OS unless you’re fine with what’s on it. After waiting for what felt like an eternity, I finally received it on June 18^th..

Build & Design

The first thing that will come to your mind is how ridiculously small this ultraportable is. Even the adapter has been miniaturized!

I can only say this is the best looking laptop I have ever laid my eyes on, bar none. It only weighs 2.5 lbs with the standard (medium) battery I opted instead of the lightweight (small) which would reduce it to an even lighter 2.25 lbs. The TZ just oozes great build quality and craftsmanship. The low weight is mainly contributed by using carbon fiber and LED screen technology.

Looking at it from different angles, you can tell that Sony design engineers have spent a lot of time trying to make everything as sleek, thin, sturdy, and light weight as possible.

One really unique feature is the placement of the power button. It resides within the right side cylindrical hinge and glows green when the laptop is powered on and amber when in standby. The hinge reminds me of the Asus W3J, however this design was carried over from the VAIO X505 in which the TZ drew much inspirations from.

There are a total of four colors to choose from: Black, Premium Carbon, Bordeaux and Champagne Gold. They are all made of carbon fiber; the only difference is just the colors. I originally wanted the Bordeaux color, however I decided for me, the best understated but yet unique look would be the Premium Carbon due to its carbon weaving patterns on the lid.

The model I configured below:

• Sony Model: TZ90
• CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo U7600 1.2 GHz, L2 Cache: 2 MB CPU integrated
• RAM: 2GB (2GB Max)
• Chipset: Intel 945GMS Express
• Storage: 32GB Solid State Disk
• Optical Drives: Dual Layer DVD super multi drive (DVD±R DL)
• Graphic / Video
  • Chip: Intel 945GMS Express
  • VRAM: 256MB (shared with main memory)
  • Display: 11.1" WXGA TFT
  • Resolution: 1366 x 768 pixels
  • External Resolution: 1600 x 1200 pixels
• Sound system Audio:
  • Intel High Definition Audio
  • Built-in stereo speaker
  • Built-in monaural microphone
• Interface Card Slot: ExpressCard/34, SD/MMC/Memory Stick PRO
• Communications: 802.11 a/b/g, 10/100/1000 LAN, Bluetooth v2.0 + EDR, 56K v.90/v.92 Modem
• Integrated ports: USB 2.0 x 2, i.LINK (S400), Min D-sub 15pin, Headphone, Mic, Built-in Webcam, Keyboard: 87 key, 17mm pitch, 1.7mm stroke, Intelligent Touchpad
• Battery Life:
  • Lightweight battery pack VGP-BPS11: 6 hours (Real world 3 hours)
  • Standard battery pack VGP-BPL11: 12 hours (Real world 6 hours)
  • Enhanced battery pack VGP-BPX11: 18 hours (Real world 9 hours)
• Power Consumption: A/C adapter: 40W, 100-240V / 50-60 Hz

Sony allows you to have several configurations of the hard drive/optical drive combination. You can have:

• 2.5” 160GB with no DVD drive.
• 32GB SSD with DVD drive.
• 32GB SSD with 2.5” 160GB HDD
• 1.8” 100GB with DVD drive.

However, I did not see an option for 1.8” + 2.5” HDD.

Keep in mind that these are not swappable. At least right now, you cannot swap a DVD drive if you already have a 2.5” HDD in there. They are all pre-configured at the factory. I’m sure over time, some modders will attempt to do just that, but I’m not willing to take such an expensive chance.

Screen

Like many that have said before me, these LED screens are absolutely breathtaking to view. Its hard to imagine that those engineers could make such a small and thin screen so bright and crisp. Although I’m no Photoshop professional, this screen is just stunning. My previous ThinkPad screen was matte IPS which had fantastic viewing angles regardless if its vertical or horizontal, but lacked the brightness. After using an IPS screen, it’s a bit hard to go back to a non IPS screen, but my worries completely disappeared after turning the laptop on. The viewing angles of course can’t compete with an IPS screen, however the colors look more saturated and it’s a lot brighter and crisper.

While the horizontal angles were very good, vertical angles weren’t great.

I did not notice any light leakage or dead pixels. All colors are evenly distributed and uniform throughout the screen.

Because the screen incorporates the latest LED technology, it is extremely thin, and when you add in the carbon fiber material, construction makes it very sturdy and strong and light, stronger than magnesium. I had thought that the construction would be very similar to the TX in that when you apply pressure in the back of the lid, it would produce ripples very easily, so I was pleasantly surprised when even modest pressures were applied, I could not get the screen to produce any ripples.

Performance

I was a bit disappointed that this laptop which seems to use the most modern materials for its construction did not use the latest Intel platform Santa Rosa, even though many mid range notebooks that are coming out now are incorporating it to their line-ups. However, for my uses which are mainly internet browsing, movie/TV watching and light gaming, Santa Rosa will make no difference. But its always great to have the latest and greatest especially when you pay a high premium for a product.

One reason I imagine why Sony did not go the latest platform route is the purpose of this laptop is to be used without being plugged into the wall for as long as possible, and Santa Rosa does require almost twice more power than the current Napa platform, and as of this writing, Intel does not yet have an ULV CPU for their latest platform.

One of my main concerns going with the SSD was that I was afraid it might be more of a gimmick rather than a real boost over the conventional hard drive. However, I’m very happy to report that there is such a noticeable boost especially during windows boot-up time that I am willing to sacrifice space over speed. No longer do I cringe whenever I needed to reboot.

Few reasons why I chose the SSD configuration due to its many advantages over the conventional hard drive.

• Faster boot time
• Faster on random I/O
• Lower read and write latency (seek) time, hundreds of times faster than a mechanical disk
• Much more resistant to G-shock
• No defragmentation
• No heat output

It seems that the main complaint owners of the TX series have was the slow 4200rpm hard drive being the bottleneck. Especially with Vista installed, boot-up time is excruciatingly slow as well as launching applications. Boot-up time from pushing the power button to being able to start applications is 40 seconds flat, quicker than my desktop using a Raptor 10k rpm drive. Now that is fast!

Heat and Noise

I thought my previous ThinkPad was silent. The TZ blows the ThinkPad out of the water. In other words, it is DEAD SILENT. The only thing I hear is when the DVD drive powers on or when its spinning a disc. I have to put my ears by the vent in order to hear anything.

During heavy use, it does get hot near the left rear under side, but not uncomfortably so. However, everywhere else remains cool to the touch, another advantage of the SSD drive.

Most of the time, the same area is just warm and very comfortable on the lap.

Battery

I selected the standard size that sits flush with the back of the machine but has a little small bump on the bottom that tilts the laptop about 10 degrees in the rear. Its actually a good thing as it gives the laptop some breathing room and it barely adds any bulk to it while doubling its power. Another important note is the battery does not wobble when placed into the laptop. Its not waterproof seal tight either, but it is secure enough that when you shake the laptop, it doesn’t create any noise.

Sony website states that the lightweight (default) battery will give you 6 hours of usage, standard will give 12 hours and the extended will give 18 hours. I do believe those numbers are true only if you leave your laptop on and do nothing with it which really defeats the purpose, but for marketing purposes, it certainly sounds great. Cut all those figures in halves and you will have your real world numbers which in my opinion isn’t too shabby. Imagine, working on your laptop non-stop for 6 to 9 hours at a time without being tethered to the wall outlet, now that’s what I call freedom.

Keyboard & Touchpad

Many people that see the keyboard will no doubt think that it resembles Apple’s Macbook. However, if you read up a bit on history, it was actually Sony that came out with the style on its X505 about 3 years before the Macbook came out. I also read that it was Apple that hired some of Sony’s engineers to help design their upcoming Macbook.

The importance of a good keyboard is right up there with the screen. The two most used interface. After trying a VAIO SZ laptop, I was sorely disappointed and was not expecting anything good with the TZ, but I was proven wrong with its well placed and sized keys. I came from the ThinkPad’s legendary keyboard which was so good I would prefer using it over a desktop keyboard. Its feel and feedback is just incredible. While not as great as the ThinkPad’s, this keyboard is many times better than the SZ series that I had tried at a local Best Buy.

Its keys are smaller than standard, but they are very well placed and give just the right amount of feedback and travel. I was utterly surprised. The matte keys have their individual space surrounded by a glossy cover which creates a great contrast. On the downside, the glossy cover is the same as those used on the Logitech DiNovo Edge. It looks like a highly polished plexi glass material which is a magnet for finger prints. Luckily, Sony was kind enough to include a micro fiber cloth.

The mouse pad is decent sized and has a rough surface to give the user good feedback. However, I’ve been much spoiled by the ThinkPad’s mouse nub. I just loved not having my hands leave the keyboard, which I will sorely miss.

Security

Sony wasted no space and integrated a fingerprint reader in between the two mouse buttons. The TZ has Trusted Platform Module 1.2 embedded in the motherboard, so for those that like the added security of logging in using your finger instead of typing a password, you will like this. I would prefer if the reader was placed somewhere to the right on the palm rest though.

Input & Output Ports

Nothing spectacular, especially for a laptop this size.

Left: Dial-up modem/FireWire/Gigabit Ethernet concealed by a flap, Express card 34 slot, 2 USB 2.0

Front: Headset and Mic jack, Sony memory stick slot, AV buttons, WIFI switch.

Right: DVD writer, D-Sub.

Nothing in the back.

Speakers

Stereo speakers sit on the upper left and right side above the keyboard. There are two slits per speaker and yet they are loud and clear despite lacking in the bass area.

Wireless & Bluetooth

The TZ comes with a tried and true Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 A/B/G card. The reception seems to be good, but I haven’t tested its range, but I assume its on par with other laptops, so no problems there. It also has built-in Bluetooth, which I haven’t really used other than pairing it with my BlackBerry, so I cant comment too much on it.

Sony includes a handy little program which can be used to easily select which wireless devices are controlled by the Wi-Fi switch on the front.

Operating System & Bundled Software

Operating system comes in the form of Windows Vista Basic Japanese. I can neither read nor write Japanese and it’s the Basic iteration. Since I have a retail version of Vista Home Premium, there’s no question I was going to replace it. I always have had a habit of doing a fresh install of windows whenever I receive a new computer mainly to get rid of all the junk ware to decrease the boot time as well as customizing it to my own liking.

There was no other bundled software that came with it. Total hard drive after format shows 30.5GB of space

Windows – 8GB

MS Office and other applications – 5.5GB

Free space – 17GB

Final Conclusions

I am extremely satisfied with my purchase even though this is by far the most expensive computer I have ever bought that lacks the latest and greatest hardware under the hood.

( From http://www.notebookreview.com )

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