Amazon.com Product Description

Ample proof that good things come in (very) small packages, Sony's new VAIO PCG-V505BXP Notebook combines powerful Pentium 4 processing with an ultra-lightweight format and a surprisingly affordable price point. If you can do with a smaller display screen and average 3-D performance, the petite yet stunning VAIO PCG-V505BXP may be your perfect portable.

Measuring a mere 1.3 by 10.9 by 9.5 inches and tipping the scales at just 4.4 pounds, the VAIO PCG-V505BXP fits comfortably in virtually any location. Yet this level of convenience doesn't come at the expense of speed. Driven by a snappy 2.0 GHz Mobile Intel Pentium 4 Processor (with Enhanced SpeedStep Technology for added battery life) and a generous 512 MB of DDR SDRAM memory (expandable to 1024 MB), the unit will handle most any application you might normally reserve for a regular, larger notebook. Unfortunately, the integrated 16 MB ATI Mobility Radeon graphics chipset is simply not powerful enough to assure smooth rendering of the latest 3-D games or complex CAD-type animations.

Featuring a 40 GB hard disk and an internal CD-RW/DVD drive, the VAIO PCG-V505BXP is ready to store your important data, archive your files to disc, burn audio CDs and play the latest movies. The unit's display screen is smaller than those found in regular-size notebooks, yet larger than you might think at 12.1 inches. Communication options include an integrated 56K modem for low-speed connectivity, an RJ-45 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Ethernet interface, and IEEE 802.11b wireless LAN.

Other desirable amenities include a built-in Memory Stick media slot, three fast USB 2.0 ports, and a high-speed IEEE 1394 port for high-speed interaction with external peripherals such as digital camcorders. The impressive software suite includes Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition (unlike the otherwise similar VAIO PCG-V505BX Notebook, which ships with Windows XP Home Edition), Microsoft Money 2003 Standard, Microsoft's real time strategy epic Age of Empires II, and a broad array of multimedia utilities. Lithium-ion battery life is estimated at 1.5 to 3.5 hours. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Though not the smallest Sony portable computer at 13.3 by 10.9 inches and 8.2 pounds, the Vaio NV170 notebook brings true desktop performance to your mobile environment. Whether you're on the job, playing a movie or game, or working with your still photos or videos, the Vaio NV170 may be the only computer you need.

If you want power, you've come to the right place. Fitted with a 1.6 GHz Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor with 512 KB of Level 2 cache, the Vaio NV170 is ready for virtually anything you can throw its way. To keep data flowing fast and limit hard drive usage, Sony has included 256 MB of RAM and allowed you to expand to a whopping 512 MB. Visual processing is handled by a robust 16 MB 4x AGP ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics chip, which in conjunction with the processor and RAM should capably display any graphic-intensive program aside from high-end, 3-D games.

Sony has equipped the unit with a number of other luxuries not often found in notebooks, including a sizable 30 GB hard disk, an internal CD-RW/DVD drive through which you can play and record CDs and watch movies, and a large, bright 15-inch, high-resolution (1,400 x 1,050) TFT LCD display. You'll listen to music and movies through a surprisingly punchy set of integrated stereo speakers, and perhaps add a subwoofer at a later date via the system's hot-swappable multipurpose bay. The unit's control center features an 86-key keyboard, a center Jog Dial control with back button, and an electrostatic touch pad.

The Vaio NV170 is designed for connectivity and future expansion. To help keep you in touch, the unit features a built-in V.90 modem and an RJ-45 Ethernet LAN interface. To keep you linked with other devices, Sony has included an IEEE 1394 interface for high-speed data transfer, three USB ports for plug-and-play peripherals, a serial "printer" port, headphone and microphone-in jacks, andTV-out and VGA-monitor out ports. An integrated Memory Stick media slot allows you to quickly upload, transfer, and archive digital images and important data.

Your Vaio NV170 will arrive with a wide variety of pre-installed practical and entertainment programs, including Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Word 2002, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Quicken 2002 New User Edition, and numerous useful Sony-exclusive audio and video applications. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great as a portable desktop!
I've had the NV170 for 3 months and its been great.
Like some of the other reviews regarding this laptop, it is a BRICK. Definitely not for a business traveler.
But if you need a fast and powerful computer you can take with you on occasions, this is perfect. Some of the programs loaded are a little difficult to get working but once I got around it and downloaded my own programs, it does all I need. The screen is large and crisp compared to other laptops I've looked at. Also sounds great with the changeable woofer.

The pro's and con's
Overall the NV170 is a great laptop. I did quite a bit of research and have been very happy with my purchase. 2 major issues for me: Customer Support & Sonicstage (Sony's music manager). From the get go the customer support - even customer service when I ordered over the phone was just atrocious. I have spent at least 5 hours being transferred from one 800 number to the next by rude service technicians just to try to resolve some issues that were "no brainers" to me. Only recently did I find one that went that extra mile to at least try to take care of me. My second complaint is the software that Sony has chosen to use to manage music. If you just want to listen to songs that you've downloaded from an external source (not including the internet) on your computer, then you should be fine. However, like most I like to burn CD's & Sonicstage has nearly made me sick, physically, a couple of times with sheer frustration! They have created a new format that mp3's are converted to when using Sonicstage (.omg). It is supposed to keep track of copyright information, number of times a song has been downloaded, etc. The problem is that there is something that doesn't jive between the software and songs dowloaded from the net. So, sometimes they'll burn, sometimes they won't, sometimes I feel like dropping the machine off my 3rd story balcony...... Anyway, other than these two issues the speed & capabilities of the NV170 accomodate my needs well.

BUYERS BEWARE: Sony VAIO NV170 is a toy
Even though this unit has a great display it is a terrible buy if your a business user. It will not support any other operating system than Windows XP Home, Sony does not offer an upgrade path(even to XP Professional), there are no drivers available for the hardware configuration. Buyer's beware, this unit is not for business use. Sony does not support this product!

A nice package
This laptop is well designed. The moment you open the package. You noticed this is a well-built product. The engineer really put a lot of effort into every detail. A really elegant computer. The screen is beautiful. The speaker with the sub-subwofer put out some nice sound effect. Sony packs this baby with too many multi-media sofeware goodies. Too much in my opinion.

The exchangable multi-bay module is pretty cool. I was worried about the quality of this design and worry about the interface. Don't worry, the feel of the module sliding into the slot actually is pretty smooth. The sub-wofer and the 3.5inch floppy drive satified my needs.

Usually Sony offer free memory upgrade and rebate. This sweetens the deal.

Three minor complaints are:

1. The AC adapter tend to heat up more than my prior laptop.
2. This computer is a brick. A bit thick compared to other laptop.
3. Battery life is not as good as other products. But I am not a mobile executative so this is not a problem.

Overall a superb product. Well worth the moneny in my opinion. But I only have it for 2 wks so will have to see how this baby end up in a few months.

Good Luck!

Nice Notebook!
I bought the Sony Vaio NV170 about two months ago. My first impression was how well it was packed in the box. After getting it out and turning it on, I was impressed by the speed of the laptop and the sharpness of the 15" LCD screen. It came with 256mb ram, and wasn't too bad. I got the free 256mb ram upgrade and after installing it, it was worth the upgrade. I can multitask faster with more ram. The modem isn't the best. With my desktop, I could always connect above 48kbps, but with this - if I'm lucky, I can get connected at 42kbps. I also wish Sony went with USB 2.0 instead of 1.1 so I can use an external hard drive. Gonna have to get a USB 2.0 PCMCIA card. Overall, if you have broadband, this is a great laptop! If you don't care about slow modem speeds, then this is still a great laptop! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Far from the smallest mobile computer in Sony's notebook lineup, the VAIO PCG-FRV26 Laptop is nevertheless extremely powerful and nicely equipped. If size and ease of portability are not overriding factors, the capable VAIO PCG-FRV26 is a wise and cost-effective choice.

By today's ever-decreasing standards, the VAIO PCV-FRV26 is slightly larger than average at 13 by 10.8 by 2.26 inches and 7.7 pounds. It is, however, more powerful than many desktops. Featuring a brawny 2.8 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor with 512 KB Level 2 cache, a 533 MHz system bus, 512 MB DDR SDRAM memory (upgradeable to 1024 MB) and a 64 MB ATI Radeon IGP 345M graphics chipset, the unit will quickly carve through most any task it is given, including many 3-D games and applications.

Sony has fitted the system with an adequate 40 GB hard disk and an internal CD-RW/DVD drive through which you can burn and listen to audio CDs, backup important files and watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters. If you want to burn DVDs as well, you may want to check Sony's VAIO PCV-FRV28, a nearly identical notebook with DVD burning capabilities and a marginally higher price point.

Other amenities include a large 15-inch XGA TFT display capable of 1024x768 resolution, an internal V.90 modem for low-speed e-communications, an Ethernet interface for high-speed connectivity, an 86-key QWERTY keyboard with electro-static touchpad, and a pair of stereo speakers with surround-sound imaging. Home movie and digital picture buffs in particular will appreciate the unit's trio of high-speed USB 2.0 ports and single IEEE 1394 interface, through which they can quickly transfer large amounts of data from external devices such as camcorders, digital cameras, scanners and external drives.

Sony has pre-installed an impressive variety of software, including Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Money 2003, Microsoft Works 7.0, and a broad array of audio, video and photo utilities. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Excellent value as a desktop replacement
At over 8 pounds of carrying weight, this Vaio is not ideal as a traveling laptop. Instead, it's designed to be a desktop replacement. Witness the 2.8Ghz P4 processor (not the mobile version), which is screaming fast especially for gaming and video/audio editing, as well as 512MB of fast RAM and large screen. BTW, the screen is beautiful and has terrific viewing angles.

This particular configuration is a good value; what you won't get is built-in DVD burner. Otherwise Sony, in its usual way, throws in a lot of add-on software. Performance seems pretty good, as the system is responsive at all times. The internal fan does kick in a lot, to cool down the system. In this regard, I highly recommend a cooling pad with built-in fans, such as the "Bytecc cooling pad" I'm currently using. It plugs into the USB port and the fans keep the air flowing under the laptop.

A beautiful screen, admirably fast performance, and general good looks make this Vaio a good choice for anyone except those needing a constant traveling companion.

IT'S A STEAL FOR THIS PRICE!
For the price listed here (and you can get even better rebates if you look) this Vaio is a fabulous steal. At the very least, you won't have "restore" problems etc as a reviewer called "Sam Michaels" mentioned. One wonders if Mr. Sam has heard of Windows XP and the restore feature within it. It has nothing to do with Sony. If you want even higher duty backup facility then get something more professional like Acronic TrueImage or Norton Ghost. (Seldom necessary unless you know what you want out of these.)

The hardware of Sony Vaios is still made entirely in Japan, unlike your average IBMs or Dells (which are made in China or Malaysia.) This means that Sony's hardware is top notch, at the very least you can bet it won't begin to crawl after a year of solid (ab)use.

The only reason I take off one star from this review is the missing track-point ball from this laptop, but some people like the touchpad for the mouse, and if you are one of these latter, this is a 5 out of 5 machine!

Don't listen to foolish naysayers. Vaio rocks, especially for the quoted price (< 1,200 USD as of this writing.)

pretty good..
this laptop is great except for a few things-
Good: The 512mb allows you to run many things at once.
2.8ghz is really fast
very bright screen..and clear
and many more things
Bad: no integrated wireless internet
battery life is very low; not very portable
kinda heavy

but there are definetly more good things than bad things about this laptop, and if it is mostly going to be used at home or around the house..its a very smart buy...but if your going to be mobile..going from place to place, the weight and the battery will keep you from doing what you want..
but overall..a very good laptop..and the price is amazing.

Sony Sucks
BEWARE of Sony VAIO Laptops, you can never upgrade them to newer operating systems that MicroSoft releases every year. If you try upgrading them, the laptops lose out on functionality and SONY recommends you buy a newer laptop!!! Here is what they had to say in one of their emails -
NOTE: SONY does not recommend or support an upgrade path to Microsoft's Windows XP Professional operating system for VAIO PCs originally shipped with the Windows 95/98/98SE or ME environment. Currently Windows XP Professional upgrades are only supported for systems pre-installed with Windows 2000 Professional or XP Home Editions. Both Microsoft and SONY do not support an upgrade from Windows 2000 Professional to Windows XP Home Edition.

PCG-FRV 26 CD-RW/DVD drive is absolutely flimsy
I agree with the comment placed by Via Con Dios. This CD-RW/DVD drive on this PCG-FRV 26 laptop is absolutely flimsy.

May I ask if this CD-RW/DVD drive is supported by Sony? It is my impression that it isn't.

This computer is brand new and this CD-RW/DVD drive has already started acting up. 9 out of times it does NOT open. Just for info - my computer is not on standby or hibernate.

It is too much of a pain to send it back and forth to Sony. I'd rather get an external DVD drive and move on.

I'd strongly recommend to Amazon: Please do NOT sell any more of this version of Vaio. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Most everything you could want in a state-of-the-art desktop computer you’ll find inside Sony’s stunning new Vaio PCG GRX690 notebook. Although slightly heavier (8 pounds) and marginally larger (14 by 11.5 by 1.8 inches) than some Sony portables, the GRX690 nevertheless delivers a feature list that only a year ago was reserved for stationary multicomponent PCs.

Sporting a 2 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor with 512 KB of Level 2 cache, a 400 MHz bus, and 512 MB of DDR SDRAM, the GRX690 is built for speed. Sony has complemented the system’s powerful engine with a 32 MB ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 video accelerator to make quick work of all but the most graphics-intensive 3-D applications and games, and a 60 GB hard drive to ensure enough room to store all your goodies.

Its 16.1-inch, high-resolution 1,600 x 1,200 UXGA TFT display (the same viewing area as most 17-inch PC monitors) is one of the largest of any notebook. Its combination DVD-RW/CD-RW drive allows you to watch the latest cinematic releases, burn home movies onto digital media, record and play music compilations, listen to retail CDs on the integrated stereo speakers, and back up and archive your important files and data.

Sony has packed the system with high-end amenities, including a Memory Stick Media Slot for Memory Stick or MagicGate media, an i.Link IEEE 1394 interface for fast data uploads from devices such as digital camcorders, three USB ports for plug-and-play peripherals, a TV-out, a parallel port, a microphone-in, and a headphone jack. To ensure you keep in touch wherever you go, the GRX690 features an internal V.90 modem for basic Web and e-mail access, and a 10Base-T/100Base-TX Ethernet interface for high-speed surfing and LAN connectivity. Pre-installed software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition and an enormous array of business and multimedia utilities. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Best NOTEBOOK YOU WILL EVER OWN!!!!!!!
The GRX690 is the deal, it is above all notebooks.It is strong fast and dependable it will replace your desktop. 2.0 pentium 4-m,60gb hard drive,and dont forget 512 Mb of ram it will not be beat for the price Sony is the leader and the ethers will follow but they will never catch up.Thanks Sony ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Designed for the semi-mobile professional, the Sony PCG-GRT100 notebook PC is a great choice as a desktop replacement. It's packed with productivity enhancing technology and exclusive Sony multimedia software as well as a large 15-inch TFT active matrix screen (with 1400 x 1050 resolution). This model also features a fast 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 processor, 40 GB hard drive, 512 MB of installed RAM, a combo DVD+/-RW and CD-RW drive, and a 32 MB Nvidia GeForce4 420 Go video/graphics card.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The 40 GB IDE hard drive is on the small side compared to other notebooks. However, it does offer a decent enough capacity for storing documents and productivity software for road warriors--but not enough for much multimedia storage.
• Processor: The 2.8 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor is relatively speedy, and it offers enough power for your work today, though it is at the midrange of speeds for this processor. It has a rather fast front-side bus (FSB) of 533 MHz and a 512 KB L2 cache.
• Memory: The 512 MB of built-in memory (DDR SDRAM) is a good start for power users. It has two memory slots in total, with a maximum memory expansion up to 1 GB (2 x 512 MB).
• CD/DVD Drive: It is equipped with a combo DVD+/-RW and CD-RW drive. For DVD-RW discs, it has a 1x write/rewrite speed, while for DVD+RW discs it has a 2x write/rewrite speed (DVDs are read at 5x. For CDs, it has a 16x write/8x rewrite/24x read speed.
• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 85-key keyboard and electro-static two-button touchpad.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
This PCG-GRT100C model does not include built-in wireless connectivity. You get a decent--but not overpowering--offering of connectivity options, including both high-speed USB 2.0 and FireWire:

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) ports for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 VGA monitor port
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II)
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
• 1 Memory Stick slot (Memory Stick Pro compatible)

Preloaded System and Software
This PCG-GRT100 notebook comes with the Windows XP Home Edition operating system, and it features Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents). It also is loaded with a bevy of Sony multimedia software: PictureGear Studio (digital photo), SonicStage (digital music), and DVgate Plus (digital video). Other preloaded software includes Microsoft Money and Encarta,InterVideo WinDVD, and Norton Internet Security Center (with 90-day subscription).

Dimensions and Weight
Measuring 1.9 x 14.1 x 11.9 inches (H x W x D) and weighing 8.2 pounds, the PCG-GRT100C is bit larger than other notebooks in its range. It's best used as a desktop replacement while offering portability when you need it.

Power
The included rechargeable lithium-ion battery offers an average battery life range of 1.5 hours (depending on usage).

What's in the Box
This package contains the Sony Vaio PCG-GRT100 notebook PC (model PCGGRT100C), rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It's backed by a 1-year warranty for parts and labor, and 90 days of phone support. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

If you're in the market for a new notebook or thinking about updating that clunky old PC, Sony may have the solution. Big and powerful and packed with features, its Vaio GRX series of notebooks sports a level of performance not normally found in portable computers. Although heavier (8 pounds) and slightly more cumbersome (14 by 11.5 by 1.8 inches) than some of Sony's less capable notebooks, the GRX series is just as at home on a desktop as in an airplane or hotel room.

From its speedy 1.6 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor with enhanced SpeedStep technology to its generous 512 KB of Level 2 cache and massive 256 MB DDR of RAM, the GRX520 will burn through anything you can throw its way. Butblazing-fast data processing is just part of the story. Graphically, the unit is built to please. Featuring a potent 32 MB integrated ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics card and a 15-inch, high-resolution 1,600 x 1,200 UXGA TFT display, the GRX520 provides a wonderful visual environment in which to conduct business activities and play 3-D games. You may even want to watch a few movies or archive data and burn music CDs via the unit's internal removable CD-RW/DVD combination drive (24x read/10x write, 8x DVD).

Whatever you do, be assured the GRX520's removable 30 GB hard drive is ready to handle all your applications and files. The system also includes a Memory Stick media slot for Memory Stick or MagicGate media, an optional 3.5-inch floppy disk drive, and space for two Type I or Type II PC Card slots. Connectivity is offered in the form of a bevy of ports, including an i.Link IEEE 1394 jack for fast data uploads from devices such as digital camcorders, three USB ports for plug-and-play peripherals, a TV-out and external monitor-out, a parallel port, microphone-in, and headphone jack.

Pre-installed software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Quicken 2002 New User Edition, Microsoft Word 2002, Adobe Photoshop Elements, and a broad range of audio, video, and still-image tools and utilities. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not a laptop... a "portable desktop."
You could call this a 'longevity test' review. I've owned the Vaio GRX 520 since Summer of 2001 and I've been extremely pleased with its performance. Don't let the stats fool you... 1.6 Pentium 4, 256 MB Ram and 30 GB Hard Drive are plenty of "go" for most of us. Being in Graphics Design, I have many heavy hitting software programs loaded and still maintain almost 2/3 of my hard drive space empty. And let's face it, any processor over 1.6-1.8 is so fast that you won't notice the difference... waste of money to go higher. I originally purchased the Vaio because of its great 15" screen that's impressive, especially with the complimenting graphics chip. There's never been any problem with the computer hardware or accompanying software. The different port options accept many external devices i.e. memory sticks and 10/100 Ethernet connection. Let's hear it for USB's! Dependable, quality product, and does it all. One drawback... the weight, but didn't I tell you? It's a "portable desktop."

better than grx550
I can tell you this machine (GRX520) is a joy to work with for web and desktop apps. first i bought GRX550, but i returned that and went for GRX520. although both are same but i feel performance wise this is better. i cross my fingures. i got 256 RAM extra free of cost, so it is 512 now.
Watching DVDs is great, for the best in sound quality though be sure and get a SONY SRS-T77 speaker set to plug into the notebook, this little set of 4 watt speakers will rock the room and are small enough to fit into your bag and port along.
As for validating other comments I've read I'd suggest:
Size, yes the dimensions are a bit larger and I too bought a new bag - happily. I think this size of unit is best suited for a backpack versus an over-the-shoulder bag Batteries, seem to last me about 2 hours, I'm ordering an extra one Hard drive noise, havent really been bothered by it Screen quality - stunning. I've used Toshiba, IBM, and Dell's - The screen quality is really outstanding with the GRX Size of the charger unit. Yes, it is larger and bulkier than any others I have used recently. SONY should be able to do better than this.

Fashionable laptop with fast P4 and amazing 15" screen!
This is laptop show many state-of-art technology of Sony. It uses P4 1.6GHz processor and therefore run very fast. It is provided with a amazing 15" TFT screen and can be used for entertainment purpose such for DVD player. Its fasionable design is very attractive for younth. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Stylish and utterly professional, the Sony Vaio PCG-V505DC is a lightweight, easily portable notebook PC--only 4.39 pounds--that's geared for business and mobility. Thanks to the Intel Centrino processor (1.4 MHz), its enhanced battery life will keep you productive even on long flights. It features Windows XP Professional, a 40 GB hard drive, 256 MB of installed RAM, and a combo DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: Though not world-beating in size, the 60 GB enhanced-IDE hard drive offers more than enough capacity for storing documents and productivity software for road warriors.
• Processor: The 1.4 Ghz Pentium M processor is considered at the middle of speed range compared with other Centrino notebooks (with current speed topping out at 1.7 GHz). Because of itsdesign, the Intel Pentium M gets more done per clock tick than a Mobile Intel Pentium 4, thus providing the discrepency in GHz measurement (i.e., 1.7 versus 3.2). The Pentium M processor is designed specifically for low-power mobile usage, and it features the latest in power-saving technologies--ensuring you push your battery and productivity to the max. It has a front-side bus (FSB) of 400 MHz and a 1 MB L2 cache.
• Memory: The 512 MB of built-in memory (DDR SDRAM) is a good start for power users. It has two memory slots in total, with a maximum memory expansion up to 2 GB (2 x 1024 MB).
• CD/DVD Drive: It comes equipped with a combo DVD/CD-RW drive, which enables you to play DVD-ROM discs and DVD movies as well as burn data and record music to CD discs. The CD-RW drive has 24x write, 10x rewrite, and 24x read speeds. The DVD-ROM has an 8x playback speed.
• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 85-key keyboard and electro-static two-button touchpad.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
This PCG-V505DC model does not include built-in wireless connectivity. You get a decent--but not overpowering--offering of connectivity options, including both high-speed USB 2.0 and FireWire:

• 2 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) ports for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 RGB monitor port
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II)
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
• 1 Memory Stick slot (Memory Stick Pro compatible)

Preloaded System and Software
This PCG-V505DC comes with the Windows XP Professional operating system (which adds Microsoft's IIS Web server, back-up and recovery utilities, Remote Desktop, and other enhanced business features), and it features Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents). It also is loaded with a bevy of Sony multimedia software: PictureGear Studio (digital photo) and DVgate Plus (digital video). Other preloaded software includes Microsoft Money and Encarta,InterVideo WinDVD, and Norton Internet Security Center (with 90-day subscription).

Dimensions and Weight
Measuring 1.4 x 10.9 x 9.5 inches (H x W x D) and weighing just 4.4 pounds, the PCG-V505DC is easily portable.

Power
The included rechargeable lithium-ion 6-cell battery offers battery life range of 3.5 to 6.5 hours (depending on usage).

What's in the Box
This package contains the Sony Vaio PCG-V505DC notebook PC (model PCGV505DC1PZ), rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It's backed by a 1-year warranty for parts and labor, and 90 days of phone support. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Lightweight and more powerful than many current desktops, the Sony Vaio PCG-RGZ630 notebook is a portable workhorse that will effectively handle all your mobile computing tasks without incapacitating your bank account.

Driven by a robust 2.4 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor and an impressive 512 MB of DDR SDRAM memory (expandable to a whopping 1,024 MB), the PCG-GRZ630 is ready for even the most demanding applications. The unit’s 32 MB ATI Mobility Radeon 7500C graphics chipset may have trouble smoothly rendering complex 3-D games and animations but will easily handle everything else. The most noteworthy difference between this and the pricier top-of-the-line machine in Sony’s GRZ series, the GRZ660, is DVD writing capabilities. You can’t burn DVDs with this unit, but you can use the removable DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive to watch movies, record and play audio CDs, and back up data. An integrated 40 GB hard disk is ready for your programs and frequently accessed files.

Measuring 1.8 by 12.9 by 10.7 inches, the unit is of average size. It is, however, rather lightweight at 6.9 pounds with one battery or 7.5 pounds with battery and optical drive. Sony has installed a large 15-inch XGA TFT viewing screen (1,024 x 768 resolution) and integrated stereo speakers to enhance your multimedia experience, and an 86-key QWERTY keyboard with electrostatic touchpad to help you better control your applications. Other useful amenities include a Memory Stick media slot, three USB ports, a super-fast IEEE 1394 port for data transfers from peripherals such as digital camcorders, a 56K modem for low-speed Internet and e-mail access, and a 10Base-T/100Base-TX Ethernet interface for high-speed connectivity.

The PCG-GRZ630 is preloaded with a wide variety of software, including Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Money 2003, and an impressive array of audio, video, and photo utilities. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Bad Luck or Bad Design?
The laptop over-heated, and as a result, its motherboard died while the unit was on after 3 months of light usage. The warranty also doesn't cover if you don't have the original receipt according to the rep I spoke with. (while Toshiba doesn't require you to have the original receipt for the warranty.) It was a nice laptop, but I'm very unsatisfied about this very incident. And their phone tech support is not too good. They've hired bunch of reps that don't have clue what they're doing. They just read what it says on the screen. Also I had time understanding their English.

Edit: I just received the laptop back from Sony, and many other problems started happening. My Fn fuction keys are not working anymore, which means I cannot change the brightness and contrast of my LCD, volume, and video out. Plus, my fan rattles excessively. I was on the phone with rep for 3 hours and no help. I explained the problem and what might have caused this to the rep, but he just ignored me and kept reading what was on his screen. I am looking forward to sending this laptop in for another repair!!

A very portable desktop.
I have had my Sony GRZ630 for about 1 month now. I am more and more pleased and impressed with it every day. This laptop's power and speed is certainly comparable to most of today's desktops.
I was debating between a Dell Laptop and a Sony Vaio. I wanted desktop performance since portability is not that big of an issue for me. This laptop weighs in at 7.5 lbs not including the large power adapter. I think the total weight with all my accessories (power adapter, trackball mouse, portable surge portector, and wireless pc card) and the laptop combined is about 10 lbs. Yes, that's pretty heavy to carry around on foot. BUT I don't mind carrying the weight from my house to my car, from my car to work. I do carry my laptop to work everyday. The weight has yet to bother me. I would not recommend this laptop for people who go to work on foot. However, if you commute to work via a car, carrying this for 20 feet at a time is certainly not bad at all.
The little touches that Sony added for the laptop make this machine that much more superior than others. I compared the GRZ630 to my friend's Dell.
1. Sony has added flaps on the PCMCIA slots. When no cards are inserted, the flap protects the ports. Dell left the PCMCIA slots wide open.
2. Sony has a cover for the monitor and parallel ports while Dell again left those ports wide open for dust and what have you.
3. This laptop has 3 USB ports instead of the normal 2 USB ports for most laptops.
4. Memory stick and iLink abilities are awesome. If you have a Sony digital camera, you will fall in love with the memory slot on the laptop. Not only can you transfer your photos from your camera to laptop quickly without wires, you can also use your existing memory sticks as extra storage.
5. the pegs to raise the laptop for better cooling. not many laptops include this much needed feature.
This machine's processing speed and included memeory more than serves the needs of having multiple resource hungry applications opened at once. I am a web designer. I can have my Photoshop, Flash MX, Dreamweaver, FTP manager, messengers, and outlook express all opened at once without any decrease in performance. Now that is power! The 32 mb video card is great. I often hook up my 19 inch Trinitron monitor to the laptop for duel monitor usage. I can display both screens at 1024 by 768 at 32 bit color at the same time without any problems what so ever.
In short, if you are looking for a desktop replacement, this is the laptop for you. At 7.5 lbs, it is not truly mobile, but it is portable. But hey, this one has the DVD/CD-Burner combo drive, P-4 2.4 ghz processor, 512 mb of ram, 32 mb radeon video card and a 15 inch screen. I doubt you can find this spec in any laptop weighing under 4.7 lbs (which qualifies as mobile in my view) at this price.

The only complaint I have for the laptop is that the USB ports are 1.1 instead of 2.0. But the firewire port makes up for the lack of 2.0 USB ports.

Overheating, Shutting down
This product overheats, gives a lot of noise, and keeps shutting down unexpectedly.

Even before 1 year has passed from the "manufacture date", they refused to fix it without proof of sales, saying the only way I can validate my 1 year warranty is throug providing the original packing slip (they did not ask for this when I registered the product, and I thought I did not need it anymore).

Basically, Sony, with their tech support and my experience with them so far have proved to be a mere joke, and non-funny one.

Any lawyers want to file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of us all?

Don't Believe the Overheating and Loudness Boloney!
The only reason why this particular computer overheats so often is a design flaw. Without getting too techincal, air particles like dust or even pet hair can accumulate inside your laptop and prevent the heat sink from cooling off. This causes your computer to overheat. Since this is easily fixable, it should not be an issue. All you have to do is get someone to spray air into your computer through the fan hole in the back (you can even do it yourself with a can of air). Just make sure you do it outside, because I guarantee that a lot of stuff will come flying out! I am speaking from experience--I was really peeved when my computer started to overheat andthe fan was really loud and turn off randomly less than a year after I bought it, but when I got it aired out it went back to normal. So don't listen to these other people! They just didn't know that their computers were dirty!

Don't buy Sony notebooks - serious overheating problems
We have a house full of Sony products - computers, monitors, TVs, DVDs, even an original Walkman that still works. I never thought twice about buying Sony notebooks, a PCG-GRZ610 for my wife the author, and a PCG-GRZ630 for my son going off to college. Now a little more than a year later both are having serious problems overheating. They shut down without warning after 30 - 60 minutes of work. Won't burn a CD without shutting down. It didn't take much time in the Amazon reviews to find out that MANY Sony users are having the same problems. Search for "Sony shutdown problem" in Google and see for yourself.

Sony's support is terrible. Their phone rings in India. I'm OK with that, but the staff reads prepared text from their monitors and avoids all questions about overheating. Standard reply: "Reinstall the factory software." Out-of-warranty phone "support" costs $20.

Save yourself some frustration. Buy a Dell, Compaq, or Toshiba notebook untill you can verify that Sony has resolved this problem. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

For a desktop experience in a portable format, you need look no further than Sony's new Vaio PCG-GRX770 notebook. Measuring 14 by 11.5 by 1.8 inches and tipping the scales at 8.1 pounds (with one battery) or 8.6 pounds (with battery and optical drive), the unit is far from the most compact notebook on the market. It is, however, one of the most impressive.

Combining a 2.2 GHz Intel Pentium 4-M processor with a generous 512 KB of Level 2 cache and 512 MB of DDR SDRAM (expandable to 1,024 MB), the GRX770 sports plenty of raw speed. The system's 32 MB ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 video accelerator makes quick work of all but the most graphics-intensive 3-D applications and games, and its CD-RW/DVD combo drive allows you to record and listen to music compilations, play your favorite motion pictures, and archive your important files and data. An integrated 40 GB hard disk delivers satisfactory storage space.

Yet the unit's most compelling feature may well be its display screen. Unlike most notebooks, the Vaio PCG-GRX770 offers an incredible 16-inch viewing area--the same size as a 17-inch PC monitor and more than enough room to get up close and personal with any business or entertainment application.

Sony has packed the Vaio PCG-GRX770 with numerous other perks, including a Memory Stick Media Slot, an IEEE 1394 interface for fast data uploads from devices such as digital camcorders, three USB ports for plug-and-play peripherals, and an 86-key keyboard with electrostatic touchpad. To ensure you keep in touch wherever you go, the system features an internal 56K modem and a 10Base-T/100Base-TX Ethernet interface. Battery life is estimated at 1.5 to 3.5 hours, a figure that may be doubled by removing the CD-RW/DVD drive from the system's hot-swappable multibay and adding an optional second battery pack.

Pre-installed software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition and an enormous array of professional and multimedia utilities. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This is a really great machine!
It's huge, heavy with mediocre battery life, but still, the pros outweigh the cons.

The monitor is the best I've ever seen in a laptop, its wonderful. The 3d graphics accelorator is adequate, though if you're a hardcore gamer you might look at a high end toshiba instead, or hey, just buy a desktop.

The ports are well laid out and there is a little Memory Stick card slot located on the left side above the keyboard - a big plus if you have the need for such a thing. The door on the back which covers the external monitor port, firewire, a/v out jack, parrellel port (etc) is plastic and not easy to just reach around and open.

The hard drive is very quiet as is the cdr/dvd drive even when burning a CD. The speakers are crappy, but pretty good for a laptop, clear nice treble, no base at all. They're okay for watching a movie in an absolutely quiet room with amazing accoustics - otherwise they're too quiet. Also there isn't a volume dial, you have to adjust it either using the volume in the systray or by hitting the fn key and f4 kinda silly when a knob woulda been a lot better.

No floopy drive (so what), and only one optical drive (the CDR/DVD occupies it). The CDR is pretty good (24x), and it comes with sonicstage a cool looking program that will confuse the hell out of you with its stupid menus and mystery meat buttons. A friend recomended Roxio easy cd creator 5 but it couldn't recognize the burner even after an update (music match jukebox had no problem at all).

The computer comes loaded with Windows XP home edition. Which to my suprise is not the horror that people claim it is. Granted, it looks like it was made by fisher price but that can be fixed.

The keyboard is a little different then the average laptop, it has more tactile feedback - some people might say it's a little noisy, but I like being able to tell when I've hit a key.

Basically if you're looking for a decent desktop in a laptop body this is it. I've been really pleased with it so far.
--
Update

After about three and half months (or so) of use I experienced a problem with the dvd-cdr combo drive - the dvd drive stopped working. I contacted tech. support, they walked me through several things (all of which I had tried already). Tech support is based entirely out of India, so when you call you'll get someone with a heavy accent. When it was determined that this was a serious problem I was transfered to an American sounding guy that had kind've an attitude who proceeded to give me a lecture about only installing XP approved software (even though I hadn't installed anything suspect). After wiping the hard drive and restoring it to factory condition I called them back and let them know what was up, they finally decided it was a hardware failure and sent me a box (fed ex overnight, prepaid). I sent out the box on a friday and got my machine back on the following wednesday, no charge for repairs. Good service, not the best attitude.

Despite this experience, I'm still very pleased with this computer. Its preformed very well, only a few crashes (mostly winamp related), excellent system.

Fantastic Premium Laptop, Incredible Screen, Poor Service
If you plan to use this computer as a critical piece of hardware, please be advised there are no on-site repairs nor local service centers outside of Southern California. Moreover, their tech support leaves something to be desired.

The new Sony GRX series laptops truly epitomize the concept of desktop replacement. While my primary motivation for finding a replacement for my Dell Inspiron 8000 was merely to find a laptop with tolerable build quality, I have been rather impressed with the total package offered by the VAIO GRX. The Inspirons have such incredibly flimsy construction that the creaking and cracking leave the user wondering if the product is going to fall apart in your hands. Hence, I sought a laptop with titanium, magnesium, or composite construction. After *extensive* research, the VAIO appears to be the best construction obtainable for a laptop that has a UXGA screen, which reaches an incredible 16.1 inches on the GRX.

This 16.1 inch UXGA (1600 x 1200) screen will be the primary draw for most buyers. For those condemned to flying coach (excl American) think again. This laptop is 10.5" deep and 14" wide. Also, there aren't many fully-padded laptop bags that accommodate this size laptop. FYI, Targus makes two, the CL55 and CL90.

I was pleasantly surprised when I first opened the package at a retailer in suburban Chicago as I hadn't received mine yet. The shell is very sturdy despite having a large footprint with minimal thickness. I have been told that magnesium is used in the shell, but this hasn't been substantiated. Clearly, however, it is better constructed than offerings by Dell, HP, IBM, or Compaq. Apple might be able to edge it out in design quality, but Sony put a great of thought into the shell design.

Apart from the sturdiness, there some nice design touches. First, the various ports are in the correct locations and attractively hidden. For example, there are three USB ports, which are located on left, back, and right (think digital camera, printer, and mouse). Unlike the Inspiron (sorry Dell) the Ethernet plug is not located at the right, which interferes with mouse usage, but in the back. The scroll wheel with Back navigation button is nice but doesn't approach the performance enhancement of the MS Office keyboard. I would suggest that the diameter should be a bit larger to improve traction.

As far as performance, it appears visibly faster than the only other valid unscientific comparison, which is my personal experience with a 1 GHz Dell. This is most likely a result of the 1.6 GHz P4 and DDR memory. At this point, I still don't know what the drive specs are as that information is not available.

The sales process leaves something to be desired. The primary shortcoming is the lack of detailed information on various components, such as the drive seek time. There were typographical errors on their web site, such as one indicating that the screen was 1600 x 1400 instead of the proper 1600 x 1200. The configurator wasn't operational for the initial first weeks. After which it was sluggish and offered only a few options.

hen dealing with the sales staff, it was either hit or miss. One woman was astonishingly rude, which was a shock in my opinion as I was purchasing a premium product.

One major disappointment with the GRX series is the lack of integrated 802.11 b wireless internet. I am assuming that there were some design issues that prevented incorporation of 802.11 b. Another issue perhaps is that Sony, along with other vendors, is now offering 802.11a at 5 Ghz. Realistically, though, this shouldn't be an option as the ubiquity of wireless Internet that most junkies hope for will entrench 802.11 b.

Overall, it is a fantastic premium laptop, albeit a bit large.

Bogus Picture
I bought this product PCG-GRX770 based on the picture on your web site, the picture has a JOG DIAL on the product, the product you sent me does not, I think this is very unfair because the only reason I bought it was because I wanted the jog dial, now I have the problem to send it back. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Built to take full advantage of Intel's just released Centrino notebook technology, the Sony VAIO PCG-Z1A Notebook PC is an efficient and extremely compact mobile computer designed to maximize your productivity.

The VAIO PCG-Z1A Notebook is driven by a 1.3 GHz Intel Pentium M Centrino-based processor, but don't let the comparatively mediocre clock speed fool you. The innovative Centrino technology offers several advantages over traditional notebooks, including embedded wireless support, reduced power consumption and 1 MB of integrated Level 2 cache for improved multitasking and performance over similar speed non-Centrino units. Sony has paired this processor with an impressive 512 MB RAM and a 16 MB ATI Mobility Radeon graphics chip. Although this setup is not ideal for complex animation and 3D graphics design or 3D games, it's well suited to standard mobile computing tasks and multitasking.

The VAIO PCG-Z1A Notebook offers lots of options and plenty of room for program and file management, including a massive 60 GB hard drive and a convenient DVD/CD-RW combo drive through which you can burn and play audio CDs, archive data and enjoy movies on the unit's integrated LCD display screen (1400 by 1050 maximum resolution). Stylish and rugged, the VAIO PCG-Z1A is also remarkably portable at just 12.4 by 9.7 by 1.5 inches and a scant 4.7 lbs.

Connectivity options include two ultra-fast USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals, a high-speed IEEE1394 FireWire port for fast data transfer from devices such as digital camcorders, an RJ-45 Ethernet LAN connection, an integrated V.90 modem and of course, embedded 802.11b wireless networking. The system also features an 83-key keyboard with two programmable buttons, a PC card slot and Memory Stick slot. Battery life is estimated at an impressive 6 hours under ideal conditions. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Beautiful, Fast, Quiet... Almost Perfect
I initially bought a heavy P4-2.4GHz laptop, but the loud noise of the fan started to really annoy me. Also, the battery would not last more than an hour, and carrying it around large airports was a pain. I was considering a downgrade to a P3-M when I read a review on the Intel Centrino powered laptops.

After evaluating some options, I narrowed down the search to a Dell Inspiron 600M (best value and performance from a reputable manufacturer) and the Sony Z1A1 (best looking, but most expensive). The 4 week delivery time quoted by Dell (vs. 3 days by Sony) prompted me to try the Z1A1.

It took just one look out of the box for me to really start falling in love this machine. It is by far the best-looking laptop on the market. As an engineer, I didn't think that this would be such a big deal, but the aesthetics really makes it a joy to work on this system.

What's more, the system really performs. I was worried about the fact that this laptop had an older ATI 7500 graphics chipset with16MB of memory vs. Dell with the newer ATI 9000 and 64MB memory option. I must conclude that the Dell system must kick some serious butt, since doing a side by side comparison with my P4-2.4GHz laptop proved to me that the Sony Z1A1 significantly outperforms the P4 laptop in everything I've tried so far.

This system is definitely more than adequate for my needs (frequently running Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point, Internet Explorer, Photoshop, and Illustrator at the same time). It is very quiet (no fan noise), and I consistently get over 4 hours of battery life.

Unfortunately, it is not perfect. There appears to be some problem when you are running your WiFi with encryption. It frequently gets disconnected. This isn't a huge problem since reconnecting takes but two mouse clicks. Also, the key on the right side is the same size as one of the standard letter keys. Although it is not a problem for me, my wife frequently hits the adjacent key.

Considering the fact that I spend more time with this laptop than any other product that I have purchased, I think the appearance is worth extra cost. I totally recommend this system.

Weak GPU, keyboard and bad glidepad
I have to say, I was awe by the design of the shell of this baby. I was so happy until I realize I was not productive for the 2 weeks that I had this sony vaio. Most of the time i had to plug in an external keyboard and mouse because the right shift is as tiny as an ant and the glidepad will not response well. I was really frustrated when I saw try to edit my photo in paintshop pro. My cloning tool keep clone more than i needed because the glidepad was not responsive. At time it wont even move and times it will jump around. I turned on off all the fancy feature and yet the same. As for the graphic, I couldn't watch a DVD and type my report in word at the same time due to the weak GPU. Overal I'm very unhappy and wish I didn't spent [so much money] on this flawful laptop. I gave it 1 star for cool power plug, another for design. It could have had 3 more if the keyboard, glidepad, and graphic were better. I hope this helps you all. I dont had Sony, infact majority of my electronics are SONY. From TV to Stereo system to my old desktop and laptop. Sony you need to listen to the costumers!!!

I love it!
This laptop is for someone who cares about the look more than anything else... i can tell this laptop is very sinsetive and you'll have to take care of it and treat it as if its an expensive peace of glass, so be gentle with it.
i bought this 8 month ago and until now i didn't face any problem with it. sony is a powerful company. you never regret what you spent. & i highly recommand this product :)

I am satisfied with my new Sony VAIO PCG-Z1A Notebook PC
I bought mine 3 weeks ago and am very happy with it.

I read review regarding the 'right shift-key'.
Yes it is small. It takes some adjusting, but after a couple of days I get used to it. I wish it is bigger. Thats the only complain I have.

The wireless network works like a charm (even with WEP Encryption enabled). I do not have any disconnecting problem.
I used Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Access Point + Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port 10/100 Switch.

I love the weight, speed, and features of this laptop. The sony application that comes with this laptop is also cool. I have burn several CD for data and also for music. They are quick.

I also use XP to copy files multiple times to a CD-R. Yes, multiple times. I can keep adding files to the CD-R. I think this is an XP feature?? But this is cool.

The laptop is very quiet. The only noise you hear is when you use the CD Combo Drive.

The MemoryStick slot IS compatible with MemoryStick Pro (higher than 128 Mb), MagicGate MemoryStick, etc. You need to update the software for it via Sony website:
http://www.ita.sel.sony.com/bin/support/support.cgi?whichone=1&installfile=msfmtinst210.txt&downloadfile=MSFMTINST210.EXE

I created a dual OS boot (XP Pro and XP Home) for this laptop. XP Pro for my work using VPN connection and XP Home for personal use.

All networking feature works well.

The reason why I bought this particular model is because of: intergrated wireless networking, lightweight, battery life, design of the product (very appealing and thin), and the processor technology.

I recommend this laptop very much.

An Amazing Prodcut
When I got a choice of any laptop for Christams I had a hard time deciding. Every laptop sacraficed power for battery life and vice vera. So I waited. In March I discoverd the Sony Z1 and I knew that this was the computer for me. It is small, but very powerful, with lots of memory. Also, the battery life is fabulous. I really like the keyboard, too.
I would suggest this laptop to any person who wants a powerful computer that works flabulously. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This notebook is suited for both business and entertainment purposes, and makes a nice desktop-replacement machine. Its price is about average for notebooks as a whole, and higher than average among similarly rated products. Some of the features we like are its 1 GHz Pentium III chip, 256 MB of memory (expandable to 512 MB), 15-inch, 1,024 x 768 resolution active-matrix display, and a CD-RW drive. The system also comes with a 20 GB hard disk, 56K modem, and 10/100 Mbps Ethernet network card. Windows XP Home Edition, which combines the stability of Windows 2000 with better support for peripherals and games plus a new user interface, comes installed. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Well worth the money
Many people tried to steer me away from this machine because of Windows XP, and because of the service convenience that comes with other top price brands. I went with this one anyways and could not be happier. It has more bells and whistles than I have been able to figure out yet, and performs like a champ. Very, very satisfied!

A great investment!!!!
This sony computer is, in my personal opinion, a great investment, because it contains a great power, considering it is a laptop, and it's not that heavy comparing it with other computers having that power. If you are interesting in buying this computer just for fun, it is great, also for business and for home usage. It's one of the best out in the market.

Great value for a portable workstation
This is a pretty good deal, for the features. I also think that Sony is providing good leadership in design issues and ergonomics, drawing on their expertise in the consumer retail market. This computer has a lot of features, decent performance, and a nice display. I first got the FXA36, with the Athlon chip, and I must admit that it had slightly better performance than the PIII chip, and much more sophisticated graphics controller, however, I also had some weird problems like hard crashes trying to open a corrupted file. From my point of view there is no justification for a hard crash ever occuring. I swapped for the PIII version, the FX370, and have had no problems whatsoever. Some people seem to prefer Win2k over XP, but for me, personally, XP is just like NT with a new GUI shell, and I immediately switched back to the "classic" look and feel and it seems very much like what I am accustomed to. The performance of XP seems fairly mature, at least on the PIII. The DVD performance has been good, especially for an XGA display. I have heard bad things about Sony support, but I bought an extended warranty, so I am not worried about it. Other Sony products I have owned have all been rock solid.

Sony (is bad) please don't buy
I received one for a graduation present in 1 yr in was sent in for maintence repair for 8 months. No kidding. After the year warrenty they told me tough.. Please don't buy one..they (are) really (bad).. buy Dell Or Gateway...Sony service and quality totally are non-existant. You have been warned...

Great Desktop Replacement
I bought this computer almost a month ago, and I am VERY pleased with it! The display is great, I love the combo CD/RW-DVD drive. I use the computer with my home network on a cable modem, and I have never been happier with a computer and internet connection combination! It is fast, powerful, and easy to use. Plus, the price listed on this site is the lowest I have seen (lower than I even paid, unfortunatly!). The only problem I found is this: I took the laptop with me on my trip last weekend, and I found that the speakers weren't loud enough to be heard over the dull roar of the airplane. (There were three of us trying to watch a DVD.) Then when we got a group together in the hotel room, it was kind of hard to hear the movie well from across the room. I don't have that problem at home because I use a speaker system. This computer makes it so I don't need to buy a home DVD player. It comes with all the cables needed to connect it directly to your television (RCA video connector). You will need to supply your own cable to connect it to your sound system. Great buy! I love my computer and wouldn't trade it! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

If you're looking for a middle-of-the-road system, the Vaio PCG-FX340 is just that. Its price is lower than average for notebooks as a whole. This notebook weighs 6.7 pounds and features a 900 MHz Pentium III processor, 128 MB of RAM (expandable to 512 MB), a 15 GB hard disk, combination CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive, 56K modem, and a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet network card. Its display is a 14.1-inch, 1024 x 768 resolution active-matrix flat panel. It comes loaded with Windows XP Home Edition, which combines the stability of Windows 2000 with better support for peripherals and games plus a new user interface. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good laptop for the money
I have been using this laptop for about 8 months now, and it hasn't once disappointed me. I push computers to the limit and this Vaio has taken everything I've thrown at it. I've left it running for weeks at a time with the processor usage at 100% (I run SETI) and there's been no problems with overheating. The only gripe I have is the battery life is only about an hour and a half, which isn't much when compared with other laptops I've used such as Dell and Gateway.

Solid performer with lots of features
Lots of useful features sold me on this machine over Dell or Compaq - built-in CDRW and network connection are great. I can pull files off my old desktop unit and burn them to CD. The DVD drive is great. I was shocked by the quality of the picture. It is great. Of course, the sound isn't the best. Good price, too.

all purpose test
i tested this set by myself it was great in dealing with graphics programs and movies. it has one of the larger Hard disks available for a laptop in the same rank and price. with the sony technolgoies in screens it has the best screen resolution i have seen for a laptop.. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

A smart blend of performance and affordability, Sony’s new Vaio PCG GRS150 notebook is perfect for demanding consumers who must work within a budget.

Featuring a 1.7 GHz Intel Celeron CPU, a fast 400 MHz bus, 256 MB of DDR SDRAM (expandable to 512 MB), and a 16 MB ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 video accelerator, the GRS150 will efficiently handle most typical mobile computing tasks but is not well suited to processing-intensive applications such as 3-D rendering or gaming. The unit is equipped with a sizable 30 GB hard disk and a removable internal DVD/CD-RW drive through which you can back up your data, burn and play your favorite music, and watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters.

At 12.9 by 10.7 by 1.8 inches and just 6.8 pounds (7.5 pounds with battery and optical drive installed), the GRS150 is comfortably portable. The system includes a 15-inch XGA display, an 86-key keyboard with touchpad and Jog Dial, stereo speakers, a V.90 modem for low-speed Internet and e-mail access, and a 10Base-T/100Base-TX Ethernet interface for high-speed surfing and LAN integration. Battery life is sufficient at 2 to 5 hours with one lithium-ion cell and 4 to 10 hours with two.

The GRS150 boasts an impressive list of connections and amenities, including a Memory Stick media slot, an i.Link IEEE 1394 interface for fast uploads from devices such as digital camcorders, dual USB ports for plug-and-play peripherals, an integrated wireless LAN interface, a TV-out, a parallel port, and a headphone jack. Pre-installed software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition and an enormous array of business and multimedia utilities.

Inexpensive yet capable, the Sony Vaio PCG GRS150 is a solid bet for the typical notebook user. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Far from the smallest mobile computer in Sony's notebook lineup, the VAIO PCG-FRV25 is nevertheless extremely powerful and nicely equipped. If size and ease of portability are not overriding factors, the capable VAIO PCG-FRV25 is a wise and cost-effective choice.

By today's ever-decreasing standards, the 13 by 10.8 by 2.26 inches, 7.72 pound VAIO PCG-FRV25 is of slightly above-average size. It is, however, more powerful than many desktops. Featuring a muscular 2.66 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor with 512 KB Level 2 cache, a 533 MHz system bus, 512 MB DDR SDRAM memory (upgradeable to 1024 MB) and a 64 MB ATI Radeon IGP 345M graphics chipset, the unit will quickly carve through most any task it is given, including many 3-D games and applications.

Sony has fitted the system with an adequate 40 GB hard disk and an internal CD-RW/DVD drive through which you can burn and listen to audio CDs, backup important files and watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters. You'll monitor your activities on a large 15-inch XGA TFT display capable of 1024x768 resolution.

Other desirable amenities include an internal V.90 modem for low-speed e-communications, an Ethernet interface for high-speed connectivity, headphone and microphone ports, an 86-key QWERTY keyboard with electro-static touchpad, and a pair of stereo speakers with surround-sound imaging. Home movie and digital picture buffs in particular will appreciate the unit's two high-speed USB 2.0 ports and single IEEE 1394 interface, through which they can quickly transfer video and still images.

Sony has pre-installed an impressive variety of software, including Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Money 2003, Microsoft Works 7.0, and a broad array of audio, video and photo utilities. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

SONY Notebook: A Compromise That You Can Live With
When I first beheld Sony's VAIO PCG-FRV25 Notebook computer, I could see that it was slightly less portable than other laptops in its price and power range. I tried it out in the store, but one rarely gets a 'feel' for a computer without extensive home use. Fortunately, I had a friend who owned this computer, and he graciously allowed me access for several hours. I put it through its paces, including a thorough testing of its DVD, internet capabilities, CD burning, downloading time, embedded software, ease of screen, and keyboard access. This SONY notebook passed with flying colors. What was particularly impressive was the overall speed of its 2.66-GHz Pentium drive. Yet it was not only for this that gave it its zip. Most computer users calculate speed mostly in terms of the often touted drive speed. Certainly there are both desktops and laptops that feature faster speeds than this one, but what may get overlooked is a far more reliable barometer of throughput, the internal bus speed. A speed of 266 is considered fast. This laptop has a bus speed twice that. The screen was well-lit with no fuzziness anywhere. True, the slightly reduced keyboard takes a little getting used to, but I adapted within minutes. For those who like to play Hollywood DVDs, the result is as crisp as one could desire. Generally, this SONY laptop does what it is supposed to do: provide portability and functionality at a price that most of us can live with.

Goodbye, Desktop... Hello, Notebook!!
I purchased this laptop from Ebay last week (10/24/03) for $1,125 from a seller who bought it just two months earlier and paid hundreds more. I was tired of maintaining both a home and work desktop, so I decided to make the switch to a laptop. My old desktops had just about the same specs as this laptop (P4 2.6GHz, 512 RAM, etc). Although I expected this laptop to run a lot slower than my desktop systems, I was surprised at how fast this machine actually is. So far, I haven't had any problems with this notebook. I immediately wiped the hard drive and partitions, got rid of all that Sony stuff and Windows Home, then installed a clean copy of Windows/Office XP Pro on a single partition. I now have all 40GB of space to work with and the system is running even faster than before without all that Sony software. I love almost everything about this Vaio and I'm glad I decided on purchasing it after looking at comparable models from Dell, Toshiba, Compaq, etc. I'm also happy I finally made the switch to using a notebook.

My only complaints so far:

1) No docking station?

2) The power cord sticks out of the right side of the system, possibly interfering with your mousing

3) No software CDs were included, so I lost all factory-installed software when installing a clean copy of Windows XP Pro

very poor customer service, below average hardware
I have had the Vaio for several months, and the software installed on Vaio has finally crashed out completely. Sony now freely admits the cd recovery disk program included with the machine does not work, in fact has never worked, and they still want you to shell out 60 bucks for the cd recovery kit, which takes up to four weeks for delivery.

The Keyboard on my unit arrived with the 'delete' key not working, and Sony told me that since I had purchased it mail order, I would have to send it to them for repair, and it would take three mothns MINIMUM to fix. I have instead learned to live without a delete key.

Overall, a very poor experience with Sony. I will stick to Toshiba or Dell in the future, companies who were far more supportive of their products and customers.

Vaio thoughts
Fastest machine I've ever used for video games and programming. Hooked up with a Cable Connection and high speed internet action, I've got state-of-the-art power. A little large for a laptop, but probably because of its speakers, built in. Performance of XP on it is very reliable, crashing at most once a week. When it does crash, not very graceful. Sometimes when it has been on a while, it refuses to shut down, and must be DQ'd. Otherwise, no complaints really. Does NOT appear to come with adequate virus protection. Figures. I've compared and considered about 15 machines since, including popular items such as HP and Dell, and even after 6 months, I still have no regrets. Two and a half thumbsup.

Good - but more of bad
Bad things:-
1. All usb ports on the left side - make sure to buy a mouse with long cable
2. External cable connection next to CD drive - why complicate things dear SONY
3. Many keys not working - Just after two months. Am still try to figure out the SONY dealer in ISRAEL.
4. There is no International free one year service like what TOSHIBA offers. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

If you’re shopping for a high-performance mobile computer flexible enough to serve as a productivity battle station or an all-in-one entertainment center, the Sony Vaio NVR23 notebook PC is an outstanding choice. Its multipurpose bay lets you swap out a floppy drive for accessories ranging from fun to functional.

Those accessories include a 10-key pad module for advanced number crunching and a subwoofer module offering impressive audio for watching movies, listening to CDs, or delivering enhanced presentations.

The NVR23’s 1.53 GHz AMD Athlon XP 1800+ processor packs the power to muscle its way through a broad range of productivity and multimedia software. Its nVidia GeForce4 420 Go graphics chip with 32 MB of DDR SRAM and 3-D hardware acceleration, together with the NVR23’s 15-inch, active-matrix XGA display, offer a big, clear picture for watching movies, playing games, or surfing the Web. A built-in DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive lets you watch DVD movies, listen to and make CDs, and rapidly back up data.

The NVR23 provides generous memory and storage. Its 30 GB hard drive offers plentiful data and multimedia file space, and its 256 MB of RAM lets you run multiple applications smoothly. An integrated 10/100Base-TX Ethernet LAN connector makes networking easy. The notebook supports two Type I or Type II PC Cards, or one Type III card. Other interfaces include a Link S400 FireWire connector that supports high-speed digital video, audio, and data transfers among compatible Sony products, a video-S output, a parallel port, three USB connectors, and a modem port.

The 8.6-pound notebook includes a Memory Stick slot for transferring data among compatible Sony products. It also includes a Jog Dial control with a back button to simplify Web browsing and application controls, and a built-in V.90 modem.

Installed software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Corel WordPerfect Office, and Quicken 2002. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Sony, AMD, Nvidia, oh my!
After my desperate search for a Sony notebook with an Nvidia graphics chip I found the NVR23. Why am I so bent on finding an Nvidia notebook? Cause Nvidia is prolly the best performance video for linux today.

After whiping clean the installed OS, I found installation of my linux distro a snap and was up and running in no time. My only problem-the scroll on the jog wheel doesn't function properly in liunx. The notbook is a bit bulky, just under 9lbs and eats up most of the room inside an average notebook carrying case, but for the performance vs. price ratio, its quite a good deal.

Great deal...Great computer
I have had this notebok for over a month now and have been extremely impressed with it's power and speed. For the price it is by far one of the best deals on the market today. The only drawback is that it doesn't come with a DVD-RW drive, but everything else included. ... Read more