Sony laptops
Updated February 9, 2006
Sony offers at least one laptop in each of the major weight classes, from the supremely ultraportable TX series to the robust multimedia desktop-replacement AX series, with the rest of the models falling in between on the weight spectrum. Generally, Sony's VAIO laptops are highly stylish, offer a competitive selection of features, and perform well. Often they are also more expensive than comparable machines from other vendors--sometimes significantly so. In 2005 Sony launched its first line of laptops specifically for large-scale deployments for businesses, the BX series.
Nobody makes smaller laptops as well as Sony, and with the
X505 and the
U750P palmtop PCs (both out of production), Sony proved itself at the forefront of
ultraportable technological innovation. With its new TX series, Sony has packed an unparalleled assortment of features and connections into a highly portable yet powerful laptop. The midsize offerings are less inspired, however; we found the FS series a bit lacking, especially for the price. The AX series is a solid all-around desktop replacement, better than the A series that it replaced.
Sony's laptops are available direct from the
SonyStyle Web site, online resellers, and in retail outlets.
Sony laptop lines:
Ultraportable:
TX series,
T series |
Thin-and-light:
S series,
SZ series |
Midsize:
FS series,
FJ series, FE series |
Desktop replacement:
AX series,
A series |
Professional series:
BX series
Sony VAIO TX series
At 2.5 pounds, the carbon-fiber TX is Sony's thinnest and lightest laptop--perhaps the most lightweight
ultraportable on the market. Despite its small size, it includes some nice standard features (instant-on technology, Bluetooth, an SD card reader) as well as some high-end options (WWAN, a double-layer DVD burner). The $2,300
TX670P/B that CNET tested turned in solid mobile performance and more than 6.5 hours of battery life--results good enough to earn it an Editors' Choice in the ultraportable category. The TX series replaces the
VAIO T series.
- Weight: Approximately 2.5 pounds
- Display: 11.1-inch (diagonal) WXGA display
- Price: Starts at $2,000
- CPU: 1.2GHz Intel Pentium M
- Memory: Up to 1.5GB of RAM
- Graphics: Integrated GPU
- Hard drive: 60GB (4,200rpm)
- Optical drive: Options include double-layer DVD burner
- Features: Optional WWAN
Sony VAIO T series
Sony's T series is being phased out in favor of the TX series, so you won't find it listed on Sony's site, though it's still sold through various resellers. Slightly heavier and larger than the TX, the T series is still an eminently lightweight
ultraportable. It includes some nice standard features (instant-on technology, Bluetooth) as well as some high-end options (WWAN, a double-layer DVD burner). The $2,300
VAIO T350P that CNET tested turned in solid mobile performance and 6 hours of battery life--almost as good as the TX's performance.
- Weight: Approximately 3 pounds
- Display: 10.6-inch (diagonal) WXGA display
- Price: Starts at $2,099
- CPU: 1.2GHz Intel Pentium M
- Memory: Up to 1GB of RAM
- Graphics: Integrated GPU
- Hard drive: 60GB (4,200rpm)
- Optical drive: Options include double-layer DVD burner
- Features: Optional WWAN
Sony VAIO S series
Sony's S-series
thin-and-light laptops weigh between 4 and 5 pounds (depending on configuration) and offer a good combination of portability and usability. Larger and a bit heavier than the TX, the S series offers a bigger 13.3-inch (diagonal) display, a better keyboard, and a comparable set of features and connections. The $1,799
S470P that CNET tested delivered above-average performance but only about 3 hours of battery life, which may not be enough for highly mobile users. We also tested the older $1,599
S260 model. The S series will eventually be replaced by the SZ series.
- Weight: Approximately 4.5 pounds
- Display: 13.3-inch (diagonal) WXGA display
- Price: Starts at $1,200
- CPU: Choices range from 1.5GHz Celeron to 2.26GHz Pentium M
- Memory: Up to 2GB of RAM
- Graphics: Integrated GPU or Nvidia GeForce Go 6400
- Hard drive: 40GB to 120GB (5,400rpm)
- Optical drive: Options include double-layer DVD burner
Sony VAIO SZ series
Announced at
CES in January 2006, the Sony SZ series features a 13.3-inch wide-screen display and a host of business-focused features, including biometric security, hard drive protection, optional WWAN, a built-in Webcam, and Bluetooth. The SZ series will replace the CNET editors' favorite
VAIO S series and will also come in an even higher-end, carbon-fiber configuration that weighs only 3.5 pounds. The basic configuration starts at $1,999, and the carbon-fiber version starts at $2,200. Both are expected to hit store shelves in February 2006.
- Weight: Approximately 3 to 4 pounds
- Display: 13.3-inch (diagonal) WXGA display
- Price: Starts at $1,449
- CPU: Intel Core Duo T2400
- Memory: 1GB of RAM
- Graphics: Integrated GPU
- Hard drive: 100GB
- Optical drive: Options include double-layer DVD burner
Sony VAIO FJ series
About a pound heavier than the S-series model, Sony's other
thin-and-light laptop, the VAIO FJ, comes in a number of colors, including Onyx Black, Jade Green, Sky Blue, Raspberry Red, and Pearl White. However, it's considerably less configurable than other Sony laptops. The FJ features a bright, 14.1-inch, wide-aspect display with a respectable 1,280x800
native resolution; up to 100GB of hard drive space; and a
double-layer DVD burner. Every model comes with an Intel Pro Wireless 802.11b/g card and the Intel 915GM chipset, which sponges up to 128MB of main RAM to use as video memory. Our $1,499
VAIO FJ170/B test unit had some nice components, along with decent speed and battery life.
- Weight: Approximately 5.5 pounds
- Display: 14.1-inch (diagonal) WXGA display
- Price: Starts at $1,499
- CPU: 1.73GHz or 1.86GHz Pentium M processor
- Memory: Up to 2GB of RAM
- Graphics: Integrated GPU
- Hard drive: 100GB (5,400rpm)
- Optical drive: Standard double-layer DVD burner
Sony VAIO FS series
Sony's FS-series
midsize laptops weigh about 6.5 pounds--a bit too big for regular travel. We loved our test unit's bright 15.4-inch wide-screen display and liked its keyboard and touch pad. For its robust multimedia capabilities, however, the FS series relies heavily on Sony's optional TV tuner/DVR docking station and external speakers, which add $300 to the price; the laptop's built-in speakers, ports, and connections are typical. CNET tested the $2,049
FS680/W, which performed below expectations, falling behind considerably less expensive laptops and mustering a sad 2 hours of battery life. We got similar results from the earlier
FS570 model.
- Weight: Approximately 6.5 pounds
- Display: 15.4-inch (diagonal) WXGA display
- Price: Starts at $989
- CPU: Choices range from 1.73GHz to 2.26GHz Pentium M
- Memory: Up to 2GB of RAM
- Graphics: Integrated GPU or Nvidia GeForce Go 6200
- Hard drive: 40GB to 120GB (4,200rpm)
- Optical drive: Options include a double-layer DVD burner
- Features: Optional TV tuner/PVR dock and speakers
Sony VAIO FE series
With the VAIO FE series, Sony offers a higher-end alternative to its
FS series. In addition to an Intel Core Duo processor, the FE will have a new chassis with a 15.4-inch wide-screen Xbrite display, an integrated Webcam and microphone (for VoIP), Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, and an optional integrated TV tuner. The total package will weigh slightly more than six pounds. The Sony FE series will be available in February 2006.
- Weight: Approximately 6 pounds
- Display: 15.4-inch (diagonal) WXGA display
- Price: Starts at $1,190
- CPU: Intel Core Duo or Core Solo
- Memory: Up to 2GB of RAM
- Graphics: Integrated GPU or Nvidia GeForce Go 7400
- Hard drive: 40GB to 160GB
- Optical drive: Standard double-layer DVD burner
Sony VAIO A series
Sony's A series has been phased out in favor of the
AX series. The largest laptop in Sony's arsenal, the A series
desktop replacement has a multimedia focus, a fetching high-end design, and a premium price. It's powerful enough for almost any computing task, including most games. Earlier iterations were monstrously heavy, but the newer models weigh approximately 8.5 pounds--though external accessories come to an additional 7 pounds. We liked the keyboard; the big, sharp wide-screen display; and Sony's generous software package, including the VAIO Zone multimedia software application. CNET most recently tested the $2,800
A690 as well as the original
A190 model.
- Weight: Approximately 8.5 pounds
- Display: 17-inch (diagonal) WUXGA or WXGA display
- Price: Starts at $1,379
- CPU: 1.2GHz Intel Pentium M
- Memory: Up to 2GB of RAM
- Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon X600 128MB
- Hard drive: Up to 100GB (5,400rpm)
- Optical drive: Options include double-layer DVD burner
- Features: Optional TV tuner/PVR dock and speakers
Sony VAIO AX series
Replacing the A series, the VAIO AX series' integrated TV tuner and beautiful 17-inch wide-screen display make it equal parts TV and media-center computer; competitors in this category include the
Fujitsu LifeBook N6210 and the
Toshiba Qosmio G25-AV513. Though the VAIO VGN-AX570G lacks the best-in-class performance of the Qosmio and some of the features found on the LifeBook, it offers a competitive multimedia experience for several hundred dollars less. Still, all these systems are designed for people who are quite serious about making their laptop the entertainment hub of their home; more casual users who can do without the integrated TV tuner are better off with the much less expensive
HP Pavilion dv8000z. We reviewed the
VAIO AX570G.
- Weight: 8.4 pounds
- Display: 17-inch WXGA wide screen
- Price: Starts at $2,299
- CPU: 2.0GHz Intel Pentium M
- Memory: 1GB of RAM
- Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon X700 GPU with 256MB of video memory
- Hard drive: 160GB
- Optical drive: Double-layer DVD burner
- Features: Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Sony VAIO BX series
Replacing the short-lived
B series, the BX models inaugurate Sony's new VAIO Professional line for business users. The first Sony laptop to incorporate biometrics and a Trusted Platform Module, the BX line consists of three models: the $1,300, 14-inch
VGN-BX540, which CNET reviewed; the 15.4-inch wide-screen VGN-BX560; and the 17-inch wide-screen VGN-BX570. Highly configurable, the BX models offer a choice of current-generation Centrino processors, hard drive capacities reaching 120GB, and built-in Bluetooth and 802.11b/g wireless connectivity. Peripherals such as optical drives, extra hard drives, and docking stations can be shared by all models in the series, and optional features include a built-in camera for videoconferencing and a cellular modem. BX laptops have both a touch pad and a pointing stick, similar to ThinkPads. The BX is covered by a set of support options, Sony's new VAIO Care program, that are distinct from the consumer line. We found that the VAIO-BX540 delivered a nice mix of features and performance but below-average battery life.
- Weight: Approximately 5.5 pounds
- Display: 14-inch, 15.4-inch, or 17-inch wide-screen models
- Price: Starts at $1,170
- CPU: Range of Celeron and Pentium M processors
- Memory: Up to 2GB of RAM
- Graphics: Integrated GPU
- Hard drive: Up to 120GB (5,400rpm)
- Optical drive: Options include a double-layer DVD burner
- Features: First in Sony's new VAIO Professional line
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