Sony Vaio LV180J review

Although the Vaio LV180J has a new stand design, it retains a few features from the LT series Vaios that remain unique among all-in-ones, and help it stand out as a home entertainment device in particular. It's the only unit with a separate display power button. It's also the only model with a standard VESA mounting bracket. A drawback to wall-mounting is that the ports on the back of the system become inaccessible. You can always take the system down off the wall if you need to, but you'd also be wise to map out your connectivity requirements and wire accordingly first.

The other major feature that sets this PC apart is an Express Card input on the left edge. We can only think of a handful of reasons why you might need to expand this system further, given that it already has a built-in TV tuner, a media card reader, wireless networking, and plenty of USB 2.0 ports. You might find you want more FireWire ports than the single FireWire 400 mini jack on the back panel. Or perhaps you need to add some other kind of input. The ExpressCard slot gives you an easy means to make that expansion, and no other all-in-one can make the same claim.

Those unique features aside, the Vaio LV180J has all of the components we expect in a $2,000-ish PC making a claim on your digital media habits. The Blu-ray burner is a must at this price, and we're happy with the video quality, even if the screen isn't quite large enough to serve as a home theater. The 802.11n wireless networking will handle high volume traffic, and the optical and coaxial S/PDIF digital audio ports let you connect the system to a modern digital audio receiver. The system comes with speakers built in, and in truth they're not bad, but you'll likely want something more robust for serious entertainment purposes.

Built-in receivers for Bluetooth and the remote control eliminate unsightly dongles, and the unit also includes the requisite Web camera built into the top edge. The TV tuner comes with both analog and digital cable inputs, but, as with all PCs, it can't unscramble an encrypted cable signal. We've officially hopped off the TV tuner bandwagon here; they can't compete with dedicated cable hardware, and too many other avenues exist for getting that same content via streaming or download. We don't blame Sony for including those inputs on this system, and you might even put them to good use, but it's not a feature we can get too excited about.

We credit Sony, however, for the simplicity of both the desktop software as well as the keyboard that come with this system. As with the Vaio JS190J, Sony includes an Apple-inspired wireless keyboard that takes a minimalist approach without feeling flimsy. It also comes with a few useful media control buttons, although we could do without the loud beeping noise it emits every time you adjust the volume. The included software is similarly paired down. You get the usual batch of Sony custom applications, with a heavy emphasis on video-related programs, plus a few data protection tools, among others. But in a welcome deviation from its reputation, Sony doesn't hit you over the head with its bundled software. Relatively few applications load at start-up and the desktop is also free from icon clutter.

The typical warranty package applies for this system. Sony provides you with a yearlong parts-and-labor warranty, plus toll-free, 24-7 phone support. A few of the included programs will help you troubleshoot the system yourself, and you can also find a variety of support resources available on Sony's Web site.

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System configurations:

Sony Vaio LV180J
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64-bit); 3.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E8400; 4GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 256MB Nvidia GeForce 9300M GS; 320GB 7,200 rpm Hitachi hard drive

Apple iMac (24-inch, 2.8GHz)
Apple OS X 10.5.2; 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo; 2GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 256MB ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro graphics chip; 320GB 7,200rpm hard drive

Dell Studio XPS
Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 (64-bit); 2.67GHz Intel Core i7 920; 6GB 1,066MHz DDR3 SDRAM; 512MB ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics card; 500GB 7,200 rpm Western Digital hard drive.

Dell XPS One 24 Product Red
Windows Vista Home Premium; 2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200; 4GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 512MB Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT graphics card; 750GB 7,200 rpm Samsung hard drive

HP TouchSmart IQ816t
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64-bit); 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T8100; 4GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 512MB Nvidia GeForce 9600 GS graphics card; 750GB 7,200rpm hard drive.