Entered CNET Catalog: 09/14/2005
SKU: 0027242686113
Manufacturer: Sony Electronics, Inc.
Manufacturer description
The sleek VAIO TX Notebook is truly ultra-portable at 2.76 lbs with standard battery and 4 to 7.5 hours of standard battery life, a DVD+R Double-Layer/DVD±RW drive, 11.1" widescreen display, and integrated 802.11 b/g wireless LAN and wireless Wide Area Network (WAN) technologies. With wireless WAN, you can access the Cingular Wireless national EDGE network to extend your wireless coverage beyond LAN access networks and hotspots, giving you the freedom to go farther, do more, and stay connected. And, with Sony’s original SmartWi technology which seamlessly integrates wireless WAN, wireless LAN, and Bluetooth technologies, you can quickly and easily toggle among these advanced wireless connectivity options.Product summary
The good: Extremely portable design; built-in cellular, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi; integrated double-layer DVD burner and instant-on player; very long battery life; excellent multimedia controls for a business machine.
The bad: Very expensive; cramped keyboard.
The bottom line: Though it's expensive, the Sony VAIO VGN-TX670P delivers a great combination of business and entertainment features, long battery life, and unparalleled connectivity in an incredibly ultraportable package.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: Yes
- Reviewed on: 09/19/2005
Less than a year after debuting its ultraportable laptop (and iterations later), Sony gives its thinnest and lightest model a new look, some new features, and a new name. At $2,300, the VAIO VGN-TX670P costs about as much as the previous VAIO VGN-T350 model but adds a slightly wider screen and subtracts a few ounces from an already lightweight profile.
This is an eminently ultraportable laptop: the VAIO VGN-TX670P's carbon-fiber body measures 10.75 inches wide, 7.65 inches deep, and less than an inch thick. At 2.8 pounds (3.5 pounds with its small, ice cream sandwich-size AC adapter), it's one of the smallest and lightest machines around, especially for having an optical drive onboard. The Sharp Actius MP30, which also weighs 2.8 pounds and has an optical drive, costs about $700 less than the Sony, though it has a significantly smaller, 10.4-inch standard aspect display and lacks many of the Sony's multimedia and connectivity niceties. The Fujitsu LifeBook P7010D weighs less than a pound more, offers a comparable set of features and specs, and costs several hundred dollars less; the $1,379 Averatec 1000, weighing a pound more, is another low-price option. Other laptops in the Sony's weight class, including the $2,000, 2.7-pound Toshiba Portege R200 and the $2,000, 2.5-pound Dell Latitude X1, lack the optical drive.
The VAIO VGN-TX670P requires the cardinal compromise of every other ultraportable laptop on the market: the keyboard is cramped and has small keys. Still, it's relatively sturdy and responsive and not as small as others--particularly the Averatec; in fact, we comfortably typed out this review on it. Likewise, the touch pad and the mouse buttons are small but usable. The superslim, 11.1-inch wide-screen display, with its 1,364x768 native resolution, isn't the dazzling gem we've seen on recent Sony laptops, such as the VAIO VGN-S470P, but it's good enough. The stereo speakers, which sit above the keyboard, are what you'd expect from a laptop this size: weak and tinny.
This notebook has all of the ports that a business user will need (two USB 2.0 ports, four-pin FireWire, VGA, PCI Express card slot) and a handful that cater to the entertainment-minded. Most significantly, along with the VAIO BX series (announced in August), the VAIO VGN-TX670P marks the first time Sony has incorporated an SD card reader in one of its laptops--a belated and inevitable concession from a company that until now has supported only its own proprietary Memory Stick flash format. In addition to a multiformat, double-layer DVD burner, featuring the smallest eject button we have ever seen, and external volume and mute buttons--always a nice touch--the VAIO VGN-TX670P has a row of disc controls that sit above the keyboard, including one configurable quick-launch A/V mode button that lets you play a DVD or a CD without booting Windows. On top of Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Sony includes a nice array of its own software, including media, connectivity, and support utilities, as well as the standard apps for burning and playing discs.
In terms of connectivity, the VAIO VGN-TX670P offers the most complete set of features available today in a laptop of any size. In addition to LAN, modem, 802.11b/g, and Bluetooth, this notebook offers built-in cellular networking (you can read more about the details in our review of the VAIO VGN-T350P, where this feature first appeared). We found that the cellular antenna was unobtrusive but came loose easily and wouldn't be hard to lose.
Our prototype test unit included a number of modest components that didn't stand in the way of the VAIO VGN-TX670P's performance. The unit included an ultra-low-voltage, 1.2GHz Intel Pentium M 753 processor; 1GB of slow 266MHz memory; Intel's 915PM/GM/GMS chipset with an integrated graphics subsystem that borrows up to 128MB of RAM from main memory; and a 60GB hard drive spinning at a sluggish 4,200rpm. In CNET Labs' mobile benchmarks, our unit ran neck and neck with the older-generation VAIO T-series machines, as well as with the Fujitsu LifeBook P7010D and the Dell Latitude X1, each of which was outfitted with a 1.1GHz Pentium M processor. Though we don't recommend it for heavy-duty computing or gaming, the VAIO VGN-TX670P can easily handle the standard productivity tasks of the typical business traveler, including in-flight DVD viewings. The VAIO VGN-TX670P's battery lasted for a fantastic 6.6 hours in our Labs' drain tests--excellent performance by any standard.
Depending on where you buy it, Sony backs the VAIO VGN-TX670P with either its new business-focused VAIO Care program (read about details here) or its industry-standard consumer warranty: one year of free service (including free shipping both ways) and 24/7 toll-free telephone tech support; after the year expires, support calls cost $20 per incident. Sony offers an array of warranty extensions; a three-year plan with onsite service costs $250. The company's Web site provides a good knowledge base and e-mail support from Sony technicians.
For more detailed information about warranties and service plans, check out Computer Shopper's overview of 37 major computer vendors.
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System configurations:
Averatec 1000
Windows XP Home; 1.1GHz Intel Pentium M 733; 512MB DDR SDRAM PC2700 333MHz; Intel 82852/82855 GM/GME 64MB; WDScorpio WD800UE 75GB 5,400rpm
Dell Latitude X1
Windows XP Professional; 1.1GHz Intel Pentium M 733; 512MB DDR SDRAM 400MHz; Intel 915GM/GMS, 910GML Express 128MB; Toshiba MK6006GAH 60GB 4,200rpm
Sony VAIO VGN-TX670P
Windows XP Professional; 1.2GHz Intel Pentium M ULV 753; 512MB DDR SDRAM PC3200 400MHz; Intel 915GM/GMS, 910GML Express 128MB; Toshiba MK6006GAH 60GB 4,200rpm
Toshiba Portege R200
Windows XP Professional; 1.2GHz Intel Pentium M 753; 512MB DDR2 SDRAM; Intel 915GM 128MB; Toshiba MK6006GAH 60GB 4,200rpm
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58out of 58 user reviews
it has a very smart look
Pros: light weight and easy portable
Cons: it has no grphic card and the RAM is just 1gb
out of 58 user reviews
Sony Vaio TS67OP/B
Pros: Unable to review
Cons: Unable to review
out of 58 user reviews
customer service communications and results is totally unsatisfactory.
Pros: The VGCLT15E DESIGN IS EXCELLENT.
Cons: COMMUNICATIONS WITH SONY VAIO REPS IS AWFUL.
out of 58 user reviews
SONY VAIO TX- first impressions
Pros: Light in weight, good image, sensitive wireless
Cons: pricing a bit odd, too much extraneous software, mininal instructions
For what I wanted, this fills the bill.
out of 58 user reviews
Great except cramped keyboard, short key stroke
Pros: Very Light, weight, has optical drive on-board. bright clear screen, nicely laid out (mostly), great battery life too.
Cons: Keyboard cramped, key stroke too short, and, did I mention the keyboard problems yet? Obvisouly expensive!
I love the light weight, very clear and bright screen, and long battery life. The wireless features are excellent too, and I have easily connected to access points where others had trouble.
Probably, with a ThinkPad keyboard, this would be the greatest laptop ever conceived and built! It would make the machine slightly bigger and heavier, but not very much. It would be very well worth it. Another 200 grams or half pound would be well worth the benefits of a really good keyboard, a normally spaced and sized and one with a little more of the feel of a regular keyboard. I am accustomed to ThinkPad keyboards and find the ultraportable Sony results in many typing errors, something that doesn't happen on standard desktop or portable keyboards for me.
out of 58 user reviews
WORST SERVICE EVER. REPAIR COSTS ABSURD FOR THIS MODEL
Pros: light, beautiful screen, plays DVDS nicely on plane, long battery life
Cons: VERY FRAGILE. Expensive to buy EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. also, touch pad loses sesitivity occasionally
It's a novel computer. But I'm switching to apple from now on for practical reasons.
out of 58 user reviews
CNET doesn't mention...
Pros: Battery, weight, size, appearance, screen resolution, internal DVD drive's an added bonus, available colours
Cons: No gigabit lan, no DVI, Core Solo 1.2GHz at most, no Core Duo/Core 2 Duo, no express card support, now slightly dated design, Vista, price, no SATA
The system configuration has been lagging for a while only with Core Solo options topping at 1.2GHz. CNET doesn't mention the lack of an express card slot and gigabit ethernet on this. Also, a DVI port would be an added benefit on this as the screen size is small. Considering even how some PDAs ship with specialised accelerated graphics, it's sad to see the TX limited to Intel's built-in accelerator. This also makes it hard to imagine running Vista's Aero although Sony sometimes claim that the pricier configurations are Vista Premium ready.
An interesting alternative maybe Fujitsu's P1610 but it might not be for everyone's needs. Or wait until the Sony G-Type arrives to the west, if you don't mind its appearance.
It's not fair to expect everything from an ultra-portable notebook, but it'd be nice to see some newer features on this, especially instead of the internal DVD drive.
out of 58 user reviews
Seriously READ THIS!
Pros: perfect size,screen,performance
Cons: phone help sucks>buy in store (worth the hassle)
out of 58 user reviews
Pretty much perfect for travelling
Pros: Size, functionality
Cons: pricey- should use 7200 RPM 8 gig Hard drives to make it faster
The weight is perfect- included DVD and the 11.1 widescreen somehow looks bigger than the 10.6" widescreen of the other ultralights.
Wish the wireless was univerasl- I have Sprint. And I use the screen at half brightness! Just be sure to to get the extra memory to increase the speed and and turn on the Microsoft clear tpye so the screen fonts will look thicker- making this the perfect display. I love the machine and have owned many Sonys and have had great experiences with the customer service unlike others posting here. Oh and the battery lasts for almost 2 full length movies since the OS does not boot when playing movies or CD's. You have to pay to play and this unit is worth it.
out of 58 user reviews
It's a long-lasting, ultra-small winner.
Pros: Long-lasting-battery, vibrant led screen, small form factor and good heat management.
Cons: If you can wait until about Q3 2007, you can have it with Blu-Ray, ULV Core 2 Duo processors. and 10 hours of battery life.
At current (07/25/06), it uses a Pentium-M chip—an altered 90nm Pentium III chip—maximized for battery and performance. Soon it will offer the benefit of ULV core 2 duo processors at 65nm.
The next wave of TX computers integrates the 950 (or higher) graphics chipset which will allow rendering Vista's Aero effects via support of a future Microsoft video requirement. The current TX (model 790 or lower) will not support the future Windows driver for Vista Aero effects.
In the future the TX is destined to receive blu-ray drives which can fully capitalize on the already-included, ultra-bright HD-LED screen. That’s a huge next generation upgrade since DVD’s will be quickly outmoded.
The next generation TX, already available in Europe with Core Solo chips, has many security enhancements and hard drive protection. The largest added benefits of Core Solo are enhanced cache management and smaller nanometer chips which can run cooler and provide better battery life. They also have increased FSB speeds of 533 MHz (up from 400 MHz).
Today’s Pentium-M’s are already quite fast and you can cheaply pick up an extra 1GB or 512MB of RAM on eBay (max 1.5GB). They have highly-touted, speed-enhancing 2MB of level 2 cache which AMD or IBM Power PC were never able to replicate.
If you can wait until mid-summer 2007, you will be purchasing an ultra-portable that you will truly love until the next generation of laptops years later. It would be smart to pick up Sony’s three-year Accidental Damage from Handling (ADH) extended warranty because of its small, toy-like size.
It’s really cute and it’s really thin/hot at the same time. Isn’t that rare? If it were a girl you’d want to date it (or vise-versa). If you were a thief, you’d want to steal it so always carry a locking cable.
out of 58 user reviews
Avoid Sony - awful customer service & extended warranties
Pros: lightweight, good display
Cons: No microphone, GSM WLAN is slow +expensive. Poor audio
I like the T series and TX series due to portability and great display resolution.
I find Skype difficult because no internal microphone. I carry an external microphone and attempt to pull it out at a moment's notice - almost always losing the call. To bad they failed to add the $0.50 microphone.
The audio is not loud enough on the speakers or headphone jack - so it is difficult to hear on airplanes due to the loud engine noise. I find this true even with my expensive Sony noise cancelling headphones. Therefore I find it difficult to watch movies on airplanes.
I have been disappointed at the expensive, slowwwww GSM/GPRS wireless connections. I can't wait to get out of the stupid 1-year contract. Did I mention it is slooowwww? Plus I found spotty coverage, and my childhood home is not covered at all. Waiting for an 802.11 connection is the best idea - even if you have to wait a day or drive somewhere.
out of 58 user reviews
WOW.......great product...poor customer service
Pros: Excellent battery life, vivid screen,
Cons: Runs kinda hot
First off portability and usability: 9/10
At less than 3lbs you can’t go wrong; you can barely notice that it’s even in your bag. Although you may think that since it is a small notebook you’re going to see significantly less room on the keyboard and the mouse pad. I’ve notice that the keyboard is actually nicer to type on than standard size notebooks. The keys have an extremely nice feel them and they have a nice click (not a cheap feel), I as well got use to typing on it fairly quickly. Since it is a smaller space everything is pretty much centered which does make everything a whole lot easier. If you do have larger hands or fingers is could prove a bit cumbersome. The portability aspect of this notebook has really only one issue, durability. Since it is small you might forget that you even have it and since it isn’t a Panasonic toughbook you may want it be a little extra cautious when bringing it around. One thing it should come with but doesn’t is a laptop sleeve. Overall portability and usability is no issue as this notebook is better than most.
Value: 8/10
$2899.99CDN before taxes is a staggering price and a little too high for most but you have to realize what you’re getting. At this price you are rivaling some desktop replacements that have exceptional performance and HD space. In the TX751 you get 1GB of memory, a 80GB Hard Drive, which is more than enough if you think about what you might be doing with this machine and where it’s going. Wireless LAN connection (802.11 b/g), Bluetooth, and a 128MB shared graphic card. This laptop is powerful enough to run macromedia studio 8 which is creative website software. So with your above average media options, superb display, and a rack of wireless features you definitely get what you pay for.
Battery life: 9/10
Although small, this laptop carries a lot in terms of power. With a standard battery Sony was able to forecast a 7.5 hour battery life; I got an average of about 5 1/2. This is with no wireless features on and the display at less than half brightness level working on spreadsheets and MS word docs. With wireless features on and running to the max I was able to get 3-4 hours on the average. 3 hours if you have the screen to its brightest. Overall there are no complaints when it comes to battery life, its able to run strong over those short flights and in the terminals.
Performance: 8.5/10
Again working on its petite form factor, you can’t really expect much in this category, but then again at its high price you still want to get the most bang out of your hard earned buck. I’m not really a performance guru so to speak, but running Macro studio 8 on this thing seems to be a breeze. The bus speeds and the Intel chip seem to give it extra life when working on more strenuous apps. When dealing with wireless compatibility performance is not compromised as this notebook acts just as well as any desktop. Something you do have to realize is that this is definitely not a desktop replacement by far or an extreme gaming machine, the occasional Sim City game is fine but and first person shooter is definitely out of the question. One more thing to mention I noticed a little sticker on the bottom right hand corner of my notebook, “Windows Vista Compatible”, this little wonder caught my attention because as we all know vista is not coming out anytime soon. So with a later arrival date, if you are looking for that notebook that you can purchase now and upgrade to vista later, you can rest assures the TX751 is compatible. I thought I should add this comment as I’m sure a lot of people are looking in the near future to be one step ahead of others in terms of the latest OS systems
Overall a great engineering feat as Sony did a great job with this little marvel. A complaint I did have is that when running wireless features and running more than 3 apps at one time it did get hot but aside form that everything seems to be up to par if not higher. Some things that would have been nice on a machine of this caliber are a build in webcam and a fingerprint security feature. As this is at the higher end of there go anywhere notebook line. But in years to come I’m sure the TX will have a built in webcam, fingerprint reader and a Blue Ray drive. I hope this review helps anyone looking for there next notebook purchase a little easier as I’m sure you want to get your money’s worth.
Comments and criticisms are more than welcome.
out of 58 user reviews
Compare to Fujitsu P7120
Pros: Sony is ligher and wider screen
Cons: Sony is more expensive
http://www.leog.net/fujp_forum/default.asp
out of 58 user reviews
phantastic, almost perfect
Pros: extremely light, very long battery life, pleasure to use
Cons: price (but value for money), no touch-screen, no infra-red
Having to replace a Siemens-Fujitsu Lifebook B2130, I appreciate the higher speed, the magnificant screen (thick as 2 credit cards) and the built in DVD-DL which can also be used in "AV-mode", i.e. without running windows. The keyboard is a pleasure to use. I miss the practical touch screen and the infrared link to my mobile phone. Otherwise an almost perfect machine, in particular for activities elsewhere than at the office.
I have not had any experience with the Sony after-sales service (criticised in some opinions), but if they are as friendly and knowledgeable as the staff in the Sony Center, then there is no problem.
out of 58 user reviews
Great portable laptop
Pros: Lightweight, Small, A/V capabilities, Linux Friendly
Cons: CPU speed, Cingular WWAN anttena
The CPU is only 1.2 GHz, whereas, Dell has their smallest unit with a faster CPU (just not as small). MS Office runs with no problem on this CPU, however, a faster CPU would have been nice.
The 1 GB of RAM is sufficient but a 2GB or up to 4GB upgrade would really increase the lifespan of this laptop. I do plan on upgrading to the 1.5 GB later.
I was also presently suprised when Ubuntu/Kubuntu Linux 5.1 loaded up without any problems. I had full resolution and wifi connection immediately.
The battery life is great and I try to load anything I need on the HDD to eliminate the need to use the DVD player. I have not tried to see how long it will run but did watch 2 hr movie then did a couple hours of work on a business trip.
I do not use the Cingular WWAN and the little attena on the side is really annoying. One would have thought they could have built the antenna inside and along the edge of the screen.
I am extremely happy with this notebook, but when I purchased this I knew I was giving up the power and capabilities of a larger laptop/desktop for its small size. Just be sure you are buying this for the right reasons.
This notebook also does not come with any CDs/DVDs so you will have to make your own backup software incase of failure. This was a simple process, I was just not used to this.
out of 58 user reviews
Not worth the hassle
Pros: Light weight, good battery life
Cons: poor product quality
out of 58 user reviews
Overall Great Product
Pros: Size, Size, and Size
Cons: A little slow
out of 58 user reviews
reliability is poor, device fragile, service useless
Pros: excellent design, light weight, well equipped
Cons: too fragile for road use and service from Sony was terrible
finally i bought a panasonic toughbook (executive model) and am very satisfied. I think sony needs to look at design again and CNET editors nee to use tha machine for more that 20 minutes
out of 58 user reviews
I agree, Sony Customer Service is terrible
Pros: They sell defective products
Cons: There is no help if you buy defective product
out of 58 user reviews
Finally a laptop I take everywhere
Pros: weight size and performance just within the realm I need
Cons: screen size battery life
Cons: I don't find the battery life long - reasonable not wonderful. One could watch a DVD from start to finish. Shutting down functions e.g. bluetooth helps. I found the screen size a hard adjustment but I have adjusted. The resolution is fine but photos no longer look stunning on a 5.5inch vertical screen. This is especially true when viewing photos within apps that have headers such as web browsers. Then images are only ~4.5 inches. I find using the fullscreen key option needed. Sharing photos becomes an ergonomics issue – 7x10 inch sreen would be better all around. Spend some time using this 768x1366 screen with an LCD projector Before the meeting. I find the hibernation sluggish no better than my previous laptops, I find the performance of the 1.2Ghz also sluggish just passable for the demands of in-the-field large file operations. Obviously a 2Ghz machine is better but I compromised for size. If this machine ONLY came with 512 RAM, I would NOT have bought it. 1GB RAM is bare bones minimum IMO. Finally, I have no use for Cingular as I use another service. Also I have accidentally knocked the small antenna off. Fortunately the antenna has a gasket seal and can be snapped back on with no damage done.
Pros. Sony's cleaner software improvements and Windows XP will be a relief to old generation VAIO owners looking to upgrade. The firm workmanship of this ultra VAIO is small-scale tech art. As I hold the unit, the sturdy size to performance with DVD-RW is still beyond my understanding. After 3 months, I am excited to work and carry this machine everyday. No other piece of electronics I have eg treo 650 makes me this jazzed. Love the bluetooth! The fact the petite antenna came off when I knocked it is a negative but the fact that it was made to come off instead of *break off* is a sign of engineering thoughtfulness. Everything else about the machine exterior feels solid. The DVD holder inside might be considered flimsy if it were not for the fact that is has to be on this size level. And I find it just fine no problem. I find the physical DVD external function buttons great. I let my wife watch DVD and did not need to explain how to operate it. Glorious. Performance working with Photoshop etc is to be expected on 1.2GHz– it works but not blazing fast. But I have never described working with Photoshop as blazing fast on any machine. But the fact that I am in-my-world working with photo on a plane sitting next to the pilot on a machine that is smaller then sheet of paper and as light as the mug of coffee – is just bizarre, no divine. I thought I’d have to wait a long time for high tech travel ease.
out of 58 user reviews
A solid machine. Worth every penny!
Pros: Long Battery Life, The screen is unbelievable at 1366x768 on only 11.1 inches, Keyboard feels nice to type on, Instant On mode, Vaio Media Center is a great adition.
Cons: 1.2 Ghz may be a bit too slow for some users, Stereo speakes above the keyboard leave a bit to be desired.
The design is sexy to say the least. It just looks solid. Nothing on it seems out of place. From the mirrored Vaio writing on the top of the notebook, to the battery, everything just aesthetically works.
As far as functionality goes. It works wonders. After using the machine for a while you will be wondering how a 1.2 ghz core is managing everything. When you first buy the laptop, start-up may be a tad slow at 20 seconds to get from the welcome screen to your desktop. The easy remedy for this is to just disable a few services that you would never need in XP Pro, such as Serial Device reading and Telephony. After just simply tweaking the boot-up process I was able to pull off a flawless 7 second welcome screen-to-desktop time.
The media functionality is simply a joy to use. Using instant-on to watch a DVD on the plane is a rewarding task in itself. The Vaio Launcher provides easy access to DVD, Music and Picture playback. Anyone with a Media Center PC should recognize it instantly, as it bears a striking resemblance in both looks and functionality. Once there, you can access any picture, movie or music file you want and play it. Let me tell you, Sony branded software has come a long way this year.
The battery life is amazing. After landing in the Frankfurt Airport, on my way to Canada, I had 78% battery life left. On the plane I was able to watch 1 episode of Star Trek:TNG, Lethal Weapon 4 and Die Hard 3 with 20 minutes to spare. I was quite shocked after coming from a laptop where playing an entire movie was questionable.
If any of my review has not summed it up enough, or if it was not clear, let me make it: If you can afford it, buy this laptop, you won't regret it.
out of 58 user reviews
Warning about Sony Vaio Laptops
Pros: size and nothing else
Cons: Everything else.
out of 58 user reviews
One word ( Beauty)
Pros: Excellent connectivity capabilities, and well designed for the world of the travelling professional
Cons: i did not find any
out of 58 user reviews
Don't buy Sony - be WARNED!!!!
Pros: A beautiful package with everything you need.
Cons: A high lemon rate and poor customer service
out of 58 user reviews
Best Notebok I have owned
Pros: Size, TRUE widescreen (16x9) NOT 16:10 like ALL others
Cons: Not Many. Keyboard could be a tad better
out of 58 user reviews
love the sony vsio
Pros: size weight style
Cons: cost keyboard
out of 58 user reviews
SONY Notebook WON'T BOOT
Pros: too small, easy to lost
Cons: UNRELIABLE sony notebook
out of 58 user reviews
Very small keyboard
Pros: Lightweight, speedy
Cons: Too small for practical use
out of 58 user reviews
Customer service is terrible; they will not stand behind their product.
Pros: lightweight, small; good for travel
Cons: port replicator is junk
out of 58 user reviews
Great features-to-weight ratio; poor reliability.
Pros: Jammed packed with features for its extremely low weight. Excellent battery life.
Cons: Poor reliability out-of-the box. Unit heats to almost unbearable temperature after more than a couple of hours of use.
out of 58 user reviews
Customer Service is the problem
Pros: size, weight, looks, screen quality, battery life
Cons: Customer Support & Service
BUT
Sony train their staff that Rule 1 is "Try by all means possible to repudiate any warranty claims" and Rule 2 is "Maximise all revenue and screw the bastard when the laptop fails".
When buying a Sony VAIO send the warranty documentation your lawyer to verify that you can shred it because it is worth nothing (just so that your expectations are realistic), take a photo of the salesperson who sells it to you, take a photo of the two of you concluding the deal, give the salesperson a photo of yourself.
This may be of use later when the laptop crashes because possession of a Sony VAIO laptop and a sales receipt for it does not prove to Sony that you bought a Sony product.
I have had a hard disk crash and motherboard fail in the first year with my PCG series, and I have had to pay the full cost of repair and replacement myself - and Sony are EXPENSIVE.
Much as I love the VAIO's for their size and performance I won't buy another one.
For business and practical reasons I shall have to choose a company that provides customer service and support.
out of 58 user reviews
WHY BUY THIS WHEN YOU CAN BUY THIS....!!!
Pros: small, light weight
Cons: screen can easily crack, TOO EXNPENSIVE
[Edited by: admin]
out of 58 user reviews
VAIO is noisy and overpriced. HORRIBLE customer service from sony
Pros: fashionable?
Cons: overpriced, loud fan, poor customer support
If you want a very compact system, you can do much better now. HP and Toshiba have come out with some very compact notebooks for about 1/3 the cost.
out of 58 user reviews
VAIO is noisy and overpriced. HORRIBLE customer service from sony
Pros: fashionable?
Cons: overpriced, loud fan, poor customer support
If you want a very compact system, you can do much better now. HP and Toshiba have come out with some very compact notebooks for about 1/3 the cost.
out of 58 user reviews
VAIO: Hangs at Boot-up
Pros: Feather-Light; Good Battery Life; Great Screen
Cons: Hangs at start-up;
This is Asian version of model mentioned on CNET.
First the positives;
It's really light on weight at approx.1.25Kg, you forget that its on your shoulder.
The battery life is much better than my earlier IBM-T23. It gives me 5-6 Hours, against the rated life of 8.5Hrs.
The AV-Mode, which allows you to play music or videos without starting windows is realy great. It doubles up as my PERSONAL ENTERTAINER. This alone saves me the trouble of carrying my PVP for viewing VCDs.
The brilliant screen gives you clear view even in sun-light.
Now, the BIG NEGATIVES from Business point of view;
IT HANGS AT START-UP. So, you go to a customer's place and find that your laptop wont start at all and you wonder how will you give your presentation.
In 3 years of my IBM T-23, I never had this problem even once.
I hope SONY listens to customer feedback and does something about this.
But overall, IT'S THE BEST COMPANION FOR A TRAVELLING BUSINESS PERSON.
I use a TATA INDICOM datacard for seamless connection to my emails and internet.
The total investment is about Rs.1.20 lacs (Including data card).
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
out of 58 user reviews
DVD doesn't work on very expensive laptop
Pros: Easy to handle and lightweight
Cons: DVD Player doesn't work
out of 58 user reviews
VAIO TX670P
Pros: Ultraportable
Cons: Service Stinks
out of 58 user reviews
Very portable and full featured
Pros: Light weight and portable with lots of features and connectivity
Cons: Too many pop up windows when starting up Windows XP; A bit expensive at $2500
1) How do you delete the message that asks "Do you want to disconnect the optical drive to save battery life? This keeps popping up even though I keep unchecking the box.
2) At the bottom right of screen, a small message keeps popping up that says "you have no wireless capability" or something similar. How do you get rid of this message?
3) When I try to connect to the internet by plugging in a regular phone line cord into the laptop for dial-up service, nothing happens. Using wireless connection works fine, but will not work using the outlet for a phone line. Suggestions please?
Other that these small annoying problems, I really don't have any issues. If I want to nitpick, I would say that I probably like the keyboard better on the older generation than the current generation. But it's still quite useable nevertheless.
I also wish there were more USB 2 outlets provided. Further, I wish the USB 2 outlets were located on the right side, instead of the left side of the laptop, which is an inconvenience for plugging in an external corded mouse, as I am right-handed.
I really like the fact that Sony installed an SD card reader into this laptop. This means I can easily place my SD card into the laptop to download pictures shot from my Canon SD 400 powershot digital camera, instead of using my crappy Sony T1 digital camera with the crazy memory stick card and adapter. More importantly, I also can insert my SD card from my Palm Treo 650 into the laptop and copy and paste files (eg: music, pictures, movies, apps, Word and Excel files, etc) easily too.
Currently the method I'm using to connect to the internet is to use my Palm (Sprint) Treo 650, and a short USB cord that plugs from the Treo into the laptop, and a Treo program called "PdaNet" that allows the Treo 650 to act as an internet transmitter for the laptop. This works great! I haven't figured out yet how to do this same thing using wireless bluetooth "BT DUN" on my Treo 650, but will figure this out soon. The good news is that, "I don't need no stinkin' wi-fi !!" Wi-Fi is almost never free or available when and where you want it! Getting internet connection through my Sprint carrier and Treo 650 is soooooo much better.
I had once purchased a first generation Sony laptop around 10 years ago, and it is pure junk compared to the current generation. It's amazing the amount of technological upgrades over the years. Everything is cheaper and better as time goes by. I'm glad to see that Sony has lasted this long in the laptop department and making great strides along the way.
I had also considered other portable laptops offered by other brands, but unfortunately, some of these other models did not have a DVD/CD optical drive. The lack of an optical drive is an automatic reject for me, as I find this a complete necessity. I certainly don't want to lug around an external DVD/CD drive and/or adapter. The Sony laptop has a built-in optical drive which works great.
Thanks, Casey
[Edited by: admin to remove email address]
out of 58 user reviews
Should I buy?
Pros: Cool looking machine
Cons: Terrible customer service
out of 58 user reviews
Appalling reliability
Pros: Lightweight
Cons: Dreadful quality
Then, about a month later, the screen flickered briefly and died completely! I was left with an expensive laptop that was effectively reduced to a desktop machine that could only be used with an external keyboard and an external monitor.
So, here was a laptop that had been used carefully for about five hours a day, in a benign environment, had never suffered any kind of physical damage, and had only been taken out of the house on a handful of occasions, and yet had developed two major faults in the space of just sixteen months! Sony’s response to my complaints was simply to argue that their machines “are some of the most reliable available on the market”.
Not one, but two major faults in just over a year. Reliable? Judge for yourself. Maybe Sony have moved on since then, maybe their VAIO range is now more reliable, maybe they now offer better customer care….who knows? My advice: think very carefully before purchasing a Sony VAIO laptop – unless, that is, you intend using it as a desktop machine.
out of 58 user reviews
Another So Far So Good!
Pros: tiny, feather light, great battery, beautiful screen
Cons: factory software, no recovery discs, expensive
I am embarking ona backpacking trip aroudn the world for a year, so weight and size were a very major concern for me. I had narrowed my choice down between the Dell Inspiron 700m, updated with a DVD burner and this Sony TX.
The review that helped me make the final decision, was the one here titled "so far so good".
After only a week of owenership, I'm very satisfied with how it's been working. It took me about 20 minutes to get the sony wireless software to stop confusing the internet connection setup and about an hour to remove all the junk they put on. Now the system boots quick and my task bar shows only the touch pad, wireless, volume, norton and battery.
Also from the other "so far so good" review, i was able to effectively buy the TX690 for MUCH less. If you are close to deciding on buying this laptop, this will be the clincher...
As learned from the other review, the TX650, TX670, and TX690 differ ONLY in color and included RAM. They can all take 1.5gigs of RAM. So I found my nearest TX650 dealer was Best Buy. I walked in expecting to just play with it a bit before I ordered the laptop online. The kid helping was really anxious to sell me the prize laptop there, so I figured i'd try haggling. The TX650 lists for $2,299 at Best Buy, same as at sonystyle.com. However...their 3 YEAR Extended Warranty w/ Accidental Damage Protection was $499!! I told them, hey i'd love to buy the laptop here, but i can get the same deal from sony for $300 less! (Sony is having a sale of the same 3 year warranty for $200). Long story short, the manager drops the price of the laptop to $2000 even! So I get the laptop with warranty for the same price as online and i leave that night with it. As soon as i got home, I went to the Crucial Memory website (www.crucial.com) and found the ram for the TX650. To my surprise, it was on sale for $107! Free shipping, no sales tax! The RAM came in 2 days and my black TX690 booted up smooth and recognized the memory with no glitch.
For those not buying soon, I plan to write more about how this laptop is working in a month or so. I've been a strict dell user for years, so I'll be very attentive to awkwardness.
out of 58 user reviews
Doesn't Get Much Better Than This...
Pros: Form Factor, Display Resolution, Weight,
Cons: Keyboard, Price
If you want a better/full size keyboard, you can get the comparable Toshiba, but it won't have the 1330x768 resolution I consider a necessary minimum for Dreamweaver or Photoshop work. All in all, this is a great machine for graphics work if you can get used to the smaller/flat-ish, but still very nice keyboard.
out of 58 user reviews
This thang rocks ur world!
Pros: Portable, very light, lovely media functions, WAN, Smart Wi-Fi, Great Battery Life
Cons: Expensive, not very large keyboard and touchpad
out of 58 user reviews
Eveything as advertised
Pros: Long battery life, Incredibly Light-weight, Optical Drive
Cons: Only supports Cingular EDGE, no support for Sprint or Verizon EV-DO
With respect to the no microphone criticism I just paired my motorola HS850 bluetooh headset to the TX-670 and it works great for VoIP/conferencing applications. I'm also using a logitech mouse V270 for bluetooth with a lot of success. Not to mention the fact that I can get 3G EV-DO download speeds over bluetooth from my motorola E815 cell phone. Bluetooth was made for computers like this. This PC and a few bluetooth gadgets will make you the most advanced work-a-holic in any plane, train, or automobile.
out of 58 user reviews
Great computer!
Pros: Super light and powerful
Cons: larger HD would be nice...
Bottom line - this little computer is a superstar.
out of 58 user reviews
Best powerful tiny laptop in the world
Pros: Small, lightweight, long battery life and great video performance
Cons: No Wireless WAN outside USA and Headphone sockets in way of my hands.
out of 58 user reviews
Perfection
Pros: Lightweight, high resolution, springy keyboard, aesthetics
Cons: Touchpad is sometimes not very responsive, Cingular wireless acess too expensive
out of 58 user reviews
Dream machine
Pros: Excellent connectivity capabilities, and well designed for the world of the travelling professional
Cons: Not a Cingular fan
I make no more errors on this keyboard that I do on a standard design. The processor speed seems find to me, I notice no difference in the applications I use to my desktop unit.
The screen is brilliant, and playing a DVD on a flight still leaves me with plenty of power to go back to work. I often recheck my bag after deplaning to make sure I still have my computer.
WiFi, Wan, Bluetooth, and even an iLink make this unit a big winner on the road.
out of 58 user reviews
so far so good
Pros: tiny...light....incredible screen....
Cons: not sure yet....removal of antenna?
out of 58 user reviews
NO BUILT IN MIC.....DON'T BUY
Pros: great laptop
Cons: no mic...dont buy
out of 58 user reviews
Still Prefer the T-Series
Pros: Portability, screen, DVD Mode without Windows
Cons: Screen, optical drive, several
There are three key aspects that the TX has over the T: screen size, weight, WLAN module (I bought the T before it had the integrated WLAN)
SCREEN:
The screen is now using LCD backlight technology which does make the picture a little more crisp and bright. The lid is razor thin, but that creates some problems in my opinion... I always feel as if I'm going to break the screen; because of its size, it flexes quite a bit. The hard shell on the T-series offered a bit more protection.
Also, maybe it's just me, but I can't tell a difference between the 11.1" and the 10.6" in size. Even though the resolution is a little higher, when I sit them side-by-side, I can't even see a difference.
OPTICAL DRIVE:
Both laptops have a DVD-RW, which is wonderful! However, the first time I stuck a CD in the TX to install Office, the entire laptop was vibrating to the point I could feel it through the table. It even made it awkward to type because of the vibration.
NOISE:
The T-series is WHISPER quiet... In the time I've been using this model, I've heard barely a peep out of it. I was surprised to find that the fans on the TX are noticeable. They're not loud by any means (compared to the 3.0 P4 laptop I had), but it's still more than the T-series.
WEIGHT:
The difference between the T-series 3.1lbs and the TX's 2.8lbs isn't noticeable. Both are so featherweight that there's not much of a difference.
WLAN:
I don't use this, but I believe Cingular is the wrong choice, unless this model can be upgraded when Cingular upgrades their networks shortly - Verizon would have been a better choice until the next generation. But then again, I don't use it so the antenna is annoying and I'm afraid to pull it to hard to remove it.
GENERAL:
I feel that my T-series is sturdier. I feel more comfortable sticking it in my portfolio or tossing it in the passenger seat. In my opinion, the keyboard is more comfortable to type on (T-series) because the keys on the TX are raised around the edges, but that's a very minor complaint.
DVD-MODE:
One thing I wish my T-series had that the TX does is the ability to listen to CDs or watch DVDs without having to boot into Windows.
Oh, and thank God for the EJECT button on the hardware controls because the TX has the TINIEST eject button I have ever seen.
All-in-all, I'm going to try and get used to the TX, but I'm keeping my T around as a primary for now.
out of 58 user reviews
Excellent light-weight laptop
Pros: screen, battery, size, bluetooth
Cons: lack of built-in mic, slow-ish processor
The keyboard is a tad small, but easy to get used to. At home, I have a bluetooth keyboard and bluetooth mouse (a real snap to set up), so I don't have to use the keyboard except in a plane or on the road.
The size of the computer makes it real easy to use on a plane, even in coach with the person in front putting their seat back. On my last flight, the fellow on the seat beside me had to shut down, while I could still work. Actually, in hindsight, maybe he had the advantage?
The lack of a built-in mic is downright stupid. However, I bought an external mic (1 1/2 inches/4 cm high) from The Source (formerly Radio Shack) and that works like a charm for Skype, etc.
Lastly, I am used to a 1.6 Centrino, so going to a 1.2 Centrino means I notice it's a tad slower. As I don't do a lot of number crunching or graphics, that's ok.
Overall, very pleased! It's a quiet laptop with almost no heat! Wonderful for the lap and a joy on the eyes! Well done Sony. Add the mic and a snappier 1.6 Centrino and you've got the perfect ultra-lite laptop.
out of 58 user reviews
Fantastic Ultra portable, best in class
Pros: The lightest full function Ultra Portable laptop around, included DVD drive is a must (don't have the bother of cables to an external drive). The TFT display is very bright and sharp
Cons: Small keyboard layout - typical of all ultra portables
out of 58 user reviews
No Mic, Makes it a No Buy
Pros: Small footprint, Battery, screen
Cons: No Mic, No Backlight, No builtin Camera
out of 58 user reviews
Don't Ignore.. You'll be sorry!.The Worst Ever!...never worked, Service nightmare
Pros: it never worked to find out if there are any pros
Cons: Customer Service is the worst I've ever experienced
out of 58 user reviews
Serious Flaw - consider other notebooks before you buy this one
Pros: Decent notebook, weight is good, Intel CPU is good and gives long battery life
Cons: Sony neglected to include a built-in microphone on this notebook. Skype, MSN, Yahoo, AOL, Google - take your pick. Unfortunately you have to have a headset to use VoIP with this notebook.
out of 58 user reviews
Ultimate machine, easy to use don´t need support
Pros: light, sexy and long lasting battery
Cons: none until now
out of 58 user reviews
Avoid Sony....their Customer Service is terrible...
Pros: Lots of bells and whistles...
Cons: Bells and whistles break.....
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