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- My rating: 0 stars
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8 out of 9 people found this review helpful
4.0 stars
"Very portable, and handy, not to be used as a primary"
Pros: * Thin and incredibly light
* It is designed around the keyboard for more comfort
* 8-inch widescreen LED display
* 3G wireless standardCons: * Underpowered
Summary: When I got my hands on the P-series Lifestyle PC I was amazed at how light it was, and the design is a treat to look at. Than I turned it on and the problems started with one word: "Vista". If that wasn't bad enough, this little device comes bloated with Sony's software and my poor little P series can hardly even lift its' own weight. After an hour I noticed that it produces a good amount of warmth and an hour more I realized that the battery is about 3 quarters depleted, there are definitely some kinks in here.
* Seems to get a bit warm when in use
* Battery life isn't good
* Loaded with junk software
* Overpriced by about $300
The feature set is what you would expect from a netbook, with a surprise here and there. The Lifestyle PC has two USB ports, which isn't bad, there are separate card slots for both Memory Stick and Secure Digital (SD) formats and the 64GB solid-state drive is a nice touch. With Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS module the P series is a very handy device to have, although it won't replace a stand alone device or even a smartphone. Interestingly the Lifestyle PC boots into a Linux environment. Rather than wait a full minute for Vista to boot up, Sony's Linux preload can do it in 20 seconds which is great. The keyboard is surprisingly efficient when typing and the pointer stick does get some getting use to but it's not bad.
Although I like the design and the functionality, I wished that it didn't come with Vista and if rumors are true and Intel does release a more powerful Atom platform then I hope Sony holds off until they perfect the P series instead of rushing it to market. As it is I will still use it for as a secondary laptop to complement my 17 inch monster of a laptop that I have now. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it and I definitely dig the portability and functionality, however once I got face to face with it I realized that it is NOT perfect but I still like it a great deal. I just have to cancel the tattoo I had planned to get of it that's all. If Macbook Air users can turn a blind eye I'm pretty sure this thing will have some of the same kind of followers. I strongly suggest investment in the solid state drive and the extended battery, with those you'll have a nice little traveling companion.
Updated on Mar 5, 2009After a month with the device I have come to the conclusion that the first generation Vaio P-Series is definitely NOT the one to buy. I urge people to wait until Windows 7 launches and Intel's new chips come out to consider it. So by the end of the year, this little baby will have a new lease on life. It would be perfect if the price drops even a little but I seriously doubt that will happen. It's still a great device, don't get me wrong, it's very handy to have with me, I just wish it didn't have to cost so much or have Vista plague it. Do some research, weigh your options before committing to the price tag of the P-Series. Just to put the price in perspective: You can buy a customized Dell Studio 17 with an upgraded sound card, graphics card and processor with a carrying bag for the same price as the P-Series
