Sony VAIO PCV-E204

Sony VAIO PCV-E204

The short, wide-body $1549 Sony VAIO PCV-E204 doesn't skimp on features compared to taller midtower PCs--it just puts everything into a smaller package. The purple and pewter-gray microcube VAIO is the only family PC we reviewed with a premium Intel CPU--a 333-MHz Pentium-II--and a DVD-ROM drive.

The VAIO fared well in our multimedia and 2D and 3D graphics tests. Video clips played back smoothly without visible dropped frames. We encountered some visual distortion, including pixelation, playing strenuous 3D games such as Redline Racer, but it wasn't any worse than in other family systems. The desktop speakers and subwoofer built into the 15-inch Trinitron monitor provide slightly better-than-average sound quality.

Six handy programmable buttons at the top of the keyboard allow you to launch applications or connect to the Internet. Getting online is as easy as running the Easy Internet Access guided audio tour.

The E204's tight interior design won't win any commendations. To gain access to the sole free internal drive bay, you have to pry off the front bay cover, remove the DVD-ROM face plate, release the inner front panel, and remove the side and bottom panels. The software bundle includes a little something for everyone: Encarta 98 for the kids, Microsoft Works and Money for their parents, and Adobe Photo Deluxe for the whole family.

Sony's home systems got a good rating for both reliability and service in our most recent survey of PC World subscribers, landing Sony among the top three manufacturers in both categories.