Sony SONY VAIO RX640 6/1300 60GB 256M XPH (Sony-PCVRX640)

WHAT'S HOT: Though not as powerful as its big brother, the RX690G, the Sony VAIO PCV-RX640 we tested still offers a broad array of connectivity alternatives and multimedia authoring and editing software. Perhaps more important, it sells for only a little more than a third of the price of the RX690G, making it a well-rounded system for the beginning digital video editor (although the 60GB hard drive might need to be expanded).

Steel-blue and gray, the minitower offers two USB 1.1 ports and one IEEE 1394 port in front, making it easy to connect peripherals without having to crawl behind the PC. Look on the back of the system and you'll find another IEEE 1394 port and two more USB 1.1 ports.

Its extensive software bundle includes Corel WordPerfect 10 as well as a variety of video capture and editing applications, such as Sony's MovieShaker, SmartCapture, and PictureGear.

WHAT'S NOT: With integrated Intel 815E graphics that depend on main system memory instead of providing their own, this VAIO didn't fare well in our gaming tests. Unreal Tournament at all test resolutions and Quake III Arena at all but 640 by 480 (our lowest test resolution) were so slow that they were unplayable. In addition, the images on the HMD-A240 17-inch monitor appeared too dark, with too much contrast.

The Sony PCVA-SP2 two-speaker set delivered adequate sound, with some distortion and only minimal bass, but we were forced to maximize the volume to hear some tracks clearly during our audio tests.

WHAT ELSE: With a 1.3-GHz Celeron processor and 256MB of PC-133 memory, our review VAIO earned a score of 91 on our PC WorldBench 4 tests. This nearly tied the only other system with that processor and operating system combination we've looked at, the Dell Dimension 2200, which scored a 92.

The 16X/10X/40X CD-RW drive burns audio or data CDs fairly swiftly (some PCs have begun to offer faster drives, however). DVD movies played back smoothly, although the images looked a little dark.

We had to explore a bit before finding the right tab to loosen the metal-lined plastic side. The PCI slots are easy to reach (two were open in our test unit), and the cage for the open hard drive bay slides out easily, but you must remove the power supply to access the memory sockets.

Sony provides a small but fairly complete quick-start guide that applies to the Digital Studio line generally; it includes setup information and a small troubleshooting section, as well as a section covering software that might be bundled with the system.

UPSHOT: Good for users looking for a budget digital video editing machine, but its game play leaves much to be desired.

SUMMARY

Sony VAIO PCV-RX640 PC WorldBench 4 score of 91, 1.3-GHz Celeron CPU, 256MB of PC-133 SDRAM, Windows XP Home, 60GB hard drive, 16X DVD-ROM drive, 16X/10X/40X CD-RW drive, integrated Intel 815E graphics, 17-inch Sony HMD-A240 monitor, integrated sound, Sony PCVA-SP2 speakers, network adapter, V.90 modem, minitower case; Sony Movie Shaker, Picture Gear, and Sonic Stage software. One-year parts and labor warranty; free, unlimited 24-hour daily toll-free tech support. $1100 800/571-7669 www.sony.com/vaio