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Sony VAIO VGN-SZ780N5 Notebook (2.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile T9300, 2GB DDR2, 160GB, DVDRW DL, Windows Vista Business, 13.3" LCD)
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More…- Spec Navigator
- Processor
- Memory
- Display
- Storage
- Battery
- Dimensions
- Other Features
- Networking
- Multimedia
- Software
- Interface Connections
- Included Devices
- Warranty
Processor
| Processor class | Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile |
| Processor speed | 2500 MHz |
| Cache size | 6144 KB |
| Bus speed | 800 MHz |
| System chipset | Intel GM965 Express |
Display
| Display size | 13.3 inches |
| Maximum resolution | 1280 x 800 |
| Aspect ratio | 16:10 |
| Display type | LCD Display w/ Glossy Screen |
Storage
| Total HD Size | 160 GB |
| Number of hard drives included | 1 |
| Included drives | DVD+-RW DL |
| Slots |
|
| Drive controllers | Serial ATA |
Networking
| Included network card |
|
Multimedia
| Video chipset | NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS |
| Installed video memory | 64 MB |
| Video bus | PCI Express x16 |
| Video integration | Discrete |
Multitask and Not Bog Down
The more memory a PC has, the faster your programs run and the more windows you can work in simultaneously. Equipped with memory between 1GB and 3GB, this laptop should be able to handle just about any task you can throw at it without bogging down too much. For instance, if you're a multitasker and you'd like to burn a music CD in one window while watching your favorite DVD movie (for the umpteenth time) in another--while flipping between your inbox and your browser to work on your blog during the movie's boring parts--this laptop can manage it all without a hiccup.
Suited for Commuting and Other Short Trips
Because of its midsize screen and other middle-of-the-road characteristics, this notebook qualifies as an all-purpose portable. Though it might not have the biggest hard drive or all the latest card slots, its features--and accordingly, its price--are a good fit for most people who need to get work done in mainstream applications. On this laptop, you'll be able to compute comfortably in word processing, spreadsheet, e-mail, and browser applications, and enjoy music or a DVD movie with headphones. This laptop, lighter and easier to carry than a desktop replacement, is also a better choice for commuting and other short trips.
Supports DVD Burning
This laptop is equipped with a DVD burner, a slightly older type of optical drive. If you don't need the ultrahigh recording capacity of a new Blu-ray optical drive, and you don't care about watching high-definition movies on your laptop, a DVD burner should suit you fine. It can read and burn data, music, or video discs up to 8.5GB in capacity. A DVD burner is, of course, backward-compatible with CDs, but it cannot play the newer Blu-ray media because the two types of optical-disc technology use different lasers. In a couple of years, Blu-ray will completely replace the DVD disc format.
Expand Memory and Multimedia Through the ExpressCard Slot
The built-in ExpressCard slot on this laptop lets you easily expand the memory, wireless communications, multimedia, or security of the system. There are two types of ExpressCards: the ExpressCard/34, which measures 34mm by 75mm and is shaped like a stick of chewing gum, and the wider ExpressCard/54, which is 54mm by 75mm. The ExpressCard/54 slot, which accepts either type of card, opens up a wider world of expandability, including SmartCard readers, CompactFlash readers, and 1.8-inch disk drives. Few new laptops come equipped with the old PC Card slot that preceded ExpressCard, but if yours does, you can buy an adapter that lets you use ExpressCards in the PC Card slot.
Supports Memory Stick Cards
Usually, a multiformat card reader, such as the one in this laptop, can accept several different types of flash memory cards, including Memory Sticks. A compact proprietary flash memory card, Memory Stick is a Sony and SanDisk product intended chiefly for Sony devices, including its laptops, digital cameras, camcorders, PDAs, and cell phones, as well as the PlayStation Portable. Five variations have been released since its introduction in 1998--each faster, smaller, and more capacious than the last. Check this laptop's specs to see how many variations of Memory Stick it can read without an adapter. Not much bigger than a thumbnail, the Memory Stick Micro (aka M2) is the one of the smallest flash memory cards in existence; only the competing microSD, a type of SD Card, is tinier. The 16GB Memory Stick Pro Duo stores the most data.
Supports xD-Picture Cards
If you own a Fujifilm or Olympus digital camera, or an Olympus digital voice recorder, this laptop might be appropriate for you since it can read the xD-Picture Card format. xD is a niche product, not as popular or ubiquitous as other types of flash memory cards. Small and thin, and about the size of a quarter, it's comparable in size to Memory Sticks and SD Cards--but it doesn't hold as much, topping out at a mere 2GB. If you own (or are thinking of buying) a Fujifilm or Olympus digital device and need xD compatibility, that won't matter. This laptop will make sharing xD data a breeze.
Supports SD Cards
Like most new laptops, this one has either a multiformat card reader or a dedicated slot that accepts an SD (Secure Digital) Card. More popular than Memory Stick, CompactFlash, and xD-Picture Card, SD is found in a large number of digital cameras, PDAs, printers, and other devices. SD Cards have built-in security functions to protect data, including music copyright protection. (The cards have a small write-protection switch on the side similar to that of a floppy disk.) The latest SD card, the microSDHC, is the tiniest flash memory card to date, measuring only 11mm across. It's also the fastest and roomiest, capable of holding up to 16GB of data.
Supports MultiMediaCards
Any laptop that can work with SD Cards can also take MultiMediaCards in its multiformat card reader. These small, thin cards look like their SD counterparts (and are often lumped into the same category), but the technology inside is different, as these cards lack SD's encryption and have only half the storage capacity. They're also slower. If security and speed are not critical issues for you, MultiMediaCard can be a cheaper alternative to the more popular SD; many devices that accept SD will also take the slightly thinner MultiMediaCard. Regardless, this laptop gives you the choice of using either format.
Connect Peripherals With Bluetooth Technology
This short-range wireless technology is everywhere. Whether you activate it on a laptop by way of an external on/off switch or through software, the small internal Bluetooth card automatically detects other Bluetooth-equipped devices within 30 feet and sends and receives radio signals over an ad-hoc "piconet," or personal wireless network. Bluetooth is an especially convenient way to add external peripherals or partner the laptop with other devices, such as a cell phone, printer, or digital camera. Bluetooth works only over short distances to connect devices around your home or office, sending small chunks of data at a leisurely 1 megabit per second.
Windows Vista Installed
Microsoft's Windows Vista introduces more graphical and functional changes--big and small--than the OS has undergone in quite some time. Among the graphical changes, the splashiest is the glasslike transparency of overlapping windows. Flip 3D, which lets you view open windows in a cascading 3D stack on the desktop, is eye-catching too. And the Windows Sidebar displays small applets on the desktop designed for specialized purposes, such as weather reports or sports scores. On the practical side, the new systemwide integrated Instant Search lets you look for a needed file from practically anywhere and at any time. Keep in mind, however, that because Vista offers so much, it requires a speedy CPU, ample RAM, and a good graphics card. Check out the other components of this laptop to be sure that Vista can run smoothly on it.
Be Wary of Battery Life Specs
Take the battery life you see advertised for any laptop with a grain of salt. Why? A few vendors still use unrealistic testing parameters in order to report the longest battery life possible. For example, a "tested" laptop simply might be turned on, with the screen brightness lowered to the darkest level, and allowed to run down without anyone touching it. When the laptop undergoes typical, everyday use--say, with the screen brightness turned up to a readable level and with the user working in several applications or playing a CD or DVD movie--its battery life could be much shorter than a vendor's claims.
Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
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Reviewed by: ntlew
Strengths: Crisp and sharp display on both NVIDIA and X3100 settings. Lightweight. Portable. Stylish design. Solid constructions inside out.
Weaknesses: Keyboard might be a bit too light / shallow. Needs some adjustment at the beginning of use.
Overall: It took me a long time waiting for a laptop with good performance, good looking and most importantly, lightweight with a 13.3" monitor. This is definitely the best in its category. Definitely worth the wait. My 3rd Sony VAIO notebook and still a very happy owner.
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Reviewed by: JJervey_1084425409
Strengths: DisplayWeightSpeed
Weaknesses: None
Overall: I looked everywhere for the right combination of performance, low weight, and display. Sony won. I tried Dell, HP, Toshiba, but Sony was the best overall (Dell was very close but they push their hardware too far and I was getting blue screens).
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