Sony VAIO SZ1VP Review

Overall Rating

Size, weight and power

Keyboard won't suit all, build quality needs improvement and integrated camera is fixed in position

If you really need a portable laptop that can be powerful when fed A/C juice, there is no better machine than the Sony Vaio SZ1VP on the market. If weight and size is not an important consideration then look eleswhere, but this blend of top power (intel duo cored T2500 and 1GB ram and proper 3dfx card) in a 1.6kg package is not available anywhere else.

The machine has an attractive face, enough to make Apple users red. The carbon fibre contruction is unique, and oh so light. These new duo core processors are amazing, running without cooking your thighs.

For road warrior work, there is a Intel graphics chipset which really extends battery life. I usually charge at night and use it daytime on battery. To also help conserve the battery power the screen goes dim, but remains perfectly usable.

On A/C, rev up the 3dfx card (NVIDIA GeForce go 7400 128Mb) and turn screen to full brightness, it is the best flat screen I have ever seen. FULL STOP. Bar none! Great for games and movies.

Connectivity is great, USB X2 (some may want more), firewire, wifi and bluetooth (plus multicard reader). DVD rw is integrated into the featherweight chassis, so no external anything.

Some may not like the retro keyboard, even though it is a good size and decent depth of key travel. It has a built in webcam, great for video conferencing; but because it is fixed, you can't rotate it to look "away"from the laptop.

I wish the build quality was better, but this is similar to my first laptop (also a Vaio, now 5 years old and still used daily) so I am not too concerned. This is my third laptop, my last one was a 15" Dell which weighed 3.8kg and very poorly built. All I can say is never again!

Pricewise, it is not cheap! I consider it much cheaper than shoulder ache though! I suppose it is up to individuals to decide whether it is a price worth paying.

The software supplied is a bit cheeky, with 3 months free for Office SBE. Then faced with purchase or replace it. Comes also with skype free for all calls for 1 month, which was useful. Norton internet security, again 4 month subscription.

This is the BEST laptop on the market. Some may be slightly more powerful, some may be lighter (Sony's own TX2 comes to mind), but every other machine sacrifices something. This is have your cake, eat it and loose weight all at once. Recommended.

Members' Comments onkhas01's Review

• khas01 on 30th Sep 2006

  Further to my review, the laptop continues to perform faultlessly. I am coming round to the fact the build quality is OK, but it does feel flimsy. Maybe it is because of its size and lightness.
  
  Battery life is great, and it is the most usable computer I have ever had.