this was a top of the range computer when I bought it back in 2007 costing a huge amount of money. It has functioned very well the whole time however I found the quality of build to be terrible. The keyboard fell to bits, the thin plastic side covers broke with the silver paint coming off within the first month and wear to the mouse buttons a few weeks later. The design of the metal palm rest fixing bolts was also terrible with the "NutS" which had been spot welded coming adrift from the plate. Because I spent a fotune on software, I cannot scrap this machine other I would have done so after 6 months. The build of my replacement machine (Apple macbook Pro) is in contrast to the sony product. Sorry Sony but the quality of construction of this model has put me off sony for ever :(

As an avid laptop user, I was looking to upgrade my previous HP laptop to something more modern and user friendly, after much browsing of the internet I found what looked to be the perfect laptop, the Sony VAIO VGN-SZ4MN/B.

After ordering the laptop from a local Comet store it took 3 days to arrive, and I couldn't wait to get it out of the box.

The SZ4 is remarkably small and weighs next to nothing, the Intel Core 2 Duo processor which supports Intel SpeedStep technology boots out an amazing 1.83GHz and you really feel it with the quick responses you get from the machine. The 2Gb DDR2 SDRAM (2GB RAM) is top of the line for a laptop of this class and allows for speedy access to just about any file or program. The 100GB hard drive has more than enough space for all of your music, videos and files; it would take a really keen person to fill it up and even then a small external hard drive could increase the capacity of this laptop. Moving on to the 13.3" WXGA screen which is of course HD (1280 x 800) and has the Sony brand X Black LCD fitted, the screen is very bright when viewed from angles up to about 45 degrees of centre, glare is greatly reduced compared to other laptops of this kind and overall it is a very good viewing platform. There is a DVD+/-RW drive which can burn at 56x and is suitable. WLAN is built in and has the capabilities of a/b/g. The graphics card in this laptop is the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 GPU and deliverers outstanding performance consistently and is a real asset to the SZ4 range. The operating system is Windows Vista Business which boasts a wide array of updated features from XP. Also built in is a Webcam which is placed centre above the screen, bluetooth capabilities and an internal microphone with no need for attachments. The speakers are stereo sound and are quite loud while maintaining excellent quality.

Looking on the side of the SZ4, there are 2 Ethernet ports (covered), 2 USB ports, a hole in which the external 5 card reader can be plugged into (card reader is supplied), a DVD RW drive, a memory stick pro slot, a slot for a 'web and walk' card (available from T Mobile, Vodafone etc), an iS400 port, a headphone socket and an external; microphone port, there is also a DC in socket at the back of this machine.

The keyboard is responsive and the buttons feel nice to the touch. There is a key which acts as another 'Shifty' sort of key which when pressed allows other shortcuts to be activated which are located on the top row of the keyboard. The space bar and return key are over sized which makes the keyboard layout more recognisable to old desktop keyboards and sets the SZ4 in a class of its own. Above the keys are 2 programmable shortcut buttons, a switch for stamina and speed; which will be explained later, and a Wifi button to turn wireless and bluetooth on and off, these buttons are set in between the speaker row.

The touch pad is adequate and standard for most laptops, it supports horizontal and vertical scrolling.

Battery life for the SZ4 is variable. The speed/stamina function is good for conservation of battery power. If plugged in and charging i use the speed function and when I'm on the go i use the stamina function. Sony claims a 5 hour battery life on stamina mode although when WiFi is on, and multiple programs are open with the brightness on full it is more like 3 and a half hours, which is excellent remember as other laptops on the market would claim this to be their maximum power. Speed mode would give you about 2.5 hours on the go.

Looks wise there is no competitor that could match the SZ4, its carbon fibre chassis is a real eye catcher, and with the VAIO fingerprint engraved on the front it really does turn heads. When opened the brushed magnesium adds a bit off shine to the machine and is nice to the touch.

Many laptop users complain of excessive heating, but the SZ4 has many vents and contraptions to stop this happening and is a real gem when is it on your lap.

To conclude the SZ4 is a perfect combination of portability and performance, with great features and a host of extras to keep you busy. It can be tucked in your bag and weighs no more than an A4 notepad, and is smaller than one too! It will get through a day of work or schooling while making yo the envy of your work colleagues and mates. Look no further than the SONY VAIO SZ4MN/B.

This truly is one of the best laptops out on the market at the moment, and I'm not just saying that because i have one, it really is.


SRNPTONENGNN2