Sony Notebook Computers

The Sony VAIO Series Notebook is available in an array of display sizes (14" standard, 15.4" wide, and 17" wide)13, allowing you the flexibility to select the combination of mobility and productivity that suits your specific needs. All sizes of the VAIO® BX Notebook feature the unique and powerful Multi-Function Bay, enabling simple swapping out of powerful peripherals, such as a DVD+R Double Layer/DVD±RW Drive7 Bay Unit, CD-RW/DVD-ROM Drive Bay Unit, 80GB12 HDD Bay Unit (5400rpm SATA), Weight Saver Bay Unit, and an HDD Adapter Bay Unit. Each of these optional peripherals can be utilized in the docking station and is compatible with all three size configurations of the BX Series Notebook, making efficient resource allocation across your team a logical and natural part of your technology management.

Security is a top priority with the VAIO® BX Series Notebook. All BX Series Notebooks feature an integrated biometric fingerprint sensor, delivering personal security and the IT cost-savings and convenience of not having to remember your passwords.

The VAIO S Series has a very nice shape - it’s all sweeping curves and soft lines. The way the lid wraps itself around the chassis at the hinge side reminds me of something organic like an oyster or scallop shell. Sony has continued its stance on lid fastening with the S5VP, in that there isn’t any. Whereas most notebooks are held shut with a clip or hook, Sony has chosen to gently spring load the lid so that it holds itself shut and can be opened without the need for button pressing or switch sliding.

The VAIO S5VP is a second-generation Centrino laptop. It uses the Intel 915GM chipset, which in this case is paired with the nippy Pentium M 770 CPU, clocked at a respectable 2.13GHz. This is joined by 1GB of fast DDR-2 533Mhz memory. Rather than rely on the integrated graphics solution of the 915GM chipset, Sony has opted to emply the far more capable services of an Nvidia GeForce Go 6400 graphics chipset. This isn't a common inclusion in laptops, but it's slightly faster than the standard Intel offering. Our only real gripe in this area is that the laptop only features a standard analogue D-Sub port. We'd like to have seen a DVI-I output port for digital connections to an external monitor, and a TV-out port for more flexibility.

Performance wise the Sony VAIO S5VP beats the outgoing S4M in pretty much every department. That’s not surprising considering the fast 2.13GHz CPU driving it along. In fact this particular S5VP is exclusive to Sony Style, while the more widely available S5XP only sports a 2GHz CPU and 100GB hard drive. Back to performance, the S5VP turned in overall scores of 262 and 2729 in SYSmark 2002 and PCMark 2005 respectively - comparatively the S4M scored 215 and 2141.