Review of Sony Vaio VGN-SR520G Laptop Computer

I had spent a lot of time at Best Buy, COSTCO, and on the Internet trying to find a laptop for business use. I looked at HP, Dell, and Sony. I tried Circuit City online and Amazon.com. I was surprised at how hard it is to find a laptop with Windows 7 Professional. Computer after computer that I looked at came with Windows Home Premium. I wanted the professional edition because I was planning to install Oracle and some other business applications. I also wanted security features like a fingerprint reader and password/fingerprint access to the hard disk in addition to password/fingerprint login. I also wanted a 500 GB hard disk, 4 GB memory, and a decent dual core processor. I wasn’t interested in huge HD displays or Blu-ray. I just needed a very portable but powerful computer for taking care of business.

Then one fine day after having gone completely around the laptop section of a local Best Buy, I had my Vaio moment. There it was! Small and lightweight in a magnesium alloy case. Intel Core 2 Duo T6670 processor. 500 GB storage. And….ah, yes… Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional 64-bit edition. And, of course, all of the features one would expect of a modern laptop including Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), a CD/DVD writer, and built-in camera and mike that work with Skype. Although this is primarily a business computer, it has a few fun things like Bluetooth stereo (A2DP), Windows Media Center, and so on. (See full specs below). And… how sweet… it’s Energy Star 5.0 compliant. I had found it. Only $900 bucks at Best Buy.

I admit that I’m still in the new-gadget euphoria phase, so my review isn’t entirely objective. That being said, I can’t find anything to complain about this computer. It is fast and powerful. I have installed the full Oracle Enterprise database (not just the client), though I have yet to load up much data. I’m creating a UMLS Metathesaurus database application with significant data—that should put this computer through its paces. Having a 500 gigabyte hard drive helps a lot since most laptops I looked at had only 320 gigabytes. The keyboard is particularly nice which is important to me personally. I would venture to say that the keyboard is the best I’ve experienced on a laptop. And all of this on an ultra-portable that’s just over an inch thick weighing in at 4.3 pounds.

I've been using Windows XP for quite a few years now on company laptops and on my home computer. I find the transition to Windows 7 to be easy, and the user experience for me is sweet. It’s a nice clean desktop that finally delivers on the promise of an “intuitive” interface. It is gorgeous without trying to be too fancy. Most importantly, it is functional and useful. Also, Sony provides some nice utilities for configuration and maintenance. (They also provide some multi-media toys. It’s Sony, after all.)

Anyway, I’m looking forward to finishing up some development projects and presenting them to clients on this awesome laptop. Anything that makes my work more fun helps.

Oh yeah, though I’m embarrassed to admit it, in a sea of laptop users in one of the larger Starbucks, I was feeling a lot of attention. Definitely felt the love! Was it my laptop?

More specs for the Sony Vaio VGN-SR520G/B:

General
Computer Type: Notebook
Type of Use: Ultra-portable
Action Buttons: Switch Mode
Pointing Device: Electro-static touch pad
Security: Biometric Fingerprint Sensor

Hardware
Keyboard: QWERTY, 82 keys with 2.0mm stroke and 19.05mm pitch
Camera: Built-in MOTION EYE® camera and microphone with face-tracking technology

Processor
Type: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T6670
Speed: 2.20GHz
Front Side Bus Speed: 800MHz
L2 Cache: 2MB
Technology: Intel® Dual Core® processor technology

Memory
Installed: 4GB PC2-6400 (2GBx2)
Maximum: 8GB
Type/Speed: DDR2/800MHz

Hard Drive
Capacity: 500GB
Speed: 5400rpm
Type: Serial ATA
Impact Protection: G-Sensor™ Shock Protection – Hard Disk Drive Protection

Optical Drive
CD Support: Read / Write (CD/-R/-RW)
DVD Support: Read / Write (DVD±R/±RW/±R DL/-RAM)

Expansion Slots
Multimedia Card Reader: One Memory Stick PRO™ (Standard / Duo) media slot with MagicGate® functionality
One ExpressCard® /34 media slot
One Secure Digital (SD memory card) media slot

Audio
Sound System: Intel® High Definition Audio

Display
Screen Size: 13.3"
Resolution: 1280 x 800
Back Light Technology: LED

Graphics
Processor: Mobile Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator
4500MHD with Intel® Clear Video Technology
Total Available Graphics Memory: 1695MB (max.)
Chipset: Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset
Max. External Resolution via VGA: 2048 x 1536

Inputs and Outputs
Modem Jack: 1
Microphone Input: 1
Port Replicator Connector(s): 1 (Bottom)
USB Port(s): 2 (2.0 compliant)
VGA Output(s): 1
DC-In: 1
i.LINK® Connection: 1 (4pin) i.LINK® connector (IEEE 1394)
Ethernet Connection (s): 1

Power
Battery Type: Standard Capacity Lithium-ion Battery
Estimated Battery Life: Up to 6.5 hours Standard Capacity Battery
Up to 9.5 hours Large Capacity Battery
Power Requirements: 121W + 10%

Wireless/Networking
Ethernet Protocol: 10Base-T/100Base-TX
Ethernet Speed: Fast Ethernet (RJ-45)
Wi-Fi: Intel® WiFi Link 5100AGN (802.11a/b/g/n)
Bluetooth® Technology: Integrated Stereo A2DP (2.1 + EDR)
Modem Type: Integrated V.92/V.90 Modem (RJ-11)

Software
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional 64-bit with XP Professional downgrade disc
The VAIO® Software Experience: VAIO Care™ - System diagnostics and maintenance
VAIO® Multimedia Suite: VAIO® Movie Story – Simple Movie Creation
VAIO® Media plus - Multimedia Streaming Software
*Please access VAIO® Help and Support from your PC for a complete list of software applications and trials.
Anti-Virus Software: Norton Internet Security™ 2009 30-Day Trial Offer

Service and Warranty Information
Telephone Support: 1 year toll-free technical assistance available 24/7 at 888-476-6972
Online and Email Support: Available at http://www.esupport.sony.com/EN/VAIO
Onsite/In-Home Service: 1 year limited warranty with Onsite/In-Home Service . See actual warranty for details.
International Service: 1 year international service plan.
Registration required. See www.sony.com/IRSP for details.
Limited Warranty Term: 1 year limited warranty . See actual warranty for details.

Environmental Information
EPEAT™ : Gold
RoHS®: Compliant
ENERGY STAR®: 5.0

Dimensions
Weight: 4.30 lbs (with standard battery)
Measurements: 12.4"(W) x 0.98-1.34"(H) x 9.2"(D)

Supplied Accessories
Standard Capacity Lithium-ion battery
AC Adapter
Power Cord