Sony's new all-in-one further
blends TV and PC
Sony VAIO V series
The product: If Sony's new VAIO V-series desktop delivers like it promises, this line of new all-in-one LCD TV/PCs should offer a compelling improvement over the underwhelming PCV-V200G introduced a year ago. Not content to use a subpar PC TV tuner chip, Sony took the video signal processing guts from an actual Sony WEGA LCD television, incorporated a combination of desktop and mobile PC parts, and stuck them all on the back of an ultrabright, 20-inch LCD monitor, starting at $2,499 (and $1,900 for a 17-inch model). The V series doesn't use the Windows Media Center operating system; instead, it incorporates Windows XP and Sony's VAIO Zone software for PVR capability and other media-management functions. Features and key specs include:

• 3.2GHz Intel Pentium 4 CPU
• LCD with Xbrite technology
• 128MB Nvidia GeForce Go5700 video chip
• Double-layer/dual-format DVD burner
• Built-in 802.11b/g wireless network adapter

The price: Well-apportioned media PCs don't come cheap, especially when you throw in a high-end LCD. The high-end, $2,499 VAIO PGC-V520G may cost more than you're willing to spend if you're simply looking for some functional convergence. We imagine, however, that it will be easier to justify the $1,900 17-inch model.

The prospects: As usual, the all-in-one media PC isn't for everyone; because of its small screen size, even the 20-inch model can't replace a full-fledged living-room screen. That Sony has incorporated strong PC specs and functions while also paying attention to video image quality bodes well, though, making this new line best suited as a secondary system for the bedroom or the den or as the primary PC/entertainment setup in a dorm room or other cramped setting.

By Rich Brown, associate editor, CNET Reviews