Sony VAIO T
By squeezing everything you'd expect from a midsize laptop into a 3.1-pound case, Sony again raises the bar with its brand-new VAIO T series. Equipped with a 1.1GHz Pentium M, a 40GB hard drive, a DVD burner, and a 10.6-inch wide screen, this superportable PC packs the punch of thicker and heavier laptops.
How do you follow up on a home run like Sony's diminutive VAIO TR laptop? Easy: make it thinner, more powerful, and throw in a few additional key features. That's exactly what Sony's crafty designers seem to have done with the brand-new VAIO T series, keeping this ultraportable system at about 3.1 pounds but improving its look.
Upside: The VAIO T strives to balance power with portability. It's equipped with Intel's 733 ultra-low-voltage Pentium M processor running at 1.1GHz, a 40GB hard drive, and 512MB of 333MHz system memory; it can hold up to 1GB of RAM. Add in a convenient, built-in multiformat DVD burner, and you have a pint-size laptop that's as functional as a full-size system. Weighing in at 3.1 pounds and measuring 1.3 inches thick, 10.7 inches wide, and 8.1 inches deep, the VAIO T is about as hefty as a hardcover book. Look closely, and you'll see a handy button on the hinge for activating the CD/DVD player, but unlike some other new systems, the VAIO T can't play without booting up first. Finally, this ultraportable laptop offers several ways to get online, including a modem, a 100Mbps LAN card, Bluetooth, and a dual-band 802.11b/g wireless radio.
Downside: Spectacle-wearers, beware: this is not your dream machine. With a wide-view, 10.6-inch WXGA screen, the VAIO T's display will seem tiny next to that of most other laptops, and while the touch pad is larger than the VAIO TR's, the T's keys are tiny and may be troublesome for those with bigger paws. While it has the bare minimum of ports, including a pair of USB 2.0 plugs, iLink (a.k.a. FireWire), VGA, and audio, you'll have to do without a video-out connection. Gone is the VAIO TR's built-in Motion Eye camera; the consolation is a flash card reader that's compatible with Memory Stick Pro media only. .
Outlook: Sony's VAIO T series picks up where the TR left off, offering more power, convenience, and mobility in a thinner package. On the other hand, though it updates the VAIO TR in every major area, at about $2,000, this mighty mite is still on the expensive side. Watch this space for the full review coming soon.