Sony VAIO VGN-NR185E/T 15.4-inch Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5450, 1 GB RAM, 200 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium) Wenge Brown

I bought my viao laptop at a Circuit City outlet 4 about $300 because it was a floor model. I've had it 4 about 6 months & everything is still working just great. I use the typical Microsoft programs & also use a number of photo correction & storage programs. Occasionally I watch videos on the laptop & the images is beautiful. I would recommend this machine.

This is my second time buying Sony VAIO. I was reasonably happy with the first one until it suddenly died after 3 years. This one is also BADDDDDD! Actually very bad. Vista is a big part of it with small memory.
I had 2 send it 4 three times 4 repair within 6 month from purchase.

I will buy SONY no more.

once you add a gig of ram & take out the adware, it runs really smoothly. the screen is a little excessively glossy, but overall it's been great. they even fixed it 4 free when the dvd player broke. so cool.

The computer is very slow with 1GB of RAM & running Vista. It's loaded with all kinds of junk software (AOL,Norton,tons of Sony stuff). I'm sweating writing this because the computer gets so hot, even when not running much.

I had this 4 3 months when it died with an "Operating system not found" error. I spent several hours/days dealing with Sony tech support trying a variety of things, & finally after they could not fix it they sent someone out 2 fix it since it was under warranty. They swapped out my hard drive & I lost everything.

If it weren't 4 the warranty & the fact Sony came 2 me 2 fix it 4 free, I think I would swear off Sony products, & I was a Sony die-hard. I had a Vaio before this & liked it, but this is a piece of junk that I would avoid. I won't be buying another VAIO!!

The product is good quality with nice screen & wonderful sound. They sent me good product as i ordered in the internet except the colour, because i ordered white colour from beginning & then they do not have this colour. So they gave me alternative colour is silver. Limitation time & need laptop urgently are main reasons why i accepted the colour. the important things, i am enjoy with this laptop.

The VAIO(R) NR notebook features a Wenge brown encasing that shows the notebooks subtly textured chassis & clean lines. With its sophisticated, Wenge brown encasing, the 15.4" VAIO(R) NR notebook will turn heads with its unpretentious charm. Enjoy superior performance with the Intel Core 2 Duo processor & connect 2 wireless networks such as your home network, school & workplace with wireless LAN technology. With its good looks & tools like these, the VAIO(R) NR is a great notebook 4 all of your day-to-day computing & entertainment needs. Sony's original XBRITE-ECO LCD technology delivers razor-sharp details & crisp, bold colors, all while conserving battery life. 15.4WXGA (1280 x 800) Display Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 with up 2 251 MB Video Memory Super Multi 8X DVD+-R/RW Drive with Double Layer Built-in 802.11ABG Wireless SD, MS Duo card reader 1 ExpressCard Slot 4 USB 2.0, 1 Headphone out; 1 Microphone-in, 1 VGA, 1 TV-Out (S-Video), 1 IEEE 1394, 1 RJ-11, 1 RJ-45 Unit Dimensions - 14.2 (W) X 10.6 (D) X 1.5 (H) Unit Weight - 6.2lbs

Offering powerful computing resources at an affordable price, the Sony VAIO VGN-NR185E/T also makes a stylish statement with rounded corners & unique coloring. Named 4 an exotic African wood, this Wenge VAIO NR notebook features a dark, rich brown color with subtle copper accents that shine through in angled light. The widescreen 15.4-inch screen makes it easy 2 multitask in several open windows, or watch a DVD in its proper aspect ratio. And Sony's original XBRITE-ECO LCD technology delivers razor-sharp details & crisp, bold colors--all while conserving battery life. The instant AV Mode feature enables you 2 start watching a DVD or listening 2 music with the push of a single button--without having 2 boot up the system.

This notebook is powered by the 1.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 processor, which offers a 20 percent performance boost over its predecessor while using 28 percent less power--so you get the benefit of a powerful dual-core PC plus all the benefits of mobility. Other features include a 200 GB hard drive, 1 GB of installed RAM (4 GB maximum), tri-mode Wi-Fi LAN (802.11a/b/g), multi-format/dual-layer DVD±RW drive (which also burns CDs), ExpressCard 34 slot, & both Memory Stick & SD memory cart slots.

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities 4 turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. In addition 2 easily playing your DVD movies & managing your digital audio library, you'll be able 2 record & watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, & offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

The Basics

• Processor: The Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 processor has a 1.66 GHz processor speed, super-fast 667 MHz front-side bus (FSB), & 2 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; & a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU & RAM, & a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

  With two computational execution cores in a single processor, it provides greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized 4 multitasking & is ready 2 support the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. It can simultaneously run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background. Some of the advanced Intel innovations of the Core 2 Duo processor include:

  • Smart Memory Access: Improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth 2 provide data 2 the processor when & where it is needed.
  • Advanced Digital Media Boost: Effectively doubles the execution speed 4 instructions used widely in multimedia & graphics applications.
  • Dynamic Power Coordination: Coordinates Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology & idle power-management state (C-states) transitions independently per core 2 help save power.
  • Deeper Sleep with Dynamic Cache Sizing: Saves power by flushing cache data 2 system memory during periods of inactivity 2 lower CPU voltage.

• Hard Drive: The 200 GB Serial ATA hard drive provides more than enough capacity 4 storing a large audio & video library, as well as extra space required 4 video editing. However its 4200 RPM speed is a bit slower than current standard hard drives. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin 2 FireWire & USB 2.0.

• Memory: The 1 GB of installed RAM (2 x 512 MB DDR2) is a decent start, but this notebook's two DIMM slots have a maximum 4 GB RAM capacity--perfect 4 high-end video editing & 3-D gaming. It also offers a top-of-class 667 MHz speed. To receive the faster data transfer benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity & clockspeed.

• DVD/CD Drive: The dual-layer DVD drive is compatible with a wide range of formats, including both DVD+RW & DVD-RW discs, CD-RW discs, & dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can hold up 2 8.5 GB of data--great 4 backing up your MP3 collection or your most important documents. It features the following speeds: 4x 4 DVD+R DL, 4x 4 DVD-R DL, 8x 4 both single layer DVD+R/-R, 8x 4 single layer DVD+RW, 6x 4 single layer DVD-RW, 5x 4 DVD-RAM, & 24x 4 CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x & CD-ROMs at 24x.

• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 82-key keyboard (2mm stroke & 19.05mm pitch) & electro-static two-button touchpad.

Screen, Video & Audio
You'll enjoy razor-sharp graphics & widescreen movies with the 15.4-inch WXGA high-definition screen, with its 1280 x 800-pixel resolution. The XBRITE-ECO technology delivers brilliant colors & stunning clarity with efficient power usage, & it features an anti-reflective coating 2 minimize reflection & ensure a beautifully clear image from any viewing angle.

Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100, which uses shared video memory (up 2 251 MB allocated from the system memory) & provides Windows Vista Aero interface support & enhanced 3-D graphics performance--delivering over 2x scores on 3-DMark 06. Intel Clear Video Technology provides outstanding video playback with sharper image quality, increased clarity, & customizable color controls. It also enables enhanced visual quality of interlaced content on progressive displays.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
The Intel PRO wireless LAN 3945ABG provides a tri-mode network connection (supporting 802.11a/b/g), with throughput up 2 54 Mbps at 5 GHz (802.11a) & 2.4 GHz (802.11g). This notebook also includes a next-generation ExpressCard 34 card slot (no PCMCIA slot), which lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, & lighter expansion cards 4 even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, & security features. Here's the full list of connectivity options:

• 4 USB 2.0 ports 4 connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras 2 MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port 4 connecting digital video camcorders & other peripherals
• Video output: 1 VGA
• 1 ExpressCard/34 slot
• Memory Stick/Memory Stick DUO slot (with MagicGate functionality)
• Secure Digital memory card slot (compatible with MMC cards)
• 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
• Fast Ethernet port 4 a 10/100 connection
• 56K modem (V.90/V.92)

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium is the operating system 4 users with advanced computer needs, & it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities 4 turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center 4 watching DVD movies & accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center 2 record & watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) & 2 access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium & an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you 2 access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever 2 share files between other PCs in your household & 2 manage your laptop computer settings 2 more securely connect via Wi-Fi.

Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools & technologies 2 help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting 2 a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you 2 manage & monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, & other activities.

Preloaded Software
Includes Sony Click 2 DVD (for easy DVD creation), Microsoft Works SE 9.0, Microsoft Office 2007 (60-day trial), Symantec Norton 360 All-In-One Security (with 60 days of Live Update).

Dimensions & Weight
This notebook measures 14.2 x 10.6 x 1.5 inches (WxDxH) & weighs 6.2 pounds.

Power
It's powered by the VGP-BPS9/B rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of between 2.5 & 4.5 hours (depending on usage).

What's in the Box
This package contains the VGN-NR185E/T notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, & operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty, & Sony offers 1-year of toll-free telephone technical assistance.