Sony VAIO VGN-FZ340E/B 15.4" Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 Processor, 3 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium)

I had waited several years before buying my sony. I wanted/needed a laptop. I love the freedom but have had some problems that I cannot seem 2 fix myself. First & most frustrating, my wireless internet stopped working out of the blue. I had 2 go out & buy a wireless usb adapter 2 use. Pain in the neck. I am disabled & it is difficult 2 think of returning machine. I will have 2 eventually, but I cannot do without my computer. It is family computer & I have been in the middle of getting my son into college & then paying 4 it with a multitude of financial mishaps. Anyway, I want 2 fix this wireless internet problem. It might even be something relatively simple, I have not been able 2 find the problem. I have talk via internet 2 sony help but it did not work. They wanted me 2 download the network driver again. I did, but it was not the cause of the problem. I also have a dislike 4 the speakers. I find it not a good system 4 watching moviess, TV...I have 2 plug in ear phones and/or speakers 2 have good sound. Third, my keyboard tends 2 lock up. I have 2 reboot or right click, left click multiple times 2 unjam.

For the most part, though I love my sony. If anyone can help with my technical issues, please do...

Karen O'neill

ps my keyboard locked up doing this...... jeez or man

I have been using this laptop 4 a couple of months now & so far I am very satisfied. I wanted something that was not too pricey but had good quality. So far my Sony has lived up 2 its reputation 4 excellent product value & design.

There are few things that could have been done better. One is the battery life. It is barely 1.4 hours & if you are watching a DVD an hour is tops. So depending upon your usage pattern you may have 2 buy a long-life battery. Then there is a minor irritant, viz., that when you close the thing there is no discernable click like the IBM I used 2 own. However the major drawback is the amount of garbage-ware that comes with the machine. I had 2 uninstall a bunch of rubbish before installing some of my personal apps. The webcam is ok. I love the full 1080P HD screen. Sound quality is a tad tinny but that is no big deal 2 me.

I notice that some reviewers got their machine 4 under $[...]. The best price I got was $[...] with a $[...] rebate. I did find some on [...] 4 under $[...] but I was not comfortable with the machine's provenance so I went with a reputable store instead.

All in all an excellent value 4 your dollar.

This is a truly great middle of the road notbook. More then enough power 2 get all fo those daily tasks done while the extra graphics power is perfect 4 Vista & Aero. Only real complaint is the slower hard drive & amount of bloatware that Sony throws on its computers. Other then that a truly great machine. Also make sure 2 watch the prices.. I ordered mine on 5/14 4 $905 but as of 5/19 its down too $868.

The Vaio has fulfilled all my expectations, I only have 2 find out now how 2 upgrade 2 Vista Ultimate without have 2 make a new install of the operating system & getting problems with the device drivers

With a built-in camera & microphone 4 video messaging & CD/DVD burner, the VGN-FZ340EB VAIO(R) FZ Series Notebook PC is slim, lightweight & packed with entertainment features. Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7250 2.0GHz powers Windows Vista Home Premium 2 deliver new security & entertainment features. An incredible 15.4" widescreen display with xBrite-Eco LCD technology delivers razor-sharp details & bold colors. The 15.4" VAIO(R) FZ notebook features A2DP Bluetooth technology 4 CD-quality audio streaming on your PC 2 other devices & embedded A/V controls 4 one-touch access 2 music, movies & pictures without ever booting-up the operating system, & conserve battery life. 15.4 WXGA (1280 x 800) XBRITE-ECO Display NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT with 256MB Dedicated Video Memory with up 2 1535MB shared Built-in Webcamera & microphone DVD+-R/RW Drive with Double Layer Intel PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11A/B/G/N 10/100Base-TX Ethernet Integrated A2DP Bluetooth Technology Card Reader - Memory Stick(R) Duo with MG, Secure Digital (SD) ExpressCard Slot (34 Slot) 3 USB 2.0, Headphone out; Microphone-in, VGA, TV-Out (S-Video, HDMI), IEEE 1394, RJ-11 (Modem), RJ-45 Approximate Unit Dimensions - 14 (W) x 10.02 (D) x 1.4 (H) Approximate Unit Weight - 5.9lbs

Thin & light & packed full of powerful entertainment features, the Sony VAIO VGN-FZ340E/B offers a widescreen LCD with battery-saving XBRITE-ECO technology & embedded A/V controls. A built-in 1.3-megapixel web camera (with integrated microphone) is seamlessly integrated into the lightweight & durable silver magnesium chassis, so you can video chat with friends, family & co-workers. 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--and the convenient, built-in multimedia control buttons also let you control all playback functions. You can also listen 2 your music & movies wirelessly with the embedded Bluetooth A2-DP profile 4 stereo audio streaming.

This notebook is powered by the 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 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 250 GB hard drive, 3 GB of installed RAM (4 GB maximum), quad-mode Wi-Fi LAN (802.11a/b/g/n), multi-format/dual-layer DVD±RW drive (which also burns CDs), ExpressCard 34 slot, & both Memory Stick & SD memory cart slots.

It comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, which 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 T7250 processor has a 2.0 GHz processor speed, super-fast 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB), & a large 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.)

  The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing 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 250 GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 RPM) provides more than enough capacity 4 storing a large audio & video library, as well as extra space required 4 video editing. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin 2 FireWire & USB 2.0.

• Memory: The 3 GB of installed RAM (2 x 1024 MB DDR2) is an excellent start, & the additional capacity helps boost the amount of available video RAM that's shared with this notebook's video card. This notebook has a maximum 4 GB RAM capacity. 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 86-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 Nvidia GeForce 8400M GT graphics card, which provides up 2 1535 MB of total RAM/video memory (256 MB dedicated video RAM) 4 unmatched HD video performance on a notebook PC. With support 4 Microsoft DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0 & High Dynamic-Range Lighting (HDR), the 8400M lets you rip through all of today's most advanced & cutting-edge games & applications.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
Be ready 4 the next platform in wireless connectivity with the integrated quad-mode Intel Wireless 4965AGN Wi-Fi chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up 2 five times the performance & twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers & Wi-Fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great 4 closed office environments). With the Bluetooth connectivity, you can communicate & synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs & cell phones, & it also includes the A2-DP profile 4 stereo music streaming 2 optional Bluetooth-enabled headphones & speakers.

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:

• 3 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 S-Video
• 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

It also has an integrated 56K modem (V.90) & an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection 2 networks & DSL/cable modems).

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 x 10.02 x 1.4 inches (WxDxH) & weighs 5.9 pounds.

Power
It's powered by the VGP-BPS8 rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of between 2.5 & 5.5 hours (depending on usage).

What's in the Box
This package contains the VGN-FZ340E/B 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.