Sony VAIO VGN-CR320E/R 14.1-inch Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 Processor, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium) Red

This is the third laptop I've owned & it is by far the best. When I originally started researching laptops I was reluctant 2 look at Sony because they always seemed overpriced. After reading reviews, like this one, I decided what the heck you get what you pay 4 & let me tell you this machine is awesome. Unlike the Dell, & HP machines I owned before this one is light, fast, & very portable at just over 5 lbs with a 14.1" screen. Let me say the only reason that I didn't give this VAIO a 5 star rating is because like many others I HATE all the pre-loaded software that come on a new computer & this one seemed 2 have more than most. Once I uninstalled all of that stuff & tidied up the hard drive this thing zooms. One other small drawback is that the standard battery doesn't last much more than two 2 three hours. Overall I am extremely satisfied with this laptop.

My excitment of owning a vaio all went into the drain when I got first hand experience of its performance. In general its processing speed is worse than a pentium 3. And I dont have anything saved on my hard drive since I mostly use it 4 internet browsing. Everytime I switch on my computer I wonder what will go wrong in the processing today. e.g. internet browsers take ages 2 open, or if you type its takes ages 4 the text 2 appear. I have tried everything possible.

Sony is unwilling 2 admit that they have a defective model. I would not recommend anyone 2 buy this. HP, IBM or Dell will provide you with better processing speed. Otherwise you are buying a model claiming 2 be a core 2 duo & you are getting pentium 2 or 3 at best performance. So if this laptop cant take internet browsing... then if you do more stuff I am not sure how it will take.. it may just crash. So BEWARE!!

UPS lost the package,however Vann's was great & got me a very quick refund.I would buy from Vann's & Amazon again.

So I read the reviews on here before buying this laptop 3 months ago (thanks!). I bought it 4 a long backpacking trip - so I wanted something smaller, with long battery life. The reviews here said the battery life was not what it advertised, & the screen can be pretty dim - impossible 2 see outdoors when you're on low power consumption mode. They were right on both counts. I would not count on more than 2.5 or 3 hours of battery, even just 2 type or surf the web, & if you're outdoors, maybe less since you'll have 2 boost the brightness of the screen.

Other than that, after it's gone through all the start up - & all the preloaded programs, it's reasonably fast & a good size 4 travel, though I think I'd go even smaller 4 a trip like this - it's a good balance overall. The keyboard is very nice, but the keys click when you type, I'm not too crazy about that, & there is no "end", "page up", etc... which I quite miss.

I purchased this lap-top as a birthday present 4 my wife, having had experienced excellent performance with a VAIO that I purchased 4 myself in back in 2004. I was a bit leary about making an on line purchase of such a potentially fragile item. Those worries were put 2 rest upon delivery, as it was apparent that extra care had been taken 2 ensure that delivery was prompt, & the product arrived in good condition.

My only regret in making this purchase, is that I didn't pay more heed 2 the concensus on reviews of the VISTA operating system (which came pre-installed on the unit). In the past, I had always heard of, (but pretty well dismissed) all of the negative publicity surrounding the release of a new O.S., because I had never experienced any insurmountable problems with O.S. up-grades over the years, some just took some getting used to. With VISTA however, you can add me 2 the list of "whiners". So many things are incompatible, & there are so many "unexplainable" malfunctions, that after 3 weeks of unsuccessful back-and-forth communications with Microsoft Vista Support (via another PC I might add, as we were unable 2 even perform e-mail & on-line functions with VISTA), I finally gave up & "up-graded" 2 XP. Things have been fine since then.

Step out & be seen with the portable, powerful & incredibly beautiful VAIO(R) CR notebook. Featuring a stunning 14.1" widescreen LCD with XBRITE-ECO LCD technology, this thin-and-light fashion statement is an astonishing sight 2 behold. Backed by the Windows Vista Home Premium operating system & Intel Core 2 Duo processor, this lightning-fast, super-powerful mobile notebook is slim, lightweight, & packed with entertainment & design extras. From a built-in web cam & AV controls 2 its unique paint colors & comfortable, easy-to-clean keyboard, the remarkable VAIO(R) CR notebook delivers entertainment, power & pizzazz. 14.1 WXGA (1280 x 800) XBRITE-ECO Display Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 with up 2 358MB Video Memory Built-in Webcamera & microphone DVD+-R/RW Drive with Double Layer Intel PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11A/B/G/N 10/100 Ethernet Bluetooth Card Reader - Memory Stick(R) Duo with MG, Secure Digital (SD) 1 ExpressCard Slot (34 Slot) 3 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 Approximate Unit Dimensions - 13.2 (W) x 9.8 (D) x 1.67 (H) Approximate Unit Weight - 5.49lbs

Add a zesty style 2 your mobile computing with the stunning good looks of the sangria red Sony VAIO CR320E/R notebook PC, which offers unique eye-catching features, impressive attention-to-detail, & an amazingly thin & light profile. Aside from its jaw-dropping good looks, it's also an entertainment powerhouse. 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.

This notebook is powered by the 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 processor, which offers a top-of-the-line 800 MHz front-side bus speed & 2 MB L2 cache. The Core 2 Duo processor provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture 4 improved gaming & multitasking performance, as well as excellent battery management. It also includes Intel's 4965 AGN wireless LAN, which will connect 2 draft 802.11n routers & offers compatibility with 802.11a/b/g networks as well. A built-in 1.3 megapixel digital web camera lets you quickly snap photos & participate in live video chats. Other features include a 14.1-inch XBRITE-ECO screen, extra-large 250 GB hard drive, 2 GB of installed RAM (4 GB maximum capacity), dual-layer DVD±RW drive (which also burns CDs), Bluetooth connectivity, ExpressCard 34 slot, Intel GMA X3100 graphics (with up 2 358 MB of total available video memory), & 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 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 extra-large 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 2 GB of installed RAM (2 x 1024 MB DDR2) will satisfy many users, 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. Playback controls include play/pause, stop, forward, rewind, AV mode, mute, volume +/-, capture, & display off.

Screen, Video & Audio
You'll enjoy razor-sharp graphics & widescreen movies with the 14.1-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 2 358 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
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.

This notebook also includes a next-generation ExpressCard 34 card slot (though 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
• 10/100 Fast Ethernet
• 56K modem (V.90)

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 Disc (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 13.2 x 9.8 x 1.67 inches (WxDxH) & weighs 5.5 pounds.

Power
It's powered by the VGP-BPS9/S rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of between 2 & 4.5 hours (depending on usage).

What's in the Box
This package contains the VGN-CR320E/R 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.