Do Not Buy
The stamp is over valued
Sony VAIO VGN-AR550E 17-inch Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7100, 2 GB RAM, 240 GB Hard...
 List Price: $2,099.99 |
Product Details
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Product Description
Core2 Duo processorT7100 1.8G;17WXGA w/XBRITE-ECO Technol.(1440x900);240GB/5400rpm/Serial ATA;2GB(1GBx2/DDR2 SDRAM/667MHz);Vista Old folks';DVD+R DL/DVD+-RW/DVD-RAM Drive;NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT Graphics;PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Influence(802.11a/b/g/n)The luxuriously meant Sony VAIO VGN-AR550E Digital Studio notebook PC provides a power multimedia computer platform for enhanced enjoyment performance. But it can also be admired for its gorgeously appointed design, featuring a black foreign, sleek profile, and interfaces and ports that are easily accessible yet discreetly integrated. It features a 17-inch WUXGA widescreen XBRITE-HiColor LCD wall off with a 1440 x 900-pixel resolution, and video is powered by the NVidia GeForce 8400M graphics be direct, with up to 895 MB of video memory. Whether you're watching downloaded content in HD or enjoying video captured from your of one mind HDV camcorder, this VAIO AR-series notebook lets you output HD content to your compatible big wall HDTV via an HDMI connection (delivering audio and video over a single radiogram). You can also watch and record your favorite shows using the dual TV tuners--both NTSC and ATSC (digital, lofty-def).
This notebook is powered by the 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 processor from the newest "Santa Rosa" chips, which proposal a top-of-the-line 800 MHz front-side bus speed and 4 MB L2 cache. The Core 2 Duo processor provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved gaming and multitasking exhibit, as well as excellent battery management. It also includes Intel's 4965 AGN wireless LAN, which will affix to draft 802.11n routers and offers compatibility with 802.11a/b/g networks as well. Other features catalogue 240 GB of hard drive space (from dual 120 GB drives), 2 GB of installed RAM (4 GB crest capacity), multi-format/dual-layer DVD+/-RW drive (which also burns CDs), both PCMCIA and ExpressCard slots, both Reminiscence Stick and SD memory cart slots, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Microsoft Windows Vista Home ground Premium includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one place entertainment center. In addition to easily playing your DVD movies and managing your digital audio library, you'll be gifted to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental in check features, and offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.
The Essentials
- Processor: The Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 processor has a 1.8 GHz processor assist, super-fast 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and a extra-large 4 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache for the time being stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries details between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)
The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational murder cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no signal increase in power consumption. It's optimized for multitasking and is ready to support the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. It can simultaneously run multiple exigent applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or uninterrupted virus-scanning security programs in the background. Some of the advanced Intel innovations of the Marrow 2 Duo processor include:
- Smart Memory Access: Improves system performance by hiding honour latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth to provide data to the processor when and where it is needed.
- Innovative Digital Media Boost: Effectively doubles the execution speed for instructions employed widely in multimedia and graphics applications.
- Dynamic Power Coordination: Coordinates Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology and out of work power-management state (C-states) transitions independently per core to assist save power.
- Deeper Sleep with Dynamic Cache Sizing: Saves power by flushing vault data to system memory during periods of inactivity to lower CPU voltage.
- Hard Steer: This system offers a total of 240 GB of hard disk drive space from two 120 GB drives (5400 RPM), creating one of the largest capacities you'll currently find in a pad PC (as of June 2007). These Serial ATA (SATA) hard drives also quicken the gage with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and USB 2.0.
- Memory: The 2 GB of installed RAM (2 x 1 GB DDR2, PC5300) is an smashing start, but you'll want to add more RAM to handle today's demanding multimedia and productivity suites. It provides two DIMM slots and has a weighty 4 GB maximum RAM capacity. It also offers a top-of-class 667 MHz speed. To receive the faster materials transfer benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same role and clockspeed.
- DVD/CD Drive: The double-layer DVD drive is compatible with a wide tier of formats, including both DVD+RW and DVD-RW discs, CD-RW discs, and dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can over b delay up to 8.5 GB of data--great for backing up your MP3 collection or your most important documents. It features the later speeds: 2.4x for DVD+R DL, 2x for DVD-R DL, 8x for both single layer DVD+R/-R, 4x for both single layer DVD+RW/-RW, 5x for DVD-RAM, and 24x/16x for CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x and CD-ROMs at 24x.
- Keyboard & Mouse: This pad has a standard 86-key keyboard (2.5mm stroke and 19.05mm pitch) and electro-motionless two-button touchpad.
This notebook offers a 17-inch cover with a widescreen 1440 x 900-pixel resolution. And thanks to Sony's XBRITE-HiColor panel technology, the strand-panel screen will deliver dazzling colors and sharp images whether displaying a DVD silver screen, television show, or web content. It delivers deep blacks and bright whites, be realized-to-life color, and razor-sharp detail. And with a glare filter and anti-deliberative coating to minimize reflection, you'll experience a beautifully clear image.
Video is powered by the NVidia GeForce 8400M graphics calling-card, which provides up to 895 MB of available RAM/video memory for unmatched HD video show on a notebook PC. With support for Microsoft DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0 and Elevated Dynamic-Range Lighting (HDR), the 8400M lets you rip through all of today's most advanced and penetrating-edge games and applications. Experience real-time photo editing, or absorb yourself in the most complex, true-to-life gaming environments. The audio card includes Sony Test Reality technology with DSD (Direct Stream Digital) support.
Networking, Connectivity & Dilation
Be ready for the next platform in wireless connectivity with the integrated quad-mode Intel Wireless 4965AGN Wi-Fi token. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless extend as existing 802.11g wireless. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (equally found in home routers and Wi-Fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more minimal range--great for closed office environments).
This notebook also includes a next-start ExpressCard 54 card slot (as well as a PCMCIA slot), which lets you take superiority of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and safe keeping features. Here's the full list of connectivity options:
- 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a widespread range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
- 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Relationship) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
- 1 HDMI production (for connecting to a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver for uncompressed digital audio and video via a distinct cable)
- Video input: 1 S-Video
- Video output: 1 VGA, 1 S-Video
- 1 ExpressCard/54 slit
- 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II, CardBus support)
- Memory Stand fast/Memory Stick DUO slot (with MagicGate functionality)
- Secure Digital recollection card slot (compatible with MMC cards)
- 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
- 1 S/PDIF digital audio out (for connecting to a at ease theater receiver for 5.1-channel surround sound)
Operating System
Windows Vista Haunt Premium is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Fore capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Forefront to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online diversion content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow show will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to administer your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.
Every edition of Windows Vista provides the necessary tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or neutral reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can inform you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal statistics. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that let someone have you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.
Preloaded Software
Includes Sony Click to DVD (for easygoing DVD creation), Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office 2007 (60-day trial), Symantec Norton Internet Pledge 2007 (with 60 days of Live Update), Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0, Adobe First night Elements 3.0, Intervideo WinDVD BD.
Dimensions & Weight
This notebook provision 16.4 x 11.8 x 1.32 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 8.4 pounds.
Power
It's powered by the VGP-BPS2C rechargeable lithium-ion freestyle, which has a battery life of between 1.5 and 3.0 hours (depending on usage).
What's in the Box
This combination contains the VGN-AR550E notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, remote master, IR receiver, HDMI cable, HDMI-to-DVI adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year small hardware warranty, and Sony offers 1-year of toll-free telephone detailed assistance.
Customer Reviews
Do Not BuyMy Vaio is ONE year old. I shell out AT LEAST 10 hours a week trying to keeping this POS with a pulse. The wireless press card has gone out which means I have to have a USB connection. Thx guys...ur the best. I can not tell u how disappointed I am with Sony. I have other Sony products but b/c of this I will unquestionably reconsider. BTW Sony you can also give MS a high five for letting me down (you allowed them to respresent your product).
The stamp is over valued
I invent Sony is loosing it charm. This machine was not what expected. It start giving problems 6 months after the procure. The battery life is a quarter of what it was after 1 year usage. With the rice paid for this, I would envisage MacBook quality at least. Even with this Sony relatively high end machine, I would not suggest anyone to spend more than $1K for any Windows based pad including Sony brand. In good side, having HDMI output is great if you like to join this to your LCD, using a single cable for both Video and sound.
I wanted to attraction this Vaio,but it wouldn't let me. . .
I purchased this Vaio [...] in December 2007 for, wellnigh as I can remember, around $1000. In January 2009, one month out of warranty the screen matured vertical lines. Between January and early April there came to be a total of 23 such words. I investigated an after market screen replacement [...]. Just great. It came with Vista Farthest which worked ok but I like XP better, even so. The OS had some glitches and would rearrange email sorts very often so I had to go in and reset them. But by and pre-eminently a free, aside from the screen, no major issues except for two days ago. I returned from a 5 day trip and turned on the computer and it is now done for. I checked the power supply and it's fine so it's a problem with something inside the computer. I'm hoping it's not a notable $ event but as a Vaio I fear it will be. In addition to the foregoing my major complaint with the computer is that it's too big. Technically, it's scarcely a laptop and has a huge screen footprint and in addition, it's heavy. That's not a complaint, per se, more like a negating against preference - I knew it was going to be big when I bought it. If it were not for the hardware problems noted herein, which beyond the shadow of a doubt are show-stoppers, I would be torn between a 3-star rating and a 4, but as it is, I would rate it a zero settled the problems, if I could. I'm in the process of removing the primary hard-drive for installation into an alien inclosure, hoping to regain access to my important data since this machine is busted - but I disgruntled at having to mess with all of this - I resent it alot. If it's too expensive to fix I'm gonna junk it - but one element for sure, I won't buy a Vaio ever again. Hope this commentary helps someone. Regards to all.
Most luxurious product but customer service is atrocious
I in effect like the design of this laptop. I have had several before and this is my favorite in design and function. They keyboard is deft, screen a great size and clarity.
I didn't like that it didn't reprimand with back up disks and I had to pay to get them. The jack comes loose a lot too.
The computer crashed on me about a year in, just would not travail and they had to replace the hard drive.
The times I've had to deal with customer service at Sony have been nightmares. That alone would from me from buying another Sony product. They absolutely do not value their customers.
So it's really a wash on this one because I like the true to life computer when it's working, but not Sony or customer service. If you don't have to go through them for your warranty work or technical support, then the computer is a encomiastic choice.
Safe BUY. add more ram and you'll spped things up dramatically.
i would undoubtedly recommend this vaio. i'fe never had a problem with it, and it's been about 2 years now and i know i've dropped it a time or two. my only peeve was vista-cognate. i wish they had stuck XP on there, but you'll have to deal with vista home premium. win 7 isn't far off.