Sony VAIO PCG-FRV25 Laptop (2.66-GHz Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Drive)

by Sony

Product Details

Product Manual [2.55mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 13 x 10.8 x 2.3 inches ; 7.7 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00009EEIS
• Item model number: PCG-FRV25
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,235 in Computers & Accessories (See Top 100 in Computers & Accessories)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 1, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Far from the smallest mobile computer in Sony's notebook lineup, the VAIO PCG-FRV25 is nevertheless extremely powerful and nicely equipped. If size and ease of portability are not overriding factors, the capable VAIO PCG-FRV25 is a wise and cost-effective choice.

By today's ever-decreasing standards, the 13 by 10.8 by 2.26 inches, 7.72 pound VAIO PCG-FRV25 is of slightly above-average size. It is, however, more powerful than many desktops. Featuring a muscular 2.66 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor with 512 KB Level 2 cache, a 533 MHz system bus, 512 MB DDR SDRAM memory (upgradeable to 1024 MB) and a 64 MB ATI Radeon IGP 345M graphics chipset, the unit will quickly carve through most any task it is given, including many 3-D games and applications.

Sony has fitted the system with an adequate 40 GB hard disk and an internal CD-RW/DVD drive through which you can burn and listen to audio CDs, backup important files and watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters. You'll monitor your activities on a large 15-inch XGA TFT display capable of 1024x768 resolution.

Other desirable amenities include an internal V.90 modem for low-speed e-communications, an Ethernet interface for high-speed connectivity, headphone and microphone ports, an 86-key QWERTY keyboard with electro-static touchpad, and a pair of stereo speakers with surround-sound imaging. Home movie and digital picture buffs in particular will appreciate the unit's two high-speed USB 2.0 ports and single IEEE 1394 interface, through which they can quickly transfer video and still images.

Sony has pre-installed an impressive variety of software, including Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Money 2003, Microsoft Works 7.0, and a broad array of audio, video and photo utilities.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Desktop replacement, not for gaming, August 27, 2003

By 

D. Veritas (Salem, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VAIO PCG-FRV25 Laptop (2.66-GHz Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

The machine is nicely constructed, my wife loves the keyboard (which for her was the determining factor for the purchase). The 2.66ghz processor with 512m ram will be more than enough for anything she can throw at it for years to come, the machine is well suited to her needs. It sits in the same spot and rarely moves. The screen is sharp and bright.

Here are some of the things that would bother me, but have no impact on the casual user:

1) It is not suitable for 3d gaming, it is an integrated graphics chip. You are much better off going with a discrete graphics package (ati 7500, 9000) rather than the 345 package. That being said, it plays dvds smoothly.

2) As someone has mentioned, the power brick is ENOURMOUS. I have literally never seen a power adapter this large before. It weighs at least a pound by itself.

3) Loud fans. This is a good thing and a bad thing, without the fans there would be internal damage due to heat, but the fans are really loud. The pitch of the noise isn't bad (doesn't whine). I guess that is what you get with a 2.66ghz processor.

4) Power cord plugs into the right side of the computer, not the rear. It sticks out a bit and you have to be careful when moving it.

5) No discs with software. Sony has implemented a backup image on the hard drive. If you ever need to reinstall you just run their software to get back to the factory installed software image. What happens if your hard drive dies? I don't know. I would rather just have the recovery CDs, but they don't supply them. The manual says you can buy them online, but when you goto the link they don't sell them. This also means you can't reformat the HDD or reinstall to get rid of the stuff they install on the machine.

Other than these things, the notebook is well constructed. My wife has no real complaints, but I'm glad I have a centrino based laptop which is portable, powerful, and quiet.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Capable Machine For The VAIO Enthusiast!, July 24, 2003

By 

Barron Laycock "Labradorman" (Temple, New Hampshire United States) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VAIO PCG-FRV25 Laptop (2.66-GHz Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

When my older Toshiba laptop escaped from my custody by being stolen from the locked cab of my Ford pick-up truck not too long ago, I mused awhile about my options for a replacement. But since my Homeowner's insurance policy subsidized the cost for another, I did a brief but intensive market search and finally settled on this superb and cost-effective choice offered by Sony, one that is quite compatible to my home computer system, which is also a Sony VAIO system. This laptop is small enough to be light and extremely portable and yet has a relatively large and quite bright screen with terrific color and resolution. It is a rugged and hefty package at nearly 8 pounds, and it delivers a lot of capability with features such as a 2.66 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor, has 512 KB Level 2 cache, a 533 MHz system bus, 512 MB DDR SDRAM upgradeable memory, and a 64 MB ATI Radeon IGP 345M graphics chipset. With all this built-in capability, this laptop will more than adequately meet or exceed all of your needs.

Sony outfitted the laptop system with a 40 GB hard disk, and features an internal CD-RW/DVD drive for burning and listening to audio CDs, one that will backup important files and allow you to view a DVD movie. One of the best features is its large 15-inch XGA TFT display, which is capable of 1024x768 resolution. It also has an internal V.90 modem for low-speed e-communications and an Ethernet interface to facilitate high-speed connectivity. It also serves your needs by providing both headphone and microphone ports as well as an 86-key keyboard that has an electro-static touch pad, and a built-in pair of stereo speakers with surround-sound imaging. It comes preloaded with an interesting and useful selection of resident software, including Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Money 2003, Microsoft Works 7.0, as well as a number of audio, video and photo utilities. This is a terrific unit at a very reasonable, and one I have already had a lot of fun with in the several months I have owned it. Enjoy!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An amazing piece of technology and craftsmanship, July 22, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Sony VAIO PCG-FRV25 Laptop (2.66-GHz Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

I looked at the Dell, great price but I didn't like it's looks. It was too "blue". The Compaq was too whimpy in power and their customer service sucks at Hewlitt-Packard. And Gateway is too expensive for their lap tops. I wasn;t about to pay 2 thousand bucks....

Sony has always been a name brand best seller in the line-up of electronics. I can hook up my Sony digital camera to my lap top, and then I can print stunning pictures from my lap top to my photo printer. So basically this lap top is a desk top replacement that serves a variety of applications.

The BEST thing about this lap top is this... I am in college and live in a tiny dorm room. So this lap top is great for watching dvds and movies. No more dvd player and wires hooked up to the tv set. Finally, this lap top is great because I can download my music, and burn a cd which I can then pop into my cd player in my car and cruise on down the road!

A smart buy for any college student like myself!