Sony VAIO PCV-W700G Desktop PC (2.80 GHz, Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM, 200 GB Hard Drive, DVD+/-RW/CD-RW Drive)

by Sony

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 20.4 x 15.2 x 12.1 inches ; 26 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 39 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0002CE0ZM
• Item model number: PCV-W700G
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 27, 2004

Product Description

Amazon Product Description

The VAIO W Series pioneers new territory in desktop PCs. The all-in-one design makes it ideal when space is hard to find. It covers your computing needs and knows how to entertain, with three different modes to choose from. You can be checking stock quotes on-line one minute, and be digitally recording a football game the next.

The W700G comes with a 17.5-inch LCD WXGA screen in a compact, all-in-one design.

The Basics Sporting a distinctive style that liberates valuable desktop real estate from annoying cables and wires and clunky computer boxes, the Sony VAIO PCV-V700G is far removed from a typical PC. If space is an issue or you merely need a computer that doubles as a television recorder and multimedia center, you need look no further than this sleek and very unique machine. Unlike standard desktop computers, the VAIO PCV-V700G features an elegant all-in-one design that mates a large 17.5-inch DVD-friendly widescreen display, speakers, and internal components inside a single futuristic module. The system also includes a foldaway keyboard, thereby freeing your work surface from even more clutter. Whether used in the office or in other environments where its massive 200 GB hard disk, DVD burner, and built-in TV tuner might just make your home entertainment center dispensable, the VAIO PCV-V700G is ready for the job. Sound The VAIO PCV-W700G produces sound via an audio chip integrated on the motherboard and two speakers mounted on either side of its display. The system takes advantage of Sony's SRS WOW technology to simulate surround sound. However, if big, room-rattling audio and true surround sound is a requisite, you'll need to purchase a separate amplified speaker system.

Video CPUs are usually so busy doing basic calculations that they need help translating visual output to the screen. This is the duty of the video card (or video controller). The VAIO PCV-W700G features an SIS 651 graphics controller--a chipset that's integrated onto the unit's motherboard and shares 32 MB of the system's main memory. This is not an ideal setup for gamers, video artists, or anyone who needs smooth 3-D graphics. If you require top-level 3-D graphics support, you may be best served by investigating other Sony computers, such as the Media Center series. The built-in 17.5-inch display sports a comparatively large viewing area and a widescreen format well suited to the aspect ratio favored by Hollywood. As such, it's not only great for displaying standard computing tasks, but also for watching DVD movies. Performance The VAIO W Series is quite powerful. With an Intel Pentium 4 2.80 GHz processor and up to 512 MB of RAM, it's more than capable of handling the demands of digital video and Internet downloads. A large 160 GB hard drive comes standard and provides plenty of space for storing digital music and video files or working with multiple applications. This series was created to provide everything needed for home computing and entertainment.

With Giga Pocket software you can record, manage, and play your favorite TV shows anytime.

Hard Drive
The built-in 200 GB hard drive is considered generous in any price range, sporting enough storage space for a massive allotment of files and applications and a huge music or multimedia collection too. Most users will have a hard time ever filling this hard drive.

Optical Drive
An optical drive is essential in today’s computing environment. A CD-ROM drive allows you to install CD-based applications and play music CDs. A CD-RW drive adds CD burning, so you can also back up your important files to long-lasting discs and create personalized music CDs. With a DVD-ROM drive you can enjoy all of the above plus watch the same big-budget DVD movies you watch on your home entertainment system. And with a DVD-RW drive, you can also write home movies and archive files to durable DVDs, which boast more than seven times the storage capacity of CDs.

The VAIO PCV-W700G features a DVD+RW/-RW/CD-ROM drive that's ready for virtually any form of CD or DVD recording or playing.

Operating System and Software
The VAIO PCV-W700G features an impressive software package headed by Microsoft’s Windows XP Home Edition operating system. Sony will also preinstall Microsoft’s Works 7.0 word processing and productivity suite, Adobe's Photoshop Elements 2.0 photo- and graphic-editing application, Sony's Giga Pocket personal video recorder, and an array of multimedia utilities.

Accessories The VAIO PCV-W700G is wonderfully easy to operate via the foldaway VAIO keyboard, optical wired mouse and ultra-convenient infrared remote control. Connectivity and Expansion With four high-speed USB 2.0 ports at your disposal, you’ll have sufficient room for a small batch of plug-and-play gadgets such as printers, scanners, and joysticks. The system also includes an IEEE 1394 FireWire port (commonly used for fast data transfer from digital camcorders), a variety of high-end audio and video connections, and a convenient television tuner. Communication options include an integrated networking interface for Internet and network communication, a V.92 data/fax modem for low-speed dialup connections, and a Sony VAIO 802.11 a/b/g wireless card for wireless networking.

The W700G provides a number of ports for all your expansion and interface needs.

Product Description

SONY PCV-W700G VAIO(R) W Series PC -- This computer takes the look and feel of a regular desktop and turns it on its head! The computer's unique compact, all-in-one design is ideal for school, home office or urban apartment dwellers. A full-size keyboard flips up to cover most of the 17.5" LCD display when not in use. The remaining visible portion of the display automatically transforms into a digital clock with a cool screen saver! It's a beautiful design that you'll be proud to display in your home! DVD Writer - (read speeds) 5x DVD-R, DVD+R, & DVD-ROM, 2x DVD-RW & DVD+RW, 24x CD-R & CD-ROM, & 10x CD-RW SIS 651 Integrated Graphics with 32MB of shared video memory PCMCIA Type-II Card Slot for expansion capability Memory Stick Media Slot 4 USB 2.0 Ports 1 4-pin FireWire Port S/PDIF Digital Optical Out Includes - USB Optical Mouse, IR remote control, stereo speakers, VAIO(R) Keyboard Software - Microsoft Windows XP Home & much more Dimensions - Keyboard Open - 12.1H x 20.4W x 15.2D; Keyboard Closed - 12.1H x 20.4W x 7.4D Weight - 25.95 pounds

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent PC!!, November 11, 2004

By 

electronics101 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony VAIO PCV-W700G Desktop PC (2.80 GHz, Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM, 200 GB Hard Drive, DVD+/-RW/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

I have owned many computers over the years, ranging from E-machine, apple, hp, Dell, Compaq....and I buy new PCs every 2 years because I don't like to mess with all the up-grades..This is my first Sony PC and I LOVE IT!! What first attracted me to this computer is its ability to play/record tv and view them later called "giga pocket", dvd burner/and you can fold up the keyboard when you are not using it, giving more space on your desk. if you just want to watch tv/then the keyboard can be folded in half so your PC looks like a TV. this is Sony's first computer with a Plasma screen!this is the same as Sony's Plasma TVS(i was told that by a SONY REP)this has built in speakers that has an excellent sound!!! I watch DVDs on this all the TIME!! this is also one of the few computers that is a dvd burner!you can burn dvds, transfer your home videos onto a dvd..some computers you can only watch dvds/not this!!! this PC takes everything to the next level!! I also liked the sleek design of this PC, very SONY<This Pc is just awesome to do all sorts of things! When I bought this Pc it was one of their newer series and had a hefty price tag on it but i was willing to pay that for a nice packaged PC with fast proccessor and lots of memory. this has a memory stick slot to expand your memory or if you saved something on a stick from your pda or anyother devise,you can view it.. this also came with a free LAN card which is $90.00 reatail.You don't have to mess with tons of wires!! yay!! If you are in the market for a new Pc that is fun, sleek, and fast then get this Pc. I have had mine now for 4 months and I love it. I have not had any problems, and I can do MULTI tasking without slowing any of my programs down..The only thing I was little dissapointed with was the extra(bundled)softwares( programs) this PC came with..they are all just basic, if you want the fuller/better version you have to download and pay extra..that stinks. overall I am loving this new sleek, pretty, fast Vaio!!! YAY FOR SONY!!!!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Future Sony, December 17, 2004

By 

Steven H. Sonin "PORN STAR" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VAIO PCV-W700G Desktop PC (2.80 GHz, Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM, 200 GB Hard Drive, DVD+/-RW/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

I have the W series from sony , but my model was the first generation with the smaller hard drive and no dvd -writer, but all the other bells and whistles are the same..All I can say is its the best investment I could have made ..I love the telelevision program and the remote control comes in handy to operate both the tv and the pc .Its also great cause of the small amount of room it takes up on my bedstand , and its has great sound and I just love it. It has so many different connections that you can use to attach a stereo, or other electronic devices to it to use in conjunction to it ..Everyone who see's it thinks its futuristic in looks and performance ...Nothing comes close to it out there and Sony should be proud of such a great product.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One Very Cool PC..., April 20, 2005

By 

R. Larsson "ubergeekextreme" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VAIO PCV-W700G Desktop PC (2.80 GHz, Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM, 200 GB Hard Drive, DVD+/-RW/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

All it took was one glance at the W700G and I knew I wanted one. I had never seen anything like it before or since. While shopping for a general purpose PC and monitor, expecting to buy the same old generic looking tower, I came across the W700G and that was it. I planted myself in front of it and waited for a salesperson to show up and then bought one. It is, without a doubt, the coolest looking computer I've ever seen.

Now, looks aren't everything and in the 3 months I've been using my Vaio W700G I haven't had a single complaint. Granted I upgraded the RAM to 1GB right off so I can't comment about stock speed but so far this thing has handled every task I've thrown at it with ease and ... did I mention it's just about the coolest looking PC available?

This is NOT a gamers PC, there are limited upgrade paths and the video capability is not one of them. I'm a serious gamer but with only SiS shared video I'm not playing anything on this one. Multimedia, web browsing, email, Office apps, and everything else though are nicely available and I've also got to add here that for the first time ever I've actually bought a computer in the W700G that comes with some functional software. Sony has included useful stuff with this one, including a full TV PVR w/remote that works better than most of the other similar solutions on the market.

I could go on for a long time here, the W700G is so loaded with features and yet so simple and easy to use that it almost redefines what an XP based PC can be. I've tried other VAIO desktops and laptops and though I've always liked most of the Sony products out there, this one is a truly revolutionary idea - more along the lines of iMac than the typical desktop PC. Why more PC makers aren't heading in this direction is beyond me, the W700G is a true desktop/laptop hybrid in the sense that there is literally one cord (power) leaving my computer, well, actually two because I have cable TV plugged into it. If all PC's were this simple, and at the same time this powerful, the world would be a better place.