- Twelve-Month Financing: For a limited time, purchase $599 or more using the Amazon.com Store Card and get no interest for 12 months on your entire order if paid in full in 12 months. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the promotional balance is not paid in full within 12 months. Minimum monthly payments required. Subject to credit approval. See complete details and restrictions.
- Special Offer: Save now on Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010 Product Key Card when you purchase a select PC from Amazon.com. Shop the deal here.
Frequently Bought Together
Technical Details
- Intel Core i5 Processor 2.4GHz
- 4GB DDR3 RAM
- 640GB 5400RPM Hard Drive
- 17.3-Inch Screen, Intel HD Graphics 3000
- Windows 7 Home Premium, 5.2 hours Battery Life
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description
The E Series laptop is built with the features and performance you need every day to stay connected and be entertained. With the 2nd gen Intel® Core™ i5 processor you get visibly smart performance and the 17. 3” (1600 x900) widescreen display provides amazing picture quality all in a laptop with a tantalizing texture and up-market design.
Features
TANTALIZING TEXTURE.
Whether open or closed, the VAIO E Series laptop is irresistibly tempting to touch. Go right ahead; the honeycomb pattern embossed on the lid and matching palm rests is not only alluring, it's fingerprint-free. Offered in three sizes—14”, 15.5” and 17.3”— and four distinctive colors, the E Series draws you in with its sweet aesthetics, but holds your attention with a luxe feature set and the smarts to tackle any task.
Built-in camera and microphone
Keeping in touch has never been easier or more fun. The VAIO E Series features an integrated camera with face-tracking technology and microphone for video messaging with family, friends and co-workers.
ONE-TOUCH TREASURE.
With an E Series laptop, convenience is yours at the push of a button. Quickly access the internet without booting up the operating system by pressing the WEB button5, or use the VAIO button to launch built-in Media Gallery™ software to instantly enjoy your photos and music. Press ASSIST to launch VAIO Care™ troubleshooting and maintenance software to keep your laptop performing its best.
COOL KEYBOARD.
An isolated keyboard gives you the feel of a larger computer, but with a much smaller footprint. Featuring a textured touchpad built into the palmrest, your fingers are free to roam with ease and accuracy. An integrated numeric keypad finishes off the keyboard on 15.5" and 17.3" models, ensuring speed and precision while typing numbers.
INSTANTLY ORGANIZED.
It's about time you organized all of your favorite photos and videos; an E Series laptop will make it easy. Eliminate clutter and sort your memories by person, place or date with included software, PMB VAIO Edition. In just three easy steps, you can create professional-looking movies to share with family and friends. You can even explore your photos in map view using data from any GPS-enabled camera.
Detailed Features
The way to enjoy PC content on a big screen
HDMI® output
Whether you’re watching a stunning Blu-ray Disc™ movie or enjoying video captured from your compatible camcorder, the VAIO® E Series laptop lets you play back HD content on your compatible big screen HDTV with a high level of resolution. An HDMI® output delivers both your video and audio via a single HDMI cable (sold separately), providing the optimal digital connection to your HDMI-enabled HDTV so you can enjoy HD entertainment on the big screen without a myriad of extra cables and wires.
Leave no fingerprint
Whether it is open or closed, you will find yourself wanting to feel this VAIO® E Series laptop. With a textured, diamond-shaped pattern embossed on the lid and palm rest, this PC is artfully crafted to be pleasing to the eyes and to the touch without leaving any fingerprint smudges.
Quite a cool keyboard
The isolated keyboard with an integrated number pad has with a pleasant-feeling textured touch pad that is integrated into the palmrest, your hands and fingers will be happy to compute.
VAIO, ASSIST and WEB
The VAIO® E series laptop also comes with three special hardware buttons: VAIO, ASSIST and WEB that get you to where you want to go with a touch of a button.
• One touch access to the web without full boot up into Windows® with WEB button.
• Press the VAIO® button to launch Media Gallery™ software and create movies, and enjoy photos and music in a whole new way.
• ASSIST button links directly to VAIO Care™ software that helps maintain and troubleshoot any PC issues for optimal performance.
Watch Blu-ray Disc™ movies
The versatile Blu-Ray Disc™ player drive on the E Series laptop combines the power of HD Blu-ray Disc™ video playback with the convenience and utility of DVD and CD read/write functionalities. The best picture. The best sound. With stunning clarity, Blu-ray Disc ™ technology is the ultimate way to enjoy your entertainment.
HDMI® output– take it to the big screen
Whether you’re watching a stunning Blu-ray Disc™ movie (select models) or enjoying video captured from your compatible camcorder, the VAIO® E Series laptop lets you play back HD content on your compatible big screen HDTV with a high level of resolution. An HDMI® output delivers both your video and audio via a single HDMI cable (sold separately), providing the optimal digital connection to your HDMI-enabled HDTV so you can enjoy HD entertainment on the big screen without a myriad of extra cables and wires.
Built-in camera and microphone
Keeping in touch has never been easier or more fun. The VAIO® E Series features an integrated camera with face-tracking technology and microphone for video messaging with family, friends and co-workers.
PMB VAIO® Edition
PMB VAIO® Edition makes managing your photos and home videos as easy as taking them.
Powerful Image Enhancements
Conditions aren’t always ideal for capturing the perfect video or snapshot but with one-click effects, PMB VAIO Edition makes it easy to transform so-so shots into memorable masterpieces.
Instantly Sort and Search
Using the magic of Sony’s intelligent analysis technologies, PMB eliminates the clutter and automatically organizes content by person, place and date. But as your library grows, you’ll need a fast and easy way to find your favorites. New and intuitive navigation features make it simple to do just that.
Create Memorable Movies
There's a fast, easy way to produce your own high-quality home movies and slideshows. Sony breaks complex movie production into three simple steps, freeing you from tedious hours spent mastering difficult and expensive video editing software.
Create your movie masterpiece in three easy steps:
1. Import your video and photos
2. Choose a theme and soundtrack
3. Click Finish.
PMB VAIO® Edition does the rest, generating a professional-looking movie complete with special effects, smooth cinematic transitions and a perfectly timed soundtrack.
Adding titles, comments and other on-screen text to finished movies is easy, and additional editing functions let you rearrange scene sequence and replace photos. A convenient thumbnail display of all scenes makes editing a breeze and Smart Face Detection technology ensures perfectly framed shots of people and prevents faces from being cropped.
Specifications
| Processor | |
|---|---|
| Processor Type | Intel® Core™ i5-2430M |
| Processor Technology | Dual Core |
| Processor Speed | 2.40GHz1 with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology up to 3.00GHz2 |
| Processor Cache | 3MB |
| Display | |
| Screen Size | 17.3" |
| Resolution | 1600 x 900 |
| Backlight Technology | LED |
| Memory | |
| Installed Memory | 4GB (4GB x 1) |
| Memory Type/Speed | DDR3/1333MHz |
| Max. Memory | 8GB |
| Graphics | |
| Graphics Processor | Intel® HD Graphics 3000 |
| Graphics Video RAM | Internal3 |
| Storage | |
| Storage Type | Serial ATA |
| Storage Capacity | 640GB4 |
| Storage Technology | 5400rpm |
| Optical Drive | |
| Optical Drive Type | Blu-ray Disc™ Player |
| Optical Drive Support - Blu-ray Disc™ | Read Only |
| Optical Drive Support - CD/DVD | Read / Write |
| Hardware | |
| Camera | Built-in web camera and microphone |
| Keyboard | QWERTY, 103 keys with 2.0mm stroke and 19.05mm pitch |
| 10-Key Numeric Pad | Yes |
| Audio | |
| Sound System | Intel® High Definition Audio |
| Inputs and Outputs | |
| DC-In | 1 |
| USB 2.0 | 4 |
| VGA Output(s) | 1 |
| Headphone Output | 1 |
| Microphone Input | 1 |
| Secure Digital (SD) Slot | 1 |
| HDMI® Output(s) | 1 |
| Memory Stick Duo™ | 1 |
| Wireless/Networking | |
| Ethernet Protocol | 1000BASE-T/100BASE-TX/10BASE-T |
| WiFi Adapter | Atheros® 802.11b/g/n |
| Software | |
| Operating System | Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium with Service Pack 1 64-bit |
| Supplied Software | Microsoft® Office Starter with reduced-functionality versions of Word and Excel®5, VAIO Care™, Media Gallery™, PMB - VAIO Edition |
| Anti-Virus Software | Norton Internet Security™ 2012 30-Day Trial Offer6 |
| Service and Warranty Information | |
| Toll-Free Phone Support | 888-476-69727 |
| Onsite/In-Home Service | Yes8 |
| International Service | Yes9 |
| Limited Warranty Term | 1 Year |
| Priority Phone Support | 239-768-76057 |
| Environmental Information | |
| ENERGY STAR® | 5.0 |
| EPEAT™ | Gold |
| ROHS® | Compliant |
| Weights and Measurements | |
| Dimensions (Approx.) | 16.11" (W) x 1.30" - 1.50" (H) x 10.79" (D) |
| Weight (Approx.) | 6.85 lbs. (with Standard Battery) |
| General | |
| Action Buttons | VAIO, ASSIST, WEB, Wireless On/Off |
| Pointing Device | Touchpad (Gesture supported) |
| Power | |
| Battery Type | Standard Lithium Ion Battery (4000mAh) |
| DVD Playback | Up to 3 hours 20 minutes10 |
| Default Brightness | Up to 5 hours 20 minutes10 |
| Maximum Brightness | Up to 4 hours 45 minutes1011 |
Supplied Accessories
- Standard Lithium Ion Battery (4000mAh), AC Adapter, Power Cord
 Pin web sites with Internet Explorer 9 (view larger). |  Windows 7 Home PremiumThe Best Entertainment Experience On Your PCWindows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. You can even watch, pause, and rewind TV or record it to watch whenever and wherever you want. For the best entertainment experience, choose a PC with Windows 7. Windows 7: Your PC Simplified
|
Get a Faster, Safer Web with a New PC and Internet Explorer 9
Create, Connect, and Share with Windows LiveWindows 7 and Windows Live bring it all together for free. Get the free set of programs that make it simple to create and share amazing photos and movies, organize mail, and stay connected with your closest friends.
You can download Windows Live for FREE at download.live.com. |  Create, connect, and share (see larger image).
 |
  | Complete Your PC Experience with Microsoft Office 2010
|
Product Description
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium with Service Pack 1 64-bit. Intel Core i5-2430M. 2.40GHz with Intel(R) Turbo Boost Technology up to 3.00GHz. 640GB (5400rpm). Blu-ray Disc Player. Internal Intel HD Graphics 3000. 17.3” (1600x900). Intel High Definition Audio Sound System. USB 2.0: 4. HDMI Output: 1.
Available Warranties or Services for This Item
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
110 of 111 people found the following review helpful
For those looking for a budget 17" laptop for play or work, look no further. This is perhaps the best laptop that balance performance, cost, battery life and reliability. Purchased this laptop 2 days ago from Frys, couldn't be happier. This is a list of my observations:
Pro:
1. Wonderful 17.3" Sony screen - one of the best in the industry. Very bright. Lots of space to work. My work machine has a 24" full HD screen and I don't miss it.
2. Super fast second generation Core i5 2.4GHz 2430M 2.4GHz with turbo boost to 3GHz, not the much slower Core i3 and one step above the Core i5 2.3GHz 2410M you see on most lower cost sandy bridge i5 laptops
3. Very rigit chasis - no flex at all for a 17" laptop, built quality is valut like - should provide many years of reliable protection. It is the BMW/Benz of laptops.
4. Extremely low power consumption - the 4000MAH battery will easily last 4-5 hours on light use - web surfing or working on office apps. I am very impressed.
5. Lightweight for a 17.3" laptop - it is quite easy to carry it around, especially since the long battery life means you can usually leave the power adapter at home.
6. There are TWO battery upgrade options - a 5300MAH battery (VGP-BPS26) which is the same size and weight as the included battery, but will last 7 hours instead of 5 hours, and a 9 cell, slightly heavier battery which is 7950MAH (VGP-BPL26) and 10 hours battery run-time.
7. Blu-Ray drive for watching HD movies. Never get a DVD for a 17" laptop. It is just not appropriate. Believe me you will want to watch Blu Ray on this machine.
8. 4xUSB ports, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, SD/MS slots, Wireless on-off switch
9. Wondeful multi-touch touchpad with pinch to zoom and other gestures
10. Completely resist finger prints - the only place you are going to leave finger prints on this laptop would be on the screen. Sony has always been pretty good in this regard.
Cons:
1. Screen resolution is 1600x900 and no option to upgrade it, but it is probably one of the best 1600x900 screens out there. The slightly lower resolution is quite acceptable actually.
2. Included battery is 4000MAH, not the 5300MAH version which is the same size and weight
3. No backlit keyboard
4. Numeric pad makes the keyboard slightly off center
5. No bluetooth and no Intel Wireless Display
6. No USB 3.0 port
7. Speakers a bit weak, crackle a bit at full volume.
Immediately upon getting this laptop, I ordered another 4GB Samsung RAM that is identical to the one that is in the laptop, and also purchased an Intel Advanced Wireless 6230 mini-PCI WiFi card to replace the original Atheros WiFi card. The WiFi card upgrade allows me to have bluetooth and also Intel Wireless Display capabilities. The 8GB RAM makes this machine run so fast that most programs simply pop open immediately.
Just found out that upgrading to 8GB is a MUST!! It improved Windows experience score from 4.4 to 5.9, and significantly sped up the graphics! 3DMark06 went from 3200 to 4600 by simply upgrading the RAM, looks like the Intel HD 3000 is seriously starved for memory bandwidth. It is now a competent laptop even for casual 3D games!
The Windows 7 Experience score (8GB Ram):
Overall: 5.9
Processor: 7.0
Memory: 7.4
Graphics: 5.9
Gaming graphics: 6.2
Primary hard disk: 5.9
Very impressive score for a budget 17" laptop!
Next purchase will probably be either the 5300MAH (VGP-BPS26) or 7950MAH (VGP-BPL26) battery - can't decide which one though. The 5300MAH is small and light, same size as the original battery. The 7950MAH will last 10 hours and lift the laptop a bit for better cooling and typing angles.
Can't be happier with the purchase and looking forward to improve it even further!
---------EDIT 10/8/2011--------
Made up my mind and ordered a 7950MAH battery (VGP-BPL26)- might as well go for broke and get 10 hours battery life. This means that I will never have to bring the adapter out again, as it is truly an all day computing battery life. Can't wait to get the battery!
---------EDIT 10/16/2011--------
After using it for more than ten days, I can say that this is truly an excellent laptop with no major faults. The 7950MAH battery arrived and indeed provide more than 10 hours of battery life with light use. It lift the back of the laptop slightly for a better viewing and typing angle. Very glad to have the large battery instead of the standard version!
---------EDIT 11/9/2011---------
Having lots of fun with this powerhouse machine - running multiple VM on it (8G RAM really helps), the OSX Mac VM is running at twice the speed of my other 2.66GHz Core2Duo Sony. Still very happy with the purchase. Have discovered a minor flaw - the green power button is a bit lose and positioned too close to the right speaker - sometimes it will rattle when you play loud music. Seems like it is just my unit and others are ok. Maybe some play-doh could fix this....
---------EDIT 11/24/2011--------
To get some extra battery life out of any laptop, try downloading Battery Care from batterycare.net, and you should see anywhere between 10-20% increase in battery life. You should check the "Disable Aero theme in battery mode" and "Pause Windows services in battery mode" to get the savings. If you don't mind having the sidebar disabled, check "Disable the Sidebar / Gadgets in battery mode" to get even more battery life. I have been using it on all my laptops and they work great.
Pro:
1. Wonderful 17.3" Sony screen - one of the best in the industry. Very bright. Lots of space to work. My work machine has a 24" full HD screen and I don't miss it.
2. Super fast second generation Core i5 2.4GHz 2430M 2.4GHz with turbo boost to 3GHz, not the much slower Core i3 and one step above the Core i5 2.3GHz 2410M you see on most lower cost sandy bridge i5 laptops
3. Very rigit chasis - no flex at all for a 17" laptop, built quality is valut like - should provide many years of reliable protection. It is the BMW/Benz of laptops.
4. Extremely low power consumption - the 4000MAH battery will easily last 4-5 hours on light use - web surfing or working on office apps. I am very impressed.
5. Lightweight for a 17.3" laptop - it is quite easy to carry it around, especially since the long battery life means you can usually leave the power adapter at home.
6. There are TWO battery upgrade options - a 5300MAH battery (VGP-BPS26) which is the same size and weight as the included battery, but will last 7 hours instead of 5 hours, and a 9 cell, slightly heavier battery which is 7950MAH (VGP-BPL26) and 10 hours battery run-time.
7. Blu-Ray drive for watching HD movies. Never get a DVD for a 17" laptop. It is just not appropriate. Believe me you will want to watch Blu Ray on this machine.
8. 4xUSB ports, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, SD/MS slots, Wireless on-off switch
9. Wondeful multi-touch touchpad with pinch to zoom and other gestures
10. Completely resist finger prints - the only place you are going to leave finger prints on this laptop would be on the screen. Sony has always been pretty good in this regard.
Cons:
1. Screen resolution is 1600x900 and no option to upgrade it, but it is probably one of the best 1600x900 screens out there. The slightly lower resolution is quite acceptable actually.
2. Included battery is 4000MAH, not the 5300MAH version which is the same size and weight
3. No backlit keyboard
4. Numeric pad makes the keyboard slightly off center
5. No bluetooth and no Intel Wireless Display
6. No USB 3.0 port
7. Speakers a bit weak, crackle a bit at full volume.
Immediately upon getting this laptop, I ordered another 4GB Samsung RAM that is identical to the one that is in the laptop, and also purchased an Intel Advanced Wireless 6230 mini-PCI WiFi card to replace the original Atheros WiFi card. The WiFi card upgrade allows me to have bluetooth and also Intel Wireless Display capabilities. The 8GB RAM makes this machine run so fast that most programs simply pop open immediately.
Just found out that upgrading to 8GB is a MUST!! It improved Windows experience score from 4.4 to 5.9, and significantly sped up the graphics! 3DMark06 went from 3200 to 4600 by simply upgrading the RAM, looks like the Intel HD 3000 is seriously starved for memory bandwidth. It is now a competent laptop even for casual 3D games!
The Windows 7 Experience score (8GB Ram):
Overall: 5.9
Processor: 7.0
Memory: 7.4
Graphics: 5.9
Gaming graphics: 6.2
Primary hard disk: 5.9
Very impressive score for a budget 17" laptop!
Next purchase will probably be either the 5300MAH (VGP-BPS26) or 7950MAH (VGP-BPL26) battery - can't decide which one though. The 5300MAH is small and light, same size as the original battery. The 7950MAH will last 10 hours and lift the laptop a bit for better cooling and typing angles.
Can't be happier with the purchase and looking forward to improve it even further!
---------EDIT 10/8/2011--------
Made up my mind and ordered a 7950MAH battery (VGP-BPL26)- might as well go for broke and get 10 hours battery life. This means that I will never have to bring the adapter out again, as it is truly an all day computing battery life. Can't wait to get the battery!
---------EDIT 10/16/2011--------
After using it for more than ten days, I can say that this is truly an excellent laptop with no major faults. The 7950MAH battery arrived and indeed provide more than 10 hours of battery life with light use. It lift the back of the laptop slightly for a better viewing and typing angle. Very glad to have the large battery instead of the standard version!
---------EDIT 11/9/2011---------
Having lots of fun with this powerhouse machine - running multiple VM on it (8G RAM really helps), the OSX Mac VM is running at twice the speed of my other 2.66GHz Core2Duo Sony. Still very happy with the purchase. Have discovered a minor flaw - the green power button is a bit lose and positioned too close to the right speaker - sometimes it will rattle when you play loud music. Seems like it is just my unit and others are ok. Maybe some play-doh could fix this....
---------EDIT 11/24/2011--------
To get some extra battery life out of any laptop, try downloading Battery Care from batterycare.net, and you should see anywhere between 10-20% increase in battery life. You should check the "Disable Aero theme in battery mode" and "Pause Windows services in battery mode" to get the savings. If you don't mind having the sidebar disabled, check "Disable the Sidebar / Gadgets in battery mode" to get even more battery life. I have been using it on all my laptops and they work great.
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
Very very nice laptop, no complaints.
- True desktop replacement.
- The design and looks are great, very solid build and light to move around.
- The quality of the screen is amazing, blu-rays played flawlessly.
- Chiclet keyboard is very comfortable to type on.
- Performance is excellent for multimedia family use purposes.
- Integrated graphics card is no good for heavy graphics software like gaming but more than enough for everything else.
- It came with 4GB (4GB x 1) of ram and I replaced with 8GB (Kingston ValueRAM 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 KIT 4GB x 2) for faster multitasking and increased integrated graphics card sharing.
- Windows Experience Scores: Processor: 7.0, Memory (8GB RAM): 7.4, Graphics: 6.3, Game graphics: 6.3, Primary hard disk: 5.8
- Battery ran for 3 hours @ 2.40GHz full power no turbo boost and highest screen brightness.
- 4 usbs is great to have, we had 3 before and was always 1 short.
- 640 GB @ 5400 hard drive is more than enough space and speed.
- Speakers are good enough for a laptop. I have external speakers hooked up so I don't really use the internal ones.
- No bluetooth, no problem cause we have never used it on other laptops.
- Fans are on the quiet side.
All in all it was a perfect purchase at an incredible $599. If you don't want to spend much on an excellent family desktop replacement laptop with an amazing 17" screen you have to get this. Enjoy!
- True desktop replacement.
- The design and looks are great, very solid build and light to move around.
- The quality of the screen is amazing, blu-rays played flawlessly.
- Chiclet keyboard is very comfortable to type on.
- Performance is excellent for multimedia family use purposes.
- Integrated graphics card is no good for heavy graphics software like gaming but more than enough for everything else.
- It came with 4GB (4GB x 1) of ram and I replaced with 8GB (Kingston ValueRAM 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 KIT 4GB x 2) for faster multitasking and increased integrated graphics card sharing.
- Windows Experience Scores: Processor: 7.0, Memory (8GB RAM): 7.4, Graphics: 6.3, Game graphics: 6.3, Primary hard disk: 5.8
- Battery ran for 3 hours @ 2.40GHz full power no turbo boost and highest screen brightness.
- 4 usbs is great to have, we had 3 before and was always 1 short.
- 640 GB @ 5400 hard drive is more than enough space and speed.
- Speakers are good enough for a laptop. I have external speakers hooked up so I don't really use the internal ones.
- No bluetooth, no problem cause we have never used it on other laptops.
- Fans are on the quiet side.
All in all it was a perfect purchase at an incredible $599. If you don't want to spend much on an excellent family desktop replacement laptop with an amazing 17" screen you have to get this. Enjoy!
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
I purchased this about a week ago so I am really just getting fully into the ins and outs. I will add to this review in the next few months when I have really gotten into the nuts and bolts of the machine. I am using this as a desktop replacement, in my bedroom, so portability was never a consideration. It's actually lighter than my Dell Inspiron at about 6.5 pounds and is a snap to set up especially if you use the Windows transfer feature. It will let you use either a flash drive, USB transfer cord or even let you do it over your home network(takes a little more time). I transferred all of my old files and settings to the new machine in about an hour using a portable hard drive.
What really drew me to this particular model was the Sony name and the added bonus of an extra Blu-ray player. The Blu-ray drive uses Corel WinDVD BD software to play your discs. I put in The Twilight Zone and it loaded faster than my OPPO player, lol. I will update the review when I start playing some of the newer Java heavy discs and let you know how well it works/looks.
The first thing I recommend is upgrading the memory to 8GB from the factory shipped 4GB and here is what I purchased: Samsung MV-3T4G4 4GB DDR3 Laptop SDRAM (1333MHz PC3-10600) The machine absolutely flies and has so far updated most of the Sony shipped software through VAIO update(a nice little feature that compliments Windows update). As I stated earlier in the review, I have this in my bedroom and the network card has worked fine even about 50 feet or so away from my router and up a staircase. I have Verizon FIOS and use their router/modem combo unit which doesn't go below good/very good as far as reception.
Pros:
1)Price. Below $700(as of 12/22 right around $800 but still well worth the cost) for a Sony VAIO with these specs and a Blu-ray drive is fantastic.
2)Intel Core i5-2430M great chip and a big step up from the similar priced i3.
3)Keyboard is solid. Hard plastic around each key making it hard to slip a key my mishitting it. Seems like a minor thing but my Dell keyboard already has a key that sticks after only 6 months of use.
4)Very easy to setup and transfer your files/settings to. Memory upgrade took me about 3 minutes.
5)HDMI port making this a semi portable Blu-ray player.
6)Actual hard drive available is about 540GB which is more than enough to get you started.
7)Intel HD graphics look great online and playing movies.
Cons:
1)speakers are not good and are a bit of disappointment considering the other high end features this offers. They hardly go above about a normal level and sound really tinny. Definitely buy some desktop mini speakers to go along with this machine. Especially if you are going to watch movies or videos.
2)Weight is fairly light but I think it kind of makes the computer feel kind of "cheap". In other words I would not use this as a portable(yeah, I know who uses a 17" one as a portable anyway, lol). It also slides really easily unless you have it on a solid flat surface.
3)No USB 3 port which is also a disappointment but does have that HDMI port along with 4 USB 2 ports.
I want to wrap this up by saying how much I recommend this computer and my only caveats being you must invest in the extra memory($28) and do yourself a big favor and buy some nice speakers.
Edit 12/3:
1)I forgot to mention this comes with the limited versions of Word and Excel which is great for me because most of my business documents are in the Word and Excel formats. With my other laptops, I have had to shell out an extra $100 for the Office upgrade.
2)Hooked up a a couple of desktop speakers with a subwoofer and the sound is fantastic listening to music, watching movies, or even viewing YouTube. Please make sure you do the same because the sound is really weak.
3)One of the others things I have noticed is how quiet this computer is. My old HP would wake the dead every time the fan came on. This Sony also seems to stay really cool and I even had it on for a couple of days in a row when I was downloading some huge files.
4) As I mentioned up top please make sure you keep this on a level surface because if not it will slide all over the place. The plastic shell is real slippery and I almost pushed it off my nightstand trying to open it one morning. I had it on some large books(which has never been a problem with any of my other laptops) to raise it a little higher.
Edit 12/23:
1)I put in the director's cut of "The Expendables" and it loaded in about 45 seconds and played without a hitch. I have played a lot of DVDs and Blu-rays and this is a better player than the one I use in my family room.
2)Again the machine is so quiet I never can tell if it is even on. I sometimes download big files and leave it on next to my bed and it is noise free. The fan is working but you would never know it's even on. The computer seems to stay really cool even after 2 or 3 days without shutting down.
3)The only negative, besides the speakers, I have found is the touch pad. Truth be told I use a mouse 90% of the time but I find the touch pad to be a little "clunky". The scroll feature clicks on if you go anywhere near the sides and bottom of the pad. The scroll feature(side to side and up and down) is nice but sometimes works a little too well.
Edit 1/10:
1)Another minor complaint, someone mentioned in another review, about not being able to open the cover with less than two hands. I know it's kind of a silly point but it's a pain trying to get this open if you are busy doing something else with one of your hands.
2)Have not run into any problems and will probably not update again until I do or have something better to add. I have owned Dells, HPs, and a few other laptops/desktop replacements and without a doubt this is the best machine I've had. Really my only serious problem with this computer are the terrible speakers(might be the worst I have listened to). All other complaints are just a heads up to people to help make their decision but really don't bring down the rating in my eyes..
What really drew me to this particular model was the Sony name and the added bonus of an extra Blu-ray player. The Blu-ray drive uses Corel WinDVD BD software to play your discs. I put in The Twilight Zone and it loaded faster than my OPPO player, lol. I will update the review when I start playing some of the newer Java heavy discs and let you know how well it works/looks.
The first thing I recommend is upgrading the memory to 8GB from the factory shipped 4GB and here is what I purchased: Samsung MV-3T4G4 4GB DDR3 Laptop SDRAM (1333MHz PC3-10600) The machine absolutely flies and has so far updated most of the Sony shipped software through VAIO update(a nice little feature that compliments Windows update). As I stated earlier in the review, I have this in my bedroom and the network card has worked fine even about 50 feet or so away from my router and up a staircase. I have Verizon FIOS and use their router/modem combo unit which doesn't go below good/very good as far as reception.
Pros:
1)Price. Below $700(as of 12/22 right around $800 but still well worth the cost) for a Sony VAIO with these specs and a Blu-ray drive is fantastic.
2)Intel Core i5-2430M great chip and a big step up from the similar priced i3.
3)Keyboard is solid. Hard plastic around each key making it hard to slip a key my mishitting it. Seems like a minor thing but my Dell keyboard already has a key that sticks after only 6 months of use.
4)Very easy to setup and transfer your files/settings to. Memory upgrade took me about 3 minutes.
5)HDMI port making this a semi portable Blu-ray player.
6)Actual hard drive available is about 540GB which is more than enough to get you started.
7)Intel HD graphics look great online and playing movies.
Cons:
1)speakers are not good and are a bit of disappointment considering the other high end features this offers. They hardly go above about a normal level and sound really tinny. Definitely buy some desktop mini speakers to go along with this machine. Especially if you are going to watch movies or videos.
2)Weight is fairly light but I think it kind of makes the computer feel kind of "cheap". In other words I would not use this as a portable(yeah, I know who uses a 17" one as a portable anyway, lol). It also slides really easily unless you have it on a solid flat surface.
3)No USB 3 port which is also a disappointment but does have that HDMI port along with 4 USB 2 ports.
I want to wrap this up by saying how much I recommend this computer and my only caveats being you must invest in the extra memory($28) and do yourself a big favor and buy some nice speakers.
Edit 12/3:
1)I forgot to mention this comes with the limited versions of Word and Excel which is great for me because most of my business documents are in the Word and Excel formats. With my other laptops, I have had to shell out an extra $100 for the Office upgrade.
2)Hooked up a a couple of desktop speakers with a subwoofer and the sound is fantastic listening to music, watching movies, or even viewing YouTube. Please make sure you do the same because the sound is really weak.
3)One of the others things I have noticed is how quiet this computer is. My old HP would wake the dead every time the fan came on. This Sony also seems to stay really cool and I even had it on for a couple of days in a row when I was downloading some huge files.
4) As I mentioned up top please make sure you keep this on a level surface because if not it will slide all over the place. The plastic shell is real slippery and I almost pushed it off my nightstand trying to open it one morning. I had it on some large books(which has never been a problem with any of my other laptops) to raise it a little higher.
Edit 12/23:
1)I put in the director's cut of "The Expendables" and it loaded in about 45 seconds and played without a hitch. I have played a lot of DVDs and Blu-rays and this is a better player than the one I use in my family room.
2)Again the machine is so quiet I never can tell if it is even on. I sometimes download big files and leave it on next to my bed and it is noise free. The fan is working but you would never know it's even on. The computer seems to stay really cool even after 2 or 3 days without shutting down.
3)The only negative, besides the speakers, I have found is the touch pad. Truth be told I use a mouse 90% of the time but I find the touch pad to be a little "clunky". The scroll feature clicks on if you go anywhere near the sides and bottom of the pad. The scroll feature(side to side and up and down) is nice but sometimes works a little too well.
Edit 1/10:
1)Another minor complaint, someone mentioned in another review, about not being able to open the cover with less than two hands. I know it's kind of a silly point but it's a pain trying to get this open if you are busy doing something else with one of your hands.
2)Have not run into any problems and will probably not update again until I do or have something better to add. I have owned Dells, HPs, and a few other laptops/desktop replacements and without a doubt this is the best machine I've had. Really my only serious problem with this computer are the terrible speakers(might be the worst I have listened to). All other complaints are just a heads up to people to help make their decision but really don't bring down the rating in my eyes..
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Highly recommended desktop replacement
I looked for months, and read every review on this product here, before I jumped in. After using this laptop for a few weeks, for hours each day, I'm ready to leave my... Read more
Published 2 days ago by Prime junkie
Sony VAIO
This laptop is an excellent laptop that has great picture quality and it plays movies that are in Region A and B from the laptop to your very own hdtv with an hdmi cable
Published 19 days ago by Daniel Zaloshinsky
Great Laptop
This Laptop has been very useful! It has a great screen. The blue ray player is great! Never watch a regular DVD on this machine! Great for game playing. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Dsmith
sony vaio vpcj28fx/b 17.3 inch
Best computer ever! I'm happy with my Vaio. LED Backlight ehhhhhhhhh! 17.3 screen ehhhhhh! i5 processor ahhhhhh. I won't say more...... the best pc ever.
Published 1 month ago by elipto
A few hiccups but otherwise great.
I really like this little (well I suppose "big") laptop. It doesn't feel huge because it's so light but the screen size is amazing for the price. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Elizabeth Kapatos
Great laptop!
I got this laptop today and I am enjoying it so far! Blu-rays plays great but problem is that every time I eject the button from the computer, the Blu-Ray drive does not go out all... Read more
Published 3 months ago by John Lindsey
Big Beautiful Screen
This Sony replaces a 6 year old 14" Sony. The VPCEJ28FX/B was easy to set up and to use. I really appreciate the larger screen, plus the Windows 7 operating system is a pleasure... Read more
Published 4 months ago by M. Felman
Battery Life Sucks
The laptop is nice. Seems to move pretty good. However, the battery life keeps draining in less than an hour. We charged it completely then used it until it died. Read more
Published 4 months ago by roseheart
sturdy good performer nice features
well built sony as allways quite heavy but quality usually is runs games no problem and i havent seen it struggle yet if your looking for a good desktop replacement its a good bet... Read more
Published 4 months ago by John gracey
Fast shipping
I was nervous ording a computer online but decided to give it a try. It was exactly what I ordered and I recieved it super fast. Read more
Published 4 months ago by A. Easter
Related Items
- Most Popular
- Service & Replacement Plans
- Computer Memory
- Laptop & Netbook Computer Bags & Cases
- Computer Mice
- Software
- Computer Warranties & Services
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
