Sony VAIO VGC-RA810G Desktop PC (550 3.40E GHz Pentium 4 (Hyper-Threading), 1.0 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD+/-RW/DVD Drive, DVD-ROM Drive)

by Sony

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 58 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00029YV9U
• Item model number: VGC-RA810G
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 14, 2004

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Sony's new RA Series of multimedia desktop PCs combine the style and attraction of VAIO with new and unique next-generation features. With an i915P Grantsdale chipset, x16 PCI Express for graphics, and four serial-ATA ports, the RA Series is equipped for a hardware challenge. The stylishly black VGC-RA810G comes complete with a variety of Sony digital media software that makes it easy to burn your home movies and digital audio collections to disc. It also comes preloaded with Sony's GigaPocket software, which enables you to watch and record TV programs right on your PC. Other features include a dual layer DVD+RW drive, massive 250 GB hard drive, a whopping 1 GB of installed RAM, and a 3.40E GHz hyper-threaded Pentium 4 processor. For a step down in price, the VGC-RA710G has the same 250 GB hard drive, but saves you money with 512 MB of installed RAM and a slightly slower 3.2 GHz hyper-threaded Pentium 4 processor.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The included 250 GB Serial ATA/100 hard drive (7200 RPM) is one of the largest installed drives found on the PC market. It will provide more than enough space to store your favorite TV shows as well as room for recording old VHS tapes.
• Processor: The 3.40E GHz Pentium 4 processor (newly labeled as the "550" by Intel) with Hyper-Threading technology (which allows a single CPU system to behave in some aspects like a dual-CPU system) is one of the fastest processors currently available on the market. It's based on Intel's next generation 90 nm process technology, which delivers faster transistors and increases performance. It also has a 1 MB L2 cache and a fast 800 MHz front-side bus speed.

  A Hyper-Threading processor helps a PC to run multiple demanding applications at the same time. This technology enables the processor to execute two threads (a part of a program) in parallel, boosting performance during key high-drain procedures. This results in more efficient software performance (such as faster reaction times in gaming applications) and enhanced multitasking.

• Memory: The 1 GB of built-in memory (PC-3200 400MHz DDR SDRAM) will enable you to handle a variety of processor-intensive video programs and editing work. It has two memory slots in total, with a maximum memory expansion up to 2 GB (2 x 1 GB).
• CD/DVD Drive: It comes with two optical drives: a double layer DVD+RW and single layer DVD+/-RW combo drive and a 16x DVD-ROM for playing music and movie discs. With double layer DVD+RW discs, you get up to 8.5GB of storage capacity--enough for 4 hours of high-quality MPEG-2 video. The combo drive offers 8x write, 4x rewrite, and 8x read speeds for single layer +R/RW and -R/RW discs and a 40x write/read and 24x rewrite speed for CD-R/RW discs. You get 2.4x write speeds for double layer DVD+R discs.
• Keyboard & Mouse: It comes with a Sony Vaio keyboard and optical mouse (with PS/2 connector).

Sound and Graphics
The ATI Radeon X600 XT video/graphics card offers up to twice the performance of any previous Radeon card, and includes the following features:

• SMARTSHADER 2.0 defines a higher level of image realism for you
• SMOOTHVISION 2.1 smoothes uneven edges and improves blurred images
• HYPER Z III conserves video memory bandwidth for improved performance in demanding and applications and 3D games

You'll get ensure striking picture clarity, visual detail and contour fluency thanks to the 128 MB video memory. The PCV-RA810G also includes the built-in Intel High Definition Audio card.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
You get excellent range of connectivity options befitting the multimedia tasks associated with the PCV-RA810G, such as three PCI expansion slots (two available), one 8x AGP (accelerated graphics port, available) slot, two 5.25" half-height bays (both occupied), one external 3.5" bay (occupied), two internal 3.5" bays (one occupied), and the following external ports:

• 7 USB 2.0 ports (3 in front, 4 in rear) for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 2 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link; 1 4-pin in front and 1 6-pin in back) ports for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 parallel port for connecting older printers and scanners
• 2 PS/2 ports for connecting keyboards and mice
• 1 VGA monitor port
• 2 composite video/audio inputs (front and rear)
• Coaxial input (VHF/UHF)
• 2 S-Video (1 front)
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
• 1 S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) digital optical connector
• 1 line input/output

It also has a 3.5" 1.44 MB floppy disk drive, integrated 56K modem (V.90) and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems).

Preloaded System and Software
The pre-installed Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 is essentially Windows XP Professional Edition with a variety of tools to help you to create, organize, and enjoy digital media ranging from music to home movies to photo slide shows--even pause or rewind (up to 7 seconds) FM radio broadcasts. Sony's Giga Pocket built-in software converts TV signals to digital MPEG2 format and lets you watch and record TV programs right on the PCV-620G, watch while you record with the Slip Playback feature, and burn shows directly to DVD. It's also loaded with Sony's Vaio Creative suite of multimedia applications, which includes PictureGear Studio (digital photo), SonicStage (digital music), Sony MovieShaker, DVGate Plus (digital video), VAIO Media (network file sharing), and Click to DVD (for burning DVD discs). Other preloaded titles include a 60-day trial of Microsoft Office, Adobe Premiere, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0, Quicken 2004, Norton Internet Security (with 90-day trial subscription), InterVideo WinDVD, and a 90-day trial of AOL.

Dimensions and Weight
This desktop PC measures 8 x 16 x 16 inches (WxHxD).

More Technical Features
The heat pipe advanced cooling system pulls heat away from the CPU, dissipating it through an exchanger, ensuring ultimate performance without the noise or hassle of alternative cooling systems. Noise reduction is at the core of the RÕs design. With impovements in the optical, hard drive, power supply and graphics card, youÕll hardly know it's on.

What's in the Box
This package contains the Sony Vaio VGC-RA810G desktop PC, IR remote control, keyboard, mouse, and set of two speakers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Don't buy -- Sony doesn't provide upgrades, November 7, 2004

By 

Richard E. Kerr Jr. (PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VAIO VGC-RA810G Desktop PC (550 3.40E GHz Pentium 4 (Hyper-Threading), 1.0 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD+/-RW/DVD Drive, DVD-ROM Drive) (Personal Computers)

I bought one of these two months ago and was so very pleased -- even though it cost just over $2000. This was the most I'd ever spent on a PC, but it was to be the great convergence of my live(s). It works as advertised, though DVD is noisy and TV not as clear as I would like, but it is my fastest experiecne ever on a PC. It records TV and video as advertised and easily converts TV and my digital-8 videos to DVD. Although the TV tuner lacks some clarity, the DVDs are great. However, I now feel like it is a pig. Sony refuses to support or provide upgrades to Media Center Edition version 2005. Since MCE is only availabe on OEM machines, there are no other upgrade options. By all accounts this is a much improved program that should be on this great hardware. Rumor is that it would fix the TV picture clarity issue. Don't buy a Sony, even if it has MCE 2005, because they won't upgrade it. A word to the wise....