Sony VAIO VGC-RA840G Desktop PC (Intel Pentium Processor 820 (Dual-Core), 1 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, Dbl Layer DVD+R/DVD +/-RW Drives)

by Sony

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 15.6 x 15.3 x 7.4 inches ; 34.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 63.8 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0009HWVME
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 12, 2005

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Sony VAIO VGC-RA840G Digital Studio PC provides the multimedia muscle for your next-generation A/V entertainment demands. Edit high-definition camcorder video, master your own music recordings, and turn your home movies into high-quality DVDs. The Intel Pentium D dual-core processor delivers robust performance for running multiple, demanding applications simultaneously. You can also watch and record all of your favorite shows with Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, enhanced by Sony's Giga Pocket engine. The VGC-RA840G features an extra large 250 GB hard drive, 1 GB of installed RAM (2 GB maximum), a multiformat, dual-layer DVD/CD burner, multimedia memory card reader, and a wealth of preinstalled Sony multimedia software.

It also features Sony's revolutionary liquid-cooling system and advanced noise-reduction technology, ensuring premier performance without the heat or noise of traditional PC designs and cooling fans. A unique liquid-flow heat pipe draws heat away from the processor, while air-intake from the desktop tower's mid-section maximizes air flow and optimizes Acoustics. The result: cool, quiet and reliable performance.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The extra-large 250 GB Serial ATA hard drive (7200 RPM) offers a wealth of storage space, perfect for storing a vast multimedia collection or for editing digital video.
• Processor: The 2.8 GHz Intel Pentium D 820 dual-core processor is one of the strongest processors currently available (as of May 2005). The next generation in PC computing performance and power, dual-core processors can easily handle demanding multitasking multimedia needs, from high-end video editing to the most processor-intensive immersive 3D game. Each core has 1MB of L2 cache onboard (for a 2 MB total), and the two cores share an 800MHz front-side bus.
• Memory: The 1 GB of installed RAM is quite speedy (PC2-4200, 533MHz), but you'll want to maximize the 2 GB available total (which is a bit small considering the horsepower of this PC).
• CD/DVD Drive: Offering the latest in DVD writing technology, the VGC-RA840G multiformat DVD/CD drive is compatible with both DVD+ and DVD- disc formats as well as dual-layer (DL) DVD+R discs, which can store up to 8.5 GB of data. It features 16x DVD+R/-R, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 6x DVD+R DL, 16x DVD-ROM, 40x CDR, 24x CD-RW, and 40x CD-ROM ROM speeds. This desktop also has an additional 16x DVD-ROM drive.
• Keyboard & Mouse: This desktop comes with an infrared wireless keyboard and wireless optical mouse.

Screen, Graphics and Sound
The ATI Radeon X300 SE is a strong performer, powerful enough to run one large virtual screen across two displays. It features 128 MB of dedicated video RAM, S-Video and the higher-fidelity DVI connections out, and PCI Express x16 support, which enables graphics to process faster. It also features the integrated Intel High Definition audio chip (Azalia), featuring THX certification and 8 channels for full Dolby 5.1/6.1/7.2 surround sound with Dolby Pro Logic IIx.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The VGC-RA840G has three PCI expansion slots (all occupied), two external 5.25 drive bays (occupied), 1 external 3.5 drive bay (occupied), 3 internal 3.5 drive bay (2 occupied), one HP Personal Media Drive bay (available), two standard PCI slots (one available), one PCI x16 Express slot (occupied), and the following external ports:

• 7 USB 2.0 ports (4 in rear, 3 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 front and 1 back) ports for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 2 PS/2 ports for connecting keyboards and mice
• 1 VGA monitor port
• Composite video, S-Video, and audio inputs
• Multiformat memory card reader on the front, compatible with CompactFlash (Type I and II), MicroDrive, SmartMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro/Duo, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital, and XD Picture Card

It includes an 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 2005 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. Record and watch your TV programs with the Personal Video Recorder (PVR) powered by Giga Pocket Engine, which makes it easy and convenient to record upcoming programs and entire series via on-screen program listings and navigation. Create a digital library for personal viewing whenever you want to watch.

It also comes loaded with a bevy of Sony multimedia software: Click to DVD (DVD creation), PictureGear Studio (digital photo), SonicStage (digital music), SonicStage Mastering Studio (audio mastering/remastering), Vaio Media (network file sharing), and DVgate Plus (digital video). Other preloaded software includes Adobe Premiere, Adobe Photoshop Album, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Microsoft Works 8.0, Quicken 2005 New User Edition, Intervideo WinDVD, Sonic RecordNow, Norton Internet Security (with 90-day subscription), and Intermute SpySubtract (with 30-day subscription).

Dimensions and Weight
This desktop measures 7.4 x 15.6 x 15.3 inches (WxHxD).

What's in the Box
This package includes the VGS-RA840G Digital Studio desktop PC, surround sound speakers, IR remote control, IR blaster, keyboard, mouse, and power cord. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty.

Product Description

Includes: PS/2 keyboard, PS/2 mouse, 5.1 channel speakers, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, & more. Sony VGC-RA840G VAIO(R) Desktop PC - This desktop computer features the latest advancement in processor technology. The Intel Pentium D. What makes this processor amazing, is that it has two processor cores inside. So it's like having two CPUs in one! This desktop also features the ability to view and record television and movies, play some of the latest in 3D games, burn DVD movies, and much more! 1GB of 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM 2 RAM Slots (0 available) 250GB SATA HDD Double Layer DVD Writer - supports Double Layer DVD+R, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, & CD-R/RW media DVD-ROM Drive Giga Pocket MPEG2 Encoder board with TV tuner ATI Radeon X300 graphics card with 128MB of RAM Built-in Memory Card Reader - Memory Stick, Compact Flash Type I/II, Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), & xD Picture Card 3.5 1.44MB Floppy Disk Drive Ports - 10/100 Ethernet, DVI-D, VGA, S-Video, USB Unit Weight - 34.17 lbs.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So Far So Good, January 14, 2006

By 

Rick E. Ruge "Read The Reviews" (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VAIO VGC-RA840G Desktop PC (Intel Pentium Processor 820 (Dual-Core), 1 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, Dbl Layer DVD+R/DVD +/-RW Drives) (Personal Computers)

Purchased 1 month ago as a floor model. Saved $200 over lowest price on internet. I'm a photographer and nothing that I run seems to bother it. It's very stabile, even though I don't have much expierence with XP/MCE. This is my first Sony, usually buying Dell or Compaq in the past. The minute it causes problems, you will be the first to know. Buy it. The features are incredible and it currently seems to be crash proof.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sony support is awesome!, August 16, 2006

By 

Lena975 "Book Fairy" (Sacramento, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony VAIO VGC-RA840G Desktop PC (Intel Pentium Processor 820 (Dual-Core), 1 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, Dbl Layer DVD+R/DVD +/-RW Drives) (Personal Computers)

I have had my Sony for over a year now and I love it. It's very user friendly. My Sony crashed a year ago today. I lost everything on the computer and quickly took my computer in to Circuit City as that's where I bought it and they told me that the harddrive had crashed. Then I called Sony support to see what my options were as it was still under warranty. They walked me though steps to try to fix the computer, which didn't work and then decided that I needed to reformat my harddrive and overnighted me the disks to get that taken care of. I received the disks the very next morning and of course, that didn't work either so I called them again, wierd thing is I got the exact same person I spoke with the day before! He remembered me and said he would send a tech out ASAP to look at my PC and replace what was needed. Tech dude came out and decided I needed to have my motherboard replaced as well as my hardrive, came back a couple of days later and the computer worked! I was so happy, then it crashed again about 5 min later. I again called Sony, and again, I got the exact same guy I originally spoke with! Told him what happened and he then said that my next option was to send it in, of course, like everyone else I was worried about cost, he told me not to worry about it that they were going to overnight me a empty box so that it could overnighted back to them, at no cost to me! It took them a week to take care of everything with my PC and overnight it back to me but I have had no problems since. Circuit City thinks, as I do too, that the computer was hacked into (I already knew that before it crashed) and it just killed everything in there, everything inside my computer was replaced except my disk drives. I have had no problems since so would I recommend a Sony to other people? Absolutely! Great customer service, great support, very speedy and I have had no problems at all since the crash/replacements.

3.0 out of 5 stars Review on the specs, June 18, 2009

By 

Quan Nguyen "vaio" (ca usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VAIO VGC-RA840G Desktop PC (Intel Pentium Processor 820 (Dual-Core), 1 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, Dbl Layer DVD+R/DVD +/-RW Drives) (Personal Computers)

Why does the top part saying this comp has 2gb RAM max, while the Specs below saying 4gb RAM max? Which one is correct?