Sony VAIO VGN-SZ430N/B 13.3" Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2 GHz Processor, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, DVD RW Drive, Vista Business)

by Sony

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 12.5 x 1.5 inches ; 4.1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000M5ZGI4
• Item model number: VGN-SZ430N/B
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 27, 2007

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The sleekly designed, lightweight Sony VAIO VGN-SZ430N/B notebook PC delivers intelligent mobile design while placing a priority on usability and performance. Coolly contemporary, it has a magnesium coated, silvery gray case and a light 4.1-pound weight. Sony's VAIO SZ notebooks also take security seriously, employing a biometric fingerprint sensor and proprietary hard disk drive protection software to ensure your data is protected from unauthorized use as well as accidental damage. It also stores passwords to secure web sites you visit, so authentication and access are quick and easy--you only need your fingerprint.

It's powered by the 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 processor, which offers a 20 percent performance boost over its predecessor while using 28 percent less power--so you get the benefit of a powerful dual-core PC plus all the benefits of mobility. It also offers the revolutionary Hybrid Graphics System lets toggle between internal and external graphics chips, enabling you to choose lighter battery consumption or better performance depending on the situation. The integrated tri-mode 802.11 a/b/g wireless LAN enables wireless connectivity on the fly, while the integrated wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) technology (with includes Cingular SIM card) helps keep you connected and productive when away from your workstation. Other features include a 160 GB Serial ATA hard drive, 2 GB of installed RAM (maxing out capacity), Bluetooth wireless capability, long battery life (up to 4 hours with included standard battery), an ExpressCard/34 slot, a multi-format memory card reader, and an integrated camera with a microphone for easy video chatting over VoIP connections.

This laptop also comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista Business, which has a new user interface, named Windows Aero, that makes it easy to navigate through the operating system and from application to application. For instance, Windows Aero helps you juggle multiple tasks at once by providing a three-dimensional, real-time, animated view of all your open applications and documents. Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, and offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

The Basics

• Processor: The Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 processor has a 2.0 GHz processor speed, super-fast 667 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and an enormous 4 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

  The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized for multitasking and is ready to support the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. It can simultaneously run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background. Some of the advanced Intel innovations of the Core 2 Duo processor include:

  • Smart Memory Access: Improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth to provide data to the processor when and where it is needed.
  • Advanced Digital Media Boost: Effectively doubles the execution speed for instructions used widely in multimedia and graphics applications.
  • Dynamic Power Coordination: Coordinates Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology and idle power-management state (C-states) transitions independently per core to help save power.
  • Deeper Sleep with Dynamic Cache Sizing: Saves power by flushing cache data to system memory during periods of inactivity to lower CPU voltage.
• Hard Drive: The 160 GB hard drive (5400 RPM) offers enough to room to hold a digital audio library of over 26,000 songs and still have room left over for movies, games, and a large collection of software. This Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and USB 2.0.

  The G-Sensor Shock Protection feature makes your data even less vulnerable to loss or damage. When the built-in 3-D acceleration sensor detects a risky movement like being dropped, the HDD-head will lock up to secure its position and protect the disc from scratching. An intelligent algorithm, unique to VAIO PCs, judges whether or not a movement is risky, activating disk drive protection only when your hardware is at risk.
  

• Memory: The 2 GB of built-in memory (PC4200, 533 MHz, DDR2 SDRAM, 2 x 1 GB) maximizes the capacity for this machine, enabling you to effortlessly handle a wide variety of multimedia tasks right out of the box.
  
• DVD/CD Drive: The double-layer DVD drive is compatible with a wide range of formats, including both DVD+RW and DVD-RW discs, CD-RW discs, and dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can hold up to 8.5 GB of data--great for backing up your MP3 collection or your most important documents. It features the following speeds: 4x for DVD+R DL, 4x for DVD-R DL, 8x for both single layer DVD+R/-R, 8x for single layer DVD+RW, 6x for single layer DVD-RW, and 24x/16x for CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x and CD-ROMs at 24x.
  
• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 86-key keyboard (3mm stroke and 19.05mm pitch) and electro-static two-button touchpad.

Screen, Video & Audio
This notebook has a 13.3-inch LCD screen with anti-reflective coating has a widescreen 1280 x 800-pixel resolution. This XBRITE LCD provides higher brightness levels than standard displays, resulting in deeper blacks, brighter whites, true-to-life color, and razor-sharp detail. This notebook uses Sony's exclusive Hybrid Graphics System, which lets you set your graphics performance with a simple flick of a switch, enabling you to toggle between an internal graphics chip for optimal power consumption with excellent performance or an external graphics chip for even more robust performance. You can choose either the integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 (with up to 224 MB of dynamically shared video RAM) and the installed NVidia GeForce Go 7400 graphics card (with up to 33 MB of shared video RAM).

Nvidia's TurboCache feature increases the performance of this thin and light notebook PC without increasing its size or draining its battery. It's coupled with the PowerMizer 6.0 advanced power management technology, which significantly extends your notebook PC's battery life while minimizing the amount of heat it produces.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
The Intel PRO wireless LAN 3945ABG provides a tri-mode network connection (supporting 802.11a/b/g), with throughput up to 54 Mbps at 5 GHz (802.11a) and 2.4 GHz (802.11g). The Bluetooth wireless connectivity enables you to synchronize and transfer files between the PC and peripherals such as cell phones and PDAs as well as use Bluetooth-enabled headsets for online audio chats. And with the wireless WAN, you can access the Cingular Wireless national EDGE network to extend your wireless coverage beyond LAN access networks and hotspots, giving you the freedom to go farther, do more, and stay connected.

A WWAN uses long-range wireless connections -- the same networks as cellular phones -- to provide access across a large geographic area. In comparison, a WLAN (wireless LAN) covers only one or more buildings located close together. On a WWAN, you connect to your carrier's data network (Cingular, for this laptop) instead of plugging into a phone jack and dialing into your ISP. Each mobile device communicates with the public carrier's base station, providing coverage across entire states, regions, and countries via cell phone towers.

This notebook includes a next-generation ExpressCard/34 card slot (in addition to a traditional PCMCIA slot), which lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features. comes with a basic selection of connectivity options, including:

• 2 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 VGA monitor port
• 1 ExpressCard/34 slot
• 1 PCMCIA (Type II/Type I) card slot with CardBus support
• 1 port replicator connector
• 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
• 5-in-1 memory card adapter (compatible with Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Secure Digital, MultiMedia, and XD formats; also supports Memory Stick DUO with MagicGate functionality)
  It also has 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).

  Operating System
  The Windows Vista Business operating system is designed to meet the needs of business organizations of all sizes. For small businesses, Windows Vista Business will help keep PCs running smoothly and more securely so you will be less reliant on dedicated IT support. For larger organizations, Windows Vista Business provides dramatic new infrastructure improvements, enabling your IT staff to spend less time focused on the day-to-day maintenance of PCs. An array of sophisticated new backup technologies helps protect your information even in the event of a catastrophic hardware failure. And Windows Vista Business has a new user interface, named Windows Aero, which is designed to deliver new levels of efficiency for any business user. This new interface makes it easy to navigate through the operating system and from application to application. For instance, Windows Aero helps you juggle multiple tasks at once by providing a three-dimensional, real-time, animated view of all your open applications and documents.

  Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.

  Preloaded Software
  Includes Sony Click to DVD (for easy DVD creation), Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office 2007 Student and Teacher Edition (60-day trial), Symantec Norton Internet Security 2007 (with 60 days of Live Update).

  Dimensions & Weight
  This notebook measures 12.5 by 1.5 by 9.3 inches (WxHxD) and weighs approximately 4.1 pounds with the standard battery (included).

  Power
  It's powered by the VGP-BPS2C rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of between 2.5 and 4 hours (depending on usage).

  What's in the Box
  This package contains the VGN-SZ430N/B notebook PC, Cingular SIM card, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, memory card adapter (VGP-MCA20), AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty, and Sony offers 1-year of toll-free telephone technical assistance.

Product Description

The VAIO SZ Notebook makes a powerful impression. This sleek, contemporary notebook with its magnesium or carbon fiber coating and aluminum finish on the palm rest is elegant yet durable, fashionable yet functional.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best laptop out there--period, March 24, 2007

By 

A. Barkaloff "abarkalo" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VAIO VGN-SZ430N/B 13.3" Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2 GHz Processor, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, DVD RW Drive, Vista Business) (Personal Computers)

I wanted to buy a Vista laptop, so I tried a number of diffKensington 72414 PilotMouse Bluetooth Mini Mouse (PC/Mac)

First, there's design. VAIOs have always been stylish. So much in fact that they make a statement. When I go into an office and everyone has those boring black laptops they look at me and get jealous when I pull out the SZ VAIO. For traveling around, you can't get a four pound laptop with a 13.3" widescreen LCD anywhere. You can get a smaller laptop or a much heaver one (6 pounds) that may a bit bulky. But if you want to travel around and not have your laptop crushed on a aircraft due to a reclining seat in front of you--or hurt your eyes from those 10" screens--this is the best form factor.

In terms of performance, I have been working on a 10Mb Powerpoint, Adobe Photoshop with a number of picture documents, and Visio, along with Outlook and listening to music on Rhapsody--and this little, powerful machine was not bogged down at all. My previous laptops would have choked. This Intel Duo Core with 2Gb of RAM makes the portable mobile office much more of a reality. 160Gb of storage means desktop power.

Wifi, WWAN (Cingular), Bluetooth--superb. I don't use the WWAN part (nor am I going to pay Cingular $80/month--but maybe this will come down in price) but the Wifi works very well (as it should) and Bluetooth is great with this (get the Kensignton Bluetooth mouse--you will love it with this laptop)

In terms of battery life, this part is maybe not a full five stars. I am getting three hours, here and there, on a standard battery. You really must order the extended life battery. But the other laptops that I tried didn't do any better.

As far as anyone writing that Windows Vista is unstable, I did experience some very unstable situations with the following software: Corel Paint Shop Pro X (version XI fixed the problems) and most importantly DO NOT install Paperport 11 or any version before that. IT WILL RUIN VISTA. Make sure the software you installed was made for Vista or is Vista-certified or Google the name of the software and Vista before you install. Without the bugs introduced by the above software, you will have a fantastic computing experience that will blow away XP and get you into Mac experience territory.

If there is any gripe (and Sony, you should be reading this) is that the AC adapter is bordering on being brick-like. In the past, Sony laptops always used to have the slim adapters and this was a perfectly light package to travel with. Now they sell the super-slim "stick" adapters aftermarket (but you can't get them yet--backordered for a month or two) or you lug the brick around. This is similar to Mercedes selling a super-slicked car and bald tires, not Pirellis. You are buying a high class device here, so Sony should make the nice accessories standard.

Taking the Mercedes analogy further, imagine if you bought the car and you had to peel off all the Coke and Pepsi and Samsonite and whatever other advertising stickers. You opened the hood of the car and there are samples of oil and air filers and other stuff you have to remove before the car can run--and it takes you an hour. No, Mercedes automobiles are sleek and minimalist. The problem is with the PC industry in general. They want us to use all this junk and instead they give us a frustrating time of having to remove the software and stickers and peel away and get oils and varnishes just to get the clean, streamlined look that should come out of the box. Everyone is guilty, and Sony is not better or worse, but as "elite" equipment they should know better. They should give you the option to selectively install at the beginning since some of the software is really very nice (Paint Shop Pro XI) and others (AOL, Norton Internet Security--I use other antivirus, firewall software that is more efficient, battery conservative and faster). But hey, it took me a total of 30-45 minutes to get the software I didn't want out of the system--while I was doing other stuff.

But getting back to likes, this space-age looking equipment is really worth the extra bucks. Get it, clean it, customize it and avoid software that will wreck Vista.

All in all, however, I am very happy with the laptop and would definitely recommend.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disppointed by Sony, March 23, 2007

By 

AKA "Computer Geek" (Palo Alto, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony VAIO VGN-SZ430N/B 13.3" Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2 GHz Processor, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, DVD RW Drive, Vista Business) (Personal Computers)

I bought this Sony Notebook on Amazon.com after lot of online study of different makes and models. The specifications for Sony VGN-SZ430 N/B appeared great on paper / online. Amazon delivered it on time. But I am totally disappointed by ony after using it for about a month. Following are main drawbacks:

1. The laptop becomes hot very quickly and you can not keep it in your lap for long.

2. It is very slow though it boasts a Dual Core 2 Intel processor T7200. I think it is due to lots of pre-installed programs on trial basis (for 60 days)

3. The Windows Vista Business, pre-installed on the laptop crashes often. I would say it is an unstable operating system.

4. The battery life is just about 1.5 hours.

5. The built-in-camera picture quality is poor.

6. The cooling fan is very noisy. I have owned other laptops with practicaly no noise.

7. The customer support is poor. It takes about 40 minutes of waiting to reach a level 2 support

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sony Vaio SZ430N, March 6, 2007

By 

P. M. Musial (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VAIO VGN-SZ430N/B 13.3" Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2 GHz Processor, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, DVD RW Drive, Vista Business) (Personal Computers)

I am on my third laptop, where the first two were Dell machines. Each a very good machine and a capable replacement of a desktop machine. However, this time I was looking for something as powerful and light weight. After doing plenty of research SZ430N came up as a winner in my eyes. Simple examination of pictures and spec can give me plenty of good information but there is nothing like seeing and touching the product. Hence, I was a bit nervous when clicking on the "buy" button for an item over $2K. However, once it arrived and I started to use it, all of my prior concerns went away. This machine is absolutely perfect. A nice and crisp screen gives ample working area. The dual processor is fast and responsive. The fan is quiet. The keyboard is large and feels very comfortable to wright. Most importantly it is only 4lbs :D

To be clear, I don't play games but do use it for work that is, programming, presentations, and editing text files. This must be very boring job for this machine, and I am sure that it can do much much more.

Drawbacks. Surprisingly this machine comes with a lot of useless software installed! I am very disappointed. It even came with 4 moves that need to be unlocked for a price!! (Each movie is over a gig.) For this price a company that takes part in production of movies, could afford to put few free moves. Of course the "cancer" AOL software was setup. Other free-trail things are installed as well. For a person who is not very comfortable with uninstalling programs this could be an waste of space and affect overall satisfaction with this very nice product.