Sony VAIO VGN-S560P/B 13.3" Laptop (Intel Pentium M Processor 750, 512 MB RAM, 100 GB Hard Drive, DVD+R Dbl Layer/DVD+/-RW Drive)

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Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 12.3 x 1.4 inches ; 4.3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000AXVNJY
• Item model number: VGN-S560P/B
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,814 in Computer & Accessories (See Bestsellers in Computer & Accessories)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 24, 2005

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

"Amazingly slim and light, superbly stylish, and packed full of powerful productivity features, the Sony Vaio VGN-S560P is a great traveling companion, weighing just over 4 pounds. It features integrated 54g wireless connectivity and a battery-sipping Intel Centrino processor for long life while on the road. It also offers such Sony technologies as the sharp XBRITE LCD and Smart Display Sensor, which instantly adjusts resolution when you connect to a display or projector. It also features an 100 GB hard drive, 512 MB of installed RAM (2 GB maximum), an Nvidia GeForce Go video card with 128 MB of video RAM, DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive, and Windows XP Home Edition (Service Pack 2).

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The 100 GB hard drive (5400 RPM) is a above average in size for notebook PCs, and its capacity is a welcome size for road warriors.
• Processor: The 1.86 GHz Pentium M 750 (Centrino) processor is in the upper-middle of the speed spectrum for this processor class (October 2005). It is well equipped for office productivity software tasks, from complex spreadsheets to databases. The Pentium M processor is designed specifically for low-power mobile usage, and it features the latest in power-saving technologies--ensuring you push your battery and productivity to the max. It also has a large 2 MB L2 cache--which will help speed up your system's performance--and a 533 MHz front-side bus (FSB).
• Memory: The 512 MB of built-in memory (1 x 512 MB, DDR SDRAM) is a good start for power users, and it offers a faster than average RAM speed (533 MHz). It has two memory slots in total, with a maximum memory expansion of 2 GB (2 x 1 GB).
• CD/DVD Drive: Offering the latest in DVD writing technology, the multiformat DVD/CD drive is compatible with both DVD+ and DVD- disc formats as well as dual-layer DVD+R discs, which can store up to 8.5 GB of data. For DVD-RW discs, it has a 4x write/2x rewrite speed, while for DVD+RW discs it has a 4x write/2.4x rewrite speed (DVDs are read at 8x). For double-layer DVD+R, it has a 2.4x write speed. For CDs, it has a 24x write/rewrite/read speed.
• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 82-key keyboard and electro-static two-button touchpad.

Screen, Graphics and Sound
The 13.3-inch WXGA LCD has a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. Video and graphics are powered by Nvidia's midrange GeForce Go 6400 GPU, which supports up to 128 MB of video RAM. It features Nvidia's TurboCache technology, which is designed to increase notebook performance without increasing the size or draining the battery. NVIDIA PureVideo technology delivers smooth HD video in all formats for superb picture clarity.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The VGN-S560P/B has an integrated Intel Pro/Wireless 2200BG 54g wireless LAN that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks. You get a basic offering of connectivity options, including both USB 2.0 and i.Link (Firewire):

• 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 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II, 32-bit)
• 1 headphone jack
• 1 microphone jack
• Memory Stick media slot, compatible with Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro

It also has an integrated 56K modem (V.90) and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Gigabit Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems).

Preloaded System and Software
This system comes with the Windows XP Professional Edition (which adds Microsoft's IIS Web server, back-up and recovery utilities, Remote Desktop, and other enhanced business features) with Service Pack 2 featuring Advanced Security Technologies, which helps to reduce unwanted downloads and pop-ups while surfing the Web. It also comes loaded with a bevy of Sony multimedia software: Click to DVD (DVD creation), PictureGear Studio (digital photo), SonicStage (digital music), Vaio Media (network file sharing), and DVgate Plus (digital video). Other preloaded software includes Quicken 2005 New User Edition, Microsoft Works 8.0 (with word processing, spreadsheet, and calendar), Norton Internet Security (with 90-day subscription), Intervideo WinDVD, Sonic RecordNow, and SpySubtract.

Dimensions and Weight
One of the lightest notebooks around, the VGN-S360P weighs just 4.3 pounds. It measures a tiny 12.3 x 8.85 x 1.39 inches (W x D x H).

Power
It's powered by a 6-cell rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of up to 3.5 hours (depending on usage).

What's in the Box
This package contains the VGN-S560P/B notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty.

Product Description

Includes: lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition with SP2, Adobe Photoshop Elements Starter Edition, Quicken 2005 New User Edition, WinDVD, Works 8.0, Office 2003 60-day trial (Small Business Edition), Roxio DigitalMedia SE, & more. Sony Vaio FS VGN-S560P/B Notebook Computer - This laptop computer combines advanced multimedia features with the tools you need for everyday computing on the road. With the 13.3" widescreen LCD, you can enjoy DVD movies the way they were meant to be seen. Or make your own DVD creations with the built-in DVD writer and included original Sony software. 100GB 5400RPM Serial ATA(TM) HDD 512MB of PC2-4200 DDR2 SDRAM (expandable up to 2GB) NVIDIA GeForce Go 6400 with TurboCache supporting 128MB of memory Double Layer DVD Writer - (write speeds) up to 2.4x Double Layer DVD+R, 4x DVD-R, 4x DVD+R, 2x DVD-RW, 2.4x DVD+RW, 24x CD-R, & 10x CD-RW Double Layer DVD Writer - (read speeds) up to 8x DVD-ROM & 24x CD-ROM 56k v.90 Data/Fax Modem Built-in Stereo Speakers Ports - 10/100 Ethernet, VGA Out, 2 USB 2.0, 4-pin Firewire, & Printer Built-in Memory Stick(R) Media Slot - supports Memory Stick, Memory Stick(R) PRO, & MagicGate(TM) media 1 PCMCIA Type I/II Card Slot with CardBus support External Color - Black

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Small Notebook, December 8, 2005

By	B. McKibben (Sammamish, WA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a university student with an eye for a good deal and advanced experience with hardware and troubleshooting. I've been looking for a good laptop for at least 6 months. I identified the Sony VAIO line as a good one from an early start, but I was disappointed that they were so expensive. I'd also had good experiences with in-store demos. These things are stylish and popular, and have the performance to back it up.

When the prices came down and there was a $250 rebate around Thanksgiving '05, I sprung for it. So far, I am VERY satisfied. It really is lightweight and stylish. Sony's use of dark and metal accents, and discreet LED indicators on the front looks modern. It's also fast and approaches the ease-of-use of a Mac (that is, it does it's best to work around my mistakes!). I'll be using this for notetaking, websurfing, e-mail, movie viewing, and light gaming. The specs make sure this will be a breeze.

So far, I've only noted two moderate downsides. First, it seems to run hotter than most laptops I've worked with, so consider a USB-powered cooling pad. And second, that its price remains high for its class unless a significant rebate is available.

2.0 out of 5 stars Beware..., December 10, 2005

By	AnthonyHS (UK) - See all my reviews

I bought a Sony VAIO laptop for £1,350 in 2003 having chosen the machine mainly for its large, high-resolution screen (16inch, 1600 x 1200) and in the belief that Sony laptops were some of the most reliable on the market. However, when the computer was just over 14 months old (not quite three months out of warranty), the keyboard failed completely, and I had to purchase an external USB keyboard to be able to continue using it. I wrote to Sony, arguing that such a major fault was unacceptable, and asked them to repair the product at their own expense. Their response was to offer me a derisory 10% discount on the cost of repairs.

Then, about a month later, the screen flickered briefly and died completely! I was left with an expensive laptop that was effectively reduced to a desktop machine that could only be used with an external keyboard and an external monitor.

So, here was a laptop that had been used carefully for about five hours a day, in a benign environment, had never suffered any kind of physical damage, and had only been taken out of the house on a handful of occasions, and yet had developed two major faults in the space of just sixteen months! Sony's response to my complaints was simply to argue that their machines "are some of the most reliable available on the market".

Not one, but two major faults in just over a year. Reliable? Judge for yourself. Maybe Sony have moved on since then, maybe their VAIO range is now more reliable, maybe they now offer better customer care....who knows? My advice: think very carefully before purchasing a Sony VAIO laptop - unless, that is, you intend using it as a desktop machine.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars DVI output, January 17, 2006

By	BMW Nut "Richard" (Texas) - See all my reviews

Unfortunately, the port replicator was purchased for its DVI output, yet the port replicator does not work. When returned to Sony, they advised the current chipset in the Sony model does not support DVI. I bought the Sony specifically for the availability of the DVI output on the port replicator