Slim and lightweight (at just 6 pounds), the Sony Vaio VGN-FS950 delivers powerful performance for your everyday computing needs and is ready to grow with your multimedia demands. It offers a 15.4-inch crisp, XBRITE-ECO LCD with sharp detail for all your digital photos, home video, and DVD movies. You'll also get a long battery life of up to 4 hours with the included standard battery. Other hardware features include a 1.7 GHz Intel Celeron M processor, 80 GB hard drive, 512 MB of installed RAM (2 GB maximum), multiformat, dual-layer/multiformat DVD burner, 54g wireless connectivity, a Memory Stick slot for easy transfer of your photos from your Sony digital camera, Windows XP Home Edition (Service Pack 2), and a wide assortment of pre-loaded software titles.
The Basics
- Hard Drive: The 80 GB hard drive (4200 RPM) is average in size for notebook PCs, and it's befitting of such an entertainment-centric PC. It offers more than enough capacity for storing documents and productivity software for road warriors. You'll also be able to store a good-sized digital audio library.
- Processor: The Intel Celeron M Processor 380 is designed specifically for mobile computing, offering a balanced level of mobile-optimized processor technology, good mobile performance, and exceptional value. The 1.7 GHz speed resides at the very top of the spectrum for this processor (as of March 2006). It also features a 400 MHz front-side bus (FSB) and large 1 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance.)
- Memory: The 512 MB of built-in memory (PC4200, DDR2 SDRAM) is a good start for power users, and it offers a very fast 533 MHz speed. It has two memory slots that can handle up to 2 GB of RAM, enabling you to add more power to handle graphics-intensive presentations and multiple open business productivity applications.
- 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 both standard, single-layer DVD-R and DVD+R discs, it has a 8x write, while double-layer DVD+R discs have a 4x write speed. For rewritable DVDs, it has 8x DVD+RW and 6x DVD-RW speeds. For CDs, it has a 24x write/10x rewrite speed. It also has a separate DVD-ROM drive with 8x DVD read speed and 24x CD read speed.
- Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 86-key keyboard and electro-static two-button touchpad.
Screen, Graphics and Sound The 15.4-inch XBRITE-ECO display has a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels--perfect for watching movies in their intended 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. The XBRITE-ECO LCD provides higher brightness levels than standard displays, resulting in deeper blacks, brighter whites, and sharper overall detail. It also features an anti-reflective coating to minimize reflection and provide a great image from a wide viewing angle. Sony's Smart Display Sensor feature instantly adjusts resolution when you connect to a display or projector. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900, which uses Intel Dynamic Video Memory Technology (DVMT) and provides up to 128 MB of shared video memory. The integrated audio card provides 16-bit stereo sound via the built-in stereo speakers.
Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The VGN-FS950 has an integrated 54g wireless LAN (Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG) 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, Memory Stick Pro, 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).
Preloaded System and Software
This system comes with the Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 operating system with 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), SonicStage (digital music), Vaio Media (network file sharing), DVgate Plus (digital video), Vaio Zone with WinDVD (for watching DVD movies), and Image Converter (for PSP transfer). Other preloaded software includes Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition, Quicken 2005 New User Edition, Microsoft Works 8.0 (with word processing, spreadsheet, and calendar), Norton Internet Security (with 90-day subscription), Roxio DigitalMedia SE, and TrendMicro Anti-Spyware (30-day trial).
Dimensions and Weight
Easily portable, the VGN-FS950 weighs 6 pounds with standard battery and measures 14.33 x 1.41 x 10.41 inches (WxHxD).
Power
It is powered by the VGP-BPS2A standard lithium-ion rechargeable battery, which produces a battery life of 2 to 4 hours. The optional VGP-BPL2 large-capacity battery enables battery life up to 5.5 hours.
What's in the Box
This package contains the VGN-FS950 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, 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.