Sony VAIO FZ Series (VGN-FZ180-E/B)

Think of it as a MacBook Pro for the Windows set--one with more bells and whistles. As with Apple's popular portable, the Sony VAIO FZ Series (VGN-FZ180E/B) notebook is one of the thinnest and lightest 15.4-inch systems you can buy. But this 5.8-pound laptop trumps the MacBook--and all other systems under $2,000--by packing in a Blu-ray drive and one of the crispest, brightest screens we've ever seen on a mainstream machine. The battery life could be better, but you won't find a more powerful laptop in this class for the money.
 
Sony's engineers have created an understated work of art with the VAIO FZ. By using a magnesium-alloy lid and base, reshaping the battery, and redesigning the layout of the motherboard, they have created what is easily the sleekest Vista-powered notebook yet with a display of this size. The silver-and-black color scheme lends an air of sophistication, and we like the minimalist media controls arranged in a small circle above the keyboard. The keyboard itself looks too flat at first but delivered good tactile feedback, as did the two relatively small touchpad buttons (view photo gallery).
 
We have two complaints about the design, one being the bulky, heavy AC adapter, which adds a pound to the travel weight. The other is how susceptible the lid is to scuffs and scratches; this system picked up a few in only two weeks of testing, so we recommend investing in a slipcover.
 
We can sum up the display, however, in just one word: whoa. Borrowing technology from Sony's line of Bravia televisions, the 1280 x 800-pixel screen on the VAIO FZ delivers both superb color saturation and high brightness, perfect for enjoying movies and games. Although the panel doesn't have the resolution to deliver a true high-def experience (you'll need to output the video to an HDTV using the HDMI port), we were impressed by the level of detail and contrast we saw while watching the Blu-ray version of Underworld Revolution. We could easily make out splotches of blood on Kate Beckinsale's shiny leather outfit. Sound from the stereo speakers above the keyboard was also impressive.
 
To test the notebook's output capability, we plugged the FZ into a Philips HDTV using an HDMI cable and set the resolution to 1920 x 1200. We had to change the default audio device from the VAIO's speakers to HDMI, but otherwise the process was pretty painless. We popped in the Blu-ray version of Mission: Impossible II and enjoyed smooth playback even during fast-paced action sequences. We also noticed lots of details you don't get from a regular DVD player, like the pores on Tom Cruise's nose. The InterVideo WinDVD player was a little flaky, however; it wouldn't play the standard-definition version of Pan's Labyrinth, so we had to use Windows Media Center instead.
 
In addition to a Blu-ray drive (included on higher-end FZ models) for watching and burning high-definition content, you get a huge 200GB hard drive (although it runs at a sluggish 4,200 rpm), three USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire port, ExpressCard slot, and both a Memory Stick and an SD Card slot. A VGA Motion Eye webcam located above the display recorded sharp-looking video using the slick VAIO Camera Capture Utility, which you can use to save or e-mail clips and still shots. We noticed only a bit of stuttering in the footage when we waved a hand in front of the camera.
 
Powered by Intel's latest 2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7300 processor (with an 800-MHz front-side bus and 2GB of RAM), the VAIO FZ plowed through our PCMark05 test; its score of 4,626 is as good as what we've seen from many desktop replacement notebooks. This system also has serious graphics chops. The Nvidia GeForce 8400M GT card notched a well-above-average 3DMark03 score of 5,621 and a good 85 frames per second when playing F.E.A.R. in autodetect mode. Hardcore gamers should look elsewhere, but there's certainly enough horsepower here to edit high-definition video and burn it to a Blu-ray disc, albeit at a relatively poky 2X speed. As expected, Intel's new 802.11n connection delivered strong throughput from both 15 (17 Mbps) and 50 (15.2 Mbps) feet.
 
The two biggest drawbacks to this notebook are its short endurance and boatload of crapware. The standard battery lasted 1 hour and 38 minutes on our DVD rundown test, and about an hour more when we limited our use primarily to Microsoft Works. That stunted runtime is understandable given the VAIO FZ's graphics prowess. But the sheer volume of trial software loaded on this machine is beyond annoying. We had to remove several startup applications on the Vista Home Premium-based machine to decrease the bootup time from over a minute to closer to 40 seconds. Worse, the shortcuts to the VAIO Security Center, Productivity Center, and Entertainment Center on the bottom of the home screen are really just launchpads for software advertisements.
 
We wish Sony would add a scratch-resistant coating to the lid and throw in an ExpressCard remote control, but otherwise the Sony VAIO FZ is a stellar 15.4-inch notebook. Its combination of power and portability is the best on the market for its class, and the screen is jaw-dropping. And at just under $2,000, anyone even thinking about Blu-ray would be a fool to pass this notebook up.  

 

 

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