Sony VAIO VGC-LT15E

As notebooks continue to outsell desktops, we're not surprised that Apple, Dell, and Gateway are offering computers that bridge the gap between 20-inch notebooks and desktop PCs. An all-in-one provides desktop-like performance in a relatively lightweight package that saves space. Most are equipped with Wi-Fi and have just one cable extending from them. Sony's VAIO VGC-LT15E is a 21.4-pound PC featuring a massive 22-inch display, tons of connectivity options, and the ability to record digital TV.

 

At first glance, the $1,899 VGC-LT15E looks like the mother of all digital photo frames with its silver-and-glass facade, and the stereo speakers that surround the display and the VAIO logo in the upper-left corner of the LCD belie its computing nature. A 4X DVD+/-R DL drive and two USB 2.0 ports are housed in the right side of the machine, while slots for a PC Card, an ExpressCard/34, and an SD Card reside on the left side, along with a memory card reader (which the Apple iMac lacks) and a headphone jack.

 

The back of the VAIO VGC-LT15E houses a microphone jack, coaxial and S-Video ports, FireWire, and three additional USB 2.0 ports. With so many connectivity options, accumulating a snake pit of cords is easy, but you can wrap cables around an organizational tab underneath a removable rear cover.

 

A wireless RF keyboard and mouse (sorry, no Bluetooth) are bundled with the Sony VAIO VGC-LT15E and let users kick back on a sofa up to 30 feet away. Both were responsive to input and offered excellent tactile feedback, but the mouse was somewhat cramped.

 

Although the keyboard doesn't feature dedicated multimedia buttons, you can still enjoy a rich entertainment experience with the included remote control. This cable TV-ready system lets users watch and record analog, digital, and HD programming. Should you want to watch or create Blu-ray movies, a 1X Blu-ray (BD-RE DL) optical drive is available on the VGC-LT19U, the higher-end, $2,899 model. You can even mount the VGC-LT15E to a wall for seamless blending into your entertainment center.

The bright, 1680 x 1050-pixel Xbrite-HiColor display nicely replicated the skin tones on our Requiem for a Dream DVD, and when we popped in Stoned Grace's Cast the First Stone CD, we experienced full sound courtesy of the Sony Sound Reality-powered stereo speakers and built-in subwoofer. Although the volume on the two 3-watt speakers and the one 5-watt subwoofer was loud enough to fill a small conference room, we wish we could really crank the sound to envelop ourselves in the audio, like you can with the HP Pavilion HDX, which has Altec Lansing's surround system built in.

 

The VAIO VGC-LT15E features a 1.3-megapixel webcam above the screen that took decent 1280 x 1024 photos, but captured murky and jerky 640 x 480 WMV video. While using the camera in a video chat session, we saw equally suspect video.

 

The 1.5-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, coupled with the 2GB of RAM (expandable to 4GB), kept us computing at a brisk pace; we had no hiccups while working in Word docs, checking e-mail, or listening to our favorite tunes. Its score on the new PCMark Vantage test was 1,780. The Nvidia GeForce 8400M GT graphics processor-with a whopping 895MB of video memory-managed a score of 7,603 on our 3Dmark03 test, which is well above notebooks with the same processor. On 3DMark06 it scored a respectable 1,201.  

 

Surprisingly, however, the system notched only 44 frames per second on F.E.A.R.'s autodetect setting at 800 x 600 resolution, and dropped to a stuttering 16 fps with the settings maxed out. This mediocre showing means you probably won't be filling the 320GB hard drive with the latest high-end 3D titles, but the huge capacity offers plenty of room for photos, high-definition video, and music.

 

Wireless performance was pretty good. The 802.11n Wi-Fi radio managed a strong 20.1 Mbps at 15 feet and 7.2 Mbps at 50 feet. And the VGC-LT15E proved more than capable of smoothly streaming YouTube clips and swiftly downloading podcasts.

 

In addition to Windows Vista Home Premium, the Sony VAIO VGC-LT15E comes preinstalled with a 60-day trial of Norton 360 All-in-One Security and Microsoft Works SE 9.0 with a 60-day trial of Office Home and Student 2007. Sony covers the system with a one-year warranty and 24/7 tech support.

 

If you've been thinking about a buying a 20-inch notebook to act as your PC, TV, stereo, DVR, and general home entertainment system, you should consider this all-in-one, which is more stylish and comfortable to use than a clamshell design. The processing power is a little low for the price, but the sharp display and multimedia features make the Sony VAIO VGC-LT15E a good choice.

 

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