Sony Vaio SR Series Laptop Review

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Overview

Think thin

Carved from a lightweight magnesium alloy casing, the 1" thin SR weighs just over 4.0 pounds. Its razor-thin, 13.3" LED backlit wide-screen display provides deep blacks and ultra-bright, vibrant colors that truly "pop" for stunning graphics. There's also a highly responsive, quiet-touch keyboard composed of individual keys that emerge slightly through an attractive bezel layer.

Cutting-edge security

Defend your data with confidence. Just swipe your finger across the biometric fingerprint sensor to bypass tedious passwords and enjoy ultimate protection even at the hard disk level. You can also control client/user access with the integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip. Finally, G-Sensor™ Shock Protection technology that instantly safeguards your most valuable information the moment it detects sudden movements.

Built for speed

Experience unbelievable system responsiveness and surprising energy efficiency. Powered by the latest Intel® Centrino® 2 processor, the revolutionary dual-core design delivers stellar performance that brings your games, photos and HD videos to life. Final result: an ultra-powerful notebook that conserves battery life. UP TO 6 HOURS - standard power

Available with Windows XP

It's good to have options. For your convenience, when you customize a SR with Microsoft Windows Vista Business or Ultimate, you also get a copy of Windows XP Pro on disk. The choice is yours.

The color of sophistication

Offered in three striking colors and varying finishes, the SR lends an air of elegance to everyday computing. Heads will turn from the moment you open the box. Choose your favorite: Night Black, Sunset Pink or Classic Silver. A rich, high-gloss version of pink and silver (a Sony Style exclusive) are also available.

Modes that match your mood

Different scenarios call for different settings. No matter what you're doing, the SR can instantly transition from serious business to all-out fun. With the new Switch mode, you can easily customize the on-screen look of your notebook and toggle among different usage "personalities" for home, work and play.

Arrive in style

Wrap your SR in luxurious leather.

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Features

Beautiful form, flawless function

The 1" thin SR features a magnesium alloy chassis and barely tips the scales at 4.0 pounds. Every aspect of the SR has been crafted with mobility in mind, from its compact form factor to its cylindrical hinge that fits perfectly in your hand.

Powerful PC performance

Discover a new world of mobile computing with Intel® Centrino® 2 processor technology. Backed by unprecedented processing power and energy efficiency, Intel Centrino 2 processor technology delivers the screaming-fast performance you crave, whether you're multitasking from the road or powering through a presentation at work. Plus, new high definition capabilities let you immerse yourself in entertainment while specialized multimedia technologies bring games, music, movies and photos to life. The result is a powerful portable notebook that also manages to conserve battery life.

Switch it up

With the all new switch mode, you can customize the look of your on-screen notebook to match your work, home and play scenarios. A set of buttons above the keyboard lets you set three distinct usage personalities/modes based on the scenarios in which you use your PC. Each mode can be customized with its own unique wallpaper and set of five shortcuts to your preferred programs. Switch mode features simple drag-and-drop functionality so setting up your shortcuts is quick and easy. Plus, toggling between your different modes is simple—it requires only a touch of a button.

Longer battery life

Capitalizing on energy-efficient Intel Centrino 2 Duo processor technology and an LED backlit display, the SR notebook can blaze through your workload and entertainment for hours. With up to six hours of standard battery power, it's an ideal mobile counterpart when you're on the go.

Legal performance enhancer

Give your gaming and video performance a boost when you upgrade to a more powerful ATI graphics card.

Brighter screen, less power consumption

Featuring a 13.3" razor-thin backlit display with XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology, you'll enjoy a beautifully clear image from almost any angle, while using less power. Created by Sony, this innovative backlight technology offers lower power consumption for improved battery life and provides incredibly high brightness levels, amplifying colors and creates clear, crisp pictures that truly pop off the LCD. In laymen's terms, with this technology, you'll get amazing color saturation for deeper blacks, brighter whites, true-to-life color and razor sharp detail. It's the ideal way to present your work or watch a DVD when you're on the go.

Serious Security

Employing a biometric fingerprint sensor and proprietary hard disk drive protection software to help ensure your data is protected from unauthorized use as well as accidental damage, the SR takes security seriously.

• Biometric Fingerprint Sensor: Fingerprint biometerics is a convenient and secure way to protect your computer and the information on it with a simple swipe of your finger. It also stores passwords to secure web sites you visit, so authentication and access are quick and easy—you only need your fingerprint.
• Trusted Platform Module: An integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM) TCG Ver. 1.2 compliant chip enhances security by allowing you to control access on a specific client/user basis. TPM is a hardware-based solution that helps secure and protect data when it is most vulnerable.
• Hard Disk Drive Password Protection: Password protection at the hard disk level can help prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data, applications and network architecture. It encrypts and protects disk, partitions and removable data to help guard against unauthorized use or alteration.
• G-Sensor™ Shock Protection Technology: G-Sensor Shock Protection Technology makes your data even less vulnerable to loss or damage. When the built-in 3D acceleration sensor detects a risky movement, the HDD-head will lock up to secure its position and help 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.

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Specifications

Performance

• 2.26Ghz (P8400) - 2.80Ghz (T9600) Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor
• Intel® Centrino® 2 processor technology
• 1066Mhz Front Side Bus Speed
• Up to 6MB L2 Cache

Memory & Storage

• 320GB hard drive12, Serial ATA Up to 4GB DDR2 SDRAM8
• G-Sensor™ Shock Protection on Hard Disc Drive models only

Power

• Estimated Battery Life: Up to 6 hours (standard capacity battery)
• Up to 9 hours (large capacity battery)
• Power Requirements: 100W + 10%

Expansion slots

• Memory Stick Duo™ media slot with MagicGate® functionality
• ExpressCard® 3/4 slot
• SD™ memory card slot

Hardware

• QWERTY keyboard, 82 keys with 2.0mm stroke and 19.05mm pitch
• Built-in 1.3 megapixel MOTION EYE® camera and microphone
• Electro-Static touch pad
• Switch Mode, WLAN/Bluetooth® on/off

Communications

• Fast Ethernet (RJ-45) Protocol
• 10Base-T/100Base-TX
• Integrated V.92/V.90 Modem (RJ-11)
• Wireless LAN: Intel® WiFi Link 5100AGN (802.11a/b/g/n)13
• Integrated Stereo A2DP Bluetooth® technology

Display

• 13.3" Screen
• 1280 x 800 Resolution
• XBRITE-ECO™ Technology
• LED Backlight

Optical Drive

• Built-in CD/DVD-RW drive

Graphics

• Mobile Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD with Intel® Clear Video technolgy with 1340MB (max) total available graphics memory
• Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset

Software

• Genuine Microsoft® Windows Vista® Business or Home Premium (available XP downgrade on Windows Vista® Business with selected hardware configurations only.)
• Microsoft® Windows Live™ OneCare™ Anti-Virus and Recovery trial edition
• VAIO® Startup Assistant
• Click to Disc Editor
• VAIO® Movie Story
• VAIO® Music Box
• VAIO® Media plus Multimedia Streaming Software
• AOL® 90-Day Risk Free Trial (new users only)
• Microsoft® Works SE 9.0 with 60-Day trial version of Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2007
• Microsoft® Office Small Business 2007 available with Windows Vista Business

Service & Warranty information

• 1 year limited warranty
• 1 year toll-free 24/7 technical telephone assistance
• Online and Email Support available from http://www.esupport.sony.com/EN/VAIO