Sony Vaio Digital Studio PC
Written: Jul 27 '02
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Pros: Lots of features, runs very quiet
Cons: Weak video card, small mouse and keyboard
The Bottom Line: Although this is not a gaming PC, it is certainly a great deal full of features.
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| phungus's Full Review: Sony VAIO Digital Studio PCV-RX660 (PCV-RX660DS) P... |
I am the type of person who turns on his computer as soon as I get out of bed, so that the system can boot while I am in the bathroom. The computer stays on all day and is turned off only when I go to bed, out of the house, or during a lightning storm. Because my computer is a tool that I use every day, I find it completely acceptable to purchase a new system about every 2 or 3 years. Some people think I do this too often, but I do not. I not just a gamer. I am a power user. I program, do audio and video editing, photo editing, and so on. I use a computer to its full extent, therefore I need a system that can do what I need it to do, and as efficiently as possible. Enter the Sony Vaio.
My previous system was a custom built AMD Athlon-based one that I scrapped together with various different parts. It was an ok system, but it had some performance issues mostly due to the fact that I had a cheap motherboard. Being that I just started a new job, I figured it was time to treat myself to a new system. I started shopping around, and of all places, Sears had the best deal on what I was looking for. This Sony Vaio system was $1099 and included a $100 rebate, making it $999. With what all it had on it, I was sold.
Here’s a basic rundown of this computer’s stats: 1.8 ghz Pentium 4, ATA100 80 gig hard drive, 512 megs PC2100 DDR ram, 32 MB TNT2 AGP video card, DVD, CD-RW, and built in Video capture support. This is a Sony RX660 model, and is part of their Digital Studio series. This system is made for video editing, and comes with tons of video and audio software to use with making your own home movies.
Like all other computers these days, this one was simple to setup. Everything is color coded and installation was quick and easy. As soon as I turned it on, I was blown away by how quiet this computer runs. It is dead silent! I was actually concerned that maybe the fans were not working and that my computer would burn up, but its just how the Vaio was designed. It reminded me of standing next to a Honda that was running - you have to lean in just to hear the engine. That is a true testament to the engineering and quality of a product.
There are 4 USB ports in all, with 2 in front and 2 in back. There is also a Sony memory stick reader right next to the floppy drive, for those who have devices which use those little sticks. There are also front and back iLink plugs, which allow you to connect a Sony Digital camcorder for video capture.
The included keyboard is more like a laptop keyboard in that it is a bit smaller than your standard PC keyboard. It has all the same buttons, plus a few quick buttons for email, internet, and so on. I really wish it had volume control on it, though. At first, I was a little bothered by the design of it, but I quickly adjusted. Its nice to have a little more desk space now, which allows me to put the mouse closer. The included mouse is a basic PS2 mouse with a scroll wheel. It is not optical, but performs just as well. It is a little small, though. I highly suggest you get a mouse pad with a gel pad for your wrist, because it makes the mouse so much easier to use. There is no included mouse pad with the system.
The included speakers are a little weak, but not to bad. I already have a Labtec speaker set with a subwoofer, so I don’t have much use for the Sony ones. The best feature of these speakers is that they have a headphone port in the front, so that makes it easier to hook up headphones without having to go behind the computer.
This system comes installed with Windows XP home edition. I had the best intentions of avoiding WinXP for as long as possible, but that’s kind of hard to do if you want to buy a new computer. So far, it is not too much different from the other versions of Windows, but that’s an entirely new review all together. I do have a couple of mild complaints regarding the preconfiguration of the software and hardware settings. The mouse pointer speed and volume level were both set too low. If you didn’t know how to change the pointer speed, you’d have to pick up your mouse just to get all the way across the screen. The volume level was set so low that you have to turn the speakers nearly all the way up to really hear music clearly. Perhaps it is better to start low and let users change the settings, but not everyone knows how to do that.
The DVD and CD-RW drives are both fast and efficient, and also the noisiest part of this system. I have not yet burned a disc, but I have no worries about that. My last system had a Sony 12x burner and it worked like a charm. My only complaint about the drives is that the buttons are flush with the front of the case. I currently have my computer on the floor, which means I have to hunt for the tray eject button. Also, the buttons click when you push them, requiring a bit more than just a simple touch to operate. While this is not really a big problem, I am just not used to this kind of design.
The hard drive is also very quiet, and when moving large files you can hear it run jut a bit. At ATA100 speed, you can tell the difference if you’ve used a hard drive with a slower bus speed. The 80 gig capacity is split into 2 drives, with the larger capacity drive being D:. This is a good setup for people who want to put their programs and data in separate locations.
The included software is more than sufficient for turning yourself into the next Spielberg. It has stuff for mixing your own audio, editing it, and so on. It has Adobe Photoshop Elements, which allows you to do some high end photo editing, which is great for making movie titles and menus. It includes some different types of video and DVD players as well. Also included is the PC-Cillin virus scanner, WordPerfect 10, and a copy of Everquest. Another thing I liked about this computer is that it didn’t come loaded with a bunch of junk software like Compaq and HP like to include. It only comes with essential, useful programs, leaving plenty of hard drive space for my own stuff. I dig that.
Most reviews you read about this system are going to slam it for the weak video card. While a 32 meg TNT2 AGP card is certainly not weak, it doesn’t compare to some of the high end cards on the market. This is because this system is not really intended for gaming, although it certainly can run most anything on the market. The Sony Vaio Digital Studio PC series is designed for people who work with programs and audio/video editing. You can easily put a new card into it though, so don’t worry about not being able to upgrade. I have sort of given up on computer gaming due to so many buggy titles out there, and I play most of my games on the PlayStation 2. However, I am playing Neverwinter Nights on this system and it runs just fine.
All in all, this is a great computer at a great price. It is extremely quiet and carries all the marks of Sony quality. It has all the features you will need, plus the software to let you utilize everything. You will need a Sony Digital Camcorder to connect using the iLink video capture connectors, so keep that in mind when purchasing this system.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 999
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Other
Processor speed: over 1000
RAM: More than 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): Over 50
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