A review of "my baby"
Written: May 21 '02 (Updated May 21 '02)
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Pros: Fast, light, good price, super computer!
Cons: A lot of really unnecessary stuff included
The Bottom Line: A dandy little computer that I'd recommend to anyone.
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| angelabest's Full Review: Sony VAIO FX340 PC Notebook |
I have a baby.
No, it isn't the kind that you carry inside of you for nine months and poops a lot, (though I treat my baby a lot better than some parents treat their real babies, tragically) it's the kind made by Sony.
Last February I had just about enough. I had been longing to have my own notebook computer for years, and since I had just gotten a new job making a little more money than I had before I decided to just do it.
After a trip to Best Buy, I decided to invest in a Sony VAIO FX Pro FX340.
It was one of the best investments that I have ever made.
Speed
The thing about my VAIO that really sticks out in my mind is how FAST it is. It comes with a 900 MHz Intel Celeron processor, and being that this computer is an upgrade from my 75 MHz machine that I had received six years earlier (yes, I'm poor) it just about knocked my socks off. But if you compare it to more modern (AKA, not ancient) computers the speed is still simply amazing.
Memory
The VAIO comes with a basic 128 MB of RAM, and while that isn't much it has done just fine for me. Even when I have a lot of things running at the same time, I rarely have computer crashes. All stores have the option to purchase more memory at the time of purchase or later, so that may be the best bet for many users. I'm considering upgrading to 256 megs in the near future if it slows down after installing some new software I have, so we'll see.
Size and Weight
It is also very lightweight and portable. I can stick it in my messanger bag and lug it around all day without even knowing that it is in there.
Screen
Another impressive feature is the size of the screen. This fifteen inch screen is BIG, and everyone that I have ever shown my new baby to commented on the size of the screen almost immediately. My eyes are sort of bad, and I've never found myself having to squint or get a case of eye strain from staring at the screen for long periods of time. It's VERY user friendly.
Modem
The 56K modem that is included is very fast for a dial up modem, and I've never had a problem with it. I bought this computer at Best Buy, as I stated before, and the only internet related problem that I've had was the free Microsoft Network year that Best Buy provided. The modem is great, but the net service is average. But that's for another review at another time.
Hard Drive
This VAIO comes with a very ample 15 gigs of hard drive space in an included C drive and D drive (but the D drive comes with more space than the C, strangely enough) and while that's not a lot of space it should be enough for most people. I'd consider getting more space if you want to use the DVD editing software that comes with the computer.
Other Drives
The VAIO comes with a DVD-ROM drive, a CD-ROM drive and a normal floppy disk drive. The most exciting feature is the DVD drive, of course, and I have found it to play DVDs beautifully. In the months that I've had my computer I can count maybe once or twice that a DVD even skipped while I was watching a movie (and I watch movies on this thing A LOT) and that's even better than my regular Sony DVD player. The CD-ROM drive and floppy disk drive is also very reliable, and I've never had a problem with either of them.
Operating System
The VAIO comes with the new-ish Windows XP, and while I've never had a real problem with it I do prefer the earlier Windows Millenium to it. It has been rough on a few games that I have installed, but it still allows me to play my games adequately. It DOES get on my nerves when XP makes my The Sims freeze up, but I can deal with it.
Software
This computer comes loaded with lots of nice software, and while some of it is extremely unnecessary, I'm sure it would come in handy for a lot of people.
Of course, the computer comes with the basics such as Windows Media Player, Quicktime, Adobe Acrobat, Real Player and Microsoft Word but it also comes with some software that I had never heard of.
One that really stands out is the Intervideo Win DVD program which is the second DVD playing software behind the Windows Media Player. It isn't as user friendly as the media player, but it plays the DVDs very well.
It also comes with a trial version of Paint Shop Pro, which looks as though would become the full version if you registered it and paid for it. I would have definitely taken Sony up on this offer if I didn't already have the program.
One thing that I don't understand is why there are SO many programs for editing movies and pictures loaded. The VAIO computers are known for being good for picture and video editing, but they did go a bit overboard with offering software. I deleted most of them just days after I got the computer.
Overall, the Sony VAIO FX Pro FX340 is an exceptional notebook computer for someone who isn't a "hard-core" computer user who needs a huge amount of memory and hard drive space.
It is extremely user-friendly in practically all aspects, has made me very happy in regards to its speed and even the speed of the 56K modem, and is just an overall great little machine.
If you you're looking into getting your first "baby" or a "baby" to replace an old one I highly recommend that you give this one a try.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1200.00
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Celeron
Processor speed: 801-900
Screen Size: 15
RAM: 128
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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Epinions.com ID:
angelabest
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Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
Reviews written: 16
Trusted by: 8 members
About Me:
The artist formerly known as "angflowr"...
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