Who needs desktops?
Written: Mar 09 '01
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Pros: Speed, reliability, multimedia features, ease of use
Cons: Costly add-ons
The Bottom Line: The XG-29's speed, power, graceful design, and extensive capabilities make this pure pleasure. I never expected to feel that way about a computer.
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| mcubednyc's Full Review: Sony VAIO XG29 PC Notebook |
I decided to contribute an opinion here as a supplement to the excellent opinions of more tech-savvy users. Here are the thoughts of someone who can turn on a computer, navigate the web, figure out how to accomplish most things he wants to on- and off-line, and doesn't worry too much about what's going on underneath the case of his computer.
First, I hadn't intended to use this as a desktop replacement, but three days out of the box, my infatuation with it turned to true love, and I disassembled my three-year-old Compac Presario, relegating it to the closet floor where it still sits, unloved and unused (but, hey, at least I don't abuse it). The PCG-XG29 has everything I need from a computer, be it a desktop or notebook, and makes a bulky CPU a superfluous waste of space (space being a premium in a small NYC one-bedroom apartment). This is one beautiful machine; if aesthetics are even a minor consideration in your purchase decision, you won't find a more attractive and stylish piece of equipment. The keyboard is so well-designed and spaciously configured that it took me only a few hours to adjust to its smaller dimensions, which was a primary factor in my decision to use this as a desktop replacement, others being the lightening fast processor speed, ample hard-drive, and stunning display. I was using a 14-inch flat-panel monitor with my old machine, so the Sony's screen size wasn't a step down for me, and the crispness and vividness of its graphics was an improvement.
Call me lazy, but I tend to have a lot of applications open at once and I've yet to manage to drain this system's resources. I've also yet to take advantage of all the software bundled with it, but do plan on purchasing a digital camera and eventually a digital video camera. Sony's MovieShaker software, which I've poked around in, looks superb, as do the other multimedia capturing and editing features bundled. I'm not a gamer, so can't comment on it's gaming capabilities, but it handles audio playback and management superbly. The machine's own speaker is a joke, much less than I expected from Sony, of all companies, but my three-piece Altec Lansing speaker system provides suitable desk-rattling sound quality. The hot-swappable drive capability is convenient and a snap to take advantage of. Like some others, I'm neutral on the jog-dial feature, which I've yet completely to master, and which seems an unnecessarily complicated means by which to do something simple like adjust the machine's volume. (I use Sony's handy Media Bar or the function keys instead.)
The much-remarked on expense of this machine less of an issue, since it's no longer the flagship of the XG series. You can pick these up for under $2,000 at UBid.com, which strikes me as reasonable for a portable desktop. However, you'll most likely want the optional docking station ($300) because the XG-29 is seriously lacking in ports. You will almost certainly want it if you're using this as a desktop replacement. And if you want CD burning capability, you basically have to buy the drive built for the XG series. It retails for an exorbitant $550. (I got mine for $350, still not cheap.) I had tried using a highly rated HP CD writer ($250), but found if I didn't leave the device connected, I couldn't boot, and subsequently discovered that the XG series is "touchy" like that. Its "touchiness" will cost you in certain peripherals, no matter how much you save on the machine itself, so this still isn't exactly a bargain-hunter's delight. But it's well worth it, I think.
A word on service - I've only had one occasion to call customer service, and was perfectly satisfied with it. The "average" rating by no means implies any criticism; I simply haven't had enough experience with them to discover whether they go beyond normal expectations when called upon to do so.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2040
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: 701-800
Screen Size: 14
RAM: 128
Internal Storage: DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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Epinions.com ID:
mcubednyc
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Member: Michael Moore
Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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