The ultimate companion for a road warrior....
Written: Aug 15 '01 (Updated Aug 24 '01)
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Pros: Ultra-lightweight and compact, high powered processor and good ram/disk
Cons: Single-spindle system (no floppy, no cd), lack of some types of ports
The Bottom Line: For the right set of applications, this laptop is far and away the winner for the mobile professional!!
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| dtoombs's Full Review: Sony VAIO C1VN PC Notebook |
Wow, I can't tell you in enough words how much I love my PGC-C1VN laptop! However, I can tell you that it is perfect for my needs. I recognize that it might not be perfect for everyone, so consider your options.
As you already know, this little powerhouse packs a 600mhz processor, 128mb of RAM, and a 12GB harddrive into a tiny little package. My new laptop bag is literally a fanny pack! Overall, the system is very sturdy, reliable, and easy to use. The wide-sceen format is simply a joy to work with when you're on a plane (more about that in a bit), and also is great for watching DVD movies.
I absolutely love this device - but it's because it fits my needs so well, here's the many reasons why:
- I usually travel over 50,000 miles a year in the air, and I absolutely hate lugging around a standard sized laptop and all the necessary accessories. Now, I carry a fanny pack with me onto the plane, which has my PCG-C1VN, plus a few various connector cables.
- When I'm on a flight - usually coach class - invariable whoever is in the seat in front of me will recline their seat. Have you ever tried to use a regular laptop with it's screen open when the guy in front of you is reclined? Unless you're in first class, you'll be typing with your hands against your chest, because it's the only way to get enough room to have the screen open and type. This is where the PCG-C1VN absolutely SHINES -- the short-but-wide format screen gives you enough visibility to work on documents and still read them at a decent font size (in Word, I usually use 150% magnification) but you won't be typing with your hands against your chest. When the guy in front of you reclines, he won't even come close to hitting your laptop.
-Did I mention that it's extremely reliable? During a presentation I gave at last year's Comdex, I used this little laptop as my PowerPoint presentation platform. This little guy, along with a Keyspan IR remote was all I needed to give a dynamic presentation to the crowd!
-The real "acid test" for this laptop - for me - was to see if it would support Windows 2000. I'm happy to say that it does, with full device compatability. I now have Windows ME, Win2k Professional, and Win2k Advanced Server all on my tiny little laptop.
-The battery life on this laptop is excellent. I can get almost from one coast to the other on the standard battery. No need to bring an extra battery along.
-The connectivity options for this laptop are great - for me. For example, there's a built-in 56k modem which I use for dialing into the Internet while I'm on the road. Then, there's a PCMCIA interface for a network card (or other device) which I use to connect to wired and wireless networks. A USB connection gives me access to a number of additional devices I typically use, and a firewire port lets me import digital video at blazing speeds.
-The camera on the computer - while it's cute - shouldn't be a major selling point. It is highly functional and does its job well, but overall the video quality is just average. Still, it's a great little tool to have when I'm in a presentation and I really like what the speaker is saying. A few mouse clicks, and I can instantly video record his or her presentation for review later! The 12gb hard drive gives ample room to record a few hours worth of video.
Now, having said all that, here are the drawbacks that you'll need to get over before making the decision to buy one....
1) Keyboard size. For some reason, people are really hung up on this one. I guess the PCG-C1VN has what you'd call a "75% keyboard", meaning that the surface area of the keys is about 75% of that of a standard keyboard. For me, this is not a problem, but for a few of my larger, rounder friends - they seem to get hung up on this. My advice to you - go to your local CompUSA and try one out. I've written entire chapters of books on the keyboard and have no problems with it.
2) Only 1 spindle. This means no floppy, and no CD-ROM. If you can live with this -- if you can get everything you need onto or off of the computer over a network connection -- then you're set. I started out this way, and worked for months without a floppy or CD. Eventually, I broke down and bought the floppy - it was $70 or so, so it didn't break the bank. You can also purchase a CD-ROM as well if you'd like.
3) Missing many ports you might be used to. If you're accustomed to having a paralell, serial, and IR port on your computer, you'll be disappointed with this model. You can duplicate all of these functions (well, maybe not the IR) with USB devices, however. I have a "docking station" at home that has USB serial, paralell, and network. When I bring the laptop home, I just hook it up to that and I'm fully connected.
All in all, it is the most amazing laptop I've seen - if it meets your specific needs. Obviously for some people, it won't. But for those where it will, you will find it to truly be a joy!
Oh, and it's got ultra-high geek-cool factor points!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2200
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Other
Processor speed: 601-700
Screen Size: 14
RAM: 128
Internal Storage: CD-ROM
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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Epinions.com ID:
dtoombs
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Location: Washington, DC
Reviews written: 14
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Technology consultant and part-time author.
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