Product Description

Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile Processor T7700 / 2GB DDR2 667MHz RAM / 200GB HD / WXGA XBrite LCD Display / Bluetooth / MS Vista Business

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1165 in Personal Computers
• Brand: Sony
• Model: VGN-SZ691N/X
• Dimensions: 1.30" h x 12.50" w x 9.30" l, 7.00 pounds
• CPU: Intel Core Duo 2.4 GHz
• Memory: 2000MB DDR2 SDRAM
• Hard Disk: 200GB
• Processors: 2
• Native resolution: 13.3
• Display size: 13.3

Features

• Sleekly designed, lightweight notebook with 13.3-inch screen (with Webcam), 4-pound black carbon fiber case
• 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 processor, 200 GB hard drive, 2 GB RAM (4 GB max), dual-layer DVD drive
• Connectivity: 2 USB, 1 FireWire, 1 VGA, Quad-mode Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth, multi-format memory card reader
• Hybrid Graphics System lets toggle between NVidia GeForce Go 8400M (up to 831 MB shared) and Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 (358 MB shared)
• Pre-installed with Windows Vista Business; ready for Sprint Broadband WWAN service (subscription required)

Amazon.com Product Description
The sleekly designed, lightweight Sony VAIO VGN-SZ691N/X notebook PC delivers intelligent mobile design while placing a priority on usability and performance. Coolly contemporary, it features a cutting edge black carbon fiber case for a fashionable look, which also helps to bring the weight down to 4 pounds. (Carbon fiber, the same material used on jets and sports cars to keep them lightweight yet sturdy, is much stronger than the magnesium used on standard notebooks.) Sony's VAIO SZ notebooks also take security seriously, employing a biometric fingerprint sensor and proprietary hard disk drive protection software to ensure your data is protected from unauthorized use as well as accidental damage. With the integrated wireless WAN, you can access the national Sprint Mobile Broadband service (subscription required) to extend your wireless coverage beyond LAN access networks and hotspots, giving you the freedom to go farther, do more, and stay connected.

This VAIO SZ notebook features Sony's Hybrid Graphics System lets toggle between internal and external graphics chips, enabling you to choose lighter battery consumption or better performance depending on the situation. This notebook is powered by the 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 processor from the newest ""Santa Rosa"" chips, which offer a top-of-the-line 800 MHz front-side bus speed and 4 MB L2 cache. It also features a 200 GB hard drive, 2 GB of installed RAM (4 GB maximum), built-in quad-mode Wi-Fi connectivity (802.11a/b/g/n), multi-format/dual-layer LightScribe DVD+/-RW drive (which also burns CDs), ExpressCard slot, Bluetooth connectivity, Gigabit Ethernet, and a Webcam integrated into the LCD's bezel, enabling easy video conferencing via VoIP and video IM chats.

This laptop also comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista Business, which has a new user interface, named Windows Aero, that makes it easy to navigate through the operating system and from application to application. For instance, Windows Aero helps you juggle multiple tasks at once by providing a three-dimensional, real-time, animated view of all your open applications and documents. Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, and offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

The Basics

• Processor: The Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 processor has a 2.4 GHz processor speed, super-fast 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and an extra-large 4 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

  The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized for multitasking and is ready to support the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. It can simultaneously run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background. Some of the advanced Intel innovations of the Core 2 Duo processor include:

  • Smart Memory Access: Improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth to provide data to the processor when and where it is needed.
  • Advanced Digital Media Boost: Effectively doubles the execution speed for instructions used widely in multimedia and graphics applications.
  • Dynamic Power Coordination: Coordinates Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology and idle power-management state (C-states) transitions independently per core to help save power.
  • Deeper Sleep with Dynamic Cache Sizing: Saves power by flushing cache data to system memory during periods of inactivity to lower CPU voltage.

• Hard Drive: The 200 GB Serial ATA hard drive is about double the average size for notebook PCs, however its 4200 RPM speed is a bit slower than current standard hard drives. It provides more than enough capacity for storing documents, digital media files, and video editing software. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and USB 2.0.

• Memory: The 2 GB of installed RAM (PC2-5300, 2 x 1 GB) is a great start out of the box, and it offers a top-of-class 667 MHz speed. You can sweeten your performance even more with this notebook's maximum capacity of up to 4 GB or RAM. To receive the faster data transfer benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity and clockspeed.

• DVD/CD Drive: The dual-layer DVD drive is compatible with a wide range of formats, including both DVD+RW and DVD-RW discs, CD-RW discs, and dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can hold up to 8.5 GB of data--great for backing up your MP3 collection or your most important documents. It features the following speeds: 4x for DVD+R DL, 4x for DVD-R DL, 8x for both single layer DVD+R/-R, 8x for single layer DVD+RW, 6x for single layer DVD-RW, and 24x/16x for CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x and CD-ROMs at 24x.

• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 86-key keyboard (3mm stroke and 19.05mm pitch) and electro-static two-button touchpad.

Screen, Video & Audio
This notebook has a 13.3-inch LCD screen with anti-reflective coating has a widescreen 1280 x 800-pixel resolution. This XBRITE LCD provides higher brightness levels than standard displays, resulting in deeper blacks, brighter whites, true-to-life color, and razor-sharp detail. This notebook uses Sony's exclusive Hybrid Graphics System, which lets you set your graphics performance with a simple flick of a switch, enabling you to toggle between an internal graphics chip for optimal power consumption with excellent performance or an external graphics chip for even more robust performance. You can choose either the integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 (with up to 358 MB of dynamically shared video RAM) or the installed Nvidia GeForce Go 8400M GS graphics card (with up to 831 MB of shared video RAM).

The Intel GMA X3100 provides Windows Vista Aero interface support and enhanced 3-D graphics performance--delivering over 2x scores on 3-DMark 06. The 8400M GS offers support for Microsoft DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0 and High Dynamic-Range Lighting (HDR), enabling you rip through all of today's most advanced and cutting-edge games and applications. The audio card includes Sony Sound Reality technology with DSD (Direct Stream Digital) support.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
Be ready for the next platform in wireless connectivity with the integrated Intel Wireless Wi-Fi Link 4965 AGN LAN chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers and Wi-Fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great for closed office environments). Sprint's Mobile Broadband high-speed EV-DO service (software included, subscription requires) enables you to extend your wireless coverage beyond LAN access networks and wireless hotspots, helping you to keep connected without having to hunt for a Wi-Fi coffee shop.

With the Bluetooth connectivity, you can communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones. This notebook also includes a next-generation ExpressCard 34 card slot (replacing the PCMCIA slot), which lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features. Here's the full list of connection options:

• 2 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 ExpressCard/34 slot
• 1 VGA monitor out
• Stereo headphones/speakers/line-out; microphone/line-in
• Port replicator connector
• 5-in-1 memory card adapter (compatible with Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Secure Digital, MultiMedia, and XD formats; also supports Memory Stick DUO with MagicGate functionality)

It also has an integrated 56K modem and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems).

Operating System
The Windows Vista Business operating system is designed to meet the needs of business organizations of all sizes. For small businesses, Windows Vista Business will help keep PCs running smoothly and more securely so you will be less reliant on dedicated IT support. For larger organizations, Windows Vista Business provides dramatic new infrastructure improvements, enabling your IT staff to spend less time focused on the day-to-day maintenance of PCs. An array of sophisticated new backup technologies helps protect your information even in the event of a catastrophic hardware failure. And Windows Vista Business has a new user interface, named Windows Aero, which is designed to deliver new levels of efficiency for any business user. This new interface makes it easy to navigate through the operating system and from application to application. For instance, Windows Aero helps you juggle multiple tasks at once by providing a three-dimensional, real-time, animated view of all your open applications and documents.

Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.

Preloaded Software
Includes Sony Click to DVD (for easy DVD creation), Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office 2007 Student and Teacher Edition (60-day trial), Symantec Norton Internet Security 2007 (with 60 days of Live Update).

Dimensions & Weight
This notebook measures 12.5 by 1.5 by 9.3 inches (WxHxD) and weighs approximately 4 pounds with the standard battery (included).

Power
It's powered by the VGP-BPS10 rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of between 3 and 6 hours (depending on usage).

What's in the Box
This package contains the VGN-SZ650N/C notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, memory card adapter (VGP-MCA20), and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty, and Sony offers 1-year of toll-free telephone technical assistance.

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Customer Reviews

A well-put-together machine
Strengths: Beautiful, elegant, well-thought-out design. Light weight. Stunning LCD. Excellent overall performance. Very comfortable keyboard.

Weaknesses: Bloatware, bloatware everywhere. No printed documentation. Poor online knowledge base. No recovery discs or installation discs. Limited configuration options. Obscenely expensive extra battery. Horrible Sony customer service.

Summary: Sony's taken a great machine and, sadly, Sony-ized it to death with bad software and bad support.


The Sony VAIO SZ670NC like its other SZ6-series siblings is a beautiful, elegant machine with a very well-thought-out design. It's very sleek with its carbon-grey casing and its extremely thin LCD panel. It's very light (4 lbs exactly), yet feels sturdy.

The LCD display is vivid and responsive, with stunning colors and sharpness. Sony is said to be notorious for dead pixels; my display had only one dark pixel near a bottom corner, which is something I can certainly live with.

The performance is excellent, possibly a bit stunted by the slow RAM the machine ships with. (You can replace it with faster RAM.) The Windows Experience score of 3.5 is limited by the surprisingly small video RAM, but that doesn't seem to affect its performance. It handles Aero perfectly.

The keyboard is full sized, but with less travel than the ThinkPad. Still, it's very comfortable to type on it. The trackpad is responsive and accurate, but it could be a bit larger.

Sony loses points, though, on the way they package this nice (and expensive!) machine. It arrived CHOCK FULL of lousy bloatware, much of which was either time-limited trial versions of good software or unlimited versions of bad software. It literally took me four days (and nights!) and a full hard-drive restore to clean all the garbage off of the machine. The result was worth it in that I now have a very streamlined machine, but Sony might have made my life a bit easier by giving the option of a "clean" configuration from the factory or of at least providing a "clean" recovery disk. (Some value-added resellers offer their own versions of such "clean" recovery disks or can pre-configure a "clean" system for you.)

Sony doesn't ship the machine with any substantive printed documentation or any discs. There is the usual recovery partition on the hard drive, which was able to restore my system to the factory configuration when I removed something I actually needed. Also, luckily, the first thing I had done after buying the laptop was to create recovery media (needed 2 blank DVD+/-R's).

Sony's on-line knowledge base seems to be quite barren and unhelpful compared to HP's or Dell's. I haven't had reason to call tech support yet, but when I tried contacting Sony's customer service department about my purchase of an extended warranty and accident-protection plan, they kept me on hold for over an hour before I hung up, and I'm still waiting for a reply to the email I sent them two weeks ago. This is pretty much the WORST customer service I have ever encountered -- and I've owned a Dell!

Finally, Sony offers few pre-built configurations for this machine, although there are several more versions floating around at resellers. Even Sony's so-called "Configure-To-Order" systems give limited flexibility and are not as good value as the pre-configured systems like the SZ670NC. I sacrificed hard drive speed and bought more pre-installed memory than I wanted (I'd rather have gotten the minimum from Sony and bought my own memory at 1/4 the price elsewhere afterwards) in buying the pre-built SZ670NC, but I got it quickly and painlessly.

One final negative is that spare Sony batteries are obscenely expensive, just as they are for Sony cameras and Sony camcorders.

Despite these negatives, this is really a great little computer. There's no such thing as the perfect laptop, but this one comes closer than any I have owned so far. If you can put up with removing the bloatware (or can find a pre-assembled clean recovery disk from a 3rd party vendor) and won't need much after-sales support from Sony, this is a good purchase.

Awesome Laptop, poor content
I love the laptop but I agree with other people: SONY should allow XP downgrade and also should NOT load all of those unneccessary software. It takes forever to unistall them

Very disappointing
I was so excited when I bought this laptop, and was happy to pay the costs because it is so light and powerful. It was too good to be true. Three days after the purchase, it completely froze. I took it back to the shop, and the assistant did a total reboot and said it was the extra software. The computer seemed to be working fine. Yesterday, 3 weeks after the purchase, it froze again. Hours before a crucial meeting, I could not access my files, or anything in the computer, which seemed to be overheating (the cable was faulty too). I took it back to the shop for good- I wanted this model so bad, and all I have had is one headache after another. The design is great, and the lightness is amazing, it feels like you are carrying a book or a thick magazine instead of a laptop. The graphics are also very impressive. But:
The screen is hard to clean, the computer comes with way too much trial software and yet without recovery CDs, and the instruction leaflet is online only- so if you have problems with the computer you cannot read the instruction manual. I expected something else for this price. The design is great, but what do you want a sleek frozen computer for?