Sony Vaio PCG-V505EX Review

Sony Vaio PCG-V505EX is a lightweight notebook PC–only 4.39 pounds–that’s geared for business and mobility. Thanks to the Intel Centrino processor, its enhanced battery life will keep you productive even on long flights. It features a built-in wireless LAN (802.11b), a CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive, spacious 60 GB hard drive, 512 MB of installed RAM, and a good range of pre-installed Sony digital media software. Stepping up in price, the Sony Vaio PCG-V505EXP offers a 54g wireless LAN. Sony Vaio PCG-V505EX Basics

• Hard Drive: Though not world-beating in size, the 60 GB enhanced-IDE hard drive (4200 RPM) offers more than enough storage capacity for road warriors.
• Processor: The 1.5 GHz Pentium M processor is near the top of the speed range compared with other Centrino notebooks (with current speed topping out at 1.7 GHz). Because of its design, the Intel Pentium M gets more done per clock tick than a Mobile Intel Pentium 4, thus providing the discrepancy in GHz measurement (i.e., 1.7 versus 3.2). The Pentium M processor is designed specifically for low-power mobile usage, and it features the latest in power-saving technologies–ensuring you push your battery and productivity to the max. It also has a 512 KB L2 cache and a 400 MHz front-side bus (FSB) speed.
• Memory: The PCG-V505EX comes with a 512 MB built-in memory (DDR SDRAM, 333 MHz)–a good start for power users–with a maximum memory expansion up to 2.05 GB (2 x 1024 MB).
• CD/DVD Drive: It comes equipped with a combo DVD/CD-RW drive, which enables you to play DVD-ROM discs and DVD movies as well as burn data and record music to CD discs. The CD-RW drive has 24x write, 10x rewrite, and 24x read speeds.
• Keyboard & Mouse:

Sound and Graphics
The installed ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 IGP video/graphics card is a relatively strong 3-D graphics renderer, and it has 32 MB of shared video memory. The 12.1-inch XGA TFT active matrix LCD has a native 1024 x 768 pixel display. It also has an sound card that’s integrated into the main board, and offers built-in stereo speakers. Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The Sony Vaio PCG-V505EX has an Intel Pro-Wireless 2100 integrated wireless LAN that connects using the 802.11b wireless standard, which is not exactly in step with the latest in wireless networking–54g, or 802.11g. You get a decent–but not overpowering–offering of connectivity options, including both high-speed USB 2.0 and FireWire:

• 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) ports for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 RGB monitor port
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II)
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
• 1 Memory Stick slot (Memory Stick Pro compatible)

Sony Vaio PCG-V505EX also has an integrated 56K modem (V.92) and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems). Preloaded System and Software
The PCG-V505EX comes with the Windows XP Home Edition operating system, and it also features Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents). It also is loaded with a bevy of Sony multimedia software: PictureGear Studio (digital photo), DVgate Plus (digital video), and SonicStage (digital music). Other preloaded software includes InterVideo WinDVD and Norton Internet Security Center 7.

Dimensions and Weight
Sony Vaio PCG-V505EX Measuring 1.38 x 10.9 x 9.54 inches (H x W x D) and weighing just 4.39 pounds, the PCG-V505EX is easily portable.

Power
The included rechargeable lithium-ion battery (PCGA-BP2V) offers between 2.5 and 6.5 hours of life with typical usage.
Sony Vaio PCG-V505EX Specifications

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

• Hardware Platform: PC
• Processor: 1.5 GHz Intel Pentium M
• System Bus Speed: 400 MHz
• Number of Processors: 1
• RAM: 512 MB
• RAM Type: DDR SDRAM
• L2 Cache: 512 KB

Operating System and Software

• Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition

Special Features

• Memory Stick PRO Media Slot

Keyboard and Mouse

• Keyboard: Full sized QWERTY, 83 keys with 2mm stroke and 18.5mm pitch

Hard Drive

• Size: 60 GB
• Manufacturer: Portable

Graphics and Display

• Graphics RAM: 32 MB
• Display: XGA TFT
• LCD Native Resolution: 1024-by-768

Ports and Connectivity

• Modem: 56 Kbps
• Network Connection: 10-Mbps/100-Mbps Ethernet and (Wi-Fi) Wireless Ethernet

Cases and Expandability

• Weight: 4.39 pounds

Power

• Rated Charge (normal use): 5.5 hours

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