Sony VAIO Series
Approval Rate: 82%
Reviews 94
by myopinion87
Thu Dec 31 2009I purchased my vaio about a year ago to use while in college. I am using the vgn-sr190 model with a 13.5 in. screen. I opted for the better of the available processors which I feel was a good choice. So far, this laptop has not only been very reliable, but also user friendly and portable. Basically, it does everything I need it to without a hitch.
by kjsean
Sat Nov 28 2009Great computers. A bit pricey but well worth the money.
by angielovesgeor_ge
Sat Jan 03 2009I absolutly love this laptop! Dont listen to any of the other dusche bags before me because i lovee sony laptops! they r the best. This VAIO laptop is really fast slim and easy to use. The keys are so easy for typing. I have always had a sony laptop and its so great, THEY NEVER CRASH! Well at least mine dont becaus ei didnt run it over with a truck like some people, behind me.
by osman11
Fri Jun 06 2008Some history I bought a Sony Vaio laptop in Las Vegas whilst on business - it failed 3 days later - no problem I thought take it to the Sony centre in London, did that. Sorry sir, they say, not covered by international warranty take it back to the store your bought it from. Any other option I say bearing mind the store is the other side of the world? Oh yes you could pay for a warranty repair here in the UK they say. Hang on this thing is less than 1 month old why would I want to pay for a warranty repair? Well you could ship it back to the shop that sold it to you I'm told. After many emails and faxes to Fry's (the shop that sold it to me) I'm told that refuse to accept it back and that I should send it to Sony. Sony, your service is rubbish, Fry's your service is less than awful, Sony you are supposed to be an international company and this is no way to behave. Fry's anyone buying from you has to be mad, you lied about the warranty to me and continue to say it's nothing to do wi... Read more
by pizonoh007
Tue Feb 19 2008SONYS WACK
by kimberlysavino
Sat Oct 20 2007DEVICE: VAIO TZ series 11.1" model. PROS: Lightweight, very small but surprisingly efficient, fits easily in purse or shoulder bag, easy to view items on screen, truly comfortable keys for typing, DVD-R drive, attractive unit, good security, connectivity, and software options, webcam. CONS: The eject button on DVD drive is ridiculously small and difficult to press. The box on power cord is positioned too close to the wall, rather than close to the computer, so it often pulls at the cord connecter, or "hangs" in mid-air, rather than sitting on the desk or floor. The finish gets very dusty and marred easily, plus the mouse touchpad wears quickly and shows pattern of use (looks "greasy".) Even with DUO processor, computer still very slow. Ordered from manufacturer, you MUST be home or in office at time of delivery, or they will send it right back - will not make 2nd attempt at delivery. SUMMARY: It's one of the best laptops I've owned, and I do recommend it...I just hope that Sony makes a... Read more
by dougal
Thu Jun 28 2007I purchased a Sony Vaio ($2,500 total) 8 months ago - the machine is still under warranty. Two weeks ago the left hinge connecting the screen to the computer snapped in two - the hinge was under no duress and the computer wasn't dropped, sat upon, or otherwise put in a situation other than everyday use. After the the computer was sent to Sony for repair, I received a repair estimate of $750 - - WHAT??! Sony claims that I dropped or sat on the computer and caused the hinge to break - this is untrue. At the moment I can't get beyond the initial Sony operators - when I asked for a manager I was told thet they're in a meeting (repeatedly) and that they would call me back in 24 to 48 hours. I did receive a phone message from the manager telling me that the initial repair determination stands. I'm a graduate student and don't have $750 dollars at the moment so, even if I could get beyond the fact that the broken hinge was not my fault, I can't afford the repair. In my humble opinion Sony ... Read more
by zog863f9
Fri Jun 16 2006I was very excited about my Sony for the first 6 months until the DVD drive broke. I didn't think it was that big of a deal until I had to get it serviced under warrantee. Sony service is an absolute nightmare!! Their customer service reps for the most part are totally inept and rude, they have one service center for laptops in the entire US, and the entire process has been continuing for over two months now. I highly recommend not buying a Sony Vaio because of the nightmare experienced trying to get it serviced.
by yoav8391
Wed Dec 14 2005Last year I purchased Sony VAIO VGN-S270P a fully loaded system (e.g. wireless, 1GB, etc) in addition to purchasing 2 year extended warranty with a total price of around $3K. Well, in general I am pleased with the unit itself but when it comes to technical support SONY has the WORST technical support I have ever seen. Considering in my office we are also using Dell and HP laptops, it is clear to me that SONY has done and continue doing a poor job in providing technical support. In the last few MONTHS I have tried to update some of the laptop software using VAIO Update software. Well it is a joke: you constantly get the following message: “The Sony eSupport FTP server is experiencing unusually high traffic volume that is resulting in slow update/driver downloads…”. No matter what time I have tried including midnights and early mornings the FTP server did not respond. I called several times to SONY Technical support and the usual response is “Sir, we are really sorry due to the Katrin... Read more
by xiaogo
Thu Oct 20 2005I was very surprised when the screen on my Vaio top-of-the-line laptop failed after three years' usage. The repair was made by Circuit City (I'd purchased an extended warranty). A year later the same thing happened, and I was told that there were problems with the screen connector (at the hinge). Usually Sony's products are of the highest quality; so I was quite let down. Bought another laptop (HP) to replace it.
by dragonman
Thu Sep 22 2005Overpriced, unreliable, uses Sony only proprietary technologies and poor customer service. Needless to say, don't even bother. You would be much better off buying a Dell or Toshiba, they are know for their reliability. Even better would have someone custom build one like www.ibuypower.com or if you have the experience build one yourself.
by pavro86e
Wed Feb 16 2005Its the best comp i had / great processing power with many advantages / its a great computer for online and non online work / with a pentium 4 processor it surves you well also the expandable RAM drive alows you to have unlimited capabilities. / with a standard 200 GB storage you will never have 2 worry about not having enough space./ The only thing i would recommend is a RAM uograde or a new graphic card since its integrates. / I WOULD DEFENETLY GET THIS COMPUTER AS IT WILL SERVE YOU WELL FOR AT LEAAST 5 years.!!!!!!!!!!!
by godzilla
Mon Feb 07 2005I have a Sony Vaio lap top computer and within one month the keys started to break and the screen shakes uncontrolably. It is the worst computer I have ever had. Worse yet, the customer service departement was horrible.
by carly161
Fri Oct 01 2004My VAIO was great, but have fun trying to get it repaired when you run in to problems as I began to after 2 years. I will never buy another Sony product after my experience with their tech support and after getting completely hosed by the repair company they outsource to.
by massoud
Thu Sep 16 2004I bougt a Sony Vaio W-20 for $1600. at first it worked fine. However after the first year warranty was over, it devloped problems starting with shutting down. It finally quit. Sony Srevice center is not much help. They sent me to an authorized services center. They tell me the mother board is bad. The mother board alone is $900. becarful buing Sony
by adam1970
Thu May 06 2004After 3 months my vaio developed a problem which meant it had to be sent to the service centre - that is when everything went wrong. Sony service is so bad I would rather live with the problem in future (maybe that is what they are counting on). If you get a sony make sure it never goes wrong....
by jjburns84
Thu Apr 22 2004I've owned my Sony Vaio for 2 years with mimimum problems. They are expensive. However, if you buy last year's model, you are sure to get a good deal. I do have a little criticism for Sony Vaio. It's easy to upgrade the RAM and add a new hard drive. However, for the RX series (maybe other series too) it's difficult to add a cd-rom/r/rw or a dvd-rom/r/rw of a different make and model. To make it look right, I have to cut off part of the case. Also, the processor is behind the power source on the non-opening side. That would make that difficult to replace. In spite of that, I'm giving it a 5 because it performs so well, and it has room for extra RAM and/or hard drive.
by dusty247
Wed Apr 07 2004I love my Sony notebook computer. It is flawless for all applications, and is expecially good for PowerPoint presentations. Only one drawback: the dynamite video display (15) creates a big power drain, so the battery life is not exemplary at only around 2 hours. Still, the battery is holding up well after more than 1 year of use. Highly recommend, especially for people who make digital presentations using a notebook computer.
by dickweener
Fri Jan 02 2004It has good looks, that is about the only thing it has. Sony Computers suck, I have owned one in the past and it was nothing but trouble. I paid $1600 for it thinking it was probably good with Sony's name on it and well worth the money. The computer ran hot all the time, it got so hot at times it would just shut down, and it always kicked me off the net, it had some kind of modem issue going on, but the shop I took it too said they couldn't figure out what the problem was, they tried it also and agreed something was defective with it and it would need to be sent to Sony. I called Sony's customer service line about 4 times a day for a week , finally they told me I need to stop calling so much, even know I had free support for 3 months through them and just flopped down a nice knot of cash for the piece of junk. I finally took it back to the store I bought it and got my money back. Never again will I touch another Sony Computer.
by same2u
Sat Oct 25 2003A recent purchase, it is a bit pricey but seems to perform adequately. A BIG drawback is the lack of ANY information about loaded software, and I have found most versons to be at least two years old. CD burner program is timeconsuming as it uses only one drive for both copy and write (will not copy fro CD drive to CD-R drive). Requests for info on loaded software have been ignored. So far has performed as well as older Dell but a bit noisier.
by saltydog
Mon May 12 2003The Sony Vaio purrs like a kitten, but needs a team of engineers to repair it. There are so many intricate parts and pieces, it is almost like trying to have your local greasy mechanic repair your Maserati. The system is sleek and well-built, and the keys flow like the river nile. Overall, a great system...just make sure you purchase the repair plan.
by davcar
Tue Apr 29 2003Runs perfectly, and I must say sony tech support was extremely helpful with any problems or questions I had. They went as far as emailing me back after I had talked to them, asking how they performed. Plus the silver-grey look kicks ass. I highly recommend sony vaio computers.
by susan_kennard
Sun Apr 06 2003I opted for the Sony VAIO because of the rebates with all else being equal. SONY DID NOT HONOR THE $150 REBATES. AND they sent the notice that they did not honor it too late to contact them in the time allotted. Computer works okay but slow. I knew that would be the case because the Best Buy salesman explained that it was better for artistic capabilities which it has been. I am out the $150 which made it competitive. SONY CHEATS AND DOES NOT BACK UP ADVERTISED REBATES.
by refugee
Thu Mar 20 2003Re: C1VE The product is great. It is extremely portable, functional and while not the fastest machine available, more than adequate to satisfy my mobile computing needs. I would not choose this machine as a main workhorse, but rather, as an mobile addition to a desktop machine. Biggest problem is with support (UK). In a word, it is absolutely diabolical and overpriced. I broke a key and am quote £70 to repair - they won't send me a replacement - I have to send my whole machine off to have the entire keyboard replaced. Also, my hard disk has failed and they want approx. £300 to replace 12GB disk. Great machine - terrible support!
by wavlynwarfir
Fri Feb 21 2003I love my Vaio. I got it a Future Shop, so the price was comparable to others with similar features. The screen is excellent, the touchpad is better than my old compaq's, and it's great to use as a DVD player if you have two batteries. My only complaint would be the short battery life. I bring it to school almost everyday, it's light and it starts up quickly. Plus, it just plain looks cool. If you see it at one of those department stores, I highly recommend getting it.
by orbit119
Tue Feb 11 2003Note: THis is in referece to the sony <br> Vaio Desktop R450<br> For serious gamers and profersionals avoid using this computer. It is not easily upgraded nor is it as powerful as it claims to be out of the box. It's not nessiarly mis-advertise simply poor compents. The 1ghz model I use operates at the same speed as a 700-800 mhz comp, and there is serious heating issues inside the case (We ended up punching 2 holes in the case to put in some 70mm fans just to drop the temp 5C) This vaio operates NORMALLY at 61C or 141.8F! Yet somehow it remainded stable, and can stand to put up for over weeks at a time.
by radioman
Sat Jan 04 2003The machine itself is the best computer I ever owned. No real major problems to report, good software package, all the bells and whistles in the hardware and plenty of room for expansion. Right out of the box you can see the quality Sony puts into there machines. the only thing I wish Sony would do is include some kind of manual for the XP os. I love this machine.
by wardrtclcadc
Tue Dec 17 2002Hardware has been very reliable. Comes with backup recovery disks. Excellent Speakers! All problems experienced have been due to OS and not related the hardware. I've owned several computers, two HPs and an Apple. Although my VAIO was Sony's "value" computer, suppasses the HPs in quality and reliability, and is an equal to the Apple in every area except OS. Although XP Home is an improvement over OS in my other PCs, I downrated the computer from 5 stars due to OS. I've read that Sony has poor technical support, however I can't speak to this as I never had a problem. I would buy this computer again. I can't say that regarding the HPs.
by webperuse
Fri Nov 15 2002I purchased from BestBuy Sony VAIO MODEL PCG-FXA40 for myself and then another for my Grandson's HS graduation. He is currently a freshman at Tulane and is making the Dean's list. It was a great investment for both of us. Later, I bought the model just below FXA40 for my daughter as an open box closeout from Circuit City. She has thoroughly tested it and is currently researching her master's entrance thesis at TAMCC. I bought extended warranties for all three but none have had any problems. I'M in the process of installing PARTITION MAGIC 8 so I can Dual Boot Windows XP and my Windows 98se.
by tworebel
Tue Jul 02 2002Looks like a cool computer to have.
by mojopolo
Sun Jan 20 2002My Sony Vaio has served me well. Most of all, the couple of times I've had to call on Sony tech support, I was made to feel that I was their most important customer. I will upgrade to a new Sony in the near future. mo,
by williethemole
Thu Aug 16 2001I like my Vaio,and have had very little problems with my 560-DS.I've edited 2 movies to date,and although I needed better instructions (Sony hates manuals)I eventually figured everything out via online support.There is a lot more to this computer,and I have only scratched the surface.It may not be a Dell,but I am pleased.
by dr_arash
Tue Jan 30 2001Sony Vaio has the all in one series that contains a high hard drive, DVD, 3.5", high amounts of cam and a flat LCD monitor with a thin body.
by jcmagua
Thu Jan 25 2001In my opinion, it is very well put together and very light. The keyboard is large enough that I don't feel cramped while I'm typing.
by fiat_e
Mon Jan 22 2001It's expandable to virtually any external hardware. It is very compact and very thin. It is stylish looking and looks great on your office desktop. It has active metrix display.
by kyunyn
Mon Jan 15 2001I love this notebook. It's hella small, thin and fast. Windows 98 loaded in under one minute and the complete package is upgradeable.
by arshad
Fri Jan 12 2001This laptop is bulky. The manufacturer's load up so many junk programs that it slows down the computer tremendously. By junk I mean programs that nobody will ever use because they are very specific or technical. Specific in the sense that you only use if for one task. The screen can only be seen if you're staring right at it. Cannot be viewed at even a slight angle.
by msolis
Thu Jan 11 2001I've tried installing numerous applications like Office 2000, Project 98, Vision Professional and even dial up works alright. The only disadvantage of these laptops are all the acessories, and they are fragile and breakable.
by rchand49
Tue Jan 09 2001Good resolution. Good quality. Easily available.
by tracyc
Tue Jan 09 2001The performance is excellent and it's easy to bring it and use it anywhere. The pictures are very clear.
by pinnybean
Tue Jan 09 2001I bought one of these for myself when they first were introduced in the market a few years ago. It is the best computer I have ever used, and has never given me a problem. If I were to buy another desktop, I would definitely buy another Sony VAIO. However, I will keep the one I have, upgrade it eventually, and buy a Sony VAIO notebook computer to use for when I move around. I have called their customer support a couple of times and they have been extremely nice and helpful.
by mr_sping
Mon Jan 08 2001I owned the P-70 series and it had some fun options which were available only to Sony. However, the hard drive, after only two years basically stopped working and I had to reformat it two times a month. Up until the two year mark I had no problems at all.
by riceboy
Mon Jan 08 2001These are incredible machines. Not only do they look cool, they pack relatively good hardware (for a laptop), agreeable tech support and an actual warranty. Personally, I love mine, but they are rather expensive computers.
by ebergst
Wed Jan 03 2001The Sony Vaio is an excellent, well-made, light-weight notebook. The 800 series is the best value in terms of speed and overall performance. Best to buy online at the wholesale price.
by theshoelady
Mon Dec 25 2000I just received one of these for Christmas and I already love it! Fast processor, clear bright screen but more than anything else is the size of this notebook that is so incredible. It weighs less than 3 lbs. and is like carrying around a small spiral notebook, (it's less than an inch thick!). I also really like the touch pad on this computer, much more so than the touch pad on my old laptop which was a Fujitsu. It not as overly sensitive as the Fujitsu was and there is none of that sort of sweeping feeling that I would get when I was trying to manipulate the cursor around the screen,(kind of like I was playing asteroids and how the little ship would always drift off). So it's only been a day and maybe I'll come back and update this after a little more time has passed but so far it's great!
by marneus
Thu Dec 07 2000In a word, sexy. They look slick, run slick, and have top components. I like the F590 with the 15" screen, 750 mhz processor and the 128 mb of RAM. Another nice feature is the slim size. They come with an excellent array of software as well. Downfalls I would mention, would the price, $3000 new and somewhat limited amount of RAM upgrade to Z56 MB.
by sargeras69
Mon Nov 27 2000Very good laptop. Incorporates most functions and has good hardware and software. Personally, one should include a trackball to improve it.
by sublimination
Mon Nov 27 2000Some of the highest quality computers on the market. They use quality components like Intel motherboards and come packed with tons of software. The technical support is great and I've never seen any problems with any of them.
by aznsnicker
Fri Nov 24 2000The Sony laptops are great and come with a lot, but the price is too high.
by danlaw
Tue Nov 21 2000Very good design and colors. Works well doing editing videos and such. It's pretty fast. Good for designs and internet design. Fast connection and clear screen. Key pad is a little hard to use.