Sony VAIO VGN-SR19XN review

Screen test

It's almost impossible to find anything to criticise about the VAIO's screen. It's exceptionally bright, it's crisp and colours are realistic. Though some might be disappointed by a resolution of 1,280 x 800, as opposed to 1,440 x 900 or even 1,600 x 900 in other 13in laptops, we found it extremely usable in everyday use.

Despite this, we assume that most people will hook the VAIO up to an external monitor at the desk - there's a VGA output on the left-hand side of the machine. Also note that if you want DVI you'll have to buy a version of the SR19 series with a separate graphics chip, and then buy Sony's docking station (the VGP-PRSR1) - we've been informed that the DVI-D output won't work with Intel's graphics chip.

This overcomes a couple of the SR19's other potential weaknesses too: the built-in network port is only 10/100 as opposed to Gigabit on the docking station, and it boosts the USB port count from two to five. Other ports on the laptop itself include mini-FireWire and ExpressCard/34.

Performance

A common theme among ultraportable laptops is a lack of cutting-edge power; they're fine for everyday tasks but struggle when it comes to intensive apps like video editing. But this VAIO uses one of Intel's latest processors, the 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400.

It's part of Intel's much-heralded Centrino 2 technology, and importantly it's based on 45nm fab technology. This gives the twin benefits of a frequency boost and, together with a more power-friendly chipset, improved battery life.

We've absolutely no complaints in terms of speed. It raced through our benchmarks, scoring 1.13 - one of the fastest scores we've ever seen from a laptop. It's coupled with 3GB of RAM, too, so memory shortages won't be an issue.

If you want to play modern games, though, you'll struggle. The Intel GMA X4500MHD graphics chip inside this VAIO isn't designed for such things, although it will cope with older titles. If you want a little more gaming potential, consider the SR19VN with its ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 graphics.

The rest of the specifications are decent but not spectacular. There's a dual-layer DVD writer (integrated, not external), but no Blu-ray player. The 160GB hard disk is fine, but if you want larger you should again upgrade to the SR19VN - that buys you a 200GB disk.

Embedded 3G is also out of the scope of this particular laptop, with Sony currently offering this just as part of its Z-Series and TZ-Series. Instead, you must "make do" with 802.11bg and draft-n. There's also no infrared, though you do get Bluetooth and an SD card slot to accompany the expected Memory Stick.

VAIO Professional

Sony UK has just established its VAIO Professional branding. In practice, this means improved warranties on VAIOs that fall into this range, which include the SR-Series. Instead of the standard 1yr collect-and-return warranty, you get two years' cover. You can also upgrade separately to on-site cover.

The hardware itself also offers a lot to businesses small and large. The fingerprint reader is the most obvious sign, and this worked smoothly in our tests. There's also a Trusted Platform Module inside, offering advanced encryption possibilities.

Conclusion

It adds up to a very strong laptop and currently occupies a niche all of its own: it costs less than £1,000 but offers superb portability, buckets of power, board-level styling and all the security features most businesses need.

Author: Tim Danton