Sony VAIO Mini W Series review

That ensures Windows XP hurtles along, and it never struggled during everyday tasks such as trawling through an Excel spreadsheet.

In fact, the only time the W Series stuttered was when playing back a programme in iPlayer. That's possibly a reflection on the BBC app as well, because when we tested the VAIO with 720p video in the less-demanding WMV format, it played back smoothly.

Not so hot?

Battery life proved run of the mill, at least as far as recent netbook standards go. Sony includes only a three-cell battery as standard, and this lasted for 4hrs 19mins in our light-use tests - around half the time most premium netbooks can manage these days. A six-cell extended-life battery will soon be available, for an as yet unspecified price, which should double life to a maximum of eight hours.

The benefit of the three-cell unit is that it keeps this netbook streamlined, and although models such as the Asus Eee PC 1008HA make it look a little porky at 32mm thick, you can still sling the W Series into a bag without worrying about its size. It's quite light, too, at 1.19kg.

But the question still remains: when you can buy the winner of last month's netbooks Labs, Samsung's N110, for £50 less, is the Mini W Series worth the premium?

We certainly can't argue with the specifications: you get every luxury going, including Bluetooth, draft-n wireless (note the handy hardware switch on the front) and two memory card slots, one for SD, one for Memory Stick Pro Duo.

The software package is also better than most, with some respectable ArcSoft titles plus a Battery Care application that promises to optimise your battery's life based on how you use the netbook.

If the Sony's keyboard and battery life had been better, it would certainly have been vying for an award. To include such an excellent screen at this price is astonishing when you consider it's Sony's first true netbook; it may have been late to the party, but now it's arrived Sony wants to be the star attraction.

But in terms of usability and value for money, the Samsung N110 beats it, despite its lesser screen. Its great keyboard and 11-hour battery life are difficult to argue with, especially when the W Series costs such a significant amount more.

Author: Tim Danton