Sony VAIO PCG-V505AP

The 12.1in TFT forms the other half of this VAIO's ergonomics equation, and it's a good example of its type - it's consistently bright from corner to corner and it also boasts excellent contrast (so whites look white and blacks look black). The only question is whether it's large enough, especially now that Sony has moved the goalposts with its VAIO PCG-Z1SP (see issue 104, p61). This weighed 2.1kg, just 100g more than the V505AP, yet included a 14.1in TFT and a similar DVD/CD-RW combo drive.

When it comes to battery life, the Z1SP again proved the winner, lasting for more than four hours in our light-use tests compared with three hours, 21 minutes from the V505AP. This wasn't a huge shock, as prolonged battery life is meant to be one of Centrino technology's biggest benefits.

Where the V505AP undeniably wins, though, is width. It's just 277mm wide compared with the 316mm of its sibling, and this makes carrying it around that much easier. This combination will make it the preferred choice for many people, but take note of the Dell Latitude X200 (see issue 97, p122). This is truly ultra portable, weighing just 1.3kg, but a docking station (including a DVD/CD-RW combo drive) comes as part of the package for £1,425.

Author: Tim Danton