The Bottom Line
- 3GB of Memory
- Blu-ray Support
- Ability to Use Type II/ExpressCard Expansion Cards
- Expensive
- Not Well Suited For Use Outside of Multimedia
Description
- Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 Dual Core Mobile Processor
- 3GB PC2-5300 DDR2 Memory
- 500GB 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive
- 2x Blu-Ray/8x DVD+/-RW DVD Burner
- 22" WSXGA+ (1680x1050) LCD Display with NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GT 256MB Graphics and Digital/Analog HDTV Tuner
- Intel HDA Audio with 6W Built-in Stereo Speakers and 5W Subwoofer
- v.92 56Kbps Modem, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/g/n Wireless
- Five USB 2.0, One FireWire, Type II PC Card Slot, ExpressCard/34, 3-in-1 Card Reader, 1.3MP Webcam
- 25.3" x 16.5" x 7"
- Vista Home Premium, MS Works 9, Norton 360, VAIO Suite
Guide Review - Sony VAIO VGC-LT25E All-In-One PC
3/21/08 – The Sony VAIO LT series of all-in-one personal computers has always had a very media centric focus, and in this area it does perform extremely well. The latest VGC-LT25E adds in some extra features that really set it apart from other all in one options.
First, the LT25E uses a larger 22” wide LCD panel. This is great for viewing high definition content although it would have been nice to see them use a 1900x1200 resolution for true 1080p HD support. The thin depth of the unit makes it very easy to be wall mounted. Finally, Sony now includes a Blu-ray burner standard on the unit. This allows it to playback high definition Blu-ray movies in addition to being able to playback HD TV signals with its built-in digital and analog tuners.
Sony has also done an excellent job allowing for expansion of the LT25E's capabilities. Most all-in-one systems limit expansion to external USB or FireWire peripherals. Sony also allows for the ability to use Type II PC Card or ExpressCard/34 notebook expansion cards with the LT25E. This gives it a bit more flexibility for adding features to the system.
The problem is that the Sony VAIO LT series is too focused on being a high definition multimedia system. This ultimately hurts the system from being a truly functional PC system to be used in a household. It is much better suited as a secondary computer in a bedroom than it is to being a home PC platform. All of the multimedia features includes with the LT25E also makes it one of the most expensive all-in-one PCs on the market. This further detracts from its usefulness as a home PC rather than a multimedia center as there are less expensive alternatives.
