Sony VAIO VGN-A790

While the features are quite impressive on the Sony VAIO VGN-A790 desktop replacement, the price tag is just too high for the items included.

(7/28/05) – Sony's large VAIO VGN-A790 desktop replacement is powered by the very fast Intel Pentium M 760 (2GHz) mobile processor that should let it have good battery life when on the move. It also comes with a full gigabyte of PC2-4200 DDR 2 memory that lets the system work to its full potential.

Storage on the VAIO VGN-A790 is definitely above average. The 100GB 5400rpm hard drive provides a good amount of storage for things like digital video, an important function with the multimedia capability. The higher speed also boosts the drives overall performance. The 8x DVD+/-RW dual layer DVD burner supports all the latest media types for recording DVD and CD media.

Multimedia is the prime driving force of the Sony VAIO notebook computers. The VGN-A790 system comes equipped with a very high resolution (1920x1200) 17” widescreen panel. This is much higher than the typical desktop replacement resolution. Driving the graphics is the ATI Mobility X600 with 256MB of memory that should have sufficient power to run 3D games on this scree albeit probably not at the native resolution. The included TV tuner allows the system to double as an entertainment center.

The biggest problem with the Sony VAIO VGN-A790 is its price. It is significantly higher than other competing desktop replacement systems with similar features. While the multimedia functions are quite nice, they just don't justify the final price.