The Bottom Line
- Excellent 19" LCD Screen
- Full Two Gigabytes of Memory
- Integrated Digital and Analog TV Tuners
- Dedicated Graphics Processor
- Expensive
- Infrared Receiver Still External
- Limited Upgrade Options
Description
- Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 Dual Core Mobile Processor
- 2GB PC2-5300 DDR2 Memory
- 250GB 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive
- 8x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Burner
- NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 Graphics With Built-In 19" WSXGA+ (1680x1050) LCD And HDTV/Analog TV Tuner
- Intel HDA Audio With Built-In Stereo Speakers
- v.92 56Kbps Modem, 10/100 Ethernet and 802.11b/g Wireless
- Four USB 2.0, One iLink/FireWire, Type II PC Card Slot, ExpressCard/54 and SD/MS Slot
- 21" x 14" x 7.5"
- Vista Home Premium, VAIO Suite, Works 8, WinDVD, Roxio, Norton Internet Security
Guide Review - Sony VAIO VGC-LS25E All-In-One PC
2/28/07 – Sony's new LS25 line of all-in-on PCs builds upon the success they had from the LS1. The LS1 was a surprising system that made for an excellent personal computer that could also double up as a home theater system for any it is installed in. It did have a number of annoyances though. Sony has addressed some of these, but left a number still with the product.
First off, the new LS25E use the new Vista Home Premium operating system that is comparable in features to the older Media Center edition. In order to keep pace with he new operating system, the processor has been upgraded to a newer Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 mobile process that supports 64-bit. It still uses the mobile processor line but this helps reduce power and heat allowing it to fit into such a small cabinet. The system also has faster PC2-5300 DDR2 memory for improved performance. The 2GB of memory is welcome to allow Vista to run smoothly.
The screen continues to be a bright spot for the system. The high resolution 1680x1050 19-inch screen allows for high definition content and is quite bright. The only real drawback is the resolution being just below that needed for 1080 HDTV support. Since it has a built in ATSC HDTV and Analog tuners, it can be used as a full media center. For some reason though, Sony continues to have the Infrared receiver as a separate external unit rather than built into the bezel of the screen.
Another welcome addition is the dedicated GeForce Go 7400 graphics processor. While not a 3D powerhouse, it does let the system use the new Vista Aero interface fully compared to the previous integrated graphics on older models.
