Sony VAIO VGN-FS550

The Sony Vaio VGN-FS550 notebook PC is a powerful machine suited for both professionals and casual users. Competing with Apple’s iBook, the Vaio makes up what it lacks in the white and futuristic column, by focusing on looking business-like and serious. It’s like the serious brother of the more adventurous iBook.

The VGN-FS550 is packed with an 80 GB hard drive, 512 MB of RAM, a 1.6 Ghz Intel Centrino Pentium M processor, and a large and crisp 15.4″ inch XBRITE LCD screen. Weighing at just over 6 pounds with a battery life of up to 5.5 hours, the notebook is designed to be light and portable. It also features 54g wireless connectivity, a dual layer DVD+/-RW drive, and even a Memory Stick slot for transferring photos.The VGN-FS550 also comes with an integrated video/graphics card in the Intel 914GM chipset with 128 MB of video RAM that’s shared with the main RAM — this isn’t a video card for gamers, and if you intend to play games on this laptop, you’ll have to have a serious upgrade to get any sort of quality.

Which is a bit of shame, because the 15.4″ inch screen is one of the best laptop screens around — bright, crisp and offering high-quality detail — it’s a wonder to behold. In general, the laptop’s not a bad machine. It’s light and compact, it’s quiet, and it’s also very easy to upgrade almost anything you want on it, be it RAM, Hard Drive or even the battery. It’s a reliable machine, as most Sony products are, and tends to work well for a good amount of time.It does have its fair share of problems.

For one, as opposed to a few of the newer machines, it doesn’t come with Bluetooth, which is unfortunate. Also, it’s not a great system for games — in fact it isn’t a system for games at all. Not enough RAM and an extremely weak graphics card prevent any real gameplay. Finally, it’s pricey. A bit too pricey for what it offers — and if you’re looking for laptops in this price range, you may be better off with a Dell or a Toshiba. In short, the Sony VAIO VGN-FS550 is by no means a bad machine, but for its cost, and what it provides — buyers might want to shop around first before deciding on this machine. But if you do choose it, you won’t be disappointed.

Things That Make It Special:* Intel Centrino Pentium M 1.6 Ghz processor.* 80 GB Hard Drive* Runs Windows XP Home Edition* Weights a little over 6 pounds.* Up to 5.5 hours per battery charge.* 15.4″ inch screen is one of the best screens out there.* Attractive in a serious sort of way.