Sony is bringing the long lasting, EV-DO-packin' goodness to us yet again in the revamped version of its VGN-TXN10. The folks at Laptop Mag got their lucky paws on Sony's latest 3G ultraportable, and were more than pleased with the results. Housing a 1.2GHz Intel Core Solo processor, 1GB of RAM, 80GB 4200RPM hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, Intel's GMA950 integrated graphics set, and an 11.1-inch 1,366 x 768 resolution LCD, reviewers were thrilled with the decent performance and exceptionally long "8 hours, 32 minutes" of battery life they realized in testing. Both the design and long list of ammenties were greatly appreciaited, but the wee keyboard and (unsurprisingly) high pricetag were complained about. The "star attraction," as it was so aptly called, delivered a very impressive "average throughput of 768Kbps," with peaks as "high as 1Mbps." They did note that upload speeds were a tad slow, but they hope that Sprint's continued rollout of Rev A technology will help the issue resolve itself. Overall, it came "pretty close to being the ultimate ultraportable," and should suit just about anyone with deep enough pockets quite well.
If the OQO model 02 is too small for your needs, step up to the Sony VAIO VGN-TXN15P. About the size and weight (10.7 x 7.7 x 1.2 inches and 2.8 pounds) of a small hardcover book, the VGN-TXN15P is easy to slip into a bag or backpack yet still manages to deliver a wealth of features.
As with any ultraportable, easy portability has its consequences. The keyboard is a bit cramped (though we appreciate the large Enter, Shift, and Backspace keys). While the 11.1-inch widescreen is better than a ten-inch screen typical of this weight class, it is still on the small side. The 1366 x 768-pixel resolution doesn't help readability, as text and icons wind up pretty small. And you have to be square-on to see the panel; moving even slightly off-axis in any direction results in a drop-off in brightness.
We're happy to see a DVD burner included in a machine this small, and the 80GB hard drive is good for this class. Sony didn't skimp on ports, either, including all the typical connectors plus a memory card reader (Memory Stick and SD).
Application performance (165 on MobileMark 2005) from the 1.2-GHz Intel Core Solo processor was on the low side compared with full-sized notebooks, but it's fine for a machine this small. As predicted, with a showing of 858 on 3DMark03, don't expect to play 3D games.
We have no complaints when it comes to the VGN-TXN15P's EV-DO Rev. A WWAN connectivity (via Sprint's network). During our tests, wireless broadband speed was very good. The VAIO's average download speed of 725 Kbps was second only to the Toshiba Portege R400-34931, and its upload speed average of 128.6 was second to the Panasonic Toughbook CF-W5.
Surfing via WWAN on the VGN-TXN15P was a joy. CNN.com loaded in less than 15 seconds; we were checking our Gmail Inbox 7 seconds after typing in our password; and video playback was quick and stutter-free. And the VGN-TXN15P's battery life-more than eight hours-means you can go wire-free all day.
The VGN-TXN15P comes with plenty of software. Sony includes its VAIO Support Central utility, backup and restore utilities, and the VAIO Hardware Diagnostics suite to test the CPU, memory, hard drive, and more. You also get Microsoft Works Suite 8.5 and Sony's digital-video and DVD creation apps.
The Sony VAIO VGN-TXN15P delivers a lot of bang for the buck. If you don't mind the cramped keyboard and screen, it's an excellent way to stay connected at high speeds without having to be near an outlet
