Sony Vaio N-Series
VGN-N11S
As I'm studying IT at college I needed a laptop that would be perfect for my studies quick enough to deal with all my applications and being a student, affordable.
The VGN-N11S is perfect for all of these, but don't be fooled by the price. At last, Sony have ... Read review
(+) positive aspects include the speed, apperance/design of the laptop, and the enhanced performance. (-) i have a matt black laptop and it shows dirty finger prints.
As I'm studying IT at college I needed a laptop that would be perfect for my studies quick enough to deal with all my applications and being a student, affordable.
The VGN-N11S is perfect for all of these, but don't be fooled by the price. At last, Sony have brought us a good quality laptop with many great features which is affordable! They state that this laptop is the 'Perfect Balance ... ...with the 15.4' X-black LCD, Sony are bang on when they say its for a brighter picture, sharper contrast and vivid lifelike colours. I was blown away with the clarity of the picture and the colours. The display is even brighter when the AC adapter is plugged in. I would defo suggest the adapter is plugged in while watching a DVD to get the most out of it.
The keyboard looked pretty scary at first. The keys are flat with gaps in between ... more
Sony Vaio N-Series
VGN-N11S
As I'm studying IT at college I needed a laptop that would be perfect for my studies quick enough to deal with all my applications and being a student, affordable. The VGN-N11S is perfect for all of these, but don't be fooled by the price. At last, Sony have brought us a good quality laptop with many great features which is affordable! They state that this laptop is the 'Perfect Balance Between Value and Versatility', I definitely agree!
Specifications:
Processor: Intel Core Duo T2050 (1.6GHz x 2) Hard drive: 100 GB RAM: 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM Battery Life: 3.8 hours
15.4' X-black LCD monitor DVD±RWI love the slim design; its height is only 2.9cms. The bright white colour makes this laptop look modern and stand out from others. I was quite worried at first about the colour getting dirty easily, but its actually not that bad at all. It can easily be wiped over. It doesn't have a clasp like some laptops which can easily be broken. I like the way it simply snaps shut, this adds to the clean modern look. I was quite disappointed with the weight though, it feels quite heavy at 3.1kg.
I was originally going to buy the VGN-N11M which is pretty much the same as the N11S but comes with 512MB RAM instead of 1GB and an 80GB hard drive instead of the 100GB, but I needed that extra speed and space to deal with all my tasks. (I also got a good deal on the N11S on eBay.... £550.... Bargain!!!! :-) )
The 1 GB of RAM makes this laptop pretty speedy, but it can be upgraded to 2 GB if desired. This can easily be done by sliding the memory cover off the back and clicking the RAM into place. It has instructions of how to do this in the manual, which is in electronic format instead of the good old paper book. I would definitely like to upgrade the RAM at a later date and will keep you posted when I do to let you know the difference.
The hard drive is partitioned into 2 drives (C:/ drive and D:/ drive), this may confuse some people who are used to the CD drive being drive D:/ but you can easily get used to this.
Both parts of the hard drive don't actually equal 100GB, in fact C:/ = 46.5GB and D:/ = 38.6GB. This is still plenty, but it's advertised as 100GB and the box states 100GB and that's what it should be, right?
It has built in card readers for SD and Memory stick, so its great for digital cameras. Most mobile phones come with SD cards these days, so pictures and videos can be transferred easily between devices.
It comes with lots of software, which can take up lots of hard drive space. E.g Google Earth and Search bar is preinstalled, which are over 20MB each. Ok, so these can be easily uninstalled, but I think its pretty unnecessary for all this extra software. Instead they should have supplied the full version of Microsoft Office, in place of the 60day trial version! I comes with a 90day trial of Norton, which I would definitely suggest uninstalling when the trial runs out, then choose a lighter anti-virus program as my laptop seemed to load so much quicker without the memory eating Norton.
I was very impressed with the 15.4' X-black LCD, Sony are bang on when they say its for a brighter picture, sharper contrast and vivid lifelike colours. I was blown away with the clarity of the picture and the colours. The display is even brighter when the AC adapter is plugged in. I would defo suggest the adapter is plugged in while watching a DVD to get the most out of it.
The keyboard looked pretty scary at first. The keys are flat with gaps in between so no eating biscuits while working on it, it would be a nightmare trying to get any crumbs out. The actually functionality of the keyboard is great though, especially for touch typing. The keys feel smooth and there isn't a delay between keying and the text appearing on the screen, so you wont find yourself going back over your document because you missed letters out like I've seen on other laptops, so this is good for the quicker typists. The touchpad is very sensitive, so I would say it's not for the heavy handed.
As for the speakers, I was pretty surprised at Sony for supplying this mint laptop with these tinny monstrosities. With Windows media centre being the operating system, and having lots of media software preinstalled you'd have thought they'd have supplied some good quality speakers to get the most out of all the software. I personally didn't buy this laptop for the sound. Even though the speakers are crap, I think its got a good sound card. If I want to listen to my music at home, I just plug in my 800w speakers anyway:-) I don't need to blast my music while I'm on the move, so its good for my needs.
Sadly it only has 2 USB ports, which is probably the most negative thing I can say about the laptop, there's plenty of space where more could have been placed. Perhaps the employees at Sony wanted to get off early that day and couldn't be bothered to add anymore. It's a shame as there's a USB connection on pretty much every peripheral these days. If this is a problem though, a multiple USB hub can be purchased separately for under a tenner on good old Ebay.
It has a Lithium ion battery, which means you don't have to let the battery discharge fully before recharging and it wont get damaged. Battery life is 3.8 hours, this is a long time compared to other laptops, I've known most to only last an hour! Although it depends what its being used for; e.g. if your on the net, listening to your music and playing games at the same time as files are downloading, it obviously wont last the full 3.8 hours! It displays the percentage of the battery , but it doesn't tell you how much time (in minutes) the battery has left like I've seen on other laptops, which I think is a bit of a let down from Sony.
As a Sony product, it comes with the standard Sony 1 year warranty, which can be registered easily online. Before purchasing this laptop, I've read that the serial number is hard to find, which I was quite worried about when it came to registering. The serial number can simply be found in the Vaio Control Centre under System information.
I think this laptop would be perfect for someone who is into photography, thanks to the handy card readers and the lifelike colours on the x-Black screen.
All in all I think this is a great laptop, Sony have done a great job at producing a laptop that is pretty speedy thanks to the Centrino Core Duo processor and 1GB RAM. It is also capable of running Windows Vista, so it should last you a long time! At such an affordable price I would definitely recommend it to anyone!
Advantages: Crystal clear screen, good price, battery life, excellent overall Disadvantages: 512MB not enough, not many ports
This is the first Sony Vaio I have owned. I have stayed away from Vaios in the past because of Sony's insistance on customising the way operating systems work (the Sony Clie Palm OS devices were a testament to this).
I have owned a couple of Acer laptops which, although heavy and with low battery life, are extremely reliable (my oldest one is 10 years old and still going strong). I once owned a Compaq laptop that fell to pieces within 6 months.
... ...Sony. In the end, the Sony X-Black screen clinched it - I'd seen the screen in the shops and it was incredibly sexy. The Toshiba was a very close second choice. I bought the Sony at eBuyer.com for just under £550 brand new.
After my Sony was delivered, I quickly uninstalled just about everything that they included as I already had my own software. The Sony comes with 512MB of memory, but up to 128MB can be allocated to the graphics card, so straight ...
brentj 04.03.2007 (22.05.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sony VAIO N11
...a nice size of 15.4", Sony has made the excellent X-Black screen for it's laptops for many years and this one is no exception. Very bright, clear, sharp and non-reflective. I've used it in bright sunshine and was still able to see the screen clearly. Very black blacks and nice, bright whites. (sounds like a Daz advert)
Of course, no laptop would be complete without a DVD Burner and the one that comes with this seems good to me. It reads all formats ... ...and will write to the usual plus or minus 'r' and 'rw' discs as well as DL.
Sadly only two USB ports are built in. One perhaps for a seperate mouse (I just can't get on with these touch-pads!) and one for your printer and you're out of sockets. Of course you can change cables over or buy a USB hub, but I'd have liked to see another one socket at least.
Apart from that, the connections are pretty reasonable. The usual microphone jack, headphone ...
craigyb85 18.01.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Sony VAIO N11
Advantages: Easy to set up, excellent graphics and great looking. Disadvantages: Heavy
I brought my Sony Vaio via Play.com and armed with the easy to use step-by-step setup guide meant that it was not long before I could start exploring its capbilities.
The software pacakges included Roxio and Windows Media Player which made DVD and CD playing and writing effortless as well as a handy 30 days antivirus package so that you could have a bit of time to sort out something later.
The 15.4 inch wide screen makes surfing the internet and ... ...meant that I am kept up to date with software upgrades.
Setting up the internet was also a breeze as as soon as I flicked the switch to search for wireless connections it immediately alerted me to those in my area, and it speed at which it connected was fantastic with no glitches or needing to constantly re-connect (touch wood).
The in built speakers are ok but would recommend headphones or buying external speakers for serious music listening or ...
natz_welch 18.02.2007 (19.02.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Sony VAIO N11
Advantages: small, neat and perfect for everyday use Disadvantages: minimum ports on system
...and also for business use. Sony also give good technical support for all your needs, and this little system is ideal for everyone. Even the kids are able to use this machine, without any problems. It is very user friendly, and is at a great price, ideal for anyone in any background. I use mine for both business and pleasure and it has everything I need for both. This is a very compact little machine and will rival anything on the market today. To ... ...and a credit to the sony name. Sony VAIO N11M/W
Core Duo T2050 / 1.6 GHz fast enough for most people
Centrino Duo
RAM : 512 MB more than enough memory for what you need
HD : 80 GB plenty of room for saving those mp3's and photos
DVD±RW (±R DL) ideal for making backups of those dvd's WLAN : 802.11b/g comes with wireless too
Win XP MCE 2005
15.4" Widescreen TFT 1280 x 800 ( WXGA ) and a very clear screen ...
johnslattery 22.12.2006 (24.01.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Sony VAIO N11
Speed
Look & Feel
Comfort & Portability
Robustness & Durability
Value For Money
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years now and at the time, it cost me a few hundred.
The laptop comes with software called 'Battery scope'. There will be an icon on your taskbar with a picture of a blue battery (if the battery is fully charged) and a white battery and a red cross if the battery is about to die (your become very familiar with that icon!). On an additional note this software is incompatible with Windows XP.
You can buy a new battery from laptopshop.co.uk priced at £60.00. Which I consider quite steep for its life spam (half an hour - if your lucky).
PC World Business offer a power adapter for the car this can be purchased for £37.33 at the below web address:
www.pcwb.com
PSA CCC0673A - Power adapter - car ( external )
Additional details
--------------------------
SonyVaioN505X
Voltage: 11.1 V
Capacity: 3600 mAh
<<<
1 ( 1 ) x ExpressCard/34, 2 ( 1 ) x memory - SO DIMM 200-pin
1 ( 1 ) x ExpressCard/34
Interfaces
1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire) - 4 PIN FireWire
1 x modem - phone line - RJ-11
1 x network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45
1 x headphones - output - mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm
1 x microphone - input - mini-phone mono 3.5 mm
2 x USB - 4 PIN USB Type A
1 x display / video - VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15)
Miscellaneous
Features
Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately)
Power
Power Device
External
Battery
Technology
Lithium Ion
Installed Qty
1
Run Time (Up To)
3.8 hour(s), 3.75 hour(s)
Operating system / software
OS Provided
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 - English
Software
Microsoft Office 2003 Student and Teacher Edition (Trial), WinDVD for VAIO 5.0, Adobe Reader 7.0, Roxio DigitalMedia SE 7, Sony Click to DVD 2.5, Sony DVgate Plus 2.2, VAIO Recovery Utility 2.6, Norton Ghost 10 (Trial), Google Picasa, Microsoft Works 8.5, Skype 2.0, Google Software Pack, Sony SonicStage CP 4.0
Manufacturer warranty
Service & Support Details
Limited warranty - 1 year, Limited warranty - parts and labour - 1 year
Service & Support
1 year warranty
Manufacturer's product description
VAIO N Series is the perfect portable companion for Internet browsing, e-mail typing and running office applications. Featuring a 15.4" X-black LCD for a brighter picture, sharper contrast and vivid, lifelike colors. Experience ease of use with an ergonomic chassis design.
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