Sony VAIO VGN-A690 Reviews
The Sony VAIO VGN-A690 notebook is powered by the Intel Pentium M 750 1.86 GHz processor and ATI Mobility Radeon X600. Sony VAIO VGN-A690 is a multimedia notebook with 17 inch widescreen display.
Sony VAIO VGN-A690 Specifications
Type: Gaming, Media
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Home
Processor Name: Intel Pentium M 750
Processor Speed: 1.86 GHz
RAM: 1024 MB
Hard Drive Capacity: 100 GB
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon X600
Primary Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW (Plus Minus)
Wireless: 802.11a/b, 802.11a/g
Screen Size: 17 inches
Screen Size Type: widescreen
System Weight: 8.6 lbs
Sony VAIO VGN-A690 Reviews
PC Magazine features a Sony VAIO VGN-A690 review and writes:
The Sony VAIO VGN-A690 notebook is a solid multimedia PC, and Sony’s VAIO Zone is as capable as Windows XP Media Center Edition, if not better in some respects. The newer components add some much needed horsepower.
A system targeted at multimedia with a great DVR solution needs the largest hard drive it can get, and Sony smartly accommodates with a whopping 100GB, currently the largest hard drive you can get on a notebook. The system also comes with a dual-layer DVD±RW drive for burning up to 8.5GB of data. Currently, the media is hard to find and a bit pricey, but we expect that situation to improve.
Sony’s VAIO Zone is as capable as Microsoft MCE, if not better in some respects. While we wish the Sony VAIO VGN-A690 had more AV ports built in, its solid set of features and top components make it a great choice if you’re in the market for a multimedia notebook.
CNET Reviews has reviewed the Sony VAIO VGN-A690 notebook and states:
“The sprawling Sony VAIO VGN-A690 is one of the most versatile desktop-replacement laptops on the market. At $2,800, it costs about what you’d spend on an LCD television, a DVD player, a DVR, and a typical wide-screen notebook combined, but it squeezes all of those devices into one monstrous laptop–and seven additional pounds of accessories. Though its companion port replicator offers virtually any connection you might need and its external speakers sound great, they’re still extra bits and pieces; the VAIO VGN-A690 simply isn’t as self-contained as our mighty Editors’ Choice, the Toshiba Qosmio G25-AV513, which costs $300 more. That’s not to say the VAIO VGN-A690 isn’t a great system–it’s a prime-time contender in the high-end, multimedia desktop-replacement category, giving both the HP Pavilion zd8000 and Dell Inspiron 9300 a run for their money. ”
The Sony VAIO VGN A690 notebooks takes a 7.5 (“Very good”) rating mainly for these qualities:
Beautiful Sony aesthetics; bright, wide-screen, high-resolution display; full complement of features and connections; powerful performance, yet runs cool and quiet; excellent software and support.
The bottom line of this review:
“Though it relies heavily on its accessories, the Sony VAIO VGN-A690 successfully delivers TV, DVR, stereo, DVD player, and high-performance PC functions in one big laptop.”
Laptopical reviews the Sony Vaio VGN-A690 and writes – ‘The A690 really comes into it’s own as an all in one entertainment/multimedia center. Sony say that XBRITE LCD displays have quicker video response times than normal displays. Also the XBrite coating on the crisp 17 inch display reduces glare and ambient light reflection, supposedly lessening eye fatigue, and making movie watching, and game playing more enjoyable.’
