Report Sony VAIO NW Series

Entertainment seekers in search of a notebook as vgp-bps8 that offers Blu-ray playback, solid performance, and plenty of style will find a lot to like in the Sony vgp-bpl8. Priced at a reasonable $879 (as low as $799 online), this machine comes packed with a wealth of features, as well as a sharp 15.5-inch display—although you’ll need to use the HDMI port and an external monitor or TV to get the full 1080p experience. Those looking for more graphics oomph will want to opt for a different configuration of this system, but overall the VAIO NW as sony vgp-bps8 is a satisfying multimedia laptop.

Design

The first thing you’ll notice about the 14.6 x 9 .8 x 1.2-inch, Walnut Brown sony vgp-bps9 is the cool faux-wood design on the lid, which extends to the base of the system. If you’re not keen on this look, Sony vgp-bps9/s also offers the system in in Birch White and Silver Rattan. Owing to the NW’s “waved body” design, the keyboard resides in a slight depression, but it didn’t negatively impact our typing.

Above and to the right of the keyboard are a row of buttons that let us launch the Splashtop instant-on browser (which allows users access to the Web while avoiding Vista’s lengthy boot times), mute the speakers, and turn the display off (for when you’re using the notebook only to listen to music, for example). We would have liked to see dedicated volume controls, but it’s easy enough to adjust with function keys. At 5.6 pounds, the sony battery isn’t a system you’ll want to constantly keep in tow, but it’s certainly light enough to easily move from room to room.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The island-style keyboard on the vgp-bps5a is roomy and comfortable, which made for a pleasurable typing experience. The keys are flat and springy; the layout lacks a full number pad, but that’s far from a dealbreaker on a multimedia notebook as vgp-bps5.

A 3.3 x 2.5-inch textured touchpad below the keyboard offered just the right amount of resistance; it was neither too slippery nor too friction-heavy. That let us zip the cursor across the screen with ease. We also liked the two raised touchpad buttons, which had a firm feel.

Display and Audio

The glossy, 15.5-inch (1366 x 768-pixel resolution) display uses Sony’s X-Brite Eco technology, which as vgp-bps9 lengthens battery life by using one backlight instead of the two in the regular X-Brite displays. The 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio offered plenty of real estate for crafting documents and reading Web pages. The viewing angles were fairly decent; two people can watch a video simultaneously, but as vgp-bps9/b you move farther from the center, you’ll encounter more reflections.

Overall, the sound that emanated from the speakers was quite crisp; we loved the crackle of the gunfire exchanges, and the sounds of helicopter blades were nice and chunky. The maximum volume and bass may not be enough for those who like to rattle rooms, but we found the audio sufficiently loud and clear when watching movies or streaming ‘90s alternative music from Slacker of  vgp-bps8 battery.

Blu-ray Playback

The VAIO NW is one of the least expensive notebooks as vgp-bps2c yet that offers an integrated Blu-ray drive. The notebook as vgp-bps2a itself supports only 720p playback, but we like what we saw when we popped in our We Were Soldiers Blu-ray. Night scenes, for example, showed the appropriate amount of black without losing detail.

When we output the video via HDMI to a 32-inch Samsung monitor, the vgp-bps2b was able to deftly handle our flick’s fast-moving action scenes at 1080p resolution. The appeal of Blu-ray on this (or any notebook) will come down to how convenient it is for you to hook the system as vgp-bps9a/b up to a large TV or monitor that can take full advantage of the format’s capabilities.

Ports and Webcam

The Sony vgp-bpl8 is packed with a fair number of connectivity options for hooking up accessories and peripherals. Built into the right side of the system is the aforementioned 2X Blu-ray drive (with an 8X DVD+/-RW burner), two USB 2.0 ports, and headphone and microphone jacks; its front features two memory card readers (Memory Stick Pro and SD), and a Wi-Fi switch; the left side contains VGP-BPL5A Battery an additional USB port, VGA, HDMI, FireWire 400, Ethernet, and an ExpressCard/34 slot.

Diving face-first into video of sony chats with friends was simple, thanks to the embedded 0.3 MP Motion Eye camera. While chatting with friends using Skype, we enjoyed smooth frame rates that suffered from very little blur. However, we found the colors—be it clothing or skin tones—to be a bit muted.