Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This unit is very impressive out of the box. But as you get close to the expiration date of the warrenty you feel like you might have made a serious error in your judgement. The first thing that happened to me, and as I found out later, others, was the cd/dvd player. It appears to function but doesn't. Mechanically it works. However, the computer does not recognize any disc or carry out any command. It just says to put a disc in an already full tray. The next problem was the wireless keyboard. At first it was some keys and then it would not respond to any keys. Batteries didn't matter. Those 2 problems were remedied by outboard units from other companies. Then the mouse became a problem. Another purchase.
I beefed up the RAM on my own to make the unit run faster and that helped but many other upgrades are not just cost prohibitive, they are just not possible because of the physical makeup of this all in one unit. I am stuck with a graphics card that won't allow many programs to run or allow updates like the new "Vista"
The service pack2 for windows disabled my "magic stick reader". When Sony was asked why, they had no answer or solution. They said they would let me know if they found a resolution. So far, nothing. 2 years gone by now and since then the video connections for TV have stopped functioning. The remote control for this has also stopped.
It just seems that all the bells and whistles that made this attractive initially have gone by the wayside and all I have left is a mediocre desktop that can't be upgraded.
Would I buy it again? NO.
Would I look at a Sony again? Not based on the way I was treated. No help or resolution. (Thanks Sony)
Sadly there are no other options other than Mac that offer a product like this so I will muddle by and wait till it blows up and then get a laptop that comes close to it.
My 2 cents
Steve
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Sony VAIO PCV-V100G - All-in-one - 1 x P4 2.4 GHz - RAM 512 MB - HDD 1 x 80 GB - CD-RW / DVD - Real256 - Mdm - Win XP Home - Monitor : 15 TFTProduct Description: Sporting a distinctive style and a design that liberates valuable desktop real estate from annoying cables and wires and clunky computer boxes, the Sony VAIO PCV-V100G is far removed from the typical PC. The VAIO PCV-V100G features an elegant all-in-one design that combines a 15-inch flat-panel LCD viewing screen, speakers and all internal components inside a single futuristic module. The PCV-V100G also features an 80 GB hard drive, 512 MB of installed RAM, a DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive, and a wide array of pre-installed multimedia software--including the Giga Pocket TV recording application.
The Basics
Hard Drive: Whether used in the office or in other rooms, the 80 GB hard drive(ATA-100 Ultra) is roomy enough for your multimedia needs--from digital audio and images to recorded TV programs.
Processor: The 2.4 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor offers enough speed for your work today, though it is at the midrange of speeds for this processor. It has a rather fast front-side bus (FSB) of 533 MHz and a 512 KB L2 cache.
Memory: The 512 MB of built-in memory (PC-2700, DDR SDRAM) is a good start for power users. It has two memory slots in total, with a maximum memory expansion up to 1 GB (2 x 512 MB).
CD/DVD Drive: It comes equipped with two drives: a DVD-ROM (8x speed) and a CD-RW for saving data to disc and burning your favorite playlists to CD. The CD-RW drive has 8x write, 4x rewrite, and 24x read speeds.
Keyboard & Mouse: The system also includes a wireless keyboard and wireless mouse, thereby freeing your working surface from even more clutter.
Sound and Graphics Its 3-D graphics controller, an integrated SiS 651 with 32 MB or shared (not dedicated) memory, will need to be upgraded or replaced if you have a serious gamer or 3-D designer in the household.
Connectivity and Expansion Slots You get a decent (but not overpowering) range of external connectivity options with the PCV-V100G, including:
4 USB 2.0 ports (1 in front, 2 in rear) for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) ports for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
1 line in VHF/UHF
1 S-Video in
2 PS/2 ports for connecting keyboards and mice
1 composite A/V in
1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
It also has an integrated 56K modem (V.92) and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems).
Preloaded System and Software This PCV-V100G comes with the Windows XP Home Edition operating system, and it features Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents). Preloaded Sony software includes PictureGear (digital photo), DVgate (digital video), SonicStage (digital music), VisualFlow, DigitalPrint, and Smart Capture. Other preloaded software includes Intuit Quicken 2002, Adobe Photoshop Elements and Acrobat Reader, Norton Internet Security (with 90-day trial), Apple QuickTime, RealNetworks RealOne Player, and CyberLink PowerDVD.
Record and watch your TV programs with the Personal Video Recorder powered by Giga Pocket Engine. With the pre-installed Click to DVD software, you can turn your digital photos into a slideshow and burn it to DVD. You can plug in your analog video source (camcorder or VCR) and transfer video to DVD, or store it on the hard drive as a digital file.
Dimensions and Weight The compact PCV-V100G measures 15 x 13 x 7 inches (W x H x D), making it the perfect desktop companion. It weighs 16.8 pounds.
What's in the Box This package contains the Sony Vaio PCV-V100G desktop PC, wireless keyboard and mouse.
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