What makes the P-series stand out from run-of-the-mill netbooks is its impressive array of extra features. Mobile broadband is standard, as is a GPS antenna and Bluetooth, and even the Wi-Fi is of the faster, 802.11n variety.
Performance
It would be wise not to expect too much in terms of raw performance from this system. Taken as a netbook, in our benchmark tests, it falls behind systems with Windows XP, such as HP's new
With those caveats in mind, we were able to successfully surf the Web and work on documents, in much the same way as on any Atom-powered laptop. Online video streaming and DVD file playback were similarly smooth. Our biggest productivity problems stemmed from waiting for Vista menus to open, and struggling with the pointing stick. As much as Sony wants to stay away from the netbook tag, the guiding principle remains the same: if you manage your expectations appropriately, the P-series works well. Expect it to do the same things as your full-sized computer and you'll be disappointed.
The P-series ran for 3 hours and 8 minutes on our video-playback battery-drain test, using the included battery.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Conclusion
The Sony Vaio P-series Lifestyle PC has the design of a more expensive machine, but the components of a cheaper one. It benefits from an impressive array of features, but the lack of a standard touch pad detracts from its usefulness, and the presence of Vista makes for a sluggish experience. If you don't set your expectations too high, however, the P-series performs well.
Additional editing by Charles Kloet
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Gageteer 1 October 2009
Good: Small, light, super screen and keyboard, no noisy fan, doesn't get hot
Bad: Comes with useless Vista and Sony bloat, weak performance of GMA500 chipset
Comment: This is a netbook with a lot of bad press. Sony charged too much for it and Vista rendered it unusuable, literally.
However, both these problems have been alleviated of late, which is why I bought one. The price has fallen, plus there's £150 cashback at the moment, plus a free Windows 7 uprgrade, and if you can;t stand Vista in the meantime you can now easily downgrade to XP, as I did the moment I got hold of my Vaio P. The official XP drivers are in the sony support website. They download and install automatically.
Once the fat bloated cadaver of Vista has been levered aside and XP installed the P Series is transformed, becoming useful and nippy, just like all the other normal netbooks that run XP. However, unlike a normal netbook, the Vaio P is beautiful, tiny and extremely light, whilst still being very functional. It makes my poor eee pc, and indeed everything else I have, look clunky. The battery life is pretty good considering how small and weightless it all is. If you have it plugged in a lot, you can turn on the battery care utility to protect your li-ion battery from degradation.
The GMA500 chipset that runs the graphics in this thing is not very impressive. It is said to draw very little wattage, which is great, but it doesn't run 3d apps as well as the old GMA950. Some say this is becuase of poor intel drivers. I don't know. I can watch video, but not WinTV, which is a shame.
The unit stays pretty cool, with the atom chip idling at 30C. I find I can sit in bed with it on my lap forever, never getting hot, nor being disturbed by the non-existant fan. And the ultra-wide screen is just amazing for working in word documents, even from a distance.
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