Sony Vaio VGN-FW21E reviews: 16.4" Laptop computer

Sony Vaio VGN-FW21E reviews: 16.4" Laptop computer reviews

+ This laptop has no outstanding positive points. - It scores poorly on size and weight.

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7.8 out of 10 based on 21 reviews.

Sony Vaio VGN-FW21E with Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26 GHz Dual Core Processor, 4GB of Memory and 320GB Storage on Windows Vista Home Premium. DVD drive, 2.1 hours of battery See full product description

Battery life	6.8
Design	8.0
Size and weight	7.8
Performance	8.7
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	7.8

Some customer reviews of Sony Vaio VGN-FW21E

Most helpful reviews

stuart, London. England! I am a designer

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: Large wide screen for graphics based work, but still portable....but not every day, but 3kg is just OK, my old Samsung 15inch was heavier .
Quiet and good bluetooth and wireless connectivity with N guage home set up.
Good clean keyboard similar to Mac, white versions available in US!
Bad points:: Screen is not full 1080 HD only 900. Ordinary DVD playback not as great, have not tried HD or Blu-ray discs so can't judge. Base of laptop gets quite hot.
Being a designer I can see where some minor design issues could be improved but compared to other laptops and Macbooks, this is still a good looker. If using mouse with USB cable then port positions could be a problem, better at rear side of chasis. Use bluetooth mouse!

Battery life	7.0
Design	8.0
Size and weight	6.0
Performance	9.0
Value for money	7.0
Overall rating	9.0

Was this review helpful? 3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 30 Jan 2009

Confirmed purchaser ICT Teacher

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: Screen is brill quality.
Fast speed.
Good software with laptop - Vaio Movie Story is amazing
Bad points:: Lots of windows updates to be installed - took a few days for them all to get on which was a little anoying!

Battery life	8.0
Design	10.0
Size and weight	10.0
Performance	10.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	10.0

Was this review helpful? 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 26 Jan 2009

Confirmed purchaser professional

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: Compact and cool design
Good wide screen
software packages well thought out
Bad points:: Battery relatively short life
Keyboard buttones a little noises (clattery sound) could be softer.
Black colour of buttons don't match the silver tone

Battery life	7.0
Design	8.0
Size and weight	9.0
Performance	10.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	9.0

Was this review helpful? 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 23 Jan 2009

Confirmed purchaser Owned laptops for decades

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: The screen is wonderfully clear.
Bad points:: I found the battery ran down rather too fast and also it's life wasn't as long as the spec says it is.
For a laptop it is rather bulky. I wouldn't care to travel by rail or air with it in tow.
It took a while to sort out all the messages about registrations for the laptop itself and the free trials of Office and Mcfee which seemed to keep repeating themselves which was rather annoying.

Battery life	3.0
Design	8.0
Size and weight	8.0
Performance	9.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	9.0

Was this review helpful? 0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 19 Feb 2009

TK, UK

Score 7.0/10

Good points:: great screen, good specs (esp. against the latest versions!), keyboard (as long used on desk)
Bad points:: poor USB port placement, touchpad is rubbish, good keyboard but tricky to use on lap

Battery life	8.0
Design	6.0
Size and weight	6.0
Performance	8.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	7.0

Was this review helpful? 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 17 Feb 2009

Nicholas, Northampton Student Gamer Professional Music

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: Amazing quality on the blu ray discs and general application running is great!
Will run HUNDREDS of applications and windows at the same time and still be running really smooth.
Large Hard drive, very clear webcam and quick boot/shut down.
Bad points:: Bad for gaming. Graphics have to be turned down low in all the games I have played on it becuase of the poor gaming graphics card.

Battery life	8.0
Design	9.0
Size and weight	9.0
Performance	7.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	9.0

Was this review helpful? 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 11 Feb 2009

Confirmed purchaser

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: Screen quality
Bad points:: Battery life, too much "bloatware" installed when purchased

Battery life	3.0
Design	7.0
Size and weight	7.0
Performance	8.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	8.0

Was this review helpful? 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 02 Feb 2009

Read all 21 customer reviews

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Product Features

Screen size (Inches)	16.4
Screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner.
Operating system	Windows Vista Home Premium
Software on which the device runs
RAM (Gigabytes)	4

Number of cores	Dual
Computer processors are made up of 1 or more cores. Having multiple cores allows the computer to run two or more processes at once, improving multi-tasking and speeding things up.
Hard disk capacity (Gigabytes)	320
Hard Disk capacity is measured in GBs which stands for Gigabytes. A gigabyte is 1000 MB or megabytes. The more GB you have the more info like photos and music you can store.
Screen Resolution (pixels)	1280 x 1024 (SXGA)
The number of pixels the screen has. The more you have, the more detail the screen can display, given a high quality source. A breakdown of resolutions can be found on Wikipedia here
Processor brand	Intel
There are 2 main manufacturers of computer processors. They are Intel and AMD.
Processor series	Core 2 Duo
This is the processor model range. Different types of processor have different types of functionality. For example Centrino processors are specifically designed to increase battery life in laptops.
Processor number	P8400
This is the specific processor number in the processor range.
Processor speed (Gigahertz)	2.26
The processor is the driving force of your personal computer. The higher the number in Gigahertz or Ghz the faster your computer will run. Don’t forget that other factors such as the number of cores will have an effect on speed.
Number of USB ports	3

Connections	Firewire

Connections	Wireless

Connections	Bluetooth

Built-in disc drive	DVD drive
Built-in disc drives can be used to copy data, music, documents or films from your laptop, netbook or desktop computer, onto a blank DVD. DVD writers can also copy info onto blank CDs but CDs have a lower storage capacity. Normal DVD discs can store up to 4.7GB of info. DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc.
Built-in disc drive	Blu-ray drive
Built-in disc drives can be used to copy data, music, documents or films from your laptop, netbook or desktop computer, onto a blank DVD. DVD writers can also copy info onto blank CDs but CDs have a lower storage capacity. Normal DVD discs can store up to 4.7GB of info. DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc.
Built-in disc drive	CD-ROM drive
Built-in disc drives can be used to copy data, music, documents or films from your laptop, netbook or desktop computer, onto a blank DVD. DVD writers can also copy info onto blank CDs but CDs have a lower storage capacity. Normal DVD discs can store up to 4.7GB of info. DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc.
Card reader	Multi Card Reader
A memory card reader allows you to connect various types of card such as SD Cards, MMC Cards or Compact Flash Cards to your laptop or desktop computer. Memory Card Readers are extremely useful for photographers as it allows you to quickly transfer your snaps from camera to machine meaning you can have them uploaded to your favourite website or printed out in a matter of minutes.
Battery life (Hours)	2.1
Battery life is important if you travel a lot. Long train journeys can be a pain if you don’t get more than 3 hours of life out of your laptop. It’s worth remembering that a lot of trains offer power sockets now so don’t be put off by a low battery life unless your lifestyle demands ultra portability.
Weight (kg)	3.1

Graphics card brand	Intel
Graphics cards in desktop computers and graphics chips in laptops are manufactured by 3 main companies: Intel, ATI and nVidia. If you want to play modern games aim for an ATI or nVidia card or chip. Intel cards and chips work perfectly for general laptop use, video playback and older computer games.
Graphics card model number	GMA 4500MHD
This is the range and model number of the graphics card or chip in your desktop or laptop computer.
Graphics card memory (Megabytes)	256

Type of hard drive	Hard Disk Drive

Chipset brand	Intel
Chipset series	45PM
Remote control	No
Aspect ratio	16:9
Width in cm	38.4

Depth in cm	26.1

Release date	2008-11-03
The date the product was originally made available for purchase.

Also known as: Sony VAIO FW21E, SONY VGN-FW21E, Sony VGNFW21E, Sony FW21E

Laptop Buyers Guide

Manufacturer's Description

Real wide viewing
VAIO FW-Series radically enhances your multimedia entertainment with a revolutionary 16.4” real wide display.

This large screen features high 1600×900 WXGA++ resolution and a true 16:9 aspect ratio for the best possible digital media experience. Enjoy movies, games, photo slideshows and the Internet like never before with intense realism and detail.

The larger display is also ideal for the office. Open two full size Explorer windows side-by-side and multi-task with ease.

True-to-life pictures
With latest X-black screen technology, FW-Series delivers pictures that are sharp, bright and natural looking. Images are true-to-life with vibrant colour, deep contrast and enhanced depth. Some models feature a double lamp for exceptional brightness and pin sharp detail.

There are millions of colours in the world and these displays are capable or reproducing all of them. Super realistic 100% colour fidelity allows you to enjoy the best pictures ever with deeper blacks, brighter whites and an infinite range of colours.

High Definition with Blu-ray
Take full advantage of a new era in high definition entertainment with FW-Series. Top models* featuring an integrated Blu-ray Disc™ Drive allow playback of latest HD movies and give you the freedom to create your own dynamic productions captured on an HD camcorder. Store up to 50GB of multimedia data or over 9 hours of HD video on one disc using the Blu-ray Disc™ Drive.

You can also enjoy HD movies on models** featuring an integrated Blu-ray Disc™ Combo Drive. It also plays and records all your favourite CDs and DVDs. For a thrilling big screen experience, connect your laptop to an HD-Ready TV using HDMI output and watch favourite films in glorious Full HD 1080p picture quality.

Dolby® Sound Room™
True home entertainment is more than just amazing pictures. Dolby® Sound Room™ recreates the acoustics of a small theatre in your headphones so you can enjoy movies, music, and games in surround sound.

Put your headphones on and click here to enjoy the Dolby® Sound Room™ James Bond demo trailer.

Slim and elegant
For a laptop with a large 16.4" screen, FW is remarkably compact and transportable. An ultra thin bezel has been used to fit the screen onto a compact chassis with the screen closer than ever to the edge of the bezel for a slim and streamlined appearance.

A beautiful cylindrical hinge design with battery and hinge designed as one keeps size and weight down to just 3.1 kilos while ensuring maximum strength at one of the most vulnerable points of the laptop.

Made in Magnesium
Finished in durable and lightweight magnesium alloy, the thin-walled chassis of FW-Series preserves portability while providing rugged protection from shocks and knocks.

Precise typing
An ergonomic isolation keyboard with keys protruding vertically from a beautifully carved flat surface enhances looks and ease of use. Typing is more comfortable than ever with no lateral movement and the centre of each key slightly indented to ensure each key stroke provides a solid and precise response. Optimum spacing between keys minimises typing errors, especially for those with long or manicured nails.

Multimedia powerhouse
Enjoy powerful multimedia performance with Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processors on all models. The flagship VGN-FW31ZJ includes a mega fast Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T9550 processor.
Plus with up to 4GB of DDR2 SDRAM memory, accessing data intensive files and working on graphical programs is easier than ever.

Ultra efficient Intel® Centrino® 2 Processor technology across the range optimises battery life and gives you even more reliable wireless connectivity. Work and play longer on the move and communicate cable-free with friends and family wherever you go.

Impressive graphics
Super smooth 3D performance is essential for multimedia entertainment. FW-Series compromises nothing with a fast and efficient ATI® Mobility Radeon™ HD 3650 or HD3470 graphics card featuring up to 256MB of dedicated VRAM. Perfect for watching DVD’s, playing games and creating dynamic fun-filled presentations.

Faster wireless connectivity
Communicate easily with friends, family and colleagues using the next generation of wireless technology. Intel® Draft-n on most models gives up to five times faster wireless connectivity, more reliability and a wider reception range than 802.11a/b/g when connected to hotspots. Stream video wirelessly through your home without the need for any additional hardware or cables and keep in touch with confidence when on the move.

All models also include Bluetooth® for effortless connection and data exchange with other personal devices including mobile phones, laptops, mice and keyboards, printers, digital cameras and game consoles.

Store your multimedia
You never need worry about running out of storage space with FW-Series. Hard disc capacity ranges from 250GB to a generous 500GB, giving you the freedom to store multitudes of video, still images, television programmes, music and other multimedia data.

More info at Sony's website

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