Despite all the tell-tale signs that point to one—an Atom processor, small screen, and an undersized keyboard—Sony refused to call the LifeStyle PC a netbook. So officially, the company never launched one. But after watching this diminutive category seduce one laptop manufacturer after another, Sony couldn't help but fall weak at the knees, too. This time, it admits that the VAIO VPC-W11XX ($500 direct) is a netbook, and although the beautifully done design and a 1,366-by-768 resolution are admirable netbook qualities, it fails to address all the other things that have made netbooks like the Toshiba mini NB205 and Asus EeePC 1000HE (both Editors' Choices) so successful. A severely undersized keyboard and a bloated price—that merely nets you a 3-cell battery—make this netbook hard to recommend.
Sony Corporation
http://www.sonystyle.com
- Price as Tested: $500.00 Direct
- Type: General Purpose, Ultraportable, Value, Netbook
- Operating System: MS Windows XP Home
- Processor Name: Intel Atom N280
- Processor Speed: 1.67 GHz
- RAM: 1 GB
- Weight: 2.5 lb
- Screen Size: 10.1 inches
- Screen Size Type: widescreen
- Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
- Storage Capacity: 160 GB
- Networking Options: 802.11a/g
- Primary Optical Drive: External
