Delivering powerful performance for your everyday computing needs, the Sony Vaio VGN-FS550 notebook PC is also ready to grow with your multimedia demands. You'll be able to easily create high-quality DVDs in one click and display it on the 15.4-inch crisp, XBRITE LCD. Slim and lightweight (at just over 6 pounds), the VGN-FS550 also offers a battery life of up to 5.5 hours thanks to the battery-sipping Intel Centrino processor. It also features an 60 GB hard drive, 512 MB of installed RAM, multiformat, dual-layer DVD+/-RW drive, 54g wireless connectivity, a Memory Stick slot for easy transfer of your photos from your Sony digital camera, and Windows XP Home Edition (Service Pack 2).

 

The Basics
 

• Hard Drive: The 60 GB hard drive (4200 RPM) is a bit above average in size for notebook PCs, and it's befitting of such an entertainment-centric PC. It offers more than enough capacity for storing documents and productivity software for road warriors. You'll also be able to store a good-sized digital audio library.
• Processor: The Intel Centrino M processor is designed specifically for mobile computing, offering a balanced level of mobile-optimized processor technology, good mobile performance, and exceptional value. It features a Deep Sleep state, which helps enable longer battery life by minimizing the power consumption of the processor during brief periods of inactivity. The 1.6 GHz speed is in the middle of the speed spectrum for this processor (as of winter, 2004), and it also offers a fast 533 MHz front-side bus (FSB) speed and a large 2 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance.)
• Memory: The 512 MB of built-in memory (2 x 256 MB, DDR SDRAM) is a good start for power users, and it offers a faster than average RAM speed (333 MHz). It has two memory slots in total, with a maximum memory expansion only 1 GB (2 x 512 MB).
• CD/DVD Drive: Offering the latest in DVD writing technology, the multiformat DVD/CD drive is compatible with both DVD+ and DVD- disc formats as well as dual-layer DVD+R discs, which can store up to 8.5 GB of data. For DVD-RW discs, it has a 8x write/4x rewrite speed, while for DVD+RW discs it has a 8x write/4x rewrite speed (DVDs are read at 8x). For double-layer DVD+R, it has a 2.4x write speed. For CDs, it has a 24x write/10x rewrite/24x read speed.
• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 86-key keyboard and electro-static two-button touchpad.

Screen, Graphics and Sound
The VGN-FS550 features an integrated video/graphics card in the Intel 915GM chipset, which features 128 MB of dynamic video RAM (shared with the main RAM). The 15.4-inch LCD has a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. Sony's Smart Display Sensor feature instantly adjusts resolution when you connect to a display or projector. It also has an integrated audio card and built-in stereo speakers.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The VGN-FS550 has an integrated 54g wireless LAN that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks. You get a basic offering of connectivity options, including both USB 2.0 and i.Link (Firewire):

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 VGA monitor port
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II, 32-bit)
• 1 headphone jack
• 1 microphone jack
• Memory Stick media slot, compatible with Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro

It also has an integrated 56K modem (V.90) and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems).

Preloaded System and Software
This system comes with the Windows XP Home Edition Service