My Sony VAIO FW490 - the prequel

I am in the market for a new laptop, again. Having gone through over a dozen entry-level laptops from HP, Toshiba, Sony, IBM, Compaq and Dell, I decided it was time to get a proper performance-level machine.

My requirement is rather straightforward, or so I thought - Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, discrete GPU capable of light gaming, and a 15"+ 1600x1080 screen in a sleek looking chassis. It turns out, very few manufacturers make laptops with 1600x1080 LCD screen. After months of research, I shortlisted my choices to the HP HDX16t, the Dell Studio XPS 16, and of course the Sony VAIO FW490. The Lenovo Y650 was one of my favorites as well, it's a shame Lenovo doesn't offer any 1080 pixel screen.

My experience with HP laptops has been quite pleasant. Most of their machines, even the sub-$USD500 ones, are very well-built, and the HP HDX16t is a very, very sturdy-looking and substantial machine. It offers all the standard features in addition to a backlit keyboard. The Dell Studio XPS 16 is a very impressive laptop; it clearly stands out from all the other cheap and flimsy Dell notebooks. I am sure the 16" RGB-LED backlit LCD screen alone is enough to make my friends envious. Topping that off with a powerful ATi Mobility 4670 GPU, a backlit keyboard, DDR3 RAM, and optional 256GB SSD, it was definitely the most powerful laptop in the market that the time.

I was ready to pound the gavel and order the Dell, until I visited a nearby Best Buy, where they displayed the Studio XPS 16, alongside the Sony VAIO FW490. I must say, Dell's built-quality still has plenty of room for improvement; compared to HP and Sony, the Dell, despite its impressive specs, still looks like a piece of cheap plastic. Most importantly, the Studio XPS 16 runs hot! I have read on forums plenty of discussions on whether this machine overheats or not as well as proposed solutions to deal with the heat, like cooling pads, thermal compounds, and undervolting. The bottom line is, the Studio XPS 16 runs hot.

I normally wouldn't give Sony a second thought; I believe most Sony products are overpriced gadgets for the over-privileged kids. Nevertheless, the VAIO FW490 really does look very attractive. It offers all the features that I want in a slim and sleek package. It doesn't look as gigantic as the HP HDX16t but it feels just as well built. It has a powerful ATi Mobility 4650 GPU (essentially a lower-clocked version of 4670), yet it still runs at a very comfortable temperature. To my biggest surprise, it is not expensive at all! Sony was running a campus bundle sale, a special upgrade discount, and an educational discount program. In the end, the Sony is actually the most inexpensive laptop on my list.

And so, I ordered the Sony VAIO FW490 online, and this is where the story begins...