Sony Vaio PCG-Z1RMP

The PCG-Z1RMP is the latest addition to Sony's popular Vaio range. It certainly maintains the family's looks with a stylish design. Its silver frame and brushed aluminium detailing complement the black keyboard section well, despite this colour combination becoming somewhat overused in today's mobile devices.

The specification of the PCG-Z1RMP is also impressive. A 1.5GHz mobile Pentium processor provides the brawn, while the 512Mb of memory provides ample breathing space for applications to run smoothly.

It's a strong performer in all Windows tasks, especially office suites that include word processing, spreadsheet and database applications. However, users who require a notebook with a knack for playing 3D games may find the PCG-Z1RMP to be slightly under-powered in this area, although the results are bearable.

This minor blemish aside, Sony has supplied a large 60Gb hard disk, which provides plenty of storage space for all but the most prolific file swappers. As well as this, the Vaio is equipped with an excellent 14.1in screen. This provides as good a level of contrast and image definition, while the folding screen hinge and locking mechanism both work well.

The PCG-Z1RMP's Centrino foundations mean it is equipped with Wi-Fi. The implications of this are substantial, since if a user is in the vicinity of a wireless hotspot, he or she may access the internet without the need for cables or a mobile phone connection. The Vaio also features Bluetooth, which allows it to establish links to compatible devices to exchange files quickly and easily.

The PCG-Z1RMP's extensive list of features continues with the inclusion of a CD-RW/DVD-ROM combination drive. In essence, this allows users to create CDs as well as play DVD movies. Having a removable storage drive has its drawbacks however, since the weight of the unit is a fairly significant 2.1kg. This is despite Sony's marketing of the PCG-Z1RMP as an ultra-portable notebook, the likes of which tend to weigh well below 2kg and are often more compact than the PCG-Z1RMP.

Despite this shortcoming, the Vaio is a commendable piece of hardware, particularly when considering its numerous inclusions and solid performance. It also does well in the crucial area of battery life - two and a half hours.

Software for the Vaio also looks to have been a priority concern for Sony. There are word processing, spreadsheet and database applications, all provided courtesy of Microsoft Works and, alongside this, are select cuts from the Adobe library such as Premiere LE and Photoshop Elements.

The Vaio PCG-Z1RMP is a great piece of kit, let down only by a somewhat hefty price tag and a design that is a bit bigger than most.

Contact: Sony 08705 111 999
www.sony.co.uk