Sony VAIO VGN-AW170Y/Q 18.4-Inch Laptop (2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 1 TB Hard Drive, Blu-ray Drive, Vista Ultimate) Black

Equipped with an extra-wide 18.4-inch XBRITE-FullHD LCD screen, this sleek black Sony AW-Series laptop delivers vibrant colors and full HD 1080p resolution.

It's powered by the 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 processor, which offers a light-speed 1066 MHz front-side bus speed and 6 MB L2 cache. Part of Intel's 45-nanometer (nm) Penryn series, this processor boosts speed, reduces power requirements, and saves on battery life.

A built-in 1.3-megapixel webcam (with integrated microphone) lets you join in on video conferences as well as make long-distance VoIP calls. Other features include a 500 GB hard drive capacity (from dual 250 GB hard drives), 4 GB of installed RAM (maximizing capacity), ExpressCard 34 slot, quad-mode Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth connectivity (including stereo music streaming), both Memory Stick and SD card readers as well as a Compactflash slot, biometric fingerprint sensor, and pre-installed 64-bit version of Windows Vista Home Premium (SP1).

This Sony notebook is RoHS-compliant, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances.

Security Enhancements
This Sony VAIO AW-series notebook takes security seriously, employing a biometric fingerprint sensor and proprietary hard disk drive protection software to ensure your data is protected from unauthorized use as well as accidental damage. It also stores passwords to secure web sites you visit, so authentication and access are quick and easy--you only need your fingerprint.

The Basics

• Processor: Experience improved energy efficiency, expanded wireless connectivity, and amazing battery life with the 45nm Penryn series Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 processor, which has a 2.53 GHz processor speed, amazingly fast 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and a super-sized 6 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.) The new hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--conserves even more energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet. And you'll be able to encode video on-the-go and watch HD movies with Intel HD Boost.

  The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized for multitasking and is ready to support the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. It can simultaneously run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background. Some of the advanced Intel innovations of the Core 2 Duo processor include:

  • Smart Memory Access: Improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth to provide data to the processor when and where it is needed.
  • Advanced Digital Media Boost: Effectively doubles the execution speed for instructions used widely in multimedia and graphics applications.
  • Dynamic Power Coordination: Coordinates Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology and idle power-management state (C-states) transitions independently per core to help save power.
  • Deeper Sleep with Dynamic Cache Sizing: Saves power by flushing cache data to system memory during periods of inactivity to lower CPU voltage.

  Spec Check 18.4-inch XBRITE-FullHD LCD screen 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 processor Dual 500 GB hard drives (1 TB total) 4 GB RAM (maximum) Blu-ray Disc read/write, DVDR read/write Quad-mode Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphics Windows Vista Ultimate (64-bit) Weighs 8.4 pounds

• Hard Drive: This notebook provides a stunning 1 TB of storage (that's 1,000 Gigabytes), spread across two 500 GB Serial ATA hard drives (4200 RPM), offering one of the largest capacities you'll currently find in a laptop You'll enjoy the space for storing your entire music collection as well as your DVDs and downloaded TV shows and movies. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to Firewire and USB 2.0.

• Memory: The 4 GB of installed RAM (PC2-6400, 2 x 2 GB) maximizes the capacity for this notebook,. It also offers an ultra-fast 800 MHz speed.

• DVD/CD Drive: This Sony notebook is capable of both playing back Blu-ray Disc movies in stunning clarity, as well as burning HD Camcorder content in its original 1080p high-definition resolution to BD-RE/BD-RE DL (dual layer) discs (25 GB single layer disc to 50 GB on a double layer disc). It will also play your current library of purchased and burned disc content. This notebook can also write standard DVD and CD media. The BD drive offers 4x speed for reading and writing BD-R and 2x speeds for reading and writing BD-RE as well as BD-R/RE DL media. It also offers the following write speeds for standard DVD and CD discs: 4x DVDR DL, 8x for single-layer DVDR, 6x DVDRW, 24x CD-R/RW, and 5x for DVD-RAM.

• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 103-key keyboard (2mm stroke and 19.05mm pitch) and electro-static two-button touchpad. Playback controls include play/pause, stop, forward, rewind, AV mode, mute, volume +/-, WLAN/Bluetooth on/off.

It comes with a Blu-ray Disc optical drive for playback and recording of high-definition content, including movies in full HD 1080p resolution.

This laptop also has an integrated Intel High Definition Audio card with Dolby Digital Live, which provides real-time encoding technology that converts any audio signal into a Dolby Digital bitstream for transport and playback through a home theater system. It provides Dolby Digital (5.1-channel surround sound) during movie playback and gameplay, immersing players in high-quality surround sound that puts them at the center of the action. This laptop includes two built-in stereo speakers and a 2W subwoofer.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
Be ready for the next platform in wireless connectivity with the integrated quad-mode Intel Wireless 5100AGN Wi-Fi chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers and wi-fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great for closed office environments). With the Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity, you can communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones as well as enjoy wireless stereo music streaming (thanks to its embedded A2DP profile).

This notebook also includes a next-generation ExpressCard 34 card slot (though no PCMCIA slot), which lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features. Here's the full list of connectivity options:

• 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 HDMI output (for connecting to a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver for uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable)
• Analog video output: 1 VGA
• Analog video input: 1 RF
• 1 ExpressCard/34 slot
• Memory Stick/Memory Stick PRO slot (Standard/Duo with MagicGate functionality)
• Secure Digital memory card slot (compatible with MMC cards)
• Compactflash memory card slot
• 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
• 1 SPDIF digital audio output
• 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
• 56K modem (V.90)

Operating System
The 64-bit version of Windows Vista Ultimate (SP1) operating system has it all--an advanced, business-focused infrastructure, mobile productivity, and premium home digital entertainment features. It offers all of the features found in Windows Vista Home Premium, including Windows Media Center, Windows Movie Maker with high-definition support, and Windows DVD Maker. It also provides all of the features found in Windows Vista Business, including business networking, centralized management tools, and advanced system backup features. In addition, Windows Vista Ultimate includes Extras such as:

• Windows Hold'em, a poker game for players of all skill levels
• Language packs for Windows multi-language interface, where users can install and use multiple languages on a single PC. Great for multi-lingual households or if you are learning a new language.
• Secure Online Key Backup, where Ultimate users can store their BitLocker recovery password and Encrypting File System certificate on Windows Marketplace's Digital Locker website for access to the key anytime, anyplace, and from any computer that has an Internet connection
• BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool, an automated tool which removes the complexity of setting up your PC to use this exclusive data security feature.

Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.

Preloaded Software
Microsoft Windows Live OneCare anti-virus and recovery (trial version), Microsoft Works SE 9.0, Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student (60-day trial), Sony Click to Disk Editor (CD and DVD burning), VAIO Movie Story (video editing), VAIO MusicBox

Dimensions & Weight
This notebook measures 17.2 x 11.4 x 1.56 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 8.4 pounds.

Power
It's powered by the VGP-BPS13/B rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of between 1 and 2.5 hours (depending on usage).

What's in the Box
This package contains the VGN-AW170Y/Q notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, remote control, ATSC TV tuner, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty, and Sony offers 1-year of toll-free telephone technical assistance.