The good: If this 16-inch laptop is any indication, the Centrino 2 platform offers excellent battery life; a 16:9 screen perfect for HD movies; excellent keyboard; attractive, simple design.

The bad: No immediate performance gains seen here from Centrino 2; screen not really true 1080p despite the sticker on the system that says so; clicky media buttons seem old-fashioned; still some advertising clutter, but less than previous VAIO models.

The bottom line: Sony's smart design, long battery life, and a big 16-inch screen, make the VAIO FW140--the first Centrino 2 laptop we've reviewed--an excellent and portable media hub.

Read full review of the Sony Vaio VGN-FW12G »

By Dan Ackerman, CNET.com
Jul 21, 2008

Sony's new Vaio FW12G covers a few firsts for us. It's the first 16-inch Vaio laptop we've gotten our hands on--and the display's movie-friendly 16:9 aspect ratio will become more popular in the next year or two (we've already seen it in the excellent 18-inch Acer Aspire 8920 and the 16-inch Aspire 6920). It's also the first laptop we've tested that's built on Intel's new Centrino 2 platform and features the new 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo P8400 processor. While the new Centrino 2 CPU here didn't show much of a boost in raw processing power in CNET Labs, we were pleased with the battery life, thanks to a more power-efficient CPU design. At US$1,750 for a fully decked-out model with Blu-ray (basic versions start at US$1,000; our Blu-ray-less review unit costs US$1,150), you'll pay a slight premium for the new screen size and sharp design, but Vaio buyers have always been willing to spend a little more to stake their claim as the coolest kid in the coffee shop.

Editors' note : This review is based on tests done by our sister site CNET.com.au. As such, please note that there may be slight differences in the testing procedure and ratings system. For more information on the actual tests conducted on the product, please inquire directly at the site where the article was originally published. References made to some of other products in this review may not be available or applicable in Asia. Please check directly with your local distributor for details.

Design

Sony's Vaio laptops are known for their eye-catching designs, and the FE12G is no exception. Its silver chassis and flat-key keyboard fit the Sony mold while giving the laptop a MacBook-like feel. The flat, widely spaced keys are a hallmark of both Sony and Apple laptops. They're an acquired taste, but one we like.

The keyboard tray has a Spartan look and feel, with only a large 3.5-inch touchpad below the keyboard and a few media control buttons above. Unlike the recent trend of touch-sensitive media control buttons, these are of the old-fashioned click variety, which is a shame. One of them, labeled AV Mode, launches a Sony onscreen toolbar that sits at the top of the screen and provides quick access to Sony's proprietary media playing software (we have yet to find custom media-playing software that is less clunky than Windows Media Center or iTunes, so we generally suggest avoiding these apps).

The large, round hinge (and hinge-side power button) is similar to recent designs from Dell and Asus, and might be called a current laptop design trend--but we've seen it in select Vaio laptops at least as far back as the TZ17.

Features

As laptop makers (spurred by the companies that make displays for both laptops and HDTVs) move to new 16:9 models, we'll see a lot more 16- and 18-inch laptops. Fortunately, the handful of models we've seen have only marginally larger footprints than most 15- and 17-inch laptops, and we generally like the increased screen real estate for a minimal increase in mass. The FE12G is wider but otherwise virtually the same size and weight as Sony's 15-inch Vaio FZ37.

The 16.4-inch widescreen LCD display offers a 1,600 x 900 native resolution, which makes the "Full HD 1080p" sticker on the wrist rest a bit misleading, to say the least. While the 16:9 display is perfect for playing HD content, it's not truly 1080p. You'll need an 18-inch screen as found on the Acer Aspire 8920 to hit that resolution. Sony explains the 1080p sticker by saying the system offers "full 1080 HD content when connected to a compatible HDTV". Quite a qualification.

Rate It Now

Rating guidelines

Sony Vaio VGN-FW12G (Core 2 Duo P8400 Processor 2.26GHz, 2GB RAM)

Rate this product:
1 - Abysmal 2 - Terrible 3 - Poor 4 - Mediocre 5 - Average 6 - Good 7 - Very good 8 - Excellent 9 - Spectacular 10 - Perfect

Need help? Read our guidelines for what each number rating represents.

Submit your opinion

User Reviews

More Products To Consider

• Most Popular

• Upcoming

Latest Downloads

 

What's Hot