Sony's AR11S 17-inch Blu-ray Vaios due mid June?

We've already heard of Sony's plans to pack a Blu-ray drive into one of their Vaio notebooks by the middle of the year, and that looks to be coming to fruition with this new AR11S 17-incher. A tipster gave us this ad clipping from the UK, and the details look pretty solid, as does the laptop's design -- if only a little bulky, which we suppose is to be expected. From this ad and from looking around a bit, the laptop looks like it will have a 2GHz Core Duo processor, dual 200GB HDDs, a TV tuner, 1920 x 1080 WUXGA 17-inch LCD, NVIDIA's GeForce Go GT 7600 256MB graphics, Bluetooth, WiFi, dual S-Video out, and Windows Media center. We're not quite sure why the ad lists the laptop as "Full HD (1080i)" when the LCD is capable of 1080p, and after Sony has so clearly stated that "True HD," at least, is 1080p. The bigger story, literally, is that the laptop will weigh in at a hefty 8.4 pounds, and cost an even heftier chunk of change: $3732. It's UK bound for now, but crazy price or not, we hope it makes it over to the US by mid June if only as a reminder of the incredible bargain that is the PS3.

[Thanks, Gaurav]

[Joe Smith @ May 13th 2006 1:36PM]

Dual 200 giggers is making me cry with joy... now, if only apple stuffed these components into a 7 pounder...

Even if Dell made it, it could be way better... I mean, you can stuff a lot into 9 pounds...

Hopefully, the dell 20 incher will have this much hard drive space, coupled with dual 7900 gtx's, a 2560x1600 lcd, and hopefully an fx-60 (since they're doing AMD now), a 2 megapixel webcam, Mac OS X, and of course, the bluray drive.

Now shut up and let me dream on.

[js @ May 13th 2006 1:41PM]

It's not even equipped with Windows Vista. That is trash.

[Benji @ May 13th 2006 1:41PM]

Looks cool. Nice to see us UK-ers getting something first for once!

[Carl Lumma @ May 13th 2006 1:47PM]

Dude, WUXGA != 1920x1080.

[Jazzay @ May 13th 2006 1:54PM]

It's trash because it doesnt have Vista? WTF?!
So I guess everything out there is trash; if you really feel like it just install Vista Beta onto it, I mean, really, what kind of sense does that make? calling it trash because it doesnt have Vista?

[js @ May 13th 2006 2:01PM]

Jazzay,

This is touted as next generation. I expect Vista. At over $3700, I expect perfection, not some 4-year old OS.

[DirtHerder @ May 13th 2006 2:05PM]

I'm a big Sony fan, but I sure do wish they'd step up to the plate on the graphics card side of things.

Until they do I'm left with going with Dell.... which is kind of a bummer T_T

[Motoi @ May 13th 2006 2:06PM]

lol Ummmm.... Vista isn't out yet js...read the headlines please

[js @ May 13th 2006 2:11PM]

Motoi, then they shouldn't price it at $3700 in the first place.

[EatingPie @ May 13th 2006 2:46PM]

The dual 200GB drives are the reason this thing is so heavy and bulky. Those have to be 3.5'' desktop drives, since there aren't any laptop drives at that capacity yet.

Or maybe I'm outta the loop?

Now what the HELL is WUXGA resolution? Please, in any article, pust the actual resolution instead of this idiotic VGA-based acronyms. (Yeah I can wiki this, but c'mon, it's stupid to not include resolution.)

-Pie

[Jon @ May 13th 2006 2:54PM]

More information that I've found...

The Blu-ray drive is a burner, not read-only. The 200GB capacity is dual 100GB hard drives running in RAID 0. The reason they say "Full HD (1080i)" because there is an HDCP-compliant HDMI output that only outputs up to 1080i. The WUXGA screen supports 1080p, of course. The notebook will retail in the U.S. around June for $3,499.99 as the VGN-AR190G.

[Mike @ May 13th 2006 2:56PM]

Fujitsu has accounced 200GB 2.5-inch laptop drive. So it's certainly possible Sony will use it or a similar drive.

[EdZ @ May 13th 2006 3:22PM]

WXGA = 1920x1080 AND 1920x1200. The xxGA namings usually cover an umbrella of resolutions (WXGA covers 1280x720 to 1366x768).

The screen may support 1080p, but I'd guess the processor certainly can't (at least not yet, and not without some serious optimisation). Using the relatively simple MPEG2 codec and only decoding 1080i, an Athlon 4000+ sometimes struggles. Video is a single stream, so multiple threads rarely do much (yes, you can decode the audio on the otehr core, but that's not much load anyway). I'd hate to think what trying to decode h.264 at 1080p would require without a specialised solution.

[John Hinds @ May 13th 2006 3:30PM]

The specs on that are great. Too bad about the weight though.

If they could get the weight down under 3KG i'd buy one.

[Zachary McConnell @ May 13th 2006 4:08PM]

Actually, HP is going to strongly support both Blu-ray and HD DVD, with an emphasis on HD DVD.

Still, I think that Blu-ray is the superior technology that will win. More movie studios have signed on for it and more major computer makers are behind it. Don't forget the PS3 factor, either.

[Covert @ May 13th 2006 4:19PM]

There's no way it has 400 GB of storage.

Actually reading the print in the picture reveals that it has "a massive 200 GB hard drive." If it's one drive, it will be one of the first notebooks with such a large single drive, and it will be turning at 4200 RPM.

[Vas @ May 13th 2006 4:20PM]

I like this AR series too. I want to know how the battery life is, better be good. Anyone has an idea?
Wish it weighed less than 2.8Kg. Finally a VAIO with Blu-Ray :-)))).
Ruki: I am a Sony fan too, I like most of their stuff except couple of things eg. Bean MP3 player.

[DM @ May 13th 2006 5:52PM]

#9 js, so you mean they should charge $3400 for it, basically removing the cost of Vista ($300, or whatever the hell it will cost) which wasnt even promised in the first place?

please, pass me some of the stuff your smoking...

[MaX PL @ May 13th 2006 5:55PM]

I dont see the purpose of having BluRay and 400gb HDD.

This is a nice laptop, but it would be better without the expensive BluRay drive.

1920 x 1080 ? psshh, I'm using that now on my 2 year old Dell 9100 with 100gb, 1gb ram.

[js @ May 13th 2006 6:18PM]

DM, who says about removing Vista? Vista isn't yet available. You're basically proving my point. The price could be cheaper

In other words, your post is pointless.

Time for you to take another Ritalin.

[DM @ May 13th 2006 6:53PM]

ya, obviously it could be cheaper js, thats for sure... but what I didnt get is from where you pulled vista into this... I mean that os wont be released this year, and this laptop is scheduled to release next month... so obviously its impossible for them to implement vista into this damned laptop, irrespective of whether its expensive or not!

...btw Im all outta Ritalin, pass me some will ya?

[crzyjamaican46 @ May 13th 2006 7:20PM]

Js Vista isnt fuckin out yet and bc wee r dealin with M$ it wil probably be delayed at least one more time. At 1st I was sorta sympathetic to your moronic posts bc I thought hey maybe this deuchbag means it isnt badged by Sony and M$ as being "Vista Ready" but no you actually were pissed off because it didnt have Vista installed. If you want a modern OS never rely on M$ and get OSX or linux. Your on a gadget blog on a staurday so u should b a big nough of a geek to know that. The only thing that would truly keepin this frum being vista ready is it not having full support for HDMI. I'm not sure if that board and graphics card(NVIDIA's GeForce Go GT 7600 256MB graphics)support that but I don;t think it does.

[crzyjamaican46 @ May 13th 2006 7:23PM]

O and plz dont post abt the bad grammar I am in a rush and I have to drop someone off and attend a friends bd-party. This isnt an English or Grammar site so piss off emglish nerds.

[Dave @ May 13th 2006 9:05PM]

Already available for pre-order in Canada.

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&productId=1002817

[js @ May 13th 2006 9:40PM]

crzyjamaican46, no im not pissed off bcuz vista isnt installed im pissed of because the price is so high for this next gen device and it suppose to have everything and all and it doesnt so im going to say that sony isnt all that. sorry for my bad grammer because im laughing at DM because his comment about ritalin is the best he has come up with.

Seriously, this is touted as the "next-generation" hardware and I expect more, especially for the price.

[Aleks @ May 13th 2006 11:32PM]

I wish these Sony hating guys get the F*** off engadget.

If you don't like the product, please come up with intelligent constructive criticism.

[Carl Lumma @ May 14th 2006 2:48AM]

#13...

""WXGA = 1920x1080 AND 1920x1200.""

Assuming you meant WUXGA, can you give a citation? I can't find a website that agrees with you.

""The xxGA namings usually cover an umbrella of resolutions (WXGA covers 1280x720 to 1366x768).""

1366x800 according to Wikipedia.

""The screen may support 1080p, but I'd guess the processor certainly can't ... Using the relatively simple MPEG2 codec and only decoding 1080i, an Athlon 4000+ sometimes struggles.""

Core can at least match 4000+'s performance.

""I'd hate to think what trying to decode h.264 at 1080p would require without a specialised solution.""

It so happens that the nvidia board in this laptop does h.264 decode accel.

-Carl

[Carl Lumma @ May 14th 2006 2:50AM]

It looks like engadget comments don't support href tags. Two references on Athlon v. Core are:

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2648&p=10

http://techreport.com/reviews/2006q2/core-duo/index.x?pg=9

[DM @ May 14th 2006 3:54AM]

#26 js please, I didnt even mean that as a comeback... and plus do I smell irony? check out who posted "ritalin" first, ya drug freak...

secondly, you are still going on about vista? ok, lets get it over with (yet again) - ITS-NOT-RELEASED-YET!

What part of the above sentence dont you understand? Is english your second language? oh sorry, its time for you to crack another "ritalin" joke, right? Idiot.

[Dave @ May 14th 2006 6:55AM]

Dear js

You are completely right. Vista should be put into this next generation device. While we're at it, let's throw in a whole bunch of other products that are still in development, likely unstable, and incomplete. Hell, put a HVD drive in there, and while they're at it, skip Vista entirely. This is a next generation device and I want Vienna at the least! Because these things CLEARLY aren't anywhere near completion, but I'm going to complain anyway because what better way to spend several thousand dollars than on a computer with an incomplete operating system? Screw stability.

Hugs,
Dave.

PS - While you're still on your soap box, maybe you could complain about Blu Ray and HD DVD players still using remote controls. I'm sure you must have a huge problem with that, what with these next gen players using decades old tech.

[chris @ May 14th 2006 8:39AM]

I looked at the picture and it only says it has a 200gb hard drive, and not a dual 200 gb hd

[x23 @ May 14th 2006 10:33AM]

#9:

"HEWLETT PACKARD, DELL, SONY and even Apple are signed on with BLU-RAY.
Now I don't know about the rest of you who think HD-DVD is going to beat BR but it seems to me that if the world's LARGEST computer manufacturers are pushing their next generations PC's towards BLU RAY, maybe you might give BR the benefit of the doubt."

i remember a lot of the worlds largest computer manufacturers putting DVD-RAM drives into machines as well... promoted as *the* big thing. can't recall the last time i actually used one however. everyone wanted DVD-/+R with regular DVD compatibility on the burned media and just waited for that (-/+) to solve itself.


"HD-DVD's are never going to make it. Blu Ray is going to be the dominant format until Holographic Versatile becomes economicaly viable."

i'm as nerdy as the rest of you... but there is no way the general population gives a rats ass about either Blu-Ray or HD-DVD. i haven't talked to one average person who is dissatisfied with DVD.

the transition from VHS -> DVD was *HUGE* in terms of convenience / increase of picture quality / durability / format features ... the transition DVD -> ??? is no where close to the same comparison. it's basically the same as the non-transition between VHS -> SVHS ... better quality. and that's it. see? how many of you use (or did use) SVHS actively?

think of all the various ways DVD was massively better than VHS... like obvious tangible non-techy things you could easily explain and 'sell' to people not in the know... now think of the ways BR/HDDVD is better than DVD... 'it looks better! ... well if you have the right TV and cables it does.' yyyeah. wow. good luck!

the HD penetration rates are ridiculously low. the switching of *broadcast* isn't going to be the impetus that forces people into HD... cable will continue to run fine on older sets. and those that are broadcast-only are more likely to get a converter than a whole new set. think about it.

everyone is chalking this up to be some massive VHS vs. Beta broohaha... but it isn't. this is more like the "massive" format war between MD vs. DCC (everyone waited for less-restricted CD-R which is what they wanted to begin with) or SACD vs. DVDA (besides ultra-audionerds who think wooden knobs and $7500 cables make a difference ["feeling" / "presence"]... who cared at all? iTunes won that battle.) ... it's such a non-issue and non-battle to 95% of the people it isn't even funny.

i do agree that HVD will be the next big thing however. except not with the "D"... the card one instead. moving/rotating media formats are getting a bit old-fashioned.

[js @ May 14th 2006 12:15PM]

DM, what irony? I did post about "Ritalin" and your previous post verifies that you are running out of your daily dosage.

Anyway, if you are aware of your reading comprehension, I did understand that Vista isn't out yet even before this thread was made. Motoi thought I didn't know that and I responded "they (Sony) shouldn't price it at $3700 in the first place". The laptop doesn't justify the $3700 price.

BTW, you were the first one who started the insult. I'm not the immature one posting the first disparaging comment like "please, pass me some of the stuff your smoking...". I wouldn't be surprised if you work for Sony or the Sony Store.

I'm outta here, people like you are a waste of time. In the meantime, keep commenting on my post. I know you want to.

[DM @ May 14th 2006 12:29PM]

sure, people like me are a waste of your precious time... that must explain why you decided to post 6 comments on this thread...

oh, and if you just read the general comments, you will realise Im hardly the only one who has written comments against you. People have called you a douchebag, moron & made sarcastic remarks about you... and rightfully so - anyone who says something like "It's not even equipped with Windows Vista. That is trash." at this point of time deserves to be "trashed"...

oh, and js? I know you will be reading this, whether you reply or not is a different matter...haha

[Sam @ May 14th 2006 3:28PM]

to x23 (#34):

The transition to HD will take a while, because of really bad marketing IMO including that they sell sets, displays etc with a variety of names like "hd ready" that have less than the full 1920x1080 resolution. To recognise the maximum impact of definition of HD you have to see it in full resolution and get trained to see the differences with appropriate material and comparison. So semi-hd sets marketed as HD, harm the HD prestige and make the difference seem smaller.

My guess is that the greatest adoption will be at first from the computer users who are much closer to this transition with already full HD res displays, for $700 or so and they will be able to take advantage of the huge storage capacity of the much cheaper BR or HD drives.

This will lower the costs of drives and displays and make this technology much afordable eventually for the home-cinemacists to adopt.

Then you'll see in the market products with different names like "Full Hd" or "True HD" or "Maximum HD" or whatever their imagination will think that they must label them to convince the customers that these cheap new models are indeed full resolution capable.

So I guess this cycle will take 5 years for the computer market and another 5 years for the rest of ...screen-voyeurs!

[Aaron @ May 14th 2006 9:12PM]

what's the point in having a blu-ray drive when there's nobody else using blu-ray yet?