Sony's Blu-ray-equipped Vaio AR laptop reviewed

Surely one of the most highly-anticipated notebooks of the year, Sony's Blu-ray-sporting Vaio VGN-AR190G offers a lot of compelling features for HD buffs on paper -- 1,920 x 1,200 WUXGA+ Xbrite display, HDMI out (cable and DVI-adapter included), 200GB worth of storage, and of course that high definition optical drive -- but specs don't mean much if the machine can't perform in the real world. Thus we've been eagerly awaiting the first reviews of this 8.4-pound, 17-inch model, and much to our delight, it seems to work almost exactly as advertised. Laptop magazine was lucky enough to get a pre-release unit for putting through the old benchmark torture test, and came away very impressed with the high resolution, anti-glare screen and video output quality, pretty impressed with the performance of the 2.0GHz T2500 Core Duo CPU and nVidia GeForce Go 7600 GT graphics, and not all that impressed with the 2-hour battery life, inconveniently-placed trackpad/mouse buttons, and pokey 1.0x Blu-ray burning speed. Still, the simple fact that you can burn to an HD optical disc at all puts the AR190G in a class by itself and makes it more attractive than Toshiba's Qosmio G35-AV650 with read-only HD DVD, but Laptop still feels that even the burner and the better screen don't quite justify the extra $500 you'll have to thrown down for the Sony.

[Deluxe @ Jun 17th 2006 9:05AM]

Delicious.

[weatherman @ Jun 17th 2006 9:24AM]

It doesn't justify the $500 price difference? Are they nuts? I say you're an idiot if you spend $3000 on a laptop just so you can watch hi-def movies.

The only reason to get a laptop like this is if you're serious about video - not just watching it, but creating it. If you're not burning BD, the laptop is just very expensive, very heavy, and relatively pointless.

[Merkur @ Jun 17th 2006 10:08AM]

The design is absolutely amazing! I love it!!! This is the perfect laptop for hard workers / players + a great Media Center mobile solution!

Only dark point, there is not TV tuner... come on, put this feature as a standard on your laptop ;)

[Quinta @ Jun 17th 2006 10:28AM]

And I read that Sony changes it's day of releasing blu-ray-readers... Strange, but those source was trusting

[Chris @ Jun 17th 2006 10:31AM]

BTW, I'm sure that 2hr battery life was WITHOUT using the Blu-ray player. You'd be lucky to get 40 minutes with that thing going. It looks like battery storage is the next big break through that is needed.

"Only dark point, there is not TV tuner... come on, put this feature as a standard on your laptop ;)"

Not a good item for a notebook.

[Will @ Jun 17th 2006 11:40AM]

Heavy? 8.4 pounds for a 17 inch screen laptop is pretty normal. Besides, $3000 for a laptop, Alienware has laptops that cost a lot more than $3k.
For a 17inch screen laptop its pretty obvious this is something you don't really want move around or bring to anyware else.
Eventually we'll be able to see these at BestBuy for merely $600. Hopefully they'll have a HD-DVD/Blu-ray combo drive that burns those disc as well.

[Ubergeek @ Jun 17th 2006 11:52AM]

Merkur,

I believe you are mistaken: there is a TV tuner in this unit. Please see the specs on this page:
http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_BrowseCatalog-Start?CategoryName=cpu_VAIONotebookComputers_AR_Series

[weatherman @ Jun 17th 2006 12:35PM]

No - I wasn't saying this is a bad machine at all. 8.4 lbs isn't shabby for a machine with those specs. But with that weight and battery life, it's not exactly the device I carry on the plane so I have my own in-flight movie selection either.

My point was that with those specs and that price, this is really a movable desktop, probably ideal for people who work with graphics and video. I was suggesting that if you're going to spend $3000 to watch hi-def movies on a Qosimo, paying $500 more to burn hi-def video is probably a wise use of the extra money.

[Brian Baigorri @ Jun 17th 2006 5:03PM]

Will-
Please let me know what BestBuy you shop at that sells awesome sony laptops for $600. Even after BR becomes mainstream and sony drops their prices on their sick screens, you'll be hard pressed to find a decent (or any) vaio in that price range. I want some of whatever you are smoking.

Chris-
A TV tuner is "Not a good item for a notebook"?!?!? WTF? If your laptop is rockin BR OR HDVD, there is no reason not to have a tuner (I actually agree with Merkur and think tuners should be standard on all but the most compact UL's).

[Chris @ Jun 17th 2006 6:16PM]

What does having Blu-ray or HD-DVD capabilites have to do with a TV tuner? How many people are using their notebooks to stream TV from cable/satellite/antena? Seriously, it's a foolish inclusion for the average user. Such a device should an external connected and powered by USB 2.0.

[Brian Baigorri @ Jun 17th 2006 7:41PM]

If you have a BR or HDVD enabled laptop, its quite possible that you may watch a few compatible movies, agreed? And if thats the case, you are using your laptop as a mini home media center. Why stop short at that? With the ability to burn upwards of 25GB on a disc, and with a 200GB HD, its a damn good idea to have the ability to record TV via a bult in tuner. Your laptop becomes your DVR.

Who uses a laptop as a tv? Not many people, I admit. But thats only because it isn't common yet to have a tuner equipped laptop. Who WOULD use it? How about just about any college kid? Although that represents a small percentage (age-wise) or users, that age group represents a strong force in trend-setting.

Lastly, we are talking about a behemoth laptop (Ok, not exactly Dell's 20inch monster, but large nonetheless). This isn't exactly a machine you are likely to tote around frequently. I have a 17" and dread having to carry it around on the rare occasion that it comes off my desk. A TV tuner on a semi immobile laptop is therefore a smart idea. (I do agree however, that its a pretty unnecessary addition to an UL laptop).

[Will @ Jun 17th 2006 9:29PM]

"Will-
Please let me know what BestBuy you shop at that sells awesome sony laptops for $600. Even after BR becomes mainstream and sony drops their prices on their sick screens, you'll be hard pressed to find a decent (or any) vaio in that price range. I want some of whatever you are smoking."

Hmmm, that's funny. I don't recall saying Sony, if you read correctly I said "THESE"; I don't recall saying when you'll see $600 "Sony" Laptops with Blu-Ray and/or HD-DVD drives, I said "THESE" (Third section of my comment was all on laptops with Blu-Ray and/or HD-DVD drives, so of course "These" would stand for laptops with Blu-Ray and/or HD-DVD drives) will eventually cost $600. By the way, if you plan on rereading my comment, I did not say anything about Sony laptops.
Don't bother wasting your time coming up with your smart @ss remark about this comment. I'm probably not goign to read it anyways. As a matter of fact, why do you even waste time posting your smart @ss comments about anyone else's comments?

[Brian Baigorri @ Jun 17th 2006 11:32PM]

hahahaha (some would say lol)

Will, you are so sensitive. Most of my comments are making observations. I disagree AND agree with other people in the comments list. I actually agree with the first part of your comment (that THIS laptop is stand as far as weight in its class).

Sorry if I misread your comment, but when you said THESE (referring to laptops with BR), and there is only ONE LAPTOP WITH BR... well, you figure it out.

[Chris @ Jun 18th 2006 10:43AM]

To Will & most of the Engadget posters.

Whether you meant Sony notebooks with Blu-ray drives, or not, the fault is yours as the topic is about such devices. Your use of the pronoun "these" made your comment ambiguous.

Take the sentence, "Will enjoys visiting relatives," for instance. Does Will enjoy when relatives come to visit or does Will enjoy going to visit his relatives. As a technical writer one could even go so far as clarify who's relatives Will is talking about. Perhaps Will has become close to his girlfriend's extended family and enjoys going to visit her relatives.

I picked a very simple sentence, that at first glance doesn't even appear ambiguous. This is a common dialogue on blogs, forums and IMs where quick replies are the norm (I'll never understand the allure of the "I'm the 1st poster" replies), but due to the varying cultures and ages involves with internet based communication perhaps we should all take a few seconds longer to clarify our posts before posting.

[Tom @ Jun 18th 2006 8:38PM]

It would definitely take at least a bare minimum 4 hours to burn a blu ray disc at 1x speed. Enjoy all of your failed burn attempts with your $20 discs.

[Tom @ Jun 18th 2006 8:45PM]

By the way.... you're all nerds arguing about what "These" is. Grow up children.

[Neal Saferstein @ Jun 18th 2006 9:31PM]

I be curious to know what the real battery life is.

Neal Saferstein

[Thad @ Jun 19th 2006 3:21AM]

....so who's getting one? I remember buying the first top-of-the-line Sony with a DVD player/burner.....a XG-19. Boy, wasn't I just the coolest!! 3,400 dollars worth of cool. Guess where that top-of-the-line machine is now.....yep,that's right..... the freakin trash. Rule #1- let all the magazines and gadget freaks review, talk,...and let the price fall. Buy a $3,000 plasma to hold you over for 16 months and buy a 3rd generation laptop with a 32X BlueRay burner for twelve hundred bucks. Then sitback and drink "these" beers.

[Bobedot @ Aug 11th 2006 4:05PM]

I bought one last weekend and I love it! I does have an NTSC tuner built in, but not an ATSC digital tuner. No problem, I just bought an Artec Mini USB 2.0 Digital TV Tuner (http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=324900) and now I can watch (and record) OTA HDTV on my laptop as well as Blu-ray DVDs.

[Instigator @ Sep 16th 2006 6:22PM]

Okay, so do we have a ruling about "these" yet? I'm not sure I'll be able to get to sleep tonight until everyone agrees on this and shakes hands (I'm referring to two people at once facing each other joining their right hands, gripping the hand with the fingers and wrapping the thumb around the back of the other's hand and pumping them up and down. I am just clarifying in order to avoid an ambiguous statement).

[brian baigorri @ Nov 5th 2006 12:51PM]

Will started it

[Darrell Matsaw @ Feb 18th 2008 7:15AM]

Can anyone find it in their hearts to sell me their old laptop for a low price. I've always wanted a laptop but can't afford one, i'm disabled and am on a fixed income. My wife and I and three kids are healthy and we strive to educate our children the best we can but can barely afford to update kids clothes, school costs and trasportation costs. So if there's anyone that has felt my struggle and is doing better now, perhaps you can feel what i'm going through and would be willing to cut me a deal on your old laptop I would truly appreciate it. my name is darrell and my email is [e-mail]. you can contact me anytime by email and I'll get right back to you. Thanks.

[Darrell Matsaw @ Feb 29th 2008 10:12PM]

What the fuCCa is this, Who left this comment, I have no kids, how did you people get my information to post this shi+ here. Please delete these comments, what the hell my email is in that comment, delete delete delete.