Home computers have now been on the market for around 20 years. As they’ve become more than just number-crunching machines, our requirement of them (as users) has grown from simple completion of tasks to integration into the fabric of our lives. Think of the ugly beige boxes you had to buy back in the 80s and 90s… then came the iMac, which started us down the path of “pretty” computers that looked nice on our desks. This trend has continued with computer system manufacturers like Alienware, who feature slick outer shells and light up interiors. But there are also those desktop systems that truly seek beauty in their design and simplicity in use. Enter the Sony VAIO VGC-LT17N All-In-One Desktop – a 4.5 star rated computer that’s as much a piece of art as it is a powerful computing platform.
Sony VAIO All-In-One
From first glance, you can tell this is more than just an ordinary box. The all in one design merges the motherboard into the beautiful 22-inch LCD screen. What results is a computer you can hang on your wall that looks like a nice picture frame when turned off. But will you ever turn it off? Since it includes an integrated TV tuner and remote, this system truly can become an all-in-one solution for your home or home office. In case you’re wondering, the wireless keyboard and mouse communicate with the main unit via Wi-Fi LAN, virtually eliminating ugly, hard wiring.
So what about the specs? The VGC-LT17N uses a 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 processor with 4 MB L2 cache for power. This is complemented by a 320 GB hard drive, 2 GB installed RAM (with 4 GB max) and up to 358 MB of vRAM through the Intel GMA X3100 graphics card. There are five USB ports, 1 FireWire, 1 PCMCIAs slot and even a 56K modem if you feel like going old school. Being a Sony, it also features a multi-format Memory Stick reader, a Secure Digital memory card slot and support for Gigabit Ethernet wired networking built in. (Sony just loves those memory sticks…) It ships with Windows Vista Business which, honestly, appears to be the only reason why anyone who purchased the VAIO VGC-LT17N complained.
The reviews are excellent, with owners quoted as saying “flawless”, “easiest setup ever” and “absolutely the best” and freely giving 5 stars out of 5. Those who were skeptical were won over by the ease of setup and boot time, the beauty of the 22 inch screen and the overall execution of the all-in-one computing goal.
I’ve checked the price through our shopping system, which is $1,661.68 + FREE shipping. Since the total weight of this machine is around 35 lbs, I’d say the free shipping offer trumps the slightly-lower price seen when you search Google for the VAIO VGC-LT17N.
See Also:
- BizRate reviews
- ZDNet’s information on the VGC-LT1N
- Sony All-In-One info on Retrevo
- PCWorld’s pricing roundup
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