Type: Media, Ultraportable, Business, Small Business
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Business
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo T7700
Processor Speed: 1.3 GHz
RAM: 2 GB
Weight: 2.7 lb
Screen Size: 11.1 inches
Screen Size Type: widescreen
Graphics Card: Intel GMA X3100
Storage Capacity: 250 GB
Networking Options: 802.11n
Primary Optical Drive: External
Sony Vaio VGN-TZ298N A bright spot for the TZ298N is that it's fully equipped with the latest wireless technology. Like the Lenovo X300, it packs a built-in Sprint EV-DO Rev A modem, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Even though they can be found in most ultraportables, the webcam and a fingerprint reader are nice additions. Three USB ports, a FireWire port, and both SD and Memory Stick card slots are present. When the subject is elegant laptops—the ones that embody the hottest trends in technology in their tiny frames—Sony is usually one of the first companies to be mentioned.
The Sony Vaio VGN-TZ298N ($3,699 direct) could've been an exceptional and classy sub-3-pound ultraportable, but some of the choices made in the system's features are questionable. Replacing the internal optical drive with a 64GB solid-state drive (SSD) drive boosts the price point astronomically. The amount of trial software loaded on such an underpowered system is beyond the pale. To Sony's credit, though, it offers a base configuration that lets you correct some of these missteps.
The 64GB SSD drive takes the place of the optical drive, which makes little sense. That SSD and the 250GB spinning one give you a dual-hard-drive configuration, with the 250GB drive primarily holding the operating system and programs and the 64GB SSD storing additional data. An SSD drive does have certain performance benefits, such as (supposedly) faster transfer speeds, but you have to pay a hefty premium for it. Why someone would opt for a second hard drive on such a tiny system is beyond me. The amount of bloatware loaded on the TZ298N is another major flaw. In addition to third-party software like Norton 360 and InterVideo's WinDVD, there were at least 35 VAIO utilities in the Program Features of Windows Vista. Given that the TZ298N is already underpowered, a huge software load was a terrible idea.
Since the TZ298N has an ultra-low-voltage processor, it's paired with an integrated graphics chipset from a previous generation. Its SYSmark 2007 Preview Overall score was dead last among the seven systems I tested, trailing the Lenovo X300's by 38 percent and the Fujitsu Lifebook P8010's by 20 percent. Video encoding and Photoshop tests were also among the worst in the ultraportable category. Using an underpowered processor does have several key benefits. For one, battery life was a phenomenal 5 hours 50 minutes on MobileMark 2007. Sony is clearly in favor of longer battery life, even if it means sacrificing horsepower.
