Posted on Friday, September 16 2005 @ 14:25 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
The new A5-Series brings the perfect combination of style and power to the home. With processors ranging from the Intel Pentium M 740 to the 2GHz Pentium M 760, the Series has the core power essential for multimedia and gaming. The processor is backed by a full gigabyte of fast DDR2 SDRAM, giving users generous headroom for memory-intensive activities like video editing or running the latest 3D games. Disk sizes rise from 80GB to a capacious 120GB hard disk space, so there’s plenty of room for large music and photo collections along with everything else. Serial ATA (SATA) disk technology ensures disk performance to match everything else about the A5.
A super-bright X-black LCD 17-inch screen with double technology delivers a panoramic desktop thanks to its WXGA+ (1440 x 900) resolution, which is also ideal for widescreen film formats. Behind the scenes, an ATI Mobility Radeon X600 graphics processor with up to 256MB HyperMemory provides the drive to keep everything flowing smoothly, even when it comes to demanding 3D games.
All models are fitted with a high-speed DVD±RW optical drive offering up to four hours DVD-quality video recording in a single session thanks to Double Layer technology.
The flagship VGN-A517S is more than just a notebook. Together with the bundled Entertainment Docking Station, it offers multimedia capabilities to rival many desktops. The Docking Station incorporates a high-quality TV tuner and MPEG encoder for watching and recording TV, while the integrated Sony S-Master digital amplifier and reflex-ported stereo speakers provide rich, detailed audio. Music, films and games instantly take on a new dimension with the Entertainment Docking Station, but the A5-Series stays slim and stylish when it’s time to pick up and go.
With an integrated automatic luminance sensor constantly adjusting screen brightness to match ambient lighting, 802.11b/g and Bluetooth wireless communications and even a sleek wireless mouse as standard, the A5-Series offers consumers style and sophistication in equal measure.
FS300-Series updates
The FS300-Series features eyecatching Sony design and is a slim, portable package weighing only 2.9kg yet featuring an integral DVD±RW optical drive with Double Layer technology. Wide processor choice means there’s something for everyone, from a general-purpose Celeron M 380 all the way up to a powerful Pentium M 750. As with the A5-Series, hard disks range from 80GB to 120GB, ensuring there’s plenty of space for music, photos and video clips.
In the case of the VGN-FS315Z this could include a selection of your favourite TV programmes. This model comes with a similar Entertainment Docking Station like the one supplied with the A517S, featuring a TV tuner and matching Sony speakers. On its own, the FS300-Series owes its compact footprint and portability to its 15.4-inch screen. This second-generation X-black LCD panel offers the superior brightness of twin-lamp design and a 1280 x 800 widescreen resolution ideal for watching films as well as providing a spacious, ergonomic working environment.
To meet as wide a range of requirements as possible, the FS300-Series offers the option of two graphics subsystems. Standard models come with the integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900, which forms part of the i915 motherboard chipset. Alternatively, users can enjoy the power of the latest NVIDIA GeForce 6400 subsystem with 128MB of dedicated, high-speed video memory.
S5-Series updates
For professional mobile users, there’s the new S5-Series. A slim profile and small footprint give the S5 its highly portable carrying weight of just 1.95kg, but despite its modest dimensions, it’s packed with a remarkable amount of features.
It may be an ultra-portable, but each S5 has a 13.3-inch Wide XGA (1280 x 800) screen, offering users the convenience of more application workspace and a roomier Windows Desktop. The enhanced X-black LCD panel performs better in other ways too, delivering a visibly brighter image with vivid colours, true black and heightened contrast compared to conventional screens.
The S5-Series is capable of performance not usually associated with small-format portables. The flagship VGN-S5VP offers serious processing power from its Intel Pentium M 770 processor and full gigabyte of fast DDR2 memory. Behind this there’s a generous 120GB of hard disk space, and every model has an integral DVD±RW drive with Double Layer technology for up to 8.5GB of data storage. New Serial ATA (SATA) hard disk technology ensures the best drive performance, while Intel Centrino architecture on all models means efficient power management, extended battery life and high-speed wireless networking.
