Sony VAIO PCV-MXS10 Desktop (1.7-GHz Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB hard drive)Platform: Windows XP Home Edition
Brand: Sonar Kollektiv
Binding: Personal Computers
Warranty: 1 year warranty
reliability and warranty problems [Posted on 2002-02-19]
A word to the wise on Sony's Vaio line: I purchased one of the Sony slimline computers a year ago and had a hard disk failure within the first 9 months. This was covered by the warranty, so Sony replaced the drive at their expense. The replacement drive failed in about 6 months (when it and the system were off warranty). When I replaced *that* drive I discovered that Sony had given me a used disk when it did the warranty work.
Processor [Posted on 2002-02-24]
General comment: I have had a loaded Pentium 4 and have had nothing but problems with it as does everyone who is a heavy user! I've doubled the PC800 (Best Ram for it), added DSL and gone to Win XP and still it bogs down! I still use it as my primary PC, but I recently got a new complete system based on the Athlon XP 2000+ processor with 512 DDR Ram and it is at least twice as fast maybe 3 times!! And they're cheaper! Reminds me of AOL being rammed onto poor new users, I tried it (Version 7) for a month after 5 years online. It has a horrible email system and you don't see the real internet, plus you get spammed constantly through both the email and messenger! They were very impolite when I cancelled also!
Forget the PC features - let's talk bells'n'whistles here! [Posted on 2002-02-28]
Let's skip all the standard PC junk (the processor, RAM, disk space, etc.). After all, this beauty is marketed as a "state-of-the-art multimedia computer with a powerful, entertainment package" - in case you happen to believe manuals. The PC features of VAIO PCV-MXS10 are impressive, so is the fifteen hundred dollars markup as compared with a similarly equipped COMPAQ or an HP. Would you like to know where the money went (I did)?
Lets break it down.
Audio:
1. The two 20W large speakers look good. The sound quality and power, however, could have been better. Any hundred bucks boombox beats them hands down.
2. Remote control - looks intimidating for a week or two, especially when you pull the lower lid down to open up the A/V recording buttons (concealed). Then you begin to wonder why on earth no other PC maker had thought of this before!
3. This is very annoying - if you happen to adjust volume (on the reflective front panel or the remote) while the computer is executing even a basic task, it will appear not doing anything for a few seconds, then will hit you with a loud volume increase which was running in the OS background.
Graphics/games:
4. Game card - not bad for an entry level multimedia computer, less than adequate for the "state-of-the art" machine. Don't get me wrong - all my games worked perfect - for now. But what happens in a year or two with all those Internet enabled graphic card power-hungry games that are coming out?
Video:
5. DVD - no composite output, but S-VHS jack for an outside TV. No S-VHS cable, plenty of RCA and coaxial cables. The playback tolerance (DVD body scratches) is impressive - beats home DVD players for sure!
6. The multimedia software - Giga Pocket Personal Video Recorder, DVgate, Media Bar, Movie Shaker, PictureGear, Smart Capture, VisualFlow, SonicStage Premium - all worth the stretch price-wise.
Customer Support - excellent, to say the least! Had a problem on the very first day - resolved within a few minutes with 3 (three!) levels of escalation. Outstanding!
Summary: Don't consider Sony VAIO PCV-MXS10 a desktop with a good multimedia package, because it is not. You will be better off with a fifteen hundred dollars shy COMPAQ or HP. Spend the difference on additional software and hardware upgrades - makes perfect sense.
Do consider this wonderful machine (has its drawbacks - yes!) if you want to get a PC-centered all-in-one multimedia center connected to an outside high end audio and digital video (satellite, HDTV, DVD(-R(W)) player, etc.) components. Only then then this overpriced under-developed mis-marketed Sony PC becomes what it really is - a multimedia dream machine that is worth every penny!
Would I buy it again - given another choice? Definitely!
Good, except one major flaw- [Posted on 2002-03-01]
Everything I need In One Sony PC!! It is a sleek slim-line PC. The only problem is that the case is pretty cramped and not much room for expansion.
this computer has been a NIGHTMARE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Posted on 2004-12-14]
I started in the computer industry (b4 PC's) in 1969. This is without a doubt the worst computer I have ever owned. The TV portion works OK. You cannot add any non Sony components (such as another hard drive), as they are incompatable and cause strange operating system problems. The mini-disc player/recorder can only be used as an eraser. Put in a disc full of tunes and attempt any kind of edit and you get a BLANK DISC.
It is a home networking joke. I have 4 or 5 machines connected to my home network at any one time. Never a network problem with any of them. The Sony is always trouble. Refuses to recognize or be recognized by other machine on the network. Sony's support staff is inept.
I have 2 Sony computers, 2 Sony TV's, 3 Sony stereo systems, 4 Sony mini disc machines, 4 Sony cell phones. To say the least I WAS Sony devotee.
I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER SONY PRODUCT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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