Sony VAIO PCV-RS520 Digital Studio Desktop PC (Pentium 4 3E GHz (Hyper-Threading), 512 MB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, DVD+RW/CD-RW Combo Drive)Platform: Windows XP Home Edition
Brand: Sony
Binding: Personal Computers
Release Date: 2004-02-15
Warranty: 1 year warranty
Some comments on Sony RS520 [Posted on 2004-05-31]
I purchased this computer one week ago. It works well so far. I have the following supplemental comments to previous reviews:
1. There is indeed NO recovery CD coming with the computer. However, SONY allocates a diagnostic partition on the hard drive for the backup. You can easily use the included recovery software to reinstall the whole system or create you own recovery disks (9 CDs or 1 DVDs+1 CDs). I am quite happy with this feature since it is more convenient and gives you more options.
2. There is NO DVD decoder in the pre-installed system. So you have to buy one.
3. Most pre-installed softwares are trash.
4. It is FAST and QUIET.
I will never buy a PC from Sony again [Posted on 2005-02-13]
It seemed like a good deal at at first. 4 months in the motherboard fried. I took it to a Sony repair shop and at first they said the motherboards were back ordered for 6-8 weeks. I told them that was unreasonable and eventually they scrounged one up from someplace.
The big problems came when I tried to install a better video card. The 9200 isn't much good for games. I found out the power supply isn't beefy enough for any decent video card. Worse, it has a proprietary form factor so it can't be upgraded without replacing the case.
Before I upgraded I decided to backup the system. When I tried to run the VAIO Recovery Wizard it told me it wouldn't start because it wasn't running on a VAIO computer. Sony tech support kept telling me to try different things, but none of them helped. Their support folks have no knowledge about their products. They seem to be searching the knowledge base for words mentioned in a call or e-mail and send you to a web page.
After 4 days of that they eventually told me it was impossible to create a recovery disk for my PC and I'd have to buy one for $30. I told them that was unreasonable and they said tough. The software isn't warranteed past 30 days.
So now I have a Sony motherboard with the original hard drive and DVD drives mounted in a standard ATX case with a standard ATX power supply and a GeForce 6600GT AGP video card. If Windows craps out I'll have to buy a recovery disk or another copy of Windows. I would have been better off building my own PC from the start.
I will never buy a PC from Sony again.
Excellent machine [Posted on 2005-06-07]
I've been using this machine for over a year and consider it to be the best machine I have ever used. I am a professional programmer and spend a great deal of time on the computer. Simply no complaints. The machine is quiet, fast, and has yet to cause me any problems. The components are quality; this is not an emachines computer where all the parts burn out within the first eleven months. My model shipped with a Seagate hard drive and a 128 MB Radeon graphics card. Great job Sony.
Sony VAIO PCV-RS520 [Posted on 2008-01-19]
Purchased this computer about 3 years ago. GREAT machine the only thing I added was another gig of memory. The only negitive thing about this computer is Sony made C:/ drive aprox. 15 gig and left D:/ drive with the remainder. C:/ filled up real fast and defrag would not run "not enough room to operate a defrag" The only answer was to delete and loss alot of stuff or to purchase Norton Partention Magic...which I did. NOTE: I deleted all of my daughters pictures and music and placed them on D:/
I still have not had the courage to run Norton yet. Other than that issue
this is a great Computer.
HORRIBLE Computer--worst I've ever owned [Posted on 2008-02-05]
Warning Sony Computers are TIME BOMBs ready to go off when you need them most. Change the configuration of your computer, add a bigger hard drive or try to repartition it, and your recover disks won't work. What this means is you will have to buy the operating system twice. And if you want to repair the operating system software, you will need to buy a full version of MS XP or Vista--over $300. Of you will be forced to wipe your hard drive if you use an OEM copy of this software. The net effect is SONY makes you pay for the OS twice.
You may think, oh, no problem I won't install a bigger hard drive. Well SONY slices up the space on your systems hard drive, putting the OS on the smaller slice--you will run out of space.
Can you say Bend Over? If you want to be raped. Buy a SONY. And don't buy any computer with a unaltered copy of the operating system that will repair your OS instead of wiping your hard drive in a full install.
TO SONY: You have lost my business forever. I'll never buy another computer from you again. I'm shopping for a laptop now. I'll buy either an HP or and APPLE. Also, I will tell everyone I know to never buy a SONY. I will make it my business to hurt your business. You had your chance to provide customer support and decided to screw me. Now it is your turn.
Click here for more details and discount information...
|
){kind=link}