Background:
I am not 100% sure, but I think the Sony Vaio PCG-X505/SP is my 11th or 12th notebook that I’ve owned, I consider that enough to be able to judge and compare reasonably with the various machines across many years. I have previously owned notebooks from Acer, Compaq, Dell, Toshiba, IBM, WinBook, AST, and Gateway. The sizes of these notebooks ranged from ultra-portable to desktop replacements. I am at the point in my life (and have been for several years) that my notebook need not replace my desktop. My needs became simple; light and small. Even though the TR was small and light, it just wasn’t small and light enough. I no longer needed an internal optical drive.
I have now owned the 505 for close to twelve hours, in that time span I have used the 505 for almost the entire time, sans driving time back and forth to school (20 mins round trip). I have already loaded and ran typical applications, used it to take notes in class, and attempted to get on the networks. I am confident this is a thorough review despite the short time I have had the device.
Thank You:
Before I actually get into the review I want to thank iCube (specifically Yuni) who has helped me in the purchase more then I can ever stress. THE BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE I HAVE EVER RECEIVED IN ANY PURCHASE/SALE SITUATION. I know where all my import and specialty needs will come from. Thank you.
First Impressions:
Packaging: The 505 was very well packed…everything was in hard cardboard type material and very well presented. You felt like you were opening a $3,000 notebook, something I did not experience when opening my TR, even though the price wasn’t that much higher.
Misc.: They include a separate ‘folder’ box that holds all the manuals and restore CDs and such. There is a case for the 505 and another case for the accessories. First, the folder; the manuals and restore CDs were in Jap. not English. iCube included their custom restore CDs that re-install and English OS. There is also a cleaning cloth included. Finally, there was a small box. Upon opening it revealed a business card sized object that had the Carbon Fiber finish of the 505 on top. When opened it reveals a 3 Memory Stick holder. A very nice touch, however I am not sure if this is an iCube or Sony item. Either way, I was impressed.
Accessories: The accessories case included the VGA/Ethernet adapter, the 802.11b/g PC Card, and the Memory Stick Mouse. The case itself is well padded and is separated into compartments for each item. I will discuss the case itself later.
VGA/Ethernet Dongle: This is so much smaller then it appears in the pictures, I actually didn’t know what it was at first even though I knew about it. It is something you can throw in your bag without it hindering you in any way. Personally, I don’t think I will need it so it will most likely stay at home.
802.11b/g PC Card: When inserted into the 505 it is barely noticeable and does not distract from the device. I was having issues connecting to my Linksys router, I think it had to do with my WEP key; I didn’t have too much time to troubleshoot as I had to install MS Office. I am sure it works fine but I will update this thread with the range I get; again, I have no doubt it won’t work as expected. (Update - got it working, appears it only takes 64 bit WEP, can anyone confirm this?) I have full range in and out of my apartment with no dropped connections, so far, so good. Full 54mbps.
MS Mouse: Again, much smaller then the pictures led me to believe. It is extremely light, to the point of feeling like a toy. Even though it looks odd, it is very comfortable, to me at least, to hold. I think it was actually designed well and goes along nicely with the 505.
The 505 case is similar to the accessories case as it is very well padded and soft inside. To open both cases there are 2 flaps which contain Velcro. In my opinion this is a gigantic mistake on Sony’s part. This is a business machine first and foremost, if you walk into a meeting late, what makes more noise, Velcro or a zipper? Personally, the issues with the case(s) don’t end here. There is no handle or strap of any sort. I can foresee this case slipping out of my hand. I just don’t trust it. I have a custom case that should be here next week, expect a review on that, until then, I will be careful.
At first glance: Pulling out the 505 for the first time is an indescribable experience. Pictures just don’t do this device justice. I know, personally, I took it out and thought, oh my g-d, it’s so tiny. Both the top and bottom of the device has the textured Carbon Fiber which is covered with clear plastic from the factory. The bottom has little pyramid shaped rubber feet that doesn’t look stable, but, arguably the best one’s I’ve ever seen in real world application. The 505 does not slide around at all when you type.
Since I chose the Carbon Fiber version the casing is highly susceptible to fingerprints, and it is very annoying. It is nicely textured, but it is not a carbon fiber weave. I did notice imperfections in the casing (see picture). I personally don’t care. I know CF is not an exact science and there are usually imperfections. If this doesn’t sound like you, stay away, the odds are there will be an imperfection. It is not noticeable unless you closely examine the device, holding it from a reasonable distance, the case looks flawless.
After inserting the battery you get a feel for exactly how the unit is as far as size and weight. The battery is a good portion of the weight but even at its complete form it feels like it is in a different league from the TR…basically the TR feels like a 15lbs notebook. Weird, I agree, but it’s the truth. I have included one desktop picture of the battery life, it is the one and only time I will check. I never looked at my TR’s battery life throughout my ownership of it.
Upon opening the lid something is apparent, this is a fragile notebook. You really need to grab the screen by the center or by both sides at the same time, if you try one side the screen will literally start to bend. At the same time, when you rotate the screen, the AC cord (when plugged in) will rotate as well. The notebook is so thin at the front that sometimes it is hard to get a good grip to open it.
On the opposite side of the power button is the A/C outlet. Although it looks like a good idea, when it’s plugged in it leaves a good chance that the cord will be pulled and damage the machine. On the TR if someone tripped over the cord, the A/C would be pulled out; in the 505 I think it would break the port.
Boot-up: The system itself boots rather quickly. The first thing you notice is the 505 is nearly silent. The next thing you will notice is that the hard drive clicks, just like the TR. As with the TR the drive (20GB) is divided into 2 10 partitions by default.
Screen: After going through the default Windows setup I got to see the desktop which gave me a good look at the screen. The screen, although being the same size as the TR, looks to be less of a widescreen. Although not X-Bright, the screen is still noticeably bright and razor sharp. The text, unlike the TR sometimes, is readable from a decent distance. The viewing angle is wide…depending on how you look at it can be a good or bad thing, personally, I don’t like knowing that people near me can see what I’m doing. I guess I can install the privacy filter. The screen does not have the same coating as the TR did, which is good in my opinion. It does not give off the same glare effect and when you touch the screen it doesn’t feel weird. (I know you’re not supposed to touch the screen…but still).
Nipple: The next thing you realize is that there is no touchpad, unusual for Sony, but not for notebooks. This is the 3rd or 4th one I’ve owned with the ‘nipple’, the WinBook had both. This nipple is significantly better, in my opinion, to the hard ones found on IBMs line. This one has an indent for the finger which makes it easier to use. The three mouse buttons are located below the space bar. The middle button acts as a scroll when paired with the nipple. This works surprisingly well, even better then the scroll feature on the touchpad.
Keyboard: They keyboard is very unique. At first look it seems like it would be really uncomfortable to use because the keys are spaced out and resemble calculator/cell phone/insert other electronic device not meant for typing but in practice it is one of the best keyboards I have ever used on a notebook. As a matter of fact, my favorite was my older Toshiba Sat. that had nearly full standard keyboard keys (they were deep, not flat), but that was a brick of a notebook and was most likely as thick as 10 or so 505s. The keys have a nice travel distance and do not make too much noise when being used.
Keyboard position is something that is certainly odd with the device. It is placed on the front of the notebook instead of being recessed like most notebooks. This leaves no room for a palm rest. This means 2 things. 1: if you need a palm rest, exit now, you won’t like the 505. 2: this is not a ‘laptop’ as it is nearly impossible to type on your lap. In class, on a desk, I did not find it difficult or uncomfortable in the least. I was typing very quickly with little errors (except issues with the Jap. keyboard, more on this later). After 3 solid hours of typing my hands felt fine. Will I develop CT? Not sure, but if I do, I’ll have a case against Sony 
Foreign Keyboard: This model included the Jap. keyboard. This contains 2 issues. 1: There are extra keys making usual keys smaller and in different places. For example, the right shift key is to the right of the arrow keys, almost impossible to reach for me; I keep hitting the up button. 2: some keys are mislabeled. ( is on 8, ) is on 9, and * is on a key 2 to the left of the L key. Although I know a US keyboard by heart, when you see the incorrect symbol you get confused. I own a US keyboard, however, the screws that hold the 505 together are not normal screws. I must obtain the correct tool to disassemble the 505 or else I will be forced to get used to the keyboard or sell it. This is what I think people meant when they told me I could not swap out the keyboard. I will update the board with my progress. A question was asked about the keyboard color, it’s a dead on match.
Battery: in class use, typing only, screen on full brightness, I get 2:25, I assume dropping the screen to dark will give me about 3 hours…just enough for me. Eventually I will need to start using 2 batteries to get through a class if there is no plug. I would have liked to see 3-4 hour battery life, but I guess it’s not possible.
Actual Use: After loading up Office and a few other essential applications I tested the camera that I purchased (PCGA-UVC11A - review done in accessories section). One of my most important apps is Microsoft’s OneNote…the problem is for some reason it would not accept the camera as a microphone. I will fool around with this a bit more but I am not too hopeful.
x505 meets the public: It was at this point that I needed to get to class. I packed up the 505 and the A/C adapter and went to class. The minute I took it out, the class went nuts. A good 15-20 people knew I was getting a new Vaio when I didn’t bring my TR to class for a few days and asked me why. The 505 was passed around the class for a good 20 minutes, nobody could believe how small it was. Since class was about to start I got my 505 back and prepared to take notes. As my teacher was lecturing, she stopped mid-sentence and walked up to me. She asked me about the notebook…it was a 5 minute discussion between us in the middle of class. I sit second row center, so I was in clear view, but she said she’s never seen a notebook like that before. Let’s just say I’ve never seen anything like this grab that much attention. My TR always drew a bit of a crowd, but nothing like this.
So, here are my final thoughts…
Positives:
1. Size
2. Weight
3. Screen (I like it better then the TRs)
4. Keyboard
5. Mouse (nipple)
Negatives:
1. Battery
2. Power Button
3. Jap. Keyboard
4. 64 bit WiFi
5. A/C Plug Location
6. Everything External
Overall, it is the best notebook I have ever owned. It basically fits my every need except I would want another 1 hour in battery life.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
More pictures will be posted in a sticky for those interested.
Thanks for reading…
Erik
Pictures:
