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The Sony VAIO VGC-RT150Y was described to us back in September as an “all-in-one high-definition studio”, and a look at the spec sheet indicated the company was certainly on the right track. Intel’s Core 2 Quad Q9400 processor running at up to 2.5GHz (6MB L2 cache), 8GB of RAM and 1TB of storage in dual-SATA user-accessible RAID array, coupled with a full-HD 1920 x 1200 25.5-inch LCD, makes for a monstrous system by anyone’s standards. PC Magazine have reinforced their desk and tried to find where the RT-series’ steam runs out.
Performance, as you’d expect, is impressive, especially when it comes to the the sort of high-definition picture and video editing duties Sony envisage for the RT. Gaming is also a serious option, with World in Conflict notching up 35fps (though Crysis managed a lesser 27fps). As for the 16:10 display, the 1080p panel is bewitching: in the words of reviewer Joel Santo Domingo, “it makes Blu-ray movies look almost 3D, like a spotless glass window with the real world behind it.”
There’s no surprise as to what holds the VAIO back: a monstrously high-performance system carries a monstrously high price tag, and Sony don’t disappoint. A list price of $3,999.99 is a lot of money for a PC, and in fact would buy you a very decent standalone HD display and separate workstation. PC Mag give the RT kudos for not looking like a PC at all, but it’ll be only those with very deep pockets who can afford to give the VAIO wall-space.
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