Nowadays, Sony is known to be quite rigid when it comes to customizing their laptops and all-in-ones. Realizing this, it seems that the company is starting to get rid of this problem and prove it to be a misconception. That is why they have launched the Sony VAIO VPCEC290X laptop, also known as the Sony VAIO VPCEC290X CTO (Configure To Order). The starting price is $819.99 and can go up to $2099.96 with all options included. Let’s see how this laptop is presented and how you can customize it.
The Sony VAIO VPCEC290X comes with an Intel Core i3 350M processor running at a standard 2.26GHz. For an extra $100 you can have the Intel Core i5 520M processor (running at a speed of 2.4GHz or, if you use their technology Turbo Boost, 2.93GHz) and for an extra $150, the Intel Core i5 540 M processor (running at 2.53 GHz or, if using Turbo Boost technology, at 3.06 GHz). Although the more expensive ones provide more power, the basic 2.26 GHz is more than enough.
You can then choose your Sony VAIO VPCEC290X operating system. The standard operating system is a genuine copy of Windows 7 Home, which runs on 64-bit architecture, but you can get Windows 7 Professional (64-bit architecture) for just $50 extra. You can also add a keyboard skin for just an additional $19.99. Although it doesn’t sound like much, the costs add up pretty quickly. The standard hard drive is 320 GB and 5400 rotations per minute (RPM), so if you want to have a 500 GB 7200 RPM hard drive, you need to add another $100. The Sony VAIO VPCEC290X comes with 4 GB (two devices of 2 GB each) of DDR 3 Random Access Memory (RAM) running at a relatively high speed of 1066 MHz. This is enough for most users, but if you want 8 GB DDR 3 at 1066 MHz, it costs an additional $300.
The cheaper Sony VAIO VPCEC290X comes with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 graphics processing unit video card (512 MB of video RAM), but can have the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 video card (with 1 GB of video RAM). of video) for just an additional $50. The standard CD/DVD drive can be replaced with a Blu-ray player + burner for $160.
Software can be added to the laptop, at a price. Although it comes with Norton Internet Security 2010, you can replace it with the Backstage VIP Protection Suite for $99.99. Microsoft Office 2010 is free, but Microsoft’s Office 2010 Professional edition costs $349.99. If you need Adobe Premiere Elements, Photoshop Elements and Acrobat Standard, you need to pay another $448.
So while the Sony VAIO VPCEC290X with its standard 17.3″ non-replaceable LED screen is only $819.99, it can quickly reach $1500-1800.