Sony Vaio VGN-T2XP

At the rear the you'll see that the battery protrudes slightly, but not enough to spoil the overall look of the machine. Personally I'm happy to have a slightly larger battery if the result is improved battery life, and that's certainly the case here. Running Mobile Mark 2002, the T2XP exhibited a battery life of over five and a half hours. That makes this machine very attractive to the road warrior who wants something small, light and usable on the move.

The SYSmark score of 164 overall is pretty decent, and puts similar notebooks like the JVC Mini Note in the shade. But it's in real world use that a machine like this stands or falls, and I have to say that the T2XP performed superbly in the field. In Taiwan, it proved to have the perfect blend of light weight, long battery life and features.

Considering that you're getting an integrated DVD writer, the weight of 1.38kg is very commendable, while the dimensions of 27.5 x 20.5 x 2.5-3.4cm mean that you can slip the T2XP into the smallest of bags. I also like the fact that there is no securing catch on this machine - the hinge is just sprung towards the closed position, making it easy to open the notebook quickly.

Sony always throws together a great software bundle for its notebooks. As well as Windows XP Pro, you get a copy of Microsoft Works 8, Adobe Premier Standard, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0, Adobe Photoshop Album 2.0 Starter Edition, Adobe Acrobat Elements, WinDVD and Symantec Internet Security 2005 (with 90 days' of updates). Sony also throws in a bunch of its own software, including SonicStage, PictureGear Studio and Vaio Zone - which is the default multimedia playback application.

Of course, the T2XP doesn't come cheap, but then that's to be expected with a machine as slim and as sexy as this. That said, a price of just over £1500 is pretty much average for an ultra-portable machine from a big player like Sony. Personally, I think that the T2XP is worth every penny, and would be happy to use one as my travelling companion wherever I go.

Verdict

The Sony Vaio VGN-T2XP is a fantastic little notebook. It has pretty much everything you need integrated into its svelte chassis, but still manages to keep weight down to a minimum. The outstanding battery life just makes this machine even more attractive to the target market. If you want something small and light with great battery life and an integrated DVD writer, the T2XP should be top of your list.

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