Sony Vaio RX-302

Computers without monitors in tow are starting to trickle through Computeractive's door as manufacturers realise that not everyone wants a new monitor as well as a new PC every few years.

The latest company to take the hint is Sony. Its new Vaio desktop system comes without a display, putting a Sony PC within the reach of punters with £900 burning a hole in their pockets.

Sony has once again presented a tower case that stands out from the beige crowds. The design is largely unchanged from the first Vaio desktops but it still looks pretty good, despite being a year or so old.

The downside is that buyers are left with a system with internal components that are not quite at the leading edge. A 1.8GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor is at the core of it. This is a mid-range processor nowadays but performs well enough for most and is backed up by 256MB of DDR memory.

As this system seems to harbour media editing pretensions, a few more features might have proved helpful. Likewise the 40GB hard disk is adequate but folks buying a Mesh or Hi-Grade system for the same money would expect rather more.

The nVidia GeForce 4 MX440 graphics card provides as much gaming performance as most folks need.

The DVD-Rom drive and CD-RW drive offer the standard means of getting information on and off the computer. An added bonus for owners of Sony digital cameras or MP3 players is the Memory Stick slot, which is found on most Sony computers. Two FireWire ports supplement the four USB ones, of which two are front-facing for easy access. The modem and network ports provide internet access and are labelled and colour-coded to keep the setting up simple.

Sony has maintained its usual generosity with software but ultimately, it struggles to impress at the price.

Price: £899
Contact: Sony 0870 542 4424
www.vaio.sony-europe.com

See also:

Staples Cybercom 2200-ID

A little PC with a lot of features and a DVD+RW drive thrown in.  01 Nov 2002

Sony Vaio PCV-RX306

A good all-round multimedia PC for DVD authoring.  28 Oct 2002

Mesh Matrix XP 1800+SB

A high-quality system at a good price.  26 Jul 2002

Time Jupiter

An inexpensive way to upgrade if you don't need new peripherals and software.  12 Jul 2002

Hi-Grade Atlas Meridian XP 1800+

The Meridian is a terrific bargain at this price.  27 Jun 2002

Sony Vaio PCV-RX203

A well-designed, stylish PC that makes DVD authoring and movie creation easy.  11 Jun 2002

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