Nope, that is not worth it. Sure, you get a nice keyboard and a solid looking design but the hardware is the same as every other netbook on the market. Additionally, the $499 price is for their 3-cell battery models. This means that the 6-cell option will easily cost an additional $40-$60.
Sony needs to learn that they can't charge a premium for their products anymore. The Sony brand no longer carries the same level of quality especially when other companies can offer up competing products for cheaper prices. The Asus 1000HE, 1008HA, or 1005HE would all be better purchases than Sony's VAIO W. They too have nice keyboards and solid designs. They also run the same hardware as Sony's netbook yet cost $60-$150 less.
Sony needs to pull their heads out of their butts and realize that most people just aren't going to pay that high of a premium. Now, had the $499 model come with a 6-cell battery, HD video capabilities (Broadcom chip, Nvidia ION, Intel 4500HD, etc.), HDMI output, 2GB of RAM, and a 250GB hard drive (or 32GB SSD), then I would say that it is worth the high price. People can purchase an HP Mini 110XP for $427 with HD capabilities, the same screen resolution, and a 6-cell battery. People can also purchase a Gateway netbook with 720p support for $399.
I could even run to Best Buy and purchase a dual-core notebook with HD capabilities for $499. It would have either Intel's dual-core processor or an AMD dual-core solution. Either way, $499 is just way too high for a netbook. Asus was pushing the high price boundary with their 1008HA as $420 is a lot of money for a companion computer. Sony more that surpasses the high price boundary with $499.
|
Sony, no thanks
Linear Mode
