Sony VAIO VPCEC290X: a highly customizable laptop

Today, Sony is known to be quite rigid when it comes to customizing its laptops and all-in-ones. Realizing this, it appears that the company is starting to get rid of this problem and prove it to be a bug. That is why they have released the Sony VAIO VPCEC290X laptop, also known as 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 that runs at a 2.26 GHz standard. For an extra $ 100 you can have the Intel Core i5 520M processor (running at 2.4 GHz or, if you use your Turbo Boost technology, 2.93GHz), and for an extra $ 150, the Intel Core i5 540M processor (running at 2.53 GHz or, if you use Turbo Boost technology, 3.06 GHz). Although the more expensive ones provide more power, the basic 2.26 GHz is sufficient.

You can then choose your Sony VAIO VPCEC290X operating system. The standard operating system is a genuine copy of Windows 7 Home, which works on 64-bit architecture, but you can have Windows 7 Professional (64-bit architecture) for just an additional $ 50. You can also add a keyboard skin for just an extra $ 19.99. Although it doesn’t sound like much, the costs add up pretty quickly. The standard hard drive is 320GB at 5400 rotations per minute (RPM), so if you want to have a 500GB hard drive at 7200 RPM, you have to add another $ 100. The Sony VAIO VPCEC290X comes with 4 GB (two devices of 2 GB each) DDR 3 Random Access Memory (RAM) running at a relatively high speed of 1066 MHz. This is sufficient for most users, but if you want 8 GB DDR 3 to 1066 MHz, it costs an additional $ 300.

The cheapest Sony VAIO VPCEC290X comes with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 graphics processing unit (512MB video RAM), but you can have the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 video card (with 1GB video RAM) for just $ 50 extra. 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 stands out at just $ 819.99, it can quickly reach $ 1500-1800.

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