Customer Reviews
Surprisingly good gaming machine 
2007-08-18
I bought this machine almost 9 months ago, and I am still impressed with its performance. I use it for two different applications, business and gaming, and it's great for both.
On the basic app end, it's small, take any where, and runs what I need it to. As for gaming, I've use it in several LAN party environments where I was the only person (despite the presence of custom built desktops and gaming laptops) able to host a game without lag or overheating issues(All games this was noted on were published within the last year, some as recent as 2 months old). I also own an Alienware laptop that struggles with such simple tasks as video playback, so seeing this kind of performance from a relatively inexpensive item not designated to the task is fantastic.
It's not the best deal for someone seeking to only run 'normal' applications on a small form factor computer, but if you're looking for something to handle your work and games with equal vigor, I highly recommend it.
Very pleased with this choice 2007-06-30
I decided upon this laptop after several hours of poring through reviews (thank you, amazon.com) and from other sites. In the end, the Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, being able to get this machine w/XP Pro, were key factors for me, along w/the rest of the specs. I am getting about 3.5hrs w/the standard battery. I prefer to keep the screen on low light, which explains the longer battery life. I purchased this factory reconditioned $[...].
Overall, despite my being more critical of products as an IT engineer, I'm extremely pleased with the build, lightweightness, performance and durability of this machine. Strongly recommend.
"Brilliant screen, oh so light, and probably a bit overpriced." 2007-06-03
(This review is actually for the VGN-SZ360 model (see below), but most of the information would apply to the SZ330 also.)
I got a good deal on this laptop, and having owned Sony's before (VGN-SZ150), I was curious as to the improvements on the newer model.
Understand first that the 360+ models not only have twice the memory of the other 300 series 13.3 inch laptops, they also have the brighter screen. Sony already makes one of the brightest out there, but this model has the whiter LED screen which is peerless. The screen is also thinner than the 330 model, which does lessen the weight a bit.
I've had mine a week. I will say that the fan stays on more than on my Dell and HP, but that's typical Sony. With an extended battery (same battery as used in the older models--generics available), I get about 3 hours if I turn off the 'turbo' video card. That's a bit less than others of this type, but again, typical Sony.
The keys feel a bit soft for a model of this quality, and the speakers are OK. I guess the real kudos of this unit are the brilliant white screen (everything else will seem yellow) and the weight. It's so very light due to the carbon construction, as opposed the magnesium alloy on the 330.
All in all, for the price I got it--it's awesome. At regular prices, it may be a bit overpriced. Certainly many would balk at paying $300 or so more for the 360 model over the 330. But it is a Sony, has the Sony feel, and nobody will miss the VAIO logo on the cover.
UPDATE: I've used mine a few weeks now. I continue to be impressed with the brilliant screen. I find I never use the hybrid 'speed' setting, choosing 'stamina' instead, and the battery life (extended life) continues to run about 3 hours with the brightest screen. By the way, the keyboard has full size keys which are really nice on a laptop! As is common to Sony's, the cursor tends to jump around during typing, something my HP and Dell laptops don't do. It gets annoying. The memory card 'adapter' is hard to accept on a unit of this quality, and it refuses to accept one of my SD cards. All in all, despite the quirks, this is a magnificent machine. Light, fast, bright, and always drawing comments.
Hard drive had bad sectors 
2007-05-15
I bought this laptop to replace my Toshiba laptop of two years. It was very fast in the begining even though I had to uninstall a lot of software that came pre loaded. I have been using the laptop for three months now and it recently gave me a hardware malfunction. On running the vaio hardware diagnostic, I found that the hard drive has bad sectors. I sent the PC to sony to fix this issue and got it corrected in a day. VAIO is renowned for its build quality. This did come as a disappointment considering that I had paid extra for getting this configuration on a VAIO. Probably I was just unlucky to get a defective piece. But as they say once bitten, twice shy.
Not a good choice for experienced users 
2007-04-18
I purchased a Vaio VGN-SZ a few months ago and strongly regret the decision. The hardware is well made and pretty slick, but the configuration is exceptionally frustrating. As the IT person for a small company, I buy a lot of computers. I have never seen a computer that was more bogged down with dozens and dozens of preloaded drivers. It should be a relatively fast laptop, but it comes so crapped up with Sony junk that it can barely run. They provide no support to determine which drivers are needed and which might be useful. Some of the applications are essential to make the PC operate, like the finger print reader. Some are exceptionally stupid, like the preloaded application that watches over your typing just in case you try to start typing in Japanese. If you do that, then a popup comes in to assist with writing in Japanese.
The majority of the junk are applications that try to lead you to buying more Sony products, like Sony music downloads. If you try to get support on their web site, you are accosted with questions relating to demographics and product marketing related issues.
Some novice users might not notice that most of the 2 GB of RAM is mostly gone even before they start any programs, nor would they notice that the laptop runs much slower than it should, given the hardware numbers. If you want a lot of hand holding, don't care about performance, and don't want to know what is going on in the PC while you continually watch a spinning hour glass wait icon, then it might not be a bad choice.
Sony has a good reputation so I thought I'd give them a try. I regret the decision.
Almost 6 Months Later, Still Top Performer 2008-04-28
I choose laptops for most of our employees, but in this case our CEO saw an ad and just ordered this laptop without our permission. He ended up switching to Mac, and this little beauty ended up in my hands.
The display is beautiful. I can switch to low-power mode and get 5 hours battery life (and this is after 6 months usage).
When it comes to performance mode, I use this thing to death. I play Warcraft regularly and its solid performance embarasses our brand new maxed-out MacBooks and even some older desktops I've seen.
The base area does get extremely hot when in that kind of intense performance usage - hot enough to burn someone unaware of the issue.
The keyboard is unique. At first I didn't like it, but quickly grew accustomed and with some usage I have grown fond of it.
This Vaio is more sturdy than it seems. With its thin metal construction and clicky keys, it seems very delicate. But it has stood the test of time: I even spilled a little liquid and it and it didn't even notice.
Does not include an OS re-install CD, which is the reason I didn't give perfect rating. This is an absolute necessity in this day and age, Sony. There is also far too much bloatware installed on here - not neary as bad as Dell or Lenovo, but far more than I'd prefer on a new system.
The software used for the fingerprint login ('biometrics') *works*, but it seems to crash once in awhile. It took me awhile to figure out what was crashing, but it is this process. I doubt most users will experience crashes like this unless they also use the dock, which is almost always when it crashes. As an system administrator, I'm always weary of OS-level features like login windows (MS-GINA particularly) being modified by 3rd party applications, but it does seem to work 99% of the time even when logging onto domains, etc...
Haven't tried Vista, linux, or hacintosh on it, would like to know what other's experiences have been with those OS's.
Sony, too hard to fix. 2008-03-16
I am a computer repair tech who has a client that uses these for their road warriors. If these things work they are fine but fixing them is impossible. Odd track pad and shutdown issues plague them. All the hard disks have failed by the 2 year mark. The camera gives one fits getting the right drivers loaded. The Sony driver download site is slow and confusing and Sony no longer sells the original install disks. These things are just too proprietary for me. Most of my DELL tricks just do not work on these Sonys. If you can afford to throw it away if it breaks out of warranty go ahead, buy it.
Sony will not honor warranty 2007-12-20
Sony doesn't honor its warranty. The built-in mouse became intermittent. I have to press it "hard" to get clicks to register, and the scratch-pad will stop working unless I press down on the keyboard area, and then will start working again for a few hours.
After four hours on the phone with Customer support, I was unable to get Sony to issue me an RMA so I can return the item for repair. They send me on a wild goose chase through the Windows control panel instead to check my "double click" rate, etc.
I bought a Lenovo X61 to replace this unit, and I'll just try to sell it as a "broken laptop" on eBay to recover something on it.
Do you feel lucky? 2007-11-30
I hate hate HATE this computer (Sony Vaio VGN-SZ330P). I want to throw it out the window. And you would too, if you had spent nearly $2,000 on a computer that has turned into an absolute POS.
Why? I'll tell you.
It is LOUD. The fan runs constantly, and it is the loudest fan you have ever heard in your life. This high-pitched whir, nearly a whine, accompanies my every task. I cannot stand it.
Oh, and do you know why the fan is so loud? It's because the computer runs so hot! The processors generate an incredible amount of heat (which is fine), but the system is so poorly designed and unventilated that the bottom of the computer is not warm, not hot, but scalding. I cannot keep my hand pressed against it for even 3 seconds. So forget about putting it on your lap without a solid barrier beneath it. (I need a thick book - magazines and newspapers don't cut it, the heat seeps right through.)
And now it gets funny...after a few months use, the touchpad ("mouse") now believes it is upside-down! That's right - if I move my finger "up" on the touchpad, the cursor goes down, if I move my finger left, the cursor goes right, and so on. And get this: I called Sony, and they said, "Yeah, we've heard of that..." I curse the engineers who designed this computer and doubt the marital status of those who brought them into the world.
Which brings me to Vista...no, I can't even talk about. Like a hapless, alcoholic, self-destructive relative no one talks about, Vista is better left unmentioned, mired in its wholly merited disgrace.
Actually, I will say this - it's the best thing that's happened to Apple since the iPod.
Now, do I have anything positive to say? I do. The screen is great (though there's a dead pixel, natch), and the speakers are superb. But this just means one thing, which we already knew: Sony knows how to make a TV.
And finally...I bought this computer in the first place because it had excellent specs, a good size, and, especially, a low weight (though the power supply must easily weigh a pound). But still, 4.5 lbs - you can't beat that, right?
True - but do you know that means? It means that it's flimsy. The battery rattles even when it's "locked" in place. It means my mouse thinks it's upside-down (the mouse buttons, by the way, have stopped working entirely). It means the keyboard clacks as you type. Which means, in the end, that it feels cheap. And while that may not sound like much, when you spend $2000 on a computer, that feeling really begins to eat at you after a while. You feel like a sucker, a chump, a schlimazel (the guy who gets soup spilled on him). You wish you bought something else, which I fervently urge you to do.
Of course...the majority of people are happy. Their computers were probably better constructed than mine. But a lot of other people (read the other reviews), are hugely pissed off and disappointed, because they got crap products. So there's really just one question you have to ask yourself: do you feel lucky?
PERFECTLY HAPPY 2007-11-07
I've owned and handled many laptops over the past few years. Overall this is my favorite. The perfect balance of speed, run time, size and ergonomics. I did have a bit of adjustment time to the keyboard layout. I wanted something small and light to travel with but still wanted something with decent power, runtime, nice looking screen and feature rich. I love this laptop! I would not trade it for any other! It is a hair less powerful but you have to give up some power to shrink the size and weight. Of the small, light laptops this was the best in my opinion.
