Customer Reviews
Nice vaio AR 
2008-11-17
Nice Vaio , every thing is ok but poor quality,
design nice, every thing okkk
Preliminary review 
2008-11-02
This is a very nice laptop. Its bigger and heavier than what I expected, but seems to be exactly what I need. I haven't used it much though, at least not enough to write a full review. I have noticed that it has Windows Vista preloaded, but I couldn't find the Windows Vista system disc in the box.
A solid desktop replacement. 2008-10-14
This is a pretty hefty system meaning it's large and heavy. The upside is that it's very powerful and comparable with a mid-range pc capable of playing modern games.
It sports 4GB of RAM however since it has the 32-bit version of Windows Vista, the system only recognizes a max of 3GB of RAM. I do not know why they put 4GB of RAM in the system but installed an OS that can only recognize 3GB. Seems like a waste that we the consumers must pay for.
Also if you try to install a 64-bit version of Windows Vista or XP, Sony will provide you no support because they only support 32bit driver versions for this system. You can find 64-bit versions of the video card drivers but you need to tweak the .inf file so that Vista matches the drivers with your hardware other wise it will say you have no valid hardware. The rest of the hardware you're pretty much on your own, some of the drivers can be mixed and matches but other wise cannot. So if you get this system realize that if you decide to install another OS on here, you may run into some issues with drivers. Also the system comes with no discs so backup the drive if you decide to format.
Other than that it's a great system, it's very fast and powerful. Great for everything. I'd recommend for someone who needs a powerful laptop that can be taken on the go. I would not recommend it to someone who travels a great deal as the system is very large and heavy.
Sony VAIO VGN-AR760U/B 
2008-10-11
I Love the Sony VAIO VGN-AR760U/B I used to have a Dell Inspiron 6400 and I start to have problems when I played my games, so I decide to buy this computer after reading all the reviews, I choose one day shipping and the next day I have my new laptop, it came very well packaged don't have recovery disc but I don't think is important I have almos 2 years with my dell and never used the recovery programs, but I made my recovery disc after removing all the programs I didn't want.
I turn on the Laptop and I noticed The screen is too bright to my eyes I have sensible eyes, but when you are out in the sun is perfect, The only thing I don't like is that when I adjust the display brightness to lower a noise appear and I call the VAIO support but they told me that this is normal because of the good quality of the display so i will buy a privacy filter soon to not heard that noice and my eyes not suffer.
The quality of the colors of the display are fantastic nothing compare with my Dell also is fast, fast very fast, I install all my games the Monopoly, Zuma Deluxe, Chuzzle Deluxe, Cradle Of Rome, Dairy Dash, Ranch Rush, Cake Mania2, Chocolatier 1 & 2,Cooking Academy, Hoyle Puzzle & Board Games, Solitaire City, Slingo Supree, Age of empires and all work great I liked to play lots of games, I transfer all my videos, Music and picture and I'm only used 177 GB so I still have lot of free space.
I have a program to conver the format of my videos but with the VAIO Video and Photo Suite and with the "click to disc" option I don't need nothing more. I'm not use all the programs that this machine have already, but it will take some time to used them all.
I removed some installed programs that came and I don't need and of corse I remove the Norton 360 antivirus because I use it before with my Dell for a year and didn't liked because slows my computer a lot and if you need to do a sistem restore always meke problems it take a lot of time to installed and more time to uninstaled, so I install the ESET Smart Security is better and you don't even notice that is there and it's very secure.
I bought the Targus CVR217 Neoprene Slip Case for 17" Notebooks (Black/Blue) and it's perfect for this Laptop and nice looking, but you can only put the laptop and the AC adapter, don't have to much space, so I bougth also the Targus TXL617 17 XL Notebook Backpack is large very large and you can put lots of stuff there also the Neoprene slip case fits.
I higly recomend the Sony VAIO VGN-AR760U/B is great..!!!
Sony Laptop AR760U/B 2008-10-10
Very good.Sony VAIO VGN-AR760U/B-Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 / 2.1 GHz (Dual-Core), 400 GB SATA HD, 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, Blu-rayE Disc read/write (as well as DVD and CD burning) BD-Writer BD-R/RE- integrated, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT,Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Ethernet, Fast Et...
sony vaio 760ub 2008-09-14
The VAIO(R) AR notebook has a spacious 17" widescreen display featuring XBRITE-ECO LCD technology, combined with the entertainment of a Blu-ray Disc ROM (BD-ROM) to watch Blu-ray Disc movies and with NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GT graphics card you get a stunning visual experience. This beautifully designed notebook boasts embedded A/V controls for one-touch access to your entertainment and a built-in 1.3 megapixel camera and microphone so you can video chat with friends, family and co-workers. Enjoy the convenience of a CD/DVD burner and the spectacular new look, instant search and automated security features of the Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium operating system. Backed by Intel Pentium Dual-Core processor technology, this notebook will be your ultimate desktop replacement. 17 WXGA+ (1440 x 900) XBRITE-ECO Display Built-in Webcamera and Microphone NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT with 256MB Dedicated Video Memory with up to 1023MB shared Blu-Ray Disc BD-ROM/DVD+-R/RW Drive with Double Layer Intel PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11A/B/G/N 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet Built-in Memory Stick/Memory Stick Duo with MagicGate(TM) Card Reader Built-in Secure Digital (SD) media slot ExpressCard 54 Slot PCMCIA Slot 3 USB 2.0, Headphone out; Microphone-in, S/PDIF, VGA, S-Video, HDMI, IEEE 1394, RJ-11 (Modem), RJ-45 Approximate Unit Dimensions - 16.4 (W) x 11.8 (D) x 1.32(H) Approximate Unit Weight - 8.3lbs
Good Computer. 2008-09-01
I bought the Sony VAIO VGN-AR760U/B, this computer is good, it's not the usual laptop size it's a desktop replacement. It comes loaded with windows ultimate and some trial software, this computer it's NOT a 64-bit computer instead it's a 32-bit. I haven't had any display flickering or technical issue so far, I have use the Recovery Center and everything goes back to the factory install software even WINDVD. This computer doesn't have no backup CD's or any CDs you have to burn them with your computer. The only uncomfortable feeling about this computer is that it gets somewhat warm, other than that this computer is alright.
Best Display and FAST FAST FAST 2008-08-20
I decided to get rid of my 2 towers and consolidate to a single laptop a couple of months ago and never looked back. I needed something that could still churn through the Adobe Suite that I use for generating creative and other graphic and memory intensive applications. I simply love this laptop. It does everything it says it will and more! I have used the Blue Ray a few times and found it easy enough to hook it up via the HDMI port to my Sony HD receiver. The 320GB hard drive is more than enough to use for storage and comes partitioned out as 2 drives. I use another portable 500GB drive as my scratch drive for creative and compiling. Having 3GB of RAM also helps BIG TIME when rendering. You can max it out to 4GB, but I don't think Vista will recognize the additional memory. The only downside that I see for this laptop is the battery life is pretty dismal when running at full tilt. You can choose a balanced or max battery setting to improve the overall time. But then again, with a 17" display and being a powerhouse, it's to be expected to be a battery hog. In a nutshell, I'm extremely happy with this laptop and use it for all of its strengths. If you a NOT a power user, I suggest that you save your money and with a more affordable laptop. Microsoft Office doesn't exactly tax any laptops currently on the market.
Very good desktop replacement system 2008-07-22
I decided to purchase a new laptop after my old laptop was taken over by the family for a variety of tasks. I was mostly happy with the system I had, a nice HP Pavilion system with a decent feature set, but considering that it is 2-3 years old and does not run everything I want to run anymore I wanted to make my upgrade to a new system worthwhile. In researching I found this particular system and I pounced on it, as I found it at a steal of a price. It is not perfect, but there is an awful lot in this notebook.
My very first notebook was a Sony Vaio, so I imagined that this would be familiar territory. I was greatly mistaken, as things have changed dramatically since then, mostly for the better.
First off, this is a fast system with lots of expansion room. This is very important to me because I do a little bit of everything - I do some gaming, I write software, I write short stories, I hang out online. I am not considered a power user in that regard so an AlienWare ultra-high-powered expensive gaming rig is not really what I need, but I don't need an entry-level system that is good for little more than checking email either. My needs are for a well-rounded machine that can do most things well. This notebook fits that need.
I am especially impressed with the bright, large screen. I do occasionally toss a movie DVD into the system and treat myself to a private showing of whatever movie I have chosen, and all of that screen real estate makes for an enjoyable experience.
As for DVDs... With Blu-ray built into this system, watching new media movies is not a concern. That's a very nice plus.
I like the fact that this system has two individual hard drives instead of one large one, as I want to create a dual-boot system and not wipe out the whole thing. I was unaware of this when I purchased the system, thinking I had a unified drive, though that was an oversight - the labeling and documentation are clear.
The system comes with 3 GB RAM, expandable to 4. Up to this point things seem to be comfortable in that amount of room.
My first task was to strip off the trial software I don't want or need, which includes MS Office 2007, Webroot SpySweeper and Norton 360. Some people will appreciate these applications but for me they are in the way and clutter the hard drive with unneeded stuff. If these applications were full-release apps with more than 30-90 days of use, I likely would keep them all but in my case I already have licensed software to use that meet the same needs.
The documentation states that there is a firewire port, a VGA port and an S-Video port, and it took searching the web for a manual with technical diagrams to reveal that these are hidden on the right side, under a cover. Nothing that came with the system says where to find those ports, and the cover that conceals these ports blends in well enough to truly hide them - I did not find them without help.
Even more concerning to me is the number and placement of the USB ports. There is one on the back, and two on the right side close to the front edge. I work with an external mouse but I use the built-in keyboard, and I am right-handed. So, if I plug anything at all into those two front edge USB ports, the cords interfere with my mouse use. The solution, then, is to plug a 4-port hub in the back and then plug everything in there.
The built-in speakers are all right, though nothing special. If you want better speakers plug them in and all is well. That said, the built-ins are quite acceptable for most use. You would not want to use them for listening to symphony music, of course, but they're just fine for gaming and general music.
I am very pleased with the graphics. My litmus test for gaming is Neverwinter Nights 1 & 2, and both of these play quite smoothly. I have not loaded up Unreal Tournament 3 yet - that's next - but it should have no difficulty at all with that game.
I did run into one problem that required a call to Sony technical support. Because Sony does not include recovery media with their systems, it is up to the owner to create them and Sony makes it easy with included utilities. There are two options for creating the media - 1 dual-layer DVD or 2 single-layer DVDs. I chose the single dual-layer and after an hour of writing and grinding, the DVD ejected and the system said the creation failed. Assuming it was the target medium, I tried again with the same result. I called Sony thinking I needed to request the recovery DVDs and the technician told me that the single-layer DVD creation would work but that a glitch with this specific model prevents the dual-layer media creation from working. When I used two single-layer DVDs, everything created without a hitch.
This brings up a good point. Some places provide horrible service with operators that no one can understand. I got through in a reasonable amount of time (it was 5am but I still had a brief wait) and I got a very pleasant fellow who was very easy to understand (he did have and accent, though I could not place it) and was very helpful.
This is my desktop replacement system. It does everything I need it to do, it works well and it has a good feature set. It is certainly not perfect, but even at full price it is a good deal for what you get. It is NOT a top-of-the-line gaming rig but it's not marketed as such. If you want a good well-rounded machine, give this one some consideration.
A Great Machine 2008-07-05
I have had a preference for Sony computers for a long time. They are generally a little more expensive, but you seem to get more. The all-in-one configuration eliminates wires and cords running in all directions. Sony support is above average. All-in-all a purchase worth the extra money!
