Features:  

The notebook cover consists of a textured silver and chrome-like VAIO logo branded in the center with the Sony name printed in much smaller text above. The notebook opens smoothly and easily and reveals underneath a full-size, chiclet-style keyboard and embedded touchpad with 2 separate right and left mouse buttons.

On the underside you’ll find access panels to the unit’s RAM and hard disk drive, along with a battery that fits flush with the back and bottom.

After using the VGN-NW150J we found that we enjoyed the touch and feel of the “island-style” or “chiclet-style” keyboard. The notebook accommodates a full-sized keyboard and all keys are located in their proper locations making touch-typists happy. The embossed 3.3 x 2.5-inch textured touchpad helps you know where the pad is without having to keep an eye on it the entire time and also tracks very accurately. The buttons have a soft feel yet a nice click making them easy to use and with great feedback.

As for connectivity, the VAIO VGN-NW150J has the standard 3 USB 2.0 ports, microphone, headphone and VGA jacks, but also includes a memory card reader, Wi-fi on/off switch, and ExpressCard/34 slot. We were also excited to find a Firewire 400 and HDMI out port on this machine built for multimedia.

While pleasantly surprised at the Blu-ray playback capabilities of this particular notebook, the graphics performance left a lot to be desired. As this notebook aims to the multimedia consumer, the absence of a dedicated graphics card was a big let-down. Using Intel’s integrated graphics restricts the use of many popular gaming titles today. While you still may be able to squeeze out enough performance to play World of Warcraft at moderate settings, games like Left 4 Dead, Fallout 3, and other new titles will almost be out of the question unless you sacrifice many visual effects.

The bottom line for the Sony VAIO VGN-NW150 is that it is currently the most affordable notebook with the inclusion of a Blu-ray Disc drive. So if you’re looking for a mobile Blu-ray solution and office workhorse, this is a great buy. If, however, you’re looking for a full mobile multimedia solution, you may opt for the more expensive and versatile Sony VAIO VGN-NW180J/S model starting at $999 that includes both ATI discreet graphics and a Blu-ray Disc drive.