Sony PCG-X505/SP Review

This really is an amazing laptop. So thin and so light, that I'm constantly stopped and asked about it by complete strangers.

Surprising fast. Battery life is on a couple hours, but pretty good given the size of the battery. HIbernation and suspend help stretch it out.

Literally, you can carry this with you anywhere. It is so liberating not lugging several pounds of laptop and peripherals with you.

Yes, you pay a price being an early adpopter, but this is just too sweet. I couldn't wait for Sony to release it in the US, and who knows if they ever will.

Keyboard takes a bit of getting used to, but it's not a big deal. The combo LAN/VGA dongle is ingenious, although I'm usually wireless.

I could go on, but I think I'll just go back to enjoying this beauty.

I have no complains about the look and size. But there's a couple things I couldn't get used to: 1) the keyboard. Not only it:s too small, it's got a keyboard with Japanese layout (you can find all the keys, but at different position). 2) the pointing stick. I really missed my touchpad. Pointing stick is not the same, its a lot harder to use.
Is it worth $3000? Not if I have to pay for it myself. (I bought it with company money)

This is one sexy looking laptop. The carbon fibre looks great when it glistens in the light. First impression was that the laptop felt heavy, but don't be fooled! Because this laptop is soo small you'd think it would weigh 100 odd grams rather than 700+ grams. a 10.4 inch screen is small but after a few minutes I've gotten used to it as the resolution is what I normally use at work (and I don't strain my eyes either!). Keyboard is quite difficult to use and I also feel as though it is very fragile. The mouse feels very light and easily breakable. The nipple for the touch pad is quite stiff and has a nice feel to it. Sony even provides two extra covers for the nipple. Sony provides a cleaning cloth for the laptop that DOES mark very easily. Not recommended as a desktop replacement but it does have the power to do most tasks.

Very nice looking but sacrifices were obviously made. Keyboard is one of the worst I've seen on a notebook and its positioning makes a desk essential for anything outside of light use. Not crazy about the 2 1/2 hr. battery either. Thinness and beauty are good qualities in a notebook in my opinion, but not worth sacrificing usability for. I recommend the X505 to all people who buy laptops primarily as objets d'art, for fashion reasons or as status symbols.

Comparing to a recently acquired Sharp Actius MM20, processor 1-Ghz, Hard Drive 20 G, 802.11G wireless, modem, 1024x768 Radeon Mobile Graphics...suspend/hibernate

Slightly less frills (no carbon fiber, exotic mouse), but only 1/2 - 2/3rds the price!!!

Also runs Linux well!

I bought this Sony a few months ago, and love it! It is so awesome looking and performance is great for its size. I too get tons of looks and stares. Now Sony is offering it in the US, but not the sp version like I have. It is like the cheaper one. So if you have $4500 with dvd burner, I say buy it!

I decided I wanted an X505 after seeing it in the Sony store in Ginza, but hesitated to buy one until Sony supported it here in the states. Through good fortune, several days after the X505 appeared in our local SonyStyle store, my old (5+ years) Toshiba Portege's screen burned out.
The X505 meets my needs: extremely light and thin (doesn't take up much of my carryall); powerful enough to support my hobby, work and internet uses on the road; and has a joystick, not a touchpad (I dislike the latter).
My wants? To put these in perspective, I spent a little more to get my Sony T1 digital camera in Japan; I prefer the new black one to the silver one available here. (I confess: I'm a technoid esthete.) The X505 satisfies this as well. It's cool, albeit pricey. Also, I trust Sony products.
Dislikes: It takes a while to fire up. Its video card seems not to handle my hobby (GMax aeroplane building and MS flight sim) as well as my home Dell. Also, though the X505 is light as can be, its power adaptor (which travels in my carryall) seems heavy for its type.

I handled this beauty in Shibuya and it feels nice. Pls. tell me that you people here did not pay 3500 to 4500 in the U.S. for this thing though. You can get it for less then 2k now in japan

This is a great notebook computer... it is small, lightweight, powerful, and the battery lasts for a long time. Let's make a note that my employer purchased it for me.

First of all, I hate the included "trackstick". If Sony would move the keyboard forward, there would be plenty of room for a real track-pad. I also can't believe that they left out inegrated 802.11g WiFi, it is 2004 guys! I also think that at this price point, it should include 1 gig of RAM.

If you want to know more about my experiences, just email me.

I have had mine for a week now and its very stylish and sleek, but not practical.
I have fat fingers and the keyboard has not been a problem.
The screen is small but thats what you pay for.
It comes without a modem it gets really hot on top above the keyboard and it only has a single mono speaker.
I would have liked a similar case for the DVD drive (same as the the laptop and peripheral cases)

But other than that its fantastic.

just recently bought mine from Sony. i found it to be an extremely versitile laptop, although as most have pointed out, it has its problems. but for a laptop of its size, its to be expected. the major problems i found with it where obviously the screen is somewhat limited, however, im used to smaller screens so i didnt find it to be a problem. it was quite clear and crisp. the hard drive is limited in space, but the external 60 Gig HD definitly was worth the buy. battery life was decent, but i did find that buying the secondary battery as a definite plus. suprisingly i didnt find the keyboard to be a problem, but i have skinny fingers and i quickly got used to it, and because its a US spec the keys are in the right places. i was especially pleased with the Wi-Fi as i work at a cafe that has free Wi-fi. overall, i found that as pricy as it is it was worth the money payed, and im very pleased with its quality and performance. i would reccomend this laptop, to basicly anyone with the money. it is quite a bit pricy and there are much cheaper alternatives that are very close in size and weight.

I bought this laptop for several reasons: First, no other notebook even comes close to its size and weight (3/8" thin and only 1.7 lbs for the carbon fiber model). This one will set the standard for several years to come. This is not just a laptop. It's a work of art. It's better than a puppy when it comes to striking up a conversation with women! I get compliments all the time. Its small size makes it great for carrying, almost like you're not carrying anything at all.

This baby sets the standard! First: it's a piece of art. Sony always makes their products with a little oomph of artistic esthete. I mainly use this unit for presentations and meetings then I put it away to preserve it. I have several laptops and this is my favorite. The new version of this model will be coming out in 2006. I can't wait!

It is the most beautiful laptop ever created!

I thought the new MacBook Air would edge out my Sony in lightness and thickness but it does not. The Sony X505 is still the thinnest and lightest notebook in the world.

It is THE standard for laptop design excellence where technology and innovation met design principles in a perfect collaboration and synergy! Even after 8 years now it is STILL the thinnest and lightest laptop there is and it was the first in the world using premium carbon fiber and a 10 layer unique motherboard design that is smaller than a minidisc!!! AMAZING!!! That is what I call A+ or 11 out of 10.