At just over three pounds, the TR3AP1 delivers the features and performance of a notebook twice its weight. Enjoy DVDs on an amazingly clear and sharp XBRITE screen. With an unprecedented battery life, never worry about finding on outlet. Turn heads with the award winning style of your TR series notebook.
Offering a head-turning design and eyebrow-raising features, the ultra-light, tiny Sony VAIO PCG-TR3AP1 notebook PC offers long battery life (thanks to the Intel Centrino processor), a Sony XBRITE screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio (great for watching DVDs), and an built-in digital camera. It also features a 54g wireless LAN, combo CD-RW/DVD drive, 512 MB of installed RAM, and a weight of just over three pounds. The integrated swivel camera at the top of the screen enables you to capture 640 x 480 still images and live video (motion JPEG) that can be saved directly to your hard drive.
The Basics
- Hard Drive: The 40 GB (4200 RPM) hard drive offers plenty of space for most users, though this size is beginning to feel small compared with other notebooks. It also has a 1024 KB L2 cache and a 400 MHz bus speed.
- Processor: While at the low end of current Centrino notebooks, the PCG-TR3AP1's 1 GHz Pentium M processor is definitely fast enough for everyday tasks and basic multimedia (it's comparable to a 1.5 GHz Mobile Intel Pentium 4). The Pentium M processor is designed specifically for low-power mobile usage, and it features the latest in power-saving technologies--ensuring you push your battery and productivity to the max.
- Memory: The PCG-TR3AP1 comes with a 512 MB built-in memory (DDR SDRAM, 333 MHz)--a good start for power users--with a maximum memory expansion up to 2.05 GB (2 x 1024 MB).
- CD/DVD Drive: You can easily and quickly burn music and video to CD with the combo CD-RW/DVD drive (24x write/10x rewrite/24x read).
- Keyboard & Mouse: The PCG-TR3AP1 has an 83-key keyboard and electro-static touchpad.
Sound and Graphics The PCG-TR3AP1 has an Intel 855GM chipset integrated graphics card with 64 MB of shared video memory. Combining three new technologies for increased brightness, contrast and viewing angles, the 10.6-inch flat-panel XBRITE LCD offers a bright, vibrant screen for watching DVDs and editing your digital photos. It also has an sound card that's integrated into the main board, and offers built-in stero speakers. It has a high native resolution of 1280 x 768.
Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The PCG-TR3AP1 has an Intel Pro-Wireless 2100BG integrated wireless LAN that connects using the 802.11g wireless standard. You get a smaller offering of connectivity options (due to the notebook's size):
- 2 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
- 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) ports for connecting digital video camcordrs and other peripherals
- 1 RGB monitor port
- 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II)
- 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
- Secure Digital (SD)/MultiMedia (MMC) memory card reader
It also has an integrated 56K modem (V.92), and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems).
Preloaded System and Software
The PCG-TR3AP1 comes with the Windows XP Professional operating system (which adds Microsoft's IIS Web server, back-up and recovery utilities, Remote Desktop, and other enhanced business features), and it also features Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents). It also is loaded with a bevy of Sony multimedia software: PictureGear Studio and Network Smart Capture (digital photo), DVgate Plus (digital video), and SonicStage (digital music). Other preloaded software includes Intervideo WinDVD and Norton Internet Security Center 7.
Dimensions and Weight
At 10.6 x 7.4 x 1.4 inches (L x W x H), this is a seriously small notebook. And it weighs just a mere 3.11 pounds with the battery.
Power
The included rechargeable lithium-ion battery offers between 3 and 5.5 hours of life with typical usage. An optional larger-capacity battery will provide double that (between 6 and 11 hours of battery life).
What's in the Box
This package contains the Sony Vaio PCG-TR3AP1 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions.
1 From a College Student...
I've previously owned a PC and a notebook(GRT series) from SONY prior to the purchase of this TR3AP1 notebook via sony.com right when it was first introduced.
Just like all of the other SONY products, this notebook is very stylish. But the main reason I bought this product was because my GRT notebook was hard to carry around the campus because of its size and weight, I had owned the product for only about 5 months. TR notebook is LIGHT without its battery. Even with its battery, it is still light compared to most other notebooks when I purchased it.
Another positive thing about this TR3AP1 notebook is its battery life. My GRT notebook would only last about 1 hour at max(no kidding but that notebook is like a portable PC) but my TR could last about 2 hours with its maximum performance. And maybe 3-5 hours with ultimate battery life.
None the less, this notebook cost me about $2500 with a few accessories such as notebook protector and its carrying case. Also, I had spent another $500 on an XBRITE LCD to use it in my room. This notebook is costly! Built in wireless is GREAT! But you should expect to spend $50-100 on a wireless LAN PC Card from SONY(that's what I prefer). Also, add speakers for your room, there's another $100. And the list goes on...
This is just my personal experience but SONY products are only so good for about a year. After that, they're CRAP. I've never used any other products so I can't comment on it. Well I just bought another iPod from Apple because my previous one is like not working(6 months old). So there you go about Apple.
I buy SONY products anyway because they satisfy my needs and wants which is convenience and style. As a college student, that's what you want. But being have to invest about $2000-$3500, there's really no money for it unless you get a break from your parents. And SONY products being SONY products, if you're O.K. with upgrading to a different product every year, this is the notebook for you. As I'm writing this, I'm already looking at a new notebook to buy. Hope this helped.
2 Fabulous tiny notebook at a great price
Even though the TR series of sub-subnotebooks from Sony is now discontinued, it still sports modern-day mobile computing technologies as well as great styling -- arguably one of the best-looking laptops of all time. This model (TR3AP1, with the "P" meaning it comes with Windows Professional instead of Home) used to cost over $2300, but now it's selling for such a low price. Is it an outdated computing? No, because it has Centrino (Intel M processor, the mobile chipset, and the integrated 802.11b/g wi-fi), a great bright screen, and a builtin VGA camera. A couple other manufacturers in Asia (notably Asus and Samsang) have copycatted this design; why Sony never sued them is a mystery, maybe it's because in Asia nobody outside of Japan knows what "intellectual property" means anyway. But those knockoffs have terrible quality, unlike this genuine Sony. The only downside is the the small screen the TR has, which is only 10" measured diagonnaly. But this is a great little machine that can play DVDs and pull in wi-fi anywhere there's a hotspot. Get it while it's still in supply! It has high quality unlike some recent Sony products. BTW I laughed when reading another person's "I have great luck with Dell and Apple," cuz those two companies use Asian sweatshops and cheap parts and their computers break down all the time. Apple even got sued by their loyal customers in 2004 for selling lemon iBooks.
3 Teriffic for Travel
I have had the VAIO TR3 for over a year. It works great especially using a wireless card. The small screen is easier to view than a dull larger one. I use it exclusively for travel and it fits my needs to a T!(Pardon the pun!) I am baffled by the poor user reviews. Just to be able to slip it into your briefcase on the fly and not to carry another case is really helpful to me. I intend to buy another one -- TR5 in the immediate future. No problems at all with my TR3.
4 Not exactly thrilled...
Sony VAIOs came highly recommended by many of my friends; I had heard nothing but good things about their notebooks. (The desktops...not so much. But the notebooks were supposedly great.)
My TR3AP1 worked fantastically for about two weeks, until it completely stopped working -- XP Pro wouldn't start at all, System Restore wouldn't work, and I couldn't even get it back to a point where I could get any data off of it.
Turns out they sent me a unit with a bad hard drive. Instead of being apologetic, they attempted to charge me to replace it (never mind that I purchased an extended warranty and had owned the computer for less than a month!) and insisted that I give them a credit card number to 'secure the repair, in case the warranty wasn't valid.' It took 2 hours on the phone and three supervisors to get the warranty-covered repair authorized.
When it was working, the computer ran much more slowly than one would normally expect, even taking into account slower-than-average processor than is usually found in notebooks now. While the small size and sharp screen are great, I think I would have been much better off buying an Apple or a Dell, two brands I've always had great luck with.
