Sony VAIO LT19U

Even after our hands-on of Sony's new VAIO LT19U, we'd go with Apple's iMac for a general purpose all-in-one. If, however, you're considering one of those monstrous pseudo-laptops from Dell or HP, you'll find the VAIO LT19U offers many of the same features, and with a $2,999 price tag that's a relative bargain. As with most of Sony's desktop efforts these days, this new all-in-one is a niche product to be sure. Still, we imagine a handful of well-heeled shoppers might take interest. If you fit into that category, and you don't need portability (practical or otherwise), the VAIO LT19U should be first on your list when it goes on sale in October.

As we said, the VAIO LT19U can't compete with the iMac as a basic computer. The 20-inch, 2.4GHz iMac we reviewed costs $1,649 (counting the extra memory), making it much less expensive than the $3,000 VAIO LT19U. But even the 24-inch, 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme-equipped iMac starts at only $2,299, giving you more monitor and more processor for $700 less than this new Sony and its 22-inch wide-screen display and its slower, 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo T7500 chip. Given the iMac's better core specs, it's hard to argue that Sony's Blu-ray drive makes up the difference. Our handy chart outlines the differences between the Sony and the lower-end iMac that we reviewed. Even here you can see some disparities in Apple's favor, although, again, no Blu-ray.

If Apple takes the mainstream ground, leaving a specific HD-capable niche to Sony, we should also consider the various HD-equipped laptops out there, especially the larger ones such as Dell's XPS 2010 and the HP Pavilion HDX. Those two models are portable in name only, as their size and modular design severely limit battery life and on-the-road usability. For the Dell, a Blu-ray-equipped XPS 2010 starts at $4,400, and you get an out-of-date graphics chip, less memory, and a smaller hard drive. The closest we could configure HP's more recent Pavilion HDX brought the price to $3,475, giving Sony the advantage there as well. Of course, Dell, HP, Toshiba, and others all offer 17-inch laptops with HD movie capabilities. As you go smaller, you gain portability, but even those systems also cost more than the Sony. If you're looking for a self-contained Windows system for primarily home entertainment purposes, we don't think you can find one that competes with the VAIO LT19U in price or features.