Sony Vaio VPC-EC Series

Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650
Display: 17.30 inch
Weight: 2.7kg, 2.9kg, 3kg, 3.07kg, 3.092kg, 3.1kg, 3.2kg, 3.3kg, 3.4kg, 3.5kg
Price: 700, 750, 800, 850, 1000, 1099, 1100, 1200, 1250, 1500, 1600 euro
Average of 30 scores (from 34 reviews)
Sony Vaio VPCEC1Z1E
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i5 520M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 3.4kg
Price: 1200 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Average Score:
Reviews
Source: Engadget

We can't pinpoint anything that's inherently wrong with the Sony VAIO EC – actually, we like it quite a bit -- though we think the design is a bit plain and the speakers are a bit weak. More than that, we can't help but look at the better Core i3 and Blu-ray deals to be had. For instance, the $800 Gateway NV79C35u has the same Core i3 processor and Blu-ray drive as the EC, though it doesn't have discrete graphics.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/07/2010
Rating: Total score: 60%
Source: Digital Versus

Designed with comfort and multimedia capacity in mind, the Vaio VPCEC1Z1E is Sony's latest laptop to come with a Full HD display. Sony's Vaio VPCEC1Z1E is a great Full HD laptop. Its excellent performance makes it suitable for a wide range of tasks, and it's comfortable to use too. Unfortunately, that meant we were even more disappointed by the lack of contrast on a display that Sony's marketing hypes so much.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 04/08/2010
Rating: Total score: 80%
Sony Vaio VPC-EC1M1E
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i3 330M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 512 MB
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:10, 1600 x 900 pixels
Weight: 3.092kg
Price: 800 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Average Score:
Reviews
Ceramic all-rounder. Sony's first 17.3 inch notebook for consumers costs less than 800 Euros, and has a Core i3 as well as an ATI HD 5470 on board. Whether or not the ceramic styled hand resting area reduces our objectivity can be discovered in this comprehensive review.
Source: Techradar

Sony's VAIO E-Series is targeted at those after affordable multimedia functionality for the whole family. The VAIO VPCEC1M1E/WI is a 17.3-inch machine that offers great usability and comfort and provides more than enough power for multimedia use.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 05/06/2010
Rating: Total score: 70%
Source: Techradar

Sony's VAIO E-Series is targeted at those after affordable multimedia functionality for the whole family. The VAIO VPCEC1M1E/WI is a 17.3-inch machine that offers great usability and comfort and provides more than enough power for multimedia use.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 05/06/2010
Rating: Total score: 70%
Foreign Reviews
Source: Notebookcheck

Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 04/24/2010
Rating: Total score: 83% performance: 83% display: 83% mobility: 71% workmanship: 90% ergonomy: 86% emissions: 89%
Source: Notebookcheck

Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 04/24/2010
Rating: Total score: 83% performance: 83% display: 83% mobility: 71% workmanship: 90% ergonomy: 86% emissions: 89%
Source: Notebookinfo

Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 04/20/2010
Rating: Total score: 87% price: 82% display: 84% mobility: 75% emissions: 90%
Source: Notebookinfo

Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 04/20/2010
Rating: Total score: 87% price: 82% display: 84% mobility: 75% emissions: 90%
Source: 01Net

Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/30/2010
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: 01Net

Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/30/2010
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: NotebookTV.hu

Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 07/12/2010
Rating: Total score: 70% price: 60% performance: 80% display: 40% mobility: 30% ergonomy: 80% emissions: 80%
Source: NotebookTV.hu

Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 07/12/2010
Rating: Total score: 70% price: 60% performance: 80% display: 40% mobility: 30% ergonomy: 80% emissions: 80%
Sony Vaio VPCEC1Z1E/BJ
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i5 520M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 3.4kg
Price: 1250 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Average Score:
Foreign Reviews
Source: PC Actual

Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 08/01/2010
Rating: Total score: 84%
Source: 01Net

Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 04/16/2010
Rating: Total score: 80%
Sony Vaio VPCEC1S1E/BJ
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i5 430M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 2.7kg
Price: 1000 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Average Score:
Foreign Reviews
Source: Notebookjournal

Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 05/03/2010
Rating: Total score: 90% price: 80% performance: 70% features: 50% display: 50% mobility: 50% workmanship: 70% ergonomy: 70%
Sony Vaio VPCEC1S1R/BJ
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i5 520M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 3.1kg
Price: 1600 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Average Score:
Foreign Reviews
Source: Retera

Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 04/06/2010
Rating: Total score: 80% performance: 80% display: 40% mobility: 18% emissions: 67%
Sony Vaio VPCEC25FX/B
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i3 350M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixels
Weight: 3.2kg
Price: 1100 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Average Score:
Reviews
Source: Comp Reviews

Sony's VAIO EC25FX brings a much more powerful yet feature rich desktop replacement laptop to the company's lineup. Performance is good even with the Core i3 processor and the media features including the Blu-ray compatible drive are a nice addition. The downside to this media focuses laptop is the price. While priced under $1000, there are similarly equipped laptops from the likes of Gateway and Toshiba that can be found for even less.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/20/2010
Rating: Total score: 60%
Sony VAIO VPCEC2A4E/BI
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i5 520UM
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 3.3kg
Price: 1500 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Average Score:
Foreign Reviews
Höchstleistung zum MitnehmenSource: Notebookinfo

Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 08/13/2010
Rating: Total score: 80% performance: 90% display: 80% mobility: 60% emissions: 80%
Sony Vaio VPCEC2M1E/WI
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i3 350M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixels
Weight: 3.3kg
Price: 850 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section Vaio VPCEC2M1E/WI (Model)
Price comparison
Foreign Reviews
Source: Notebook.cz

Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 10/14/2010
Rating: display: 40% emissions: 80%
Sony VAIO VPC-EC3L1E/WI
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i3 370M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixels
Weight: 3.3kg
Price: 800 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Average Score:
Foreign Reviews
Source: Notebookjournal

Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 02/02/2011
Rating: performance: 60% features: 50% display: 50% mobility: 70% workmanship: 70% ergonomy: 60%
Source: PC Welt

Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 01/21/2011
Rating: Total score: 79% performance: 85% features: 84% display: 73% mobility: 65% ergonomy: 95% emissions: 78%
Source: Notebookinfo

Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 11/09/2010
Rating: Total score: 65% performance: 66% features: 66% display: 53% mobility: 58%
Sony VAIO VPCEC3BFX/BJ
Specifications

Processor: Intel Pentium P6100
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixels
Weight: 3.3kg
Price: 750 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Average Score:
Reviews
Source: Notebookreview.com

After spending several weeks with the VAIO EC my overall opinion is that this is a good notebook for a reasonable price. Our review unit is one of the older configurations that is still available in retail outlets (including many SonyStyle brick-and-mortar stores found in shopping malls), but newer configurations offer better processors for a starting price of $750. It's a shame we couldn't test one of those newer configurations, because the slower Pentium-class processor and slower hard drive in our test system proved to be less than impressive. On the bright side, the AMD ATI dedicated graphics give this desktop replacement notebook all the power it needs to handle multimedia applications and some modern games. The build quality feels a little weak in spots, but the Sony VAIO EC makes a fine multimedia notebook if you're on a budget ... and it's even more impressive if you buy the newer configurations.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 01/27/2011
Rating: Total score: 70% price: 70% performance: 60% features: 70% mobility: 80% ergonomy: 80%
Source: Notebooks.com

While the crazy thin MacBook Air and Lenovo U260 have been getting a lot of attention, there are many users who are looking for a much larger computing experience; one that replaces their desktop instead of something that can go everywhere they go. The Sony VAIO EC series is one of these notebooks. With a 17.3″ display and a weight of close to 8 pounds you won’t be putting this in your backpack every day, but if you want a computer to keep by the couch or on a desk the VAIO EC is worth a look.
mobility 55, ergonomy 60
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/17/2010
Rating: mobility: 55% ergonomy: 60%
Sony Vaio VPC-EC3M1E/BJ
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i5 460M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 1024 MB
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixels
Weight: 3.07kg
Price: 1099 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Average Score:
Reviews
Family Laptop. Each laptop has its strong points but there's never one that can do it all. But the 17" Vaio is a jack of all trades, acting as everything from a home theater to a work computer. The performance, low system noise, variety of ports and the keyboard all make a good impression. But claiming this notebook's perfectly well-rounded is not altogether true.
Foreign Reviews
Source: Notebookcheck

Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 12/17/2010
Rating: Total score: 79% performance: 82% display: 69% mobility: 71% workmanship: 82% ergonomy: 87% emissions: 83%
Source: Notebookcheck

Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 12/17/2010
Rating: Total score: 79% performance: 82% display: 69% mobility: 71% workmanship: 82% ergonomy: 87% emissions: 83%
Source: 01Net

Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 02/08/2011
Rating: Total score: 60%
Source: 01Net

Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 02/08/2011
Rating: Total score: 60%
Sony Vaio VPC-EC3AFX/BJ
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i5 460M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 3.3kg
Price: 1200 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Average Score:
Reviews
Source: Comp Reviews

The Sony VAIO VPC-EC3AFX/BJ laptop boasts a 17.3-inch full HD display for enhanced gameplay. With an MSRP of $1,199, this notebook is a decent value, considering it includes a Blu-ray player, Intel Core i5-460M processor, and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 dedicated graphics card. Although the speakers aren't great on this model, the multimedia capabilities, abundance of ports (including HDMI), and support for up to 8GB of memory make the Sony VAIO VPC-EC3AFX/BJ gaming notebook a worthwhile buy.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 12/19/2010
Rating: Total score: 70%
Sony Vaio VPC-EC3M1E/XX
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i5 460M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixels
Weight: 2.9kg
Price: 1000 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Foreign Reviews
Source: Notebook.cz

Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 01/06/2011
Sony Vaio VPCEC490X
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i3 380M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixels
Weight: 3.5kg
Price: 700 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Average Score:
Reviews
Source: Laptop Mag

At $749 the VAIO EC is affordable for a Sony notebook, but is it a good deal? There's no denying that the keyboard is top-notch, and there's enough muscle here for both productivity chores and mainstream games. However, there are better deals out there. A Dell Inspiron 17R with similar specs (Core i3 CPU, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5740 graphics, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive) can be had for $50 less, as can a Toshiba L670 with a more powerful Core i5 processor, integrated graphics, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive. We wish the screen had better viewing angles and that the speakers were more powerful, but overall the VAIO EC is an attractive notebook that provides solid performance for the price.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 02/03/2011
Rating: Total score: 70%
Sony Vaio VPCEC3S0E/WI
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i5 460M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixels
Weight: 3.3kg
Price: 1000 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Reviews
Source: Techradar

Offering stunning big-screen usability and ample power, the VAIO VPCEC3S0E/WI is a fantastic home laptop. While it lacks the graphics performance or battery life of some of its rivals, there is more than enough to compensate, making it a worthy winner.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 02/06/2011
Sony Vaio VPC-EC4L1E
Specifications

Processor: Intel Core i3 380M
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470
Display: 17.30 inch, 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixels
Weight: 3kg
Price: 700 euro
Links: Sony homepage Sony notebook section
Price comparison
Foreign Reviews
Source: Notebookjournal

Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/09/2011
Rating: performance: 50% features: 50% display: 50% mobility: 50% workmanship: 70% ergonomy: 70%
Comment
Sony: Sony Corporation is one of the largest Japanese electronics companies. The company was founded in 1946 under a different name and initially produced rice stoves. The company launched the first transistor radio. In 1958, the company was renamed Sony. Sony is a combination of the Latin word sonus (sound) and the English word sonny (little boy). Today, its core business is consumer electronics. The company is engaged in the development, design, manufacture and sale of electronic equipment, instruments, devices, game consoles and software. Sony operates in the following segments: Gaming and Network Services, Music, Images, Home Entertainment and Sound, Imaging Products and Solutions, Mobile Communications, Semiconductors, Financial Services and Others.
Non demanding games should be playable with these graphics cards.
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650: Middle class DirectX 11 capable graphics card with a power consumption of about 15-20 Watt. Supports Eyevision (up to 6 monitors)
Only some 3D games with very low demands are playable with these cards.
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470: Entry level DirectX 11 chip with GDDR5 support but only 80 shader cores. Supports Eyefinity (up to 4 monitors) and 8-ch HD audio over HDMI. Performance on par with the old GeForce 8600M GT.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
Intel Core i5:
520M:
The Core i5-520M has only 3 MB L3 Cache (compared to the I7-640M) and clocks between 2.4-2.93 GHz (Turbo Mode). Thanks to Hyperthreading, 4 threads can be processed simultaneously. An integrated graphics card (GMA HD 3150) and a DDR3 memory controller are also included in the package.
430M:
The Core i5-430M is a middle class dual core CPU that features only 3 MB L3 Cache (compared to the I7-640M) and clocks between 2.26-2.53 GHz (Turbo Mode). Furthermore, VT-d, trusted Execution and AES features are missing in the 430M. Thanks to Hyperthreading, 4 threads can be processed simultaneously. An integrated graphics card (Intel HD Graphics with 500-733 MHz) and a DDR3 memory controller are also included in the package.
520UM:
The Core i5-520UM is a power efficient ultra low voltage processor for laptops. Using Turbo Boost it can be clocked with up to 1.86 GHz. Thanks to Hyperthreading, 4 threads can be processed simultaneously. An integrated graphics card (Intel HD Graphics with 166-500 MHz) and a DDR3-800 memory controller are also included in the package. Compared to the Core i7-620UM, the 520UM offers less Level 3 Cache and a slower Turbo Boost clock rate.
460M: The Core i5-460M has only 3 MB L3 Cache (compared to the I7-620M) and clocks between 2.53-2.8 GHz (Turbo Mode). Thanks to Hyperthreading, 4 threads can be processed simultaneously. An integrated graphics card (GMA HD) and a DDR3 memory controller are also included in the package.
Intel Core i3:
330M:
The Core i3-330M is a slower clocked 350M and therefore also lacks the Turbo Boost feature and clocks with max. 2.13 GHz. Thanks to Hyperthreading, 4 threads can be processed simultaneously. An integrated graphics card (GMA HD 3150) and a DDR3 memory controller are also included in the package.
350M:
The Core i3-350M is technically a Core i5-430M without the Turbo Boost overlocking feature. Therefore, it always clocks with max. 2.26 GHz (of course Speedstep is included). Thanks to Hyperthreading, 4 threads can be processed simultaneously. An integrated graphics card (GMA HD) and a DDR3 memory controller are also included in the package.
370M: The Core i3-370M is a fast clocked Core i3. The TurboBoost, AES, VTd, and Trusted Execution functions are deactivated in the i3-series. Therefore, it always clocks with max. 2.4 GHz (of course Speedstep is included). Thanks to Hyperthreading, 4 threads can be processed simultaneously. An integrated graphics card (GMA HD) and a DDR3 memory controller are also included in the package.
380M: The Core i3-380M is a fast clocked Core i3. The TurboBoost, AES, VTd, and Trusted Execution functions are deactivated in the i3-series. Therefore, it always clocks with max. 2.53 GHz (of course Speedstep is included). Thanks to Hyperthreading, 4 threads can be processed simultaneously. An integrated graphics card (GMA HD) and a DDR3 memory controller are also included in the package.
Intel Pentium:
P6100: The Pentium P6100 is an entry level CPU based on the Arrandale core. Compared to the Celeron P4600, the P6100 offers a bit better performance due to the faster System Bus and an increased Level 3 cache. However, VT-x is not available for the P6100.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.
2.7 kg:
With this weight, a laptop is rather heavier than average. Devices in this range shine more with screen size and performance than with mobility.
3.5 kg:
A laptop with this weight is comparatively heavy and less designed for mobility than for use at the desk. Therefore, the devices tend to shine less with battery life than with a large screen and higher performance.
75.3%: This rating is not earth-shattering. This rating must actually be seen as average, since there are about as many devices with worse ratings as better ones. A purchase recommendation can only be seen with a lot of goodwill, unless it is about websites that generally rate strictly.
» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.