Usually when I'm introduced to a new laptop, it's when it arrives in our office for review. But I first encountered the Sony VAIO VGN-TZ150N ($2,299 direct)—and Sony's TZ Series—when I and a handful of other journalists toasted the line with champagne at a press gala at the top of New York City's Rockefeller Center. This 2.7-pound ultraportable's design is all about luxury. Little expense was spared on its gorgeous LED screen, its carbon-fiber frame, and a new keyboard that's reminiscent of the Sony VAIO VGN-X505ZP. But although the TZ150N's exterior is magnificent, more attention should have been paid to what's inside. Its slow processor and a bloated software suite can put a damper on productivity.

The TZ150N is essentially a refresh of the TX Series, replacing the ever-so-tiny Sony VAIO VGN-TXN15P. In Sony's latest ultraportable, the TXN15P's foundation is kept intact. The frame is still less than an inch thick, an optical drive continues to reside in the system, and "featherweight" can still be used to describe its 2.7-pound body. But it's no longer the lightest ultraportable with an optical drive; that honor belongs to the Toshiba Portégé R500 Series (at 2.4 pounds). Still, Sony gives the TZ150N a touch of class by redesigning everything surrounding the frame. Black is the standard color, but you can customize the lid with a Champagne Gold or a Bordeaux Red finish for $300 more. Though carbon fiber was used sparingly on the lid of the TXN15P, the TZ150N is completely enclosed in this strong, thread-like cloth reinforced by carbon filaments. Even the lid behind the screen feels sturdier than the previous version, so the screen is less likely to flex. The screen on the Toshiba R500, on the other hand, could use more reinforcement in the back. If you're looking for a fully armored alternative to the TZ150N, the Panasonic Toughbook CF-W5 is as tough as it gets.

The TXN15P's fluorescent lamp is replaced by an LED screen on the TZ150N, a popular trend that's growing among ultraportables. Sony is one of the leaders in display technologies, so it's no surprise that even an 11.1-inch widescreen can boast an excellent viewing experience. Colors appear truer on an LED screen, and blacks and whites are awesome. There's even evidence that LED backlights conserve battery life. Other early LED adopters include the Dell XPS M1330, the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch, the Toshiba R500, and the Asus U1F.

The most refined-looking feature you see when you flip open the laptop is the keyboard. Its key pitch (Q to P) is 91 percent as big as a full-size keyboard, but the keys are raised like the ones found on the Apple Macbook 13-inch (Core 2 Duo T7200). Before the copycat accusations start flying, you might recall that Sony was the first to implement this type of keyboard, in the X505ZP. Bringing it back was probably the best thing Sony did for the TZ150N. There's more spacing between each key, so the odds of accidentally hitting adjacent keys are slightly lower, though the learning curve is still steep for those coming off a full-size keyboard. Both the Toshiba R500 and the Panasonic Toughbook CF-W5 have full-size ones for your typing pleasure.

Integrating an optical drive into an ultraportable that weighs less than 3 pounds is a feat that Sony pioneered and that others (Toshiba and Panasonic) have since matched. The dual-layer DVD burner is a valuable asset when you're sitting through a long flight with various DVD titles on hand. The Sprint EV-DO Rev A modem is present, even though the swivel antenna extension has been removed. You can achieve broadband speeds of up to 3.1 Mbps, assuming you're willing to cough up the bucks for the expensive data plans. Among systems under 3 pounds with optical drives, the TZ150N is the only one to include a webcam. With the advent of video conferencing, that's a plus.

I usually don't discuss the included software unless it's spectacular or troublesome. In the TZ150N's case, unfortunately, it's the latter. I'm astonished by the amount of trial software and proprietary applications installed on this little thing. Looking at the Program Features of Windows Vista Business, I counted at least 30 different VAIO applications. And that's not counting all the non-VAIO trialware such as Corel Snapfire, Microsoft Office 2007, and Norton Internet Security. And although the 100GB hard drive might look attractively capacious, its rotational speed (4,200 rpm) is a bottleneck for disk access.

The rest of the core components are weak, starting with its dual-core CPU. Even though it's an Intel Core 2 Duo U7500 (1.06 GHz), it's still an ultralow-voltage (ULV) processor, similar to the one on its predecessor (the TXN15P), which was also weak. The processor would've fared better if my unit came with more RAM. Upgrading to 2GB of RAM (from the 1GB standard) is essential if you plan on running Windows Vista on a Sony laptop. If you're a performance seeker, I would recommend looking at the Dell XPS M1330, which bundles a standard-voltage dual-core processor, discrete graphics, and 2GB of RAM. In SYSmark 2007 Overall scores, the Toshiba R500 Series has a 6 percent advantage over the TZ150N, thanks to a slightly faster ULV processor. Both have a 1GB RAM configuration, so don't expect to run hard-core applications such as Adobe Photoshop CS2 or encode any form of audio or video. This shortcoming is borne out by my benchmark tests. For top-notch performance, look for the Sony SZ370P or the reigning Editors' Choice, the Dell XPS M1330. There is, however, a silver lining with low-powered components—awesome battery life. The TZ150N scored almost 4 hours (3:47) playing back a DVD video compilation. That translates to roughly 6-7 hours worth of word processing, Web surfing, and IM chatting, for example.

If this review were based strictly on design, we'd fete the Sony VAIO VGN-TZ150N with the finest champagne money can buy. The LED screen, enhanced keyboard, and carbon-fiber surroundings are consistent with the luxury theme. But Sony has to lighten the software load and make 2GB of RAM standard across its entire laptop line if it plans to entice consumers to spend $2,300.

Benchmark Test Results
Check out the Sony VAIO VGN-TZ150N's test scores.

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