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When I reviewed the Sony VAIO S1VP last July, I complained that it was very noisy when running at full speed under mains power. The S4N suffers from the same problem, but when I dialled down the performance a little, the fan noise subsided, and I can’t say that I noticed the machine becoming sluggish in any way. When it comes down to it, none of us really need the full power of our PC when we’re using office applications, web browsing or writing email.

When I came to check the price of the S4M I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. At £1,108.50, this is a very reasonably priced machine considering the design, specification and branding. OK, so you’re buying in a the low end of the range, and the lack of Bluetooth and modest hard drive capacity might be issues, but I guess you have to ask yourself if the higher spec S4XP is really worth an extra £500! Personally I think Sony has hit a sweet spot with the configuration and price of the S4M and I can see this little notebook winning a lot of friends.

Verdict

The Sony VAIO VGN-S4N is a great little notebook. It’s just the right side of 2kg to make it a viable option for the road warrior, and it’s just large enough so that anyone with large digits won’t struggle. I think for my personal needs I prefer the T2XP, but it is more expensive and has a lower spec. When you take into account the features, design, build quality and price, the S4M is an absolute bargain - snap one up!

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