Sony VAIO VGN-NW270F/S

Sony VAIO VGN-NW270F/S

Sony has always placed an emphasis on design, so it's no surprise that the Sony VAIO VGN-NW270F/S ($799 from Staples) stands out from the mainstream laptop crowd with its unique, textured plastic chassis. The VAIO NW270F/S features an extra-wide 15.5-inch widescreen display that's a beauty for both movie watching and Excel spreadsheeting. Also helping separate the VAIO NW270F/S from the sub-$1,000 laptop pack is its ability to play Blu-ray discs. Aside from its funky design and BD-ROM drive, however, the Windows 7-equipped VAIO NW270 is a fairly typical mainstream laptop, delivering a configuration and performance that are in line with the competition.