Given the recent battery debacle involving the devices overheating and occasionally catching fire, you may not have a choice in the matter. However, if you're going to shell out that kind of cash, I would make sure that you are getting a new battery and not a used or RPL battery. Ebay can be a good source for replacement batteries, but then you run into the possibility of inheriting someone else's problems all over again. Unless you are very attached to the system, you may just want to take that $199 and put it towards a new laptop honestly. There are some pretty decent rigs out there in the $600-$700 range.

I can also give a good reason:

You bought Sony. Sony ANYTHING costs about 4x what everyone else will pay. I'm not trying to knock your rig, but that's the onest truth. I used to have a Vaio. It was in the shop 3x in the first year, 2x in one week for repairs.

2.5 years ago I decided to get another laptop have going without for a long time. My Vaio didn't even last 18 months. I went with dell this time, and I will say that I will never buy from anyone else for a laptop. After 2.5 years of heavy use this thing still runs like the day i got it, and the battery has given me no problems and still holds a great charge.

Replacement batteries are cheap. You can also get extended life batteries, direct from dell for fair pricing, and there is no lack of after market brands to choose from that are 100% reliable and trustworthy. When I went shopping for Sony parts, I found the selection limited, and for the same size battery the Sony was 5x more and aftermarket 3x more than the same rated Volts and Amps for say, a compaq. Why would something with teh same output cost so much more? Becaus eit's sony.

Also- Dell puts a little external push button to show you remaining life.

Anyway.... last week I priced a new laptop cause I thought I blew mine up with a little water (dew sensor did it's job and i'm typing on it right now, just neede dto sit out over night, yet ANOTHER reason to buy) and for an Inpriron e1525 (upgrade from thsi one) you can get a loaded system witha fast Core 2 Duo, 2 gigs ram, 160 gig HD, and all the trimmings for around...

$650

Yes, $650 for a new dell laptop.

So, something to think about, you'd have 1/3 of the cost for a brand new system (and thats' with the true life high end HD display model) instead of a battery.

The irony is that when I tried to get my laptop fixed, Sony's repair policy is either $189 or $790 flat rate, depending on what's wrong with it. It went trhough two power supplies the first year, so it as either that or the mobo went, either way, too much.

New Dell laptop mobo's go for around $150 incidentally.

--S