Normally, this Sony weighs in at 3.8 pounds. Podcasts and most movies are pleasurable, but multimedia users who care about sound quality should plan to buy a pair of external speakers.
It’s a competent panel that’s more than sufficient for most users, particularly if gaming and video playback are not high priorities.Īudiophiles will be displeased with the stereo speakers, which have little bass. Black levels are no better or worse than similarly priced laptops, and contrast is also similar to the competition. Those itching for extra pixels on their ultraportable may buy this laptop for the display alone. As far as we’re aware, that’s the highest resolution offered on any 13.3-inch laptop currently available, and only the 13.1-inch Sony Vaio Z with its 1600×900 display is comparable. Potential buyers should note that the Premium model comes standard with a display resolution of 1600 x 900. Our entry-level review unit came with a display resolution of 1366 x 768, which is average for a laptop of this size. It is not flat matte as would be found on a business laptop, but it negates most glare issues. Gloss is the typical order of the day for a consumer laptop, but the Sony Vaio S Series surprises with a beautiful semi-gloss screen. Scrolling is smooth, but feels old-fashioned. The only issue – and it’s a small one - is the multitouch support, which does not allow for two-finger scrolling but instead relies on a designated (but physically unmarked) vertical strip along the right side of the touchpad. Ergonomically, this is an excellent setup, making the touchpad comfortable to use for hours at a time. It is large, wide and provides two individual keys that are aligned with the forward edge of the chassis. The touchpad doesn’t let the outstanding keyboard down. This is a feature that helps the laptop stand out from the crowd, as there are few laptops with a similar starting price that offer backlit keys. Better yet, a backlight makes the keys visible in dark situations. The keyboard surface feels solid during normal use. While there is some minor flex evident, it is only revealed when a key is pressed extraordinarily hard. Each individual key offers a crisp, tight feel. The shift, enter, and backspace keys are all large and easy to find while touch typing. The island-style interface doesn’t utilize every last inch of available space, but remains comfortable while also providing a significant gap between each key. Keyboards have long been a strength of Sony, and the S Series is no exception. It’s all rolled into a chassis that weighs 3.8 pounds and measures less than an inch thick. Unlike many notebooks in this size class, the Vaio S also includes a built-in optical drive. Our Vaio S Series came equipped with an Intel Core i5-2410M processor, Radeon HD 6470M GPU, and 4GB of RAM. This could be a durability concern, and the light weight of the lid allowed it to wobble while typing, an annoying trait when using the laptop for word processing. Lightly twisting the display generated an audible creaking noise that seemed to concentrate on the upper right hand corner of the display. Unlike the metal interior, the laptop’s lid is thin and flimsy. This is the surface you’ll most often touch while using the device, and it allows Sony to provide a luxurious feel while keeping the price reasonable. In a brilliant move, Sony has made the entire interior of the laptop out of metal rather than plastic. Much of the laptop is made of plastic, but it’s a hard matte material, rather than slippery gloss. Our review unit presented no such nonsense. While the company’s laptops are often lookers, some past models have made use of glossy plastics that betray their luxury aspirations. Sony’s S Series makes a solid first impression thanks to its subdued, elegant presentation. While the extravagant Sony Vaio Z Series may be the company’s halo product, it’s this more humble laptop that really puts design to the test, as it must be attractive and quick while remaining obtainable and portable.
This machine boasts a 13.3-inch display, making it part of the slim-and-sexy ultraportable category. If there’s any laptop that presents Sony’s engineers with the opportunity to flex their engineering muscles, both in aesthetics and functionality, it’s the Sony Vaio S Series. From its HDTVs to it computers to its phones, its products appear designed with enthusiasm, even when that excitement doesn’t result in a superb product. Given recent events, it’s easy to forget that the company has been and remains focused on engineering great products. While much of Sony has been racked by the woes of its hacking crisis, unrelated divisions of the company have labored on with the scars of that PR disaster.