Analyzed: Sony Vaio Z

Products like the Vaio Z are the reason we love Sony. If they really put their mind to it, they have the ability to blow your mind with a package that will make you beg for more. We got our hands on the Vaio Z227 for a few days and we are sad that we have to give it back. All good things come to an end...

This laptop is a no frills, no nonsense product that is packed with goodies to the hilt. The model we tested came equipped with the Intel i7 2.8GHz processor (able to boost to 3.5GHz), 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 13.1" screen, 1.3MP webcam, blu-ray disc drive and AMD Radeon 1GB graphics card (included in the bundled port replicator/docking station). The display on this 13.1" machine is an astounding 1920 x 1080 pixels (full HD) and is the best we have seen on a laptop of this size. With the available RAM and dedicated video memory, you will be able to play almost any game at the highest resolution and highest frame rate without any issues. Watching movies is also a fantastic experience on the full HD display and we did not notice the pixel graining that you notice on other laptops when the images start flying around the screen. 

The Vaio Z is fantastically quick thanks to the 8GB RAM (which can be expanded by the way) and the 256GB solid state drive. It is also quite light at 2.5lbs and with the brushed carbon black exterior it feels rugged despite being a very thin laptop. You also get 2 USB ports, 3D compatible HDMI out, Memory stick and SD card slot within this compact case. And for added security you also get a fingerprint scanner (although from what we have seen in the past, over time, the sensor sensitivity goes away). The speakers could be a little better but with a decent pair of earphones, you probably won't be complaining too much. Battery life is fairly decent at around 6 hours on a single charge. Thankfully Sony has reduced the number of garbage pre-installed software (which gets very annoying) to the bare essentials. Other manufacturers *ahem* Acer/HP, should really reconsider their pre-installed software before shipping their products.

All this goodness comes at a price. And a very steep price at that. The model we tested is on sale in India for Rs. 1,59,900 (~$3,198)! That's the top of the line Alienware or the MacBook Pro type money. In the US, it starts off at about $2,100. Still not cheap. We don't expect many people to go rushing to the Sony store to pick the Vaio Z up. But then again, the Vaio series has never been the kind where you go and pick up on a whim. It is usually reserved for the user who has some deep pockets and doesn't mind spending a little extra to get among the best products in the market. Looking for an alternative? Check out HP's Envy series.