Whenever Sony releases a new VAIO laptop, we pay close attention, and typically with good reason. The company is well-known for creating high-end laptops that are typically well-designed and especially pleasing to the eye. Does their newest line, the Sony VAIO Z, live up to the Sony name?
Well check out our full review on the Sony VAIO Z Flip
Price: $2,379
Availability: Yes
What we Like
Gorgeous design
Incredibly lightweight
Ultra-fast CPU
What We Did Not
Wonky plug design
Uncomfortable to hold in tablet mode
Sony VAIO Z Flip Specifications
- Processor: Intel Core i7-6567U, 3.30GHz
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage Space: 512GB SSD
- Display Size: 13.3"
- Touchscreen: YES
- Graphics Card: Intel Iris Graphics 540 4GB Mem
- Battery Life: 11 hr and 15 min
- Display Resolution: 2560x1440
- Price: $2,379.00
Design
When it comes to business class laptops, one of the most important elements when owning one is its design. After all, what's the point of having a high-end laptop when not connected to produce the aura in it?Fortunately, the Sony VAIO Z flip oozes style with its sleek design. It is sure an impressive laptop to behold, especially when it is opened and the keys are illuminated. The back of the screen sports a minimalist design that has a small logo at the bottom (which I will also note that the VAIO brand has a well-designed logo). It has a slim design, and as a whole package, the VAIO is an impressive-looking business laptop.
Software
While exterior design is important, it is also important to have a great operating system and software to help you get the job done.
With the VAIO Z, there is no bloatware or annoying pre-installed programs that you are forced to use. Instead, you get a clean install of Windows 10 64-bit operating system.
With all the software that Sony makes, you would expect them to prepackage their programs to force feed them to you. Fortunately, that is not the case with the VAIO Z, and you are given a blank canvas to create your own masterful suite of software.
Hardware
As far as what's under the hood, the VAIO Z does sports impressive specs, including a best-in-class 6th generation Intel Core i7-6567U (4MB Cache, 3.30GHz out of the box). It also comes with 16GB1866MHz LPDDR3 RAM and a 512GB PCIe SSD zippy. The laptop comes with a stylus that is perfect for notes and other applications.
The keyboard has a great feel to it, and it has a smudge-free design. It is also impressive-looking as I mentioned above, especially when illuminated. Even with the laptop small size, the keyboard never feels cramped, and typing is comfortable.
The trackpad does not feel grainy like some trackpads can sometimes, and it has a pretty decent size with access to approximately 1/3 of the space at the bottom of the ultrabook.
It comes with a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port with charger, another SuperSpeed USB 3.0 without charge, an HDMI port and a port for headphones and microphone.
Possibly its most disappointing aspect, however, is the awfully-designed AC plug that is used with it. Instead of a reliable connection that moves with you, the laptop’s plug frequently moves out of place and disconnects at the slightest movement. It is not a good fit as AC plugs should be, and you can literally wiggle the plug into the port rather easily.
Performance
It would be hard to knock on the performance of the VAIO Z, as it is surprisingly powerful for its size.In our Geekbench 3 tests, it scored 3,549 for single-core and 7513 for multi-core, both of which are impressive numbers
Battery
VAIO Z's battery life is impressive for the specs that you get. The battery lasts for 9 hours and 30 minutes on a full charge and a moderate use, and 11 hours at completely idle. That means the VAIO Z is ideal for business and to take to work, as you will not have to worry about lugging around the plug with it.Display
The VAIO Z has an impressive sharp display thanks to WQHD technology that enhances visual experience with sharper lines, vivid colors and rich detail. Videos were crisp and popped off the screen nicely.
Of course, it also has a touchscreen and you'll soon find yourself using the screen to surf the web and scroll instead of clicking with a mouse. Thanks to our extensive use of smartphones, using the screen to navigate feels natural, and it is a function that would be missed if you ever downgrade to a non-touchscreen laptop.
Conclusion
There is no denying that the Sony Vaio Z is drop dead sexy, and that gives a high-end business look. And, it's definitely a powerhouse ultrabook that can get the job done.It is incredibly light, and it has a nice design to the screen. The fact that it has a well-lit keyboard also earns some bonus points.
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