Sony outs its first Ultrabook
Not its first slimline laptop
Say hello to Sony's first Ultrabook - though it's not the Japanese giant's first oh-so-skinny compact laptop. Remember: Ultrabook is not a category, just an Intel brandname.
Actually, it's not even Sony's thinnest machine. That honour surely goes to the rather more sexy - but older - Vaio Z, a 16.7mm-think machine that's a wee bit more svelte than the 17.8mm new Vaio T.
The T's other attributes include a 1.4GHz Intel Core i3-2367M CPU, a second-gen part, not Ivy Bridge. There's 4GB of 1333MHz DDR 3 on board, plus a choice of SSD or 320GB 7200rpm hard drive with a 32GB Flash cache.
The display is a 13.3in, 1366 x 768 glossy job power by the on-processor Intel graphics.
The T comes with 2.4GHz 802.11n, one USB 2.0 port and a UBS 3.0 jack, and HDMI out.
There's no word on precise configurations - or how much they'll cost - but Sony did say the T line will go on sale in June. ®
COMMENTS
Re: Sorry Sony. This is not good enough
Because this is Cheap Sony.
There are two laptop manufacturers with Sony in the name, using the same logo and sharing a website: Cheap Sony and Expensive Sony.
Cheap Sony products are exactly the same rebadged plastic crap as all other low-end laptop manufacturers make - Acer, Asus, Lenovo (non-Thinkpad), all that lot. Cheap low-end components, cheap construction, bad screens, bad keyboards. They invariably cost around 5-10% more than their competition and there is absolutely never any reason at all to buy one. If you want a cheap laptop, buy one from one of the other cheap companies and save a bit of money.
Expensive Sony products are actually made by Sony, in Japan, using unique designs and high-end components. They are often very well-made and very good, although sometimes they're just completely weird and pointless - hello, Vaio X and Vaio U, we're looking at you - and occasionally they have actual manufacturing / design flaws. The good ones, like the Z discussed in this thread, really are good, though. The only problem with Expensive Sony products is they're really bloody expensive; the current classic 'Expensive Sony' product is the Z and it'll run you two grand (of whatever currency you prefer, really) at entry level. Even the high-end S models, which are Expensive Sony stuff, are indeed pretty pricey.
If you happen to be rolling in the stuff, though, or work for a company with an understanding purchasing department, there's often a reason to buy an Expensive Sony system. I'm typing this on an entry-level 2009/2010 model year Vaio Z (with 'only' 120GB SSD and a 1600x900 matte screen) I've had for two years (the understanding purchasing department sure does come in handy), and it's _still_ probably better than most newly bought laptops. Can't say that about many two year old computers.
This thing, though, is Cheap Sony all the way and consequently will inevitably be a giant waste of money. If you want a cheapo Ultrabook just buy the cheapest one made by Acer or Asus or whoever, it'll be just as good as this crap.
Sorry Sony. This is not good enough
Using a cheapo 1366 x 768 screen!
Why don't you put in a decent screen and make your device stand out from the crowd.
You know all the other ones that probably use the very same part number for the screen.
As it stands, this is very much a 'Meh!' 'So?' ultrabook.
Fail for obvious reasons.
Re: Sorry Sony. This is not good enough
Perhaps they are using a cheapo 1366 x 768 screen because this is targeting the cheapo ultrabook market. This is likely meant to compete with all the other $600-800 ultrabooks. If you want all the bells and whistles they still have the Z series, though it's not officially an ultrabook. But you'll pay for all those bells and whistles and the high res screen.
Re: Fails the first test.
Number pads on small laptops usually result in:
1. Stupidly small cursor keys
2. Offset touchpads
Prefer the Z-series
Came with better screens and nVidia graphics. Light machines which run CUDA stuff. Not cheap though. My even older Vaio SZ is still working, and even it can run more (older) CUDA stuff. No Ultrabook ticks that box.
Pity.
Fortunately, there has been a spate of very decent 13" and 14" laptops with nVidia 520 and 540 graphics on board. Cheaper than the Ultrabooks too. So, guess what I will get to replace my crumbling SZ.
