While the recently updated – and GWL reviewed – Sony Vaio Z made a lot of people very happy, not everyone had the money or inclination to purchase such a pricey laptop. Welcome the Vaio Y, Sony’s affordable version of the Vaio Z, and still a very respectable machine.
The Vaio Y is a 13.3 inch ultraportable laptop, featuring Intel Core i3 and i5 ULV processors, Intel GMA HD integrated graphics, and a WXGA display. At first glance the Vaio Y is thicker and more laid back than its high-end brother, with less bling factor and a less professional finish. However, Sony have tried to give the Vaio Y its very own personality, with a number of sporty colour schemes and many of the same design features as the Vaio Z.
The overall feel of the Vaio Y is fantastic, especially when you consider the sub-$800 price point. The keyboard features the same island chiclet design as the Vaio Z, and the touchpad is responsive and offers multitouch gesture support. However, the backlit keyboard of the Vaio Z is gone, and the standard WXGA screen resolution is only 1366 x 768 and can not be upgraded.
The Sony Vaio Y is well connected for such a thin and inexpensive laptop, with three USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400, and all the usual media and networking ports on offer. Performance wise, the Vaio Y is a great little computer, and it manages to perform well without the heat and noise that seem to plague so many other laptops.
The Sony Vaio Y is designed to be portable, so it is good news indeed that the battery life is up to the task. The 6-cell 54Wh battery goes for almost 6 hours, and a 9-cell option is available for users who need more time away from the mains. This is not the only upgrade option on offer, with the Vaio Y also supporting ATI Radeon 4550 dedicated graphics for more visually demanding consumers.
While it is easy to see the limitations of the Vaio Y when comparing it to its big brother, the Vaio Y offers great build quality and performance at a much lower price starting from only $769. While it may not look as good as its big brother, and it certainly isn’t as fast, the Sony Vaio Y is a lovely laptop with enough grunt and functionality to satisfy most people.
Specifications
Intel Core i3/i5 ULV
up to 8GB DDR3 RAM
Windows 7 Home Edition 64-bit
500GB HDD
13.3 inch widescreen LED display
1366 x 768 resolution
Intel GHA HD graphics
Atheros b/g/n
Bluetooth
3 x USB 2.0
Ethernet
FireWire 400
HDMI
VGA
