VAIO Z, an executive notebook

Mon, 10/27/2008 11:33 AM  |  Sci-Tech

It is quite clear that Sony wants to maintain the image of its VAIO as a premium brand, as there are several bold design features that tell onlookers that a VAIO is a VAIO.

To start with, there is always the large VAIO logo on the notebook cover. Next is the cylindrical hinge, with the power button on the right and the power plug on the left.

Perhaps the most important feature is the stunning display screen.

Most of the VAIOs are thin and lightweight, too. Even the AW series desktop replacement that has an 18.4-inch screen weighs around 4 kilograms. Not too bad for a huge, powerful notebook.

Courtesy of Sony Indonesia, I had two weeks to enjoy the beauty and the brain of a VAIO Z.

The VAIO Z12GN/B that I was given had a 13.1-inch LED backlit screen. This notebook was absolutely not intended for me, because at the recommended resolution of 1600 x 900, the characters resembled the fine print on a credit card agreement.

However, the screen was so sharp that those with normal eyes would appreciate the beauty of the display, which should be one of its strong points.

With Windows Vista Business, Presentation Support and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) already pre-installed, the VAIO Z series must have been specially cut for top executives.

At 1.48 kg, the notebook is almost as light as a netbook. Yet it is a much more capable notebook. My demo unit was propelled by a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor; the memory capacity could be maximized to 4 GB.

This model has a 250 GB hard disk capacity and the Z13GN/B model has a 320 GB capacity. As you would expect from most high-end notebooks today, a solid state disk (SSD) option is also available.

The keypad base and the palmrest is made of one single sheet of brushed aluminum, giving it a very clean look. The keyboard design is reminiscent of that found on a Mac computer: The buttons are spaciously separated, making touch-typing quite comfortable.

Built-in speakers produce fairly bright and loud audio.

Today, almost all new notebooks come with Wi-Fi capability; the VAIO Z connected to my home WLAN without any trouble. It also comes with Bluetooth, so you can connect it to your smartphone for easy data transfer.

It has discreet graphics that you can set on the fly. There is a very neatly designed switch on the cylindrical hinge that lets you choose a longer battery life or the graphics performance of an NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS graphics processor unit (GPU). Below the Performance switch Sony provides two programmable Special keys for shortcuts.

There is also a webcam on top of the screen frame. Sony calls it a Motion Eye camera, which is capable of capturing still images as well as video -- and it is video-conferencing ready.

Of course, it has all the standard notebook amenities, including a VGA out port, a PC card slot, a fingerprint sensor, an IEEE 1394 Firewire (Sony calls it i.Link) port and two audio ports on the side.

In addition, it also has a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port in case you want to connect it to a digital device. An ExpressCard slot also lets you transfer data from digital devices such as digital cameras, camcorders and music players. A memory card reader and Memory Stick slot are also available.

Surprisingly, there are only two USB ports.

If you need more connections, you can buy a docking station. However, with so many connectivity options already available on this ultra-thin and light notebook, I doubt you would need more.

Unfortunately, it seems that the air inside the compact housing becomes hot soon after the unit is powered up. Usually, the fan will kick in and blow warm air through the grill on the left side.

The top cover that holds the gorgeous screen panel flexes quite a lot: I was a bit worried I would break the TFT panel, so I always made a point of pulling at the center part of the top edge when opening or closing the screen. This may not be necessary, though, as Sony claims the notebook actually has a very tough frame. Still, I think this notebook must be handled elegantly.

This premium notebook costs around Rp 20 million in Jakarta; the price includes a very thin Blu-ray optical drive.

The Z Series does not look overtly expensive, but it sports more features than you would expect from an expensive notebook, including a long battery life (around 4 hours per charge).

If you are an executive and want a notebook that will support you as you work, take a serious look at this one. -- Zatni Arbi

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.