===================
(1) Speakers
(2) Build
(3) Temperature/fan noise
(4) Tips
(5) General Thoughts
(1) Speakers: I know some of the professional reviews said they aren't the greatest but they are not terrible for the size. No, you're not going to get blown away and you're not going to get deep bass. The built-in speakers are located around the hinge, facing up and slightly toward the screen. The sound doesn't get distorted at max volume and fills a standard room pretty adequately at max volume. I'm sure the small size also provided some challenges for the engineering team, so I'm not disappointed.
(2) Build: The more I play with it, I'm not convinced that it's mainly carbon fiber. I sense that there is a decent amount of "plastic-y" material in there but I'm not complaining. The only issue it gives me is the accuracy of the trackpad when not on a hard surface (see the second update to this review below).
(3) Temperature/fan noise: OK, I'll concede a little here with some of the other reviewers. I'm not so concerned with the noise as much as I am with the durability of components that heat up this much. Yes, when the fan gets going, the exiting air temperature is very hot, and the underside of the laptop is as well. SpeedFan reported temps as high as 78 degrees Celsius (172 degrees F)!! That's hotter than any other desktop or mobile computer I've owned without additional heat-mitigating mechanisms. I just hope the components are able to handle that temp--at least it's an SSD instead of a traditional platter. It's also a little bit away from the hot components. The extended battery gives a little relief since it pushes the laptop up a little like a stand.
(4) Tips: There are quite a number of Sony updates to install including a firmware/BIOS update. When you click on the assist button the updates are listed under "software" instead of "updates". I got an error message installing Intel Anti-Theft indicating that the device was not compatible with it. It is. I was able to fix it by going into the BIOS settings and clicking on enable TPM and AT (even though it already was). After a few reboots, it recognized it OK. One thing that drove me crazy until I figured it out... the only way to get to the UEFI and BIOS settings was from a "shutdown" state, then pushing the "assist" button.
Another tip, this doesn't use the camera for light sensor as some have speculated. It uses the dedicated sensor next to the "assist" button. I personally do not like this since if a directional light is shining down on the device but not lighting the surrounding, it is thrown off. I have LED lighting in the main room of my house and it is constantly auto-adjusting the brightness. I believe there is a way to turn this off but I haven't played with it. It also has issues with adjusting brightness when your arm blocks the light for a few seconds. Why would your arm do that you say? Oh, I don't know, maybe because it's a TOUCHSCREEN laptop!! Come on Sony, so perfect in every other way! Again, not so bad that I would return it. I still think it's one of the best Haswell Ultrabooks on the market.
Purchase tips in the first updated review below.
(5) General thoughts: I haven't bothered to fix my Android tablet yet (the Asus TF300T is a pain to replace the digitizer unlike any other device I've owned). This has all but replaced my netbook and tablet that were used previously for separate tasks. All in a footprint smaller than either one individually. I am looking forward to the Windows 8.1 improvements. I have not installed the preview. I want to wait for the more stable release. On another note, the Intel Anti-Theft is $6.99 for one year on Amazon here.Intel 1 Year Anti Theft Service for Ultrabooks and Laptops Totally worth it for me. I take this everywhere.
FIRST UPDATE AFTER flying with this (and for the first time, without an additional tablet)
===================
(1) TRAVEL THOUGHTS
(2) CASES
(3) OTHER QUIRKS ("Flex", touchpad, wifi, fan)
(4) TABLET REPLACEMENT?
(5) PURCHASE TIPS
(6) TAKE APART/DISASSEMBLY
(1) TRAVEL THOUGHTS At first I thought a 13.3" device would be too big to use on the airplane comfortably especially if someone in front of me reclined. I must say this was not the case--furthermore, this is where the touchscreen really shines. Since it is very light, I can hold it closer to me and use it like a tablet without having the keyboard get in my way. The on-screen keyboard also helps for this. I had to ask my colleague to hold the laptop for a second and when I handed it to him he was shocked at how light it weighed!
(2) CASES: The EasyAcc 13.3 inch Laptop Sleeve Bag Case Cover Neoprene Shock Resistant Pouch Protective Handbag for Apple Macbook Air 13, Macbook Pro 13, Acer Aspire S3, Asus Zenbook UX31, Lenovo IdeaPad U300s, Samsung SERIES 9 NP900X3B, Toshiba Satellite Z830, SONY S... did NOT fit this ultrabook so be careful which MacBook Air Cases you choose. I ended up using this Case Logic QNS-113 13.3-Inch EVA Molded Laptop / Macbook Air / Pro Retina Display Sleeve (Black) because it also lets me use the ultrabook in the case itself and I can also stash my second really thin screen (GeChic OnLap--read my review there) GeChic On-Lap 1302 13.3 USB Powered Thin Slim LCD Monitor with ThunderBolt/Mini Display Port Adapter for Apple Macbook Pro Air 13 in the same case! I can also use the Case Logic 14" Case Logic LAPS-114 14-Inch Laptop Sleeve (Black) but it doesn't let me use the laptop in its case. TSA had no issues with either case and I didn't have to remove the ultrabook.
(3) OTHER QUIRKS: So, I think I have figured out the problem with some people reporting touchpad sensitivity and issues. The chassis is carbon fiber and has some "flex" to it. Therefore, if the ultrabook is not fully on a hard surface, and more specifically, half on a hard surface and the palmrest hanging off, the touchpad must be getting compressed inside somewhere as it bends between the palmrest and the touchpad. That is the only time I had issues. If it were fully on a hard or soft surface it operated normally. Imagine taking the laptop and pushing down on the palmrest while it is half over the side of a desk. That is what seems to be happening with me at least. Easy enough for me to adjust so it's a non-issue for me.
The fan noise that people are complaining about I must admit can get annoying sometimes, but I have not tried too much in the way of intensive operations yet. The initial DropBox sync (about 7GB for me) kicked up the fan a lot and it was noticeable. In airports and other areas, it wasn't too much of a distraction, but time will tell if I will be the "weirdo" with the noisy machine in day to day meetings, etc. Ah well, I guess I will have to avoid playing video games during my business meetings!
I did not experience any major Wifi issues other than with networks that do not broadcast SSID's. There are a large number of Sony firmware updates available so I would suggest installing them if you are experiencing issues with bluetooth, wifi, and NFC (which I haven't tried yet). My problem is that the Sony Vaio Update app keeps getting an error so I will contact Sony shortly.
(4) TABLET REPLACEMENT? My Asus TF300T's digitizer broke prior to my flight and it's a pain to replace so I haven't done that yet. Needless to say, I've used the Sony Vaio Pro 13 in many situations that I would have used the tablet for and honestly, I feel less restricted than under Android limitations (read: multitasking, productivity office apps, etc.). I have all but replaced it and since it actually weighs less than my TF300T with keyboard dock, I'm happy to be using this. Yes, it's a little bit large for some situations, so I might hold out and get a decent 8" Bay Trail tablet when they are released later in the year.
(5) PURCHASE TIPS: So, after playing with this for a while, and knowing that some options are pretty expensive, here is what I can offer: most of the components are fixed and not upgradeable. If you can afford it, go with the highest processor and memory that you can. The memory is soldered to the main board. The SSD, however, is Samsung's new XP941 PCIe "M.2" form factor SDD. While they are not available for sale (that I could find) other than to OEMs right now, it is likely they will appear in the market soon. Going from the base 128GB, it costs $220 for 256GB and $720 or so for the 512GB. While the speeds are among the fastest you will see today for SSD, I might be willing to hold off on that, especially since it appears to be user-replaceable (no confirmation on that but see below). Your best shot is to keep searching for them online and see when they pop up cheaper in the future.
(6) TAKE-APART AND DISASSEMBLY: While I have not tried it yet, there is now a good tear-down video and pictures so you can see for yourself.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
===================
In this review:
(1) In the box
(2) PROs (+)
(3) CONs/Quirks (-)
(4) Windows Experience Index Ratings, Battery Life, and Performance Observations
(5) Extended sheet battery thoughts
(6) Thoughts on travel/portability/business use
(7) General Thoughts and Thoughts on tablet replacement
(1) In the box: power cord and adapter with neat USB port in transformer, brief setup pamphlet, VGA Adapter.
I thought I would include this section because there was some confusion as to whether the USB-powered Ethernet wireless router that attaches to the power adapter was included. Sadly, it is not. It is also not listed as available for sale (as of this date) in the US. If you need the part number (since it's hard to find), it's VGP-WAR100 and is available on Sony Asia's website
(2) PROs
Great battery life (later)
Super thin AND great battery life!
full-size spacing on keys
Tight integration between hardware and Windows 8 (even some 8.1 features done Sony-style on Windows 8.0)
Screen lifts for the most part with one hand (better than I could have expected)
brightness is decent
Carbon fiber build seems flimsy (because it bends) but actually feels and appears to be durable (if that makes sense)
Really light.
Did I mention that it's really thin and light?
(3) CONs/Quirks (not all are really terrible and I've overcome some as described)
Yes, there is a known WiFi issue. Supposedly, Sony is working on a fix though not all their stores and call centers are familiar with it. However, that being said, I did not experience any major issues. Just in case, I have a WiFi adapter I can use if needed.
For me: lack of Thunderbolt port is a disappointment but I understand that Sony had to sacrifice some things for such a thin laptop. I would have preferred Thunderbolt over HDMI but that is just me and the market supports the decision to stick with HDMI right now.
Lack of Gb Ethernet. Really wished it had this but a lot of ultrabooks are forgoing this option these days. To overcome this, I purchased a nifty Asus USB router (see below under travel)
The large amount of flex in the build makes using the touchscreen difficult to use or at least not as "seamless" as it could be. The screen vibrates back and forth a lot with each press making for a slightly uncomfortable but bearable experience. It certainly does not replace a tablet feel (nor is it meant to so no stars deducted). It's just that it feels like the touchscreen could have been left out altogether but I must admit I still use it extensively over the touchpad (but maybe not over a travel mouse).
The sheet battery is not flush to the device (more on that below under the "extended battery" section).
The keyboard is a little awkward for me, but to be fair, I'm accustomed to a 12.1" netbook keyboard. The keys for me are spaced too far apart but I can still type pretty fast and it doesn't seem like it will take a lot of getting used to.
The lights for the backlit keyboard are visible from underneath the keys when you are looking at the device. It's kind of annoying and I wish it were just the letters that were lit instead of an outline of the keys.
Silly dedicated "assist" button launches Sony's troubleshooting and repair/recovery apps. I'd rather be able to customize a dedicated hardware button (and maybe I can?)
(4) Windows Experience Index, battery life, and other performance measures
Overall: 6.3 (internal HD4000 graphics being the limiting factor)
CPU: 7.1
RAM: 7.6
Graphics: 6.3
Gaming Graphics: 6.3
HDD: 8.6
It isn't meant to be a super high-end gaming machine. The idea here is thin and light...but seriously, it does a pretty darn good job at everything else while it's at it. Data transfer rates are extremely good. If I get a chance, I'll post some samples.
Battery Life is really really good. I use Battery Bar and it varies it's estimate based on use but going from a full charge on just the main battery without the extended sheet battery, it varies between 7-8.5 hours, way over Sony's 6.5 hours estimate. To be fair, I have only been installing software and not anything otherwise intensive. With the extended battery which is almost double capacity, I would easily believe Sony's 13-14 hour claim and then some. Time will tell and I will update if this changes.
Performance is pretty snappy and I haven't noticed any major hiccups but to be fair, I haven't done a whole lot other than web browsing and software installation. I'll update as time goes on if it changes.
(5) Extended Sheet battery thoughts:
Honestly, I have mixed feelings. Since there are really no pictures for this model, I thought I would post this so you have a good idea of what it is like. I will post a picture soon as well. For starters, it does NOT sit flush with the laptop. In other words, it adds a significant amount of depth (almost double) but at least it is a smaller footprint and not the whole side of the laptop. It serves as a stand while it is attached. One thing I do wish: the cover for the connector for the extended battery can be difficult to remove form the laptop (it has a spot to reattach to the extended batteyr to hold it in place but even that is a pain to do in a hurry. If I have to switch batteries in a hurry or switch to the extended, it can be irritating. A sliding cover would have been more practical (but I'm not sure if it's feasible space-wise)
(6) Travel and portability thoughts:
For me, extended batteries are almost a necessity and I'm so used to just ordering them that I ordered it with the device. As I am using this, I am actually thinking I wouldn't need it if I were just replacing my netbook/laptop. Since the sheet battery adds such significant battery life, I might use it to replace what I normally defer to my Asus TF300T tablet for (notes, travel, work on airplanes/trains, etc.).
I will update this review soon--I have ordered two different MacBook Air cases and will see how they fare.
I also ordered the Asus WL-300NUL pocket WiFi router (ASUS Multi-Mode Pocket Router (WL-330NUL). This can be used in much the same way as the Sony part I mentioned above with the added benefit that it can also be used as a USB ethernet adapter and standard WiFi adapter as well.
For travel, I also ordered a USB combo mini outlet surge protector Satechi Compact USB Surge Protector for Charging MP3 Players, iPhone, Blackberry, Android, and Windows Mobile Phones and an inline surge protector TRC 90510-10 Lap Top Surge Protector 3-Wire which should arrive soon.
(7) General Thoughts and Thoughts on Tablet replacement:
I was really hoping for a Haswell ultrabook convertible that would double as my desktop via a nice Thunderbolt dock for two monitors, GbE, USB 3.0 drives, etc. I was hoping for said ultrabook to also double as a tablet and take advantage of Window 8 handwriting recognition with a digitizer (this does not have a digitizer). In the end, while this may have been a purchase out of frustration in waiting or the "perfect" device to come along, I think I am happy with it. The near-instant on feature is nice so that certainly helps in pushing the case to replace my tablet. I can still think of a need for a decent tablet with digitizer (perhaps a future "mini" Windows 8 tablet with Bay Trail?). I thought about the Sony Duo 13 as well but the limited one angle kind of was a dealbreaker for me. In retrospect, it might be more of what I was looking for. The trackpad is becoming more and more of an after-thought for me as I use the touchscreen more so the fact that it is much smaller on the Duo may not be bad. At least it isn't behind the keyboard like on the recently announced Samsung device. The Asus Transformer Book Trio is probably the closest to what I wanted but it may not be released until much later this year. For now, I would say I'm very happy with the purchase and will continue to evaluate my needs as I go on in terms of living without a tablet.
I do hope that Thunderbolt becomes more common and is standard in the near future. Partly due to cost and partly due to ignorance, I think people are missing out on something great that might be too early for it's own good. It's almost like the "Apple Newton" was way ahead of its time and didn't succeed because of ignorance and cost until Palm released their version of the PDA when the market was "ready" for it. I'm hoping this is the time for TB.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I returned this laptop to the Sony store (even after receiving a second/replacement for the first). The major issue remains the wifi connectivity -despite an 18 July "update" from Sony, there is STILL a problem with the wifi. I have an above average knowledge of computers and I walked through all the basic and advanced troubleshooting steps (and, yes, my router/network works fine, I have other computers connected via 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, g and n; and, yes, I tried multiple wireless networks around my neighborhood). The problem is, simply, the wifi hardware or firmware in this computer. There are other problems (extremely loud fan, troublesome trackpad) but those can be solved via software/firmware updates (although Sony makes this painful try clicking your country preference for EACH (of many) updates over a 2 hour period, meaning you can't walk away from the computer as it updates itself -seriously, Sony, too hard to grab the country preference ONCE from the user?). Bottom line: this computer was released to the consumer before it was ready, and users are paying the price (in wasted time and energy). Sony, like HP, has been added to my "Don't Buy" list for the foreseeable future.Best Deals for Sony VAIO Pro SVP13215PXB 13.3-Inch Core i7 Touchscreen Ultrabook
Pros:**no wifi issues what-so-ever
**great battery life due to Haswell
**very light and durable
**lightning fast and the keyboard feedback is fantastic
**1920 X 1080 ultra-thin touchscreen is gorgeous
**SD card slot on the side allows a card to be inserted flush with the case which greatly extends this ultrabook's storage capacity
**touchpad is very good and the speakers are amazing
Cons: somewhat expensive (but the Sony quality is worth it)
Other Thoughts: Best ultrabook on the market
Honest reviews on Sony VAIO Pro SVP13215PXB 13.3-Inch Core i7 Touchscreen Ultrabook
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program November 2013 Consumer Reports gives top rating to Vaio Pro 13" Ultrabook Overall scores for 13" laptops are:Sony Vaio Pro Ultrabook = 79
Macbook Air = 74
Toshiba Kirabook = 73
Asus Zenbook = 67
Macbook Pro = 66
Consumer Reports really tests stuff thoroughly. I assume they are not taking into account the OS, but still, Apple should get their act together. The Asus Zenbook is rated higher than the MacBook Pro, made me spew my sip of Kopi Luwak at the thought!
My Rating = 4.5 Stars:
*** Wifi Update Below***
Avid Mac User Perspective: Tip Of The Hat To Sony And Microsoft
In 1980 my grandmother gave me $3,000 all in one dollar bills so I would know how much money it was to purchase an Apple II+. That's roughly $8,500 in today's money for less computer power than my current microwave. I have exclusively only owned and used Apple computers since. My only brush with Windows is once or twice using an uncle's computer during the holidays to look up something on the web and wondering why the OS was asking so many questions. Unlike many Mac users, I have nothing against Windows, no old blue screen of death wounds. It's a bit like Portugal, never been there and thus have no opinion. Under the normal forces if nature I would never consider a Windows machine. I would head straight to Apple's website and compare models within the happy, familiar, and comfortable Mac universe. It is only by the good graces of the Vine program that I have the Sony Vaio Pro Ultrabook to review. Bottom line: I love this Sony product, here's why.
BUILD QUALITY:
Excellent. Carbon fiber body is strong, sleek, and very lightweight perhaps the lightest 13.3" laptop on the market (sorry Apple). Very sophisticated looking. Battery life is good, not terrific, but good enough for me. The black is chic, though if I had a choice, might choose silver. I like how opening the display slightly raises the rear of the ultrabook, creating more heat dissipation and a comfortable typing angle also the presence of rubber feet prevent the unit from sliding.
DISPLAY:
Also excellent, the best laptop display I've seen very clear and crisp. Touchscreen works very well and is surprising useful. Sony has obviously leveraged their considerable TV experience into creating a tremendous laptop display. Once again, and it pains me to say it, but I prefer this Vaio touchscreen display to the MacBook Pro's. After this experience, I hope Apple will eventually refresh their laptop line with touchscreen technology.
KEYBOARD:
Very good. High quality and comfortable to use, a nice balance between firm and softness. Palm rests are also great. Can feel the quality throughout.
TOUCHPAD:
Once I figured out how to right and left click (click in either lower left or right area of touchpad) the touchpad has worked very well. I have not experienced the problems expressed by other reviewers. I do use the Ultrabook on a hard surface like a desk or table, per the instructions. The system utilizes upper left and right "hot corners" which at times confuse the touchpad's pointer causing it to flicker on those areas. I believe this to be a Windows issue, not Sony. Only complaint is that I cannot find touchpad adjustment ability anywhere in the system. Under Control Panel -> Mouse there is no trackpad listed. The option to turn off "tap to click", and make other adjustments, would be nice. On a Mac such things are easily done in System Preferences. If anyone can tell me how to adjust the trackpad on the Ultrabook, I would appreciate the knowledge.
FAN & HEAT:
I used the Ultrabook for many hours, once again, following the directions to use only on a hard surface. The fan comes on periodically, not that often really. When on, a bit noisy, nothing bothersome. One could interpret "noise" as being "an effective fan" that quickly dissipates heat and thus is protecting your investment. I'd rather have an effective noisier fan than a silent fan that doesn't do the job. The Ultrabook is mostly cool to the touch, impressive for a mighty machine.
WIFI:
I have a 3 year old Cisco Valet router, nothing fancy. Wifi has performed well for me, an effective signal within approximately 25' of the router. My iMac is located about 40' from the router and receives 5 bars, while the Sony Vaio Pro 13 Ultrabook was unable to connect from the same distance. I have ordered a couple of external wifi dongles to improve the Ultrabook's reception by having the antenna outside of the body will report back with the results. In reading other reviews I was very concerned about wifi performance, an issue that has effected the new MacBook Air as well. My conclusion is that the Ultrabook has good, but not great wifi range. Hopefully a firmware or software update will fix the issue.
SETUP:
Following the brief directions in the enclosed literature, setup was very easy. Downloading the initial Sony and Windows updates took about an hour. Installation of the 12 Sony updates is a bit of a bother because you must affirm your country for each one over and over. Midway through the screen went black and freaked me out! The troubleshooting guide confirmed the setup wizard had crashed. A reboot got everything back on track and the remaining 6 updates were installed. For some reason the Sony App updates are not downloading properly, they say "pending" but never go the next step. Machine has been very stable since.
SPEAKERS:
Not that great, ok. But I really don't expect genuine hi-fi from built-in laptop speakers. For any sort of good sound, you'll want a quality pair of external speakers.
PERFORMANCE AND WINDOWS 8:
The Ultrabook is a pleasure to use, very snappy and completely silent thanks to the solid state drive (except when fan comes on). More than adequate for everything but hardcore gaming or other graphic intensive activities. For it's intended usage, this machine has far more horsepower than most will ever need. I must admit, I rather like Windows 8. Microsoft has clearly gone all in with the iOS like interface. The "Tiles" system is excellent, highly functional, customizable and flows seamlessly into the touchscreen capabilities. Tiles is a combination of the Mac dock and launch pad, and in many ways, Tiles is superior to either. The "desktop" mode interfaces with the Tile system poorly, yet I'm happy to remain in Tileland most of the time. Apps launch in a very iOS manner as well and Microsoft has provided dock like navigation in a clever way. I do feel the iOS Windows 8 type features are better suited for a laptop than a desktop where part of the joy is to sit a ways back from the display. I would welcome a similar touchscreen/ Tiles type interface in the next MacBook Pro. Not so interested in seeing it on an iMac.
The included Mail app could be better, I'm awaiting the arrival of the year subscription to Office to test that out.
Is Windows 8 better than Lion? There are elements of Windows 8 that I prefer, yet I'm a diehard Mac fellow and on the over all do prefer Mac OS. However, I do offer a tip of the hat and a respectful wink to Windows 8.
CONCLUSION:
Assuming my experience for the last few days is indicative of what you should expect from the Sony Vaio Pro 13 Touchscreen Ultrabook and assuming a lightweight Windows based Ultrabook meets your computing power needs (ie no heavy gaming) then I confidently recommend this product. We'll see how it performs over time, if it conks out in 6 months I'll be very sad. All in all, pleasantly surprised by the entire experience and consider myself a proud Vaio owner. I do apologize, this review was typed on my iMac (g).
4.5 Stars Highly Recommended
*** Edit 9/1/13 ***
The Vaio Pro 13 continues to perform well. I do wish Windows 8 had either gone all Tiles, or, remained with the traditional desktop. Mixing the two very different systems together is a little confusing. As for the issue of limited wifi range, here are two solutions that have worked for me:
1) TRAVEL SOLUTION I purchased the TP-LINK TL-WN822N Wireless N300 High Gain USB Adapter from Amazon. It has increased the Vaio's wifi range quite a bit. Now the Vaio picks up the same signal as my iMac and functions well, where before only the iMac could received the wifi signal. The adapter is a little clumsy, but I concluded it would be more effective than a smaller one. Here's the link http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN822N-Wireless-External-Antennas/dp/B00416Q5KI/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
2) HOME SOLUTION I refuse to give the cable company yet more money for an additional router in the back of the house. Instead I purchased a TP-LINK TL-PA4010KIT AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit. It cleverly sends the broadband signal to another part of your home via existing electrical wiring. I connected it to a spare wifi router (TP-Link N600) and have successfully extended the home network wifi range and avoided cable company fees. Here's the link http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
SLEEVE/ CASE: I chose the Case Logic 13.3" Molded Laptop Sleeve. The sleeve is a little bit too large for the Vaio Pro 13, though adding padding to the inside (a piece of foam or velvet) has solved that issue. The sleeve fits quite well into my Osprey Packs Comet Daypack. A great pack that needs a well padded sleeve, like the Case Logic, in order to provide adequate protection.
Sleeve link http://www.amazon.com/Case-Logic-13-3-Laptop-Sleeve/dp/B00E66JILG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Osprey Comet link http://www.amazon.com/Osprey-COMET-P-Packs-Comet-Daypack/dp/B007X0UAQY/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
I hope this has been helpful
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sony VAIO Pro SVP13215PXB 13.3-Inch Core i7 Touchscreen Ultrabook
I purchased this machine last week after running a Sony Vaio Z540 for over 3 yearstime to change.Lets put is this way:
The screen is fabulous I can actually work on two word documents side by side on a 13.3 inc screen and see what I am doing. Viewing angles are very good in my view and even though the max angle the screen bends back is not great it does not matter as the screen resolution and viewing angle compensates for this. The touch works very well though I have still to get used Windows 8...
Keyboardthis really blew me awaythis keyboard is more comfortable than the desktop keyboard I have at work (which is a nice Logitech waive). Plenty of travel on the keys and I literally make no mistakes. The track pad does not interfere either by throwing the cursor accidentally to the other side of the screen .
One thing to note is that the back edge screen when opened liens on the surface you are working on thereby elevating the back of the keyboardthis helps typing become more comfortable. However if you work with this thing on your lap a lot (especially wearing shorts) this may bother you as the back of the screen has quite a sharp angle so it does dig a bit into your legs. with long trousers on this is not an issue.
Trackpadis very nice. I haven't yet started to play with the configurations (which may be adjustable) but the double tap does not always seem to catch on. As I use a blue tooth mouse anyway this does not really bother me. Multi gesture touch works very well and it is a smooth feel which is nice (not like some other touch pads I have used)
Speedcomputer is really really fastits like working with an Ipadwakes up in a second and a full restart takes about 20 secs.
I have notices that the fan seems to kick in when the graphics card is working when video streaming from the net and generally when you are in a hot room (I live in a hot country). I would not mention this but the fan is a little noisy though certainly not unbearable.
Battery time is fineat least 6.5 hours and I like the screen pretty bright. So I guess if I was meaner on the backlight it would mean longer.
I have seen the comments on the wifiseems to be ok on my machine so I hope this is not something that will start....
computer looks a million dollars so if you are looking for a looker you've got onenice and slim and really weightless (1 kg... what else can one ask for). It does collect plenty of finger prints on the keyboard palm restI have the black model so maybe go for the silver if you are touchy about this (my previous vaio was silver but then the keys got really dirtyou cant win...)
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