Recently I purchased myself a shiny new Sony Vaio Z series notebook. My main reason for choosing the Vaio Z was the size weight: it’s a reasonably powerful 13.1″ laptop at 1.5kg including the battery, a weight which rivals a lot of the 10″ netbooks out there. The model I purchased, the Z16 (Australia has different model numbers to the USA) was one of the lower specced models, however it still features a respectable Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 processor (2.4GHz) and 2 gigabytes of DDR3 RAM (I added a second 2GB module a few weeks after purchasing the laptop).

One of the highlights of the Z Series is the hybrid graphics switch which allows you to switch between the Intel GMA4500 integrated graphics and the discrete nVidia 9300M without rebooting. This allows you to squeeze an extra 40 minutes or so of battery life out of the notebook whilst on the move. The 9300M is relatively weak when it comes to mobile graphics however it still offers enough power to run most of the newer games available.

The design of the Z Series is impressive. I’m not ashamed to admit that aesthetics will influence my decision when purchasing a new gadget (which is why I didn’t consider the Lenovo X300) and the Z Series definitely meets my criteria. The top of the laptop is a simple black plastic with the Vaio logo in silver. It’s not a fingerprint magnet like my old HP Pavilion which is a plus. Opening the laptop reveals Chiclet-style keyboard which is great to type on; the keys are easy to press and are quiet and the trackpad is nice and large. Thanks to the carbon fibre casing the Z feels very strong and well built despite it’s low weight. There are no creaks or loose parts although the screen does have a disturbing amount of flex to it, but that’s the trade off for something so thin. The screen itself is fantastic. Images appear bright and colourful and text displays clean and crisp.

Battery life was another important aspect for me as the primary purpose of my notebook is for taking to university; power points aren’t always available to me and I’d rather not carry around the AC adapter all the time. With the screen set at a reasonably bright level and with wifi turned on I’m able to get around four hours of battery life out of the Z which is perfect for my needs. I’ve heard of people tweaking their Zs to get upwards of six hours, however I’m not sure what it is they’re sacrificing for this gain or how usable their notebooks are.

The Vaio Z Series is the perfect blend of portability and power. It’s light enough to carry around all day but has the specs to easily handle any task you throw at it. Very happy with my purchase!