Sony VAIO VGN-Z31 hands-on review

What Laptop | News | 15/05/2009 10:59am

Sony’s VAIO Z-series offers some of the most complete ultraportable laptops currently available, with tiny dimensions, incredible screens and equally impressive performance. We’ve managed to get our hands on the latest model, the VAIO Z31, a top of the range machine that even includes a Blu-ray drive.

The 13.1-inch screen provides vivid colours and is very detailed thanks to its crisp 600 x 900 pixel resolution, a first on a laptop of this size. Sony has chosen not to include a Super-TFT screen coating, and therefore you’ll find less in the way of irritating reflections.

The chassis of the VAIO Z31 is crafted from brushed aluminium and looks great, although is not a solid as we’d have liked. Thankfully, the keyboard is. This is one of the best keyboards we’ve seen and uses the isolated style pioneered by Sony and Apple over the last year.

Internally, the VAIO Z31 packs a massive punch. A powerful Intel 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo processor is coupled with 4096MB of DDR3 memory, which means the VAIO Z31 runs extremely smoothly, and multi tasking and office applications is no issue.

You have the option of switching between an integrated Intel or dedicated nVidia GeForce 9300 GS GPU at your discretion, meaning you can manage the VAIO Z31’s power and battery life effortlessly. A Blue-ray drive means you can watch the latest films in high definition.

We like a lot about what we’ve seen of the VAIO Z31, but make sure you pick up issue 126 of WHAT LAPTOP, out early July, for a full review and benchmarking results.
Sony VAIO VGN-Z31