Sony Pcga-bps21/s
Ports and Webcam
Ports and WebcamThe right side of the VAIO houses one USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, Ethernet, a VGA port, an SD card reader, a Memory Stick PRO Duo media slot, and a power jack. The left side features a Blu-ray drive and a headphone jack. On the notebook's front lip sits the wireless switch. Sony VGP-BPS21/B
The Sony PCGA-BPS21/S VAIO S' webcam can capture stills and video up to 1280 x 1024. Images were vivid but somewhat grainy under florescent lights. We achieved better results at home in natural light after making a few adjustments in the ArcSoft Webcam Companion settings panel. We also noticed that the camera's autofocus and facial tracking were quick and accurate, thanks to the built-in Exmor sensor, which also adjusted for the low-light conditions. Sony VGP-BPS21/S
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Display and Audio
The Sony VGP-BPS21A/B VAIO S' 13.3-inch, backlit display has a matte finish and a relatively high resolution of 1600 x 900 pixels. We appreciate the extra pixels because it translates into more real estate when viewing web pages and opening windows side by side. Unfortunately, the picture quality wasn't that impressive. During the 1080p YouTube trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, we noticed that images were rather muddy, nullifying the electric blue stream of power from Voldemort's wand. An episode of the The Daily Show on Hulu looked better. Sony VGP-BPS21B Audiophiles in search of crisp, clear sound should look elsewhere. Audio provided by the four tiny slots masquerading as speakers was loud enough to fill a small room, but it sounded flat. As we listened to "E.T." by Katy Perry featuring Kanye West, we noticed the bass line was non-existent while Perry's vocals were high and tinny, especially during the chorus. Engaging the Dolby Audio Enhancer under the VAIO S' settings helped clean up the sound a little. Sony VGP-BPS21
Performance
The Sony VAIO S has a second-generation 2.3-GHz Intel Core i5-2410M CPU with 4GB of RAM and a 500GB, 5,400-rpm hard drive. On the PCMark Vantage test, the VAIO scored a decent 6,106, beating the category average (5,585) and the 13-inch MacBook Pro (2.3-GHz Intel Core i5; 5,534). However, the VAIO S was no match for the ThinkPad X1 and its 2.5-GHz Intel Core i5-2520M processor (7,535). Sony VGP-BPS21A
With a 500GB, 5,400-rpm hard drive, the Sony VGP-BPS15/B VAIO S booted in a sluggish 69 seconds, which was 5 seconds slower than the category average and 29 seconds behind the ThinkPad X1 (40 seconds). The laptop completed the LAPTOP File Transfer test (duplicating 4.97GB of mixed-media files) in 3 minutes and 46 seconds for a rate of 22.5 MBps. That showing is slightly slower than the ultraportable average of 25.7MBps. The ThinkPad X1's 7,200-rpm hard drive posted a transfer rate of 31.6 MBps, while the MacBook Pro clocked 28.1 MBps. Sony VGP-BPS14/S
The VAIO S was evenly matched against the MacBook Pro on the Oxelon Transcoder test. Both systems converted a 114MB MP4 file to AVI format using Oxelon Media Encoder in only 47 seconds, 11 seconds faster than the average. The Lenovo ThinkPad finished in 41 seconds. Sony VGP-BPL14/S
Graphics
The VAIO S features hybrid graphics comprised of AMD Radeon HD 6630M with 1GB of VRAM and Intel HD Graphics. A switch in the upper-left corner marked Speed and Stamina let us toggle between GPUs. Considering Nvidia's Optimus graphics-switching technology changes GPUs on the fly, the VAIO's method seems rather clunky. Sony VGP-BPS15/S
When discrete graphics were enabled, the VAIO S' scores were off the charts. On 3DMark06, the notebook scored 7,353, more than double the ultraportable category average. The ThinkPad X1 and MacBook Pro, which both have Intel HD 3000 graphics cards, scored 3,763 and 4,509, respectively. Sony VGP-BPL10
During our gameplay sessions, the VAIO S continued to post impressive scores. When we played World of Warcraft at 1600 x 900 with "Good" special effects, the VAIO posted a frame rate of 66 fps, blowing past the ThinkPad X1 (30 fps). The MacBook Pro notched 74 fps but at a lower screen resolution of 1280 x 800. The VAIO S stayed strong when we cranked the settings to maximum, registering 34 fps. Sony VGP-BPS10/S
The VAIO S continued to assert its dominance during Far Cry 2. On the autodetect setting with a 1024 x 768 resolution, the laptop returned a whopping 81 fps, shattering the 35.1 fps category average. The MacBook only managed to scrape together 21 fps. When we upped the ante to maximum, the VAIO S mustered a playable 30.8 fps. Sony VGP-BPS10B
Battery Life and Wireless
The Sony VAIO S' standard battery lasted a decent 5 hours and 25 seconds on the LAPTOP Battery Test (continuous surfing over Wi-Fi). However, that runtime is dwarfed by the MacBook's 8 hours and 33 seconds. An optional battery slice ($75) attaches to the bottom of the notebook and increased the VAIO S' battery life to 10:42. The ThinkPad X1 lasted 4:33 with its standard battery but ran for 8 hours with its slice. Sony VPC-W21AVJ battery
The SONY VAIO P(VPCP) battery VAIO's Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 wireless radio inside the VAIO S delivered throughput of 34.8 Mbps at 15 feet away from our router, just below the 35.4 Mbps average. At 50 feet, the notebook failed to reach the 21.7 Mbps ultraportable average, scoring a data rate of 17.6 Mbps. The VAIO S also comes equipped with Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and gives users the option of including Sprint or Verizon Mobile Broadband. SONY VAIO C battery
Configurations
Sony sells the VAIO S in three different tiers. The base model, which starts at $899, comes with a 2.1-GHz Intel Core i3-2310 processor, AMD Radeon 7450M graphics, a 320GB, 5,400-rpm hard drive, 4GB of RAM, a 1366 x 768 display, and a DVD burner. Users can get this model in black, blue, pink, or white. Sony VAIO VPCZ116GGB battery
Our configuration of the Sony VAIO VPCZ117FC battery Sony VAIO S (2.3-GHz Intel Core i5-2410M CPU, 4GB of hybrid RAM, a 500GB, 5,400-rpm hard drive, AMD Radeon HD 6630M graphics card with 1GB of VRAM and Mobile Intel HD Graphics, 1600 x 900-pixel display, and a Blu-ray player) is the same as the $1,349 starting model, but with but with an integrated mobile broadband module (a $50 option). The top tier starts at $1,649, and includes all the same specs as the second tier, but with a 128GB solid state drive. SONY VAIO VPC-X119LC battery
Within each tier are different configuration options, some exclusive to that level. For example, the blue, white, and pink color options are only available for the first tier, while the higher-resolution 1600 x 900 panel is only available for the upper two tiers. SONY VAIO VPCX11Z1E battery
Software
Sony bundles the VAIO S with a moderate package of pre-installed software. We used SONY VAIO CB (All) battery VAIO Care to troubleshoot, run diagnostics, restore, and recover the system. We were also able to register individual fingers on the fingerprint scanner using AuthenTec TrueSuite. From there we were able to map individual fingers to different websites including Facebook, Twitter, and our online banking account. For editing, importing, and exporting multimedia, we used PMB VAIO Edition. This software lets users share music, images, and video with external devices (thanks to VAIO Media Plus, pictured). SONY VAIO VPCX11S1E battery
Shortcuts to the bundled programs are stored in VAIO Gate, a shadowy black bar located at the top of the screen that remains mostly hidden until moused over (pictured). Here we could access the webcam, VAIO Care, PMB (a photo and video editor), and a number of other programs. We really like how VAIO Gate initially appears as a small black blob before it opens. Additional shortcuts can be added by dragging shortcuts onto the Gate. SONY VAIO CA (All) battery
In terms of third-party applications, the VAIO S comes packaged with Microsoft Office Starter, a free 30-Day trial of Norton Internet Security, and Windows Live.
Sony protects the VAIO S with a one-year limited warranty with onsite/in-home Service, one year of 24/7 telephone assistance, and online and e-mail support. Check out how Sony fared in our Tech Support Showdown and Best & Worst Brands report. SONY VAIO VPC-X118LC battery
Is the Sony VAIO S a MacBook Pro killer? Not quite, but it's certainly a very strong alternative. Our $1,399 configuration bests the 13-inch MacBook Pro in terms of performance, graphics, and portability. It also beats Apple's 13-incher on display real estate. However, we prefer the sturdier build and larger, smoother trackpad on the MacBook Pro. Plus, the MacBook Pro lasts three hours longer on a charge in exchange for its heavier weight. The tinny speakers on the VAIO S are also disappointing. The bottom line is that the VAIO S provides much more graphics punch than the MacBook Pro--and most other ultraportables--in a very lightweight package, but you have to make a couple trade-offs.We just got up close and personal with Sonys two upcoming tablets, the S1 and S2, and Sony demonstrated why it thinks its devices are better than the Android Honeycomb competition and iPad. Get all the details below along with a video and full gallery. SONY VAIO VPC-X116KC battery
by: accukorting