subject: Sony Vgp-bps2c/s/e [print this page] Still, the Tap 20 performed well under a heavy workload. We noticed very little lag as we wrote this review while streaming music on YouTube, performing an anti-virus scan and browsing the Web with 10 tabs open in both Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. Sony VGP-BPS2C/S
Graphics Performance
Click to EnlargePowered by only an Intel HD Graphics 4000 chip, the VAIO Tap 20 doesn't have the graphics power to handle even casual games such as "World of Warcraft." On the 3DMark 11 benchmark, which measures overall graphics performance, the Tap 20 turned in a measly score of 569. The average big-screen laptop score is 3,219, although many of these machines feature discrete graphics. Sony VGP-BPS2C/S/E
Unsurprisingly, this low score translates into stuttering frame rates. When we ran "World of Warcraft" with the graphics set to Good and the resolution at 1600 x 900, the Tap 20 averaged an unplayable 22 frames per second. When we cranked up the graphics to Ultra, the framerate plummeted to a haltingly slow 12 fps. Sony VGP-BPL2C/S
Heat
The Tap 20 remained cool throughout our testing. After streaming video on Hulu for 15 minutes, the touch screen and the back of the computer measured a cool 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The hottest point we found on the all-in-one was the top of the display in the middle, which registered a warm 90 degrees. Sony VGP-BPS2A/S
Battery Life
Click to EnlargeAlthough it lasts less than half as long on a charge as most tablets, we were nevertheless impressed with the VAIO Tap 20's battery life considering its screen size. On the LAPTOP Battery Test (continuous surfing on the Web over Wi-Fi), the Tap 20's 5,000-mAh lithium ion battery managed to last 3 hours and 50 minutes. That runtime is just 3 minutes shy of the desktop replacement average. Sony VGP-BPL2A/S
Configurations
In addition to our configuration, which featured a Core i5 CPU, 4GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive, the Sony PCGA-BP52AUC VAIO Tap 20 can be upgraded with a Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB or 512GB SSD. For the budget-minded, the Tap 20 can also be equipped with a less expensive Core i3 processor and a 500GB hard drive. Sony PCGA-BPZ51A
Verdict
Click to EnlargeFrom a purely technical standpoint, the Sony VGP-BPL4A Sony VAIO Tap 20 doesn't deliver the performance we'd expect for a $1,000 PC. The real value of the Tap 20, however, lies in its 10-point touch screen, integrated battery and family-friendly applications. This device really shows off Windows 8's true potential. While Sony believes that the Tap 20 represents a viable alternative to buying a tablet for every member of the family, users may be turned off by the computer's weight, low resolution and lack of rugged features. However, if you want your family to play together, you won't find a PC better designed for that purpose than the Sony VGP-BPL4 VAIO Tap 20.Sony's VAIO E Seres 11 is an affordable mini-laptop that's targeted toward frequent travelers or anyone looking for Ultrabook-like portabilty without the sticker shock. Powered by a dual-core AMD processor and featuring 4GB or RAM and a 500GB hard drive, this $436 11-incher seems like a good value, especially since Sony bundles lots of multimedia software. Let's see how it measures up. Sony VGP-BPS4A
The all-plastic E Series 11 looks friendly with soft rounded corners and a matte surface. With the lid closed, this cute VAIO seems to have a slight underbite, as the deck sticks out a quarter of an inch farther than the lid. Like other notebooks in Sony's E series, the design is reminiscent of a piece of paper folded over itself. Sony VGP-BPS4
The VAIO E Seres 11 is available in Seafoam White, but we tested the Sharkskin Black version.
The plastic frame around the LCD and along the speaker bar has a glossy finish that contrasts nicely with the matte black covering the rest of the notebook. The glossy surface, however, picks up fingerprints much easier than the rest of the laptop. Sony PCGA-BP52A/L
Buttons for VAIO Assist, Web and VAIO Care sit above the keyboard along with the circular power button. The trackpad is slightly recessed into the body of the laptop and chrome border that contrasts nicely with the black deck. Sony PCGA-BP52A
Measuring 11.4 x 8 x 0.9-1.3 inches and weighing 3.2 pounds, the VAIO E Seres 11 is slightly smaller and lighter than other 11-inch notebooks, such as the Maingear Pulse 11, measuring 11.5 x 8.3 x 1.5 and weighing 3.8 pounds. However, most 13-inch Ultrabooks are thinner and lighter than this system. Sony PCGA-BP51A/L
Display
Click to EnlargeThe glossy 11.6-inch display on the Sony PCGA-BPZ52 VAIO E Seres 11 has a standard resolution of 1366 x 768 but offered a full spectrum of rich colors, bringing to life the glitz and glamor in the trailer for Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby." The bright lights of old Manhattan popped against the city's night skyline and the vibrant hues at Gatsby's great parties really shined. Sony PCGA-BP52
Unfortunately, viewing angles are relatively poor. At a 40-degree angle, even the brightest colors looked washed out. The screen isn't that bright, either, measuring 165 lux against the ultraportable average of 274 lux. Sony PCGA-BP51
Audio
Listening to music and videos on the VAIO E Series 11 was a pleasure. Powered by Sony's Clear Phase and xLoudClear Phase technologies, the speakers easily filled our small testing room with crisp, clear audio. Each guitar note and chord sounded great on Feist's "I Feel It All," even at full volume. Sound got tinnier on songs with more bass and drums, falling a bit flat when we blasted the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs' "Gold Lion" and LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem." Sony PCGA-BP51A
Keyboard and Touchpad
Click to EnlargeThe keys on the VAIO E Series 11 are on the small side but comfortably spaced, allowing for quick typing. We scored 63 words per minute on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test with a 2 percent error rate, compared with 66 words per minute on our desktop keyboard. However, the palm rest is shorter than we'd like, which could lead to discomfort. Sony PCGA-BP2R
The 3.5 x 2-inch clickable touchpad provided plenty of space for multi-touch gestures. We comfortably executed pinch-to-zoom, two-finger scroll and two-finger rotation. The four-finger flick, which clearly displays all open programs, was especially useful. Sony PCGA-BPZ51
The bottom half of the trackpad provided accurately registered left and right clicks, but we had to use more force than we'd like. It was a little too stiff. We also noticed a narrow gap between the pad and the electronics underneath, which could lead to issues. SONY VGP-BPS20/S
Heat
The VAIO E Series 11 ran warmer than the average ultraportable in our tests, but not uncomfortably so. After playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, the touchpad reached 93 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures rose to 95 degrees on the underside of the notebook and 94 degrees between the G & H keys. We consider anything over 95 degrees uncomfortable and 100 and above hot. SONY VGP-BPS22A
Ports
Click to EnlargeThere are three USB ports on the VAIO E Series 11: two on the left side (a USB 2.0 and a chargeable USB 3.0), and another USB 2.0 port on the right. The right side of the notebook also features a SD/PRO Duo card reader, Ethernet, a 3.5mm headphone jack and microphone input; on the left are HDMI and VGA ports. SONY VGP-BPL22
Webcam
Click to EnlargeThe 1.3-megapixel webcam captures images up to 2560 x 2048 and video up to 1280 x 1024. The camera is equipped with an Exmor sensor, but pictures were still grainy and dull in both fluorescent and natural light. Face tracking was handy, as the camera automatically zoomed in and out as we moved, keeping our head in the frame. However, face tracking is limited to the webcam's optical zoom, since the camera itself does not move or turn. Sony VGP-BPS20
Performance
The 1.7-GHz AMD E-1800 dual-core processor that powers the VAIO E Series 11 is good enough for handling basic tasks, but don't expect blazing performance. For example, most apps opened quickly, and the notebook played a 1080p version of the "Skyfall" trailer without a hitch. However, apps took longer to open when the video was playing in the background. Sony PCGA-BP3T
The E Series 11 scored 976 on the PCMark07 test, which is well behind the average of 2,898 but on a par with other AMD-powered ultraportables we've tested. This score is only slightly higher than the Levono ThinkPad X130e, which notched 906 on the same test with its 1.3-GHz AMD E-300 processor and 2GB of RAM. Performance wasn't any better on the Geekbench test, with this VAIO hitting 1,963 when the average is 5,411. Sony PCGA-BP4V
The notebook booted the 64-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium in 55 seconds, two seconds faster than the average. During our File Transfer Test, the E11 duplicated 4.97GB of multimedia files in 4 minutes and 30 seconds for a transfer rate of 18.8 MBps. That's 14.3MBps below the 22.1 MBps category average. SONY VGP-BPS22/A
On the OpenOffice Spreadsheet test, which matches 20,000 names to their corresponding addresses, the VAIO E Series 11 took 18 minutes and 49 seconds, almost three times as long as the average of 6 minutes and 26 seconds. The last sub-$500 notebook we reviewed, the Gateway NV57H54u, took just 27 seconds with its Core i3 processor. Sony PCGA-BP2V
We wouldn't want to necessarily edit video on an 11-inch laptop, but this VAIO's performance will make up your mind. It took the system 6 minutes and 25 seconds to convert a 5-minute 1080p video to an iPhone-friendly format using Cyberlink MediaEspresso. At least the VAIO beats the older ThinkPad X130e (8:11). Sony PCGA-BP2T
Graphics
The VAIO E Series 11 sports an AMD Radeon HD 7340M graphics processor and includes the AMD VISION Engine Control Center. With these specs you can actually play mainstream games.
This Sony delivered a frame rate of 37 on our "World of Warcraft" test, set on Good at 1366 x 768p. At maximum, the rate dropped down to 13 fps, below the ultraportable average of 23. Sony VGP-BPL20
The Series 11 scored a 363 on the 3DMark11 graphics test, paling in comparison to the average of 815.
Battery Life
Click to EnlargeThe VAIO Series E 11 gets decent battery life for a notebook this size. The 3500 mAh battery lasted 5 hours and 24 minutes on the LAPTOP Battery test, which consists of continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi. While this runtime is more than an hour less than the 6:44 ultraportable average, other ultraportables have room for bigger batteries SONY VGP-BPS20/B .
Software
Sony bundles this notebook with a robust suite of programs, providing a solid experience right out the box. Microsoft Office Starter, which includes an ad-supported version of Word 2010 and Excel 2010, can immediately open and run documents and spreadsheets. Sony VGP-BPS22
