The particular team at Sony features completely reinvented the VAIO Y notebook with some aid from AMD. The new Sony VAIO Y (technically called the "VAIO YB") is actually Sony's first laptop to feature the fresh AMD E-350 processor plus graphics. This 11-inch laptop is higher end than a typical netbook computer, but offers significantly superior performance. Take a look at what we need to say about this monstrous mini.
Our Sony VAIO Y (YB) features these specifications:
- AMD E-350 with AMD Radeon HD 6310 Graphics (dual-core CPU at 1.6 GHz and dual DX-11 SIMDs at 500MHz)
- 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 HD glossy display with LED backlighting
- Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit)
- 4GB DDR3 memory (1066MHz)
- 500GB, 5400 rpm HDD
- Gigabit Ethernet and Atheros 802.11b/g/n wireless
- Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
- 6-cell Li-ion battery (38Wh)
- Dimensions: 11.42 (L) x 7.99 (W) x 0.99 - 1.25 (H) inches
- Weight: 3.24 pounds
- MSRP: $549.99
The new VAIO Y is a radical departure from very last year's 13-inch Sony VAIO FUL. I'm a little dubious why Sony doesn't simply call this the "VAIO YB" on the official SonyStyle website, but despite the confusion on the model name, this appears like another attractive Sony notebook computer. In terms of the overall existing décor, the VAIO YB has more in common while using VAIO W netbook as compared with last year's VAIO FUL. In truth, the new VAIO Y was which is designed to replace the Atom-based laptops in Sony's lineup, and thankfully the VAIO YB has more to offer than those low-performance laptops.
Quality is on par by using most 11-inch laptops we've tested including the HP Pavilion dm1z and also the Acer Aspire 1830T. Your plastics are thin but firm; offering a mix off everyday durability and lightweight. Although I wouldn't recommend playing a game title of frisbee with this specific laptop, the plastics utilised in the chassis are likely strong enough to survivie a year or two of constant travel within a school backpack. The plastic screen motorcycle provides bends under significant pressure but you really have to press hard to produce ripples on the screen. The lid also comes in the selection of silver or pink during the time of this writing. The best description I can give for the paint spots finish is "metallic matte" seeing that it's shiny but doesn't showcase fingerprints like a typical glossy notebook.
The end of the notebook comes with a single access panel anchored by three screws. Behind that panel you'll find the RAM and hard drive for those who want to make any upgrades. Granted, most consumers who purchase a $550 laptop like this will most likely be content with the 4GB of standard memory plus the 500GB hard drive. Still, it's nice to realise that Sony made it quite easy to replace the particular RAM and hard drive if you want to do that.Ports and Features
Port selection on the VAIO Y is really standard for an 11-inch ultraportable laptop. You get three USB ONLY TWO. 0 ports, HDMI-out, VGA, Gigabit LAN, a microphone jack plus a headphone jack. It also shows a SDHC-card slot and Storage Stick slot for launching images off your digital camera while traveling. I'm a little sad to see there isn't any USB 3. 0 port with this notebook (particularly since the item costs $550. We're starting to view USB 3. 0 on more buyer notebooks and there simply isn't an excellent excuse for not such as it here.
