Netbooks, CULV laptops, and ultrabooks have all demonstrated that just because a laptop is small doesn’t mean it has to be expensive. But by definition, most of these affordable ultraportable laptops are less powerful than high-end laptops. Sony is hoping there’s still a market for small but high performance (and high priced) laptops. The company just introduced its latest entry into that space, the updated Sony Vaio Z.
The new laptop features a 13.1 inch, 1600 x 900 pixel display and weighs just 2.6 pounds. It packs a 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB solid state disk. Sony will also offer a 1920 x 1080 pixel display option. The Vaio ZÂ has integrated Intel graphics, but there’s also an optional Power Media Dock that adds an optical disc drive and AMD Radeon HD 6650M graphics with 1GB of video memory.
The new Sony Vaio Z is about 0.65 inches thick, but there’s also an optional “sheet” battery which slots onto the bottom of the device and fattens it up a bit — while providing up to 14 hours of run time.
The laptop has a lot of features that you won’t find in a budget portable notebook, including a high resolution display, high capacity SSD, a speedy processor, and support for Light Peak.
But it also has a high price tag. The base price is expected to run about $2300 or more in Europe. Extra options like the 1080p display or Power Media Dock will cost you extra. There’s no information available on US pricing or availability yet.
via EngadgetÂ