Sony Vaio VPCS11X9E/B Review

Feb 19
08:16

2010

Asli Mana

Asli Mana

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The dedicated ATI graphics card assisted the VPCS11X9E/B laptop achieve practically 20fps in our CoD4 benchmark. This is not quick sufficient for gaming, however less action-oriented games, such as Dragon Age: Origins or Mass Effect 2 may function easily at lower resolutions and with a lot more sophisticated visuals settings turned off.

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This kind of high quality surface and option of fascinating materials extends throughout the entire case,Sony Vaio VPCS11X9E/B Review Articles with attention to details as we'd anticipate from a Vaio. As an example, the power button includes a tiny LED indicator where it meets the side of the case, so it is nevertheless noticeable while the lid shut. Our mainly concern was the DVD drive tray, which can be flimsy and loose when open; a slot drive would have been more in standing using the rest of the situation.


The screen is also less extraordinary as we'd hoped. It has a slick surface that will reflect overhead lighting, as well as vertical watching angles tend to be restricted. Colours are usually natural and energetic, but without LED backlighting, contrast isn't as good as some screens we have witnessed lately. The backlight is not as vivid as some, even though it is generally even, with just a few darker patches along the bottom edge.

This Sony Vaio VPCS11X9E/B is the initial laptop we have seen to make use of Intel's new Core i3 mobile processor chip, and so we could not wait to benchmark it. An overall score of 77 might not really appear significantly, nevertheless considering that it is really comparative to the fastest laptop computer within our latest £700 notebook group test, we have been duly satisfied.

A lot more amazing, is that its 2.13GHz Core i3-330M may be the least high priced of the new line of processors; a line that likewise includes mobile Core i5 and Core i7 chips along with base clock speeds around 2.66GHz. All the new chips tend to be dual-core and possess Hyper-Threading to improve overall performance while multitasking. Many cpus in the selection also use Intel's overclocking Turbo Boost technologies, which raises clock speeds if the computer chip is not operating near its top heat range. Unfortunately, the entry-level Core i3 used in Sony Vaio VPCS11X9E/B laptop does not include this.

Intel has shifted to a 32nm manufacturing procedure for the new processors, using more compact transistor sizes, allowing the chips to become a lot more electricity efficient, using a TDP of simply 35W. Intel has additionally integrated a new graphics processor on the chip, which eliminates the demand for the dedicated graphics chip and also lowers energy consumption. Sony, nevertheless, has opted to use a devoted graphics chip in this case rather – the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 – as the built-in chip isn't really successful sufficient for playing modern 3D video games.

Given all this, its power supply score of 3 hrs 15 mins was slightly unsatisfactory. On the other hand, the electric battery alone isn't very large and the dedicated graphics chipset negates just about any potential advantage from the processor's onboard GPU. We have seen this like a problem while using Sony Vaio VPCS11X9E/B, instead of Core i3 laptops generally. That said, at above 3 hrs, it's still sufficient for infrequent mobile use.

Sony's brand new VPC Range is a beautiful notebook computer, having a subtle two-tone design. The cover and the location above the keyboard are a light silver colour, while on our model, the keyboard panel along with wrist rest were finished in white. The wrist rest alone has a glossy finish having a subtle sparkle, and it is produced of a huge quality plastic that is comfortable to work on and feels solidly constructed.

Hi-def video clip defintely won't be a problem, and there is an HDMI port for delivering to a home entertainment system. The inner speakers tend to be relatively loud, but tinny at higher wavelengths and also don't have bass, thus in the event you wish to maximum benefit out of films you'd be suggested to link a decent sound system.

Sony used to include a generous software program bundle including Adobe Photoshop Elements, however that is lacking from this model. You nevertheless obtain a lot of Sony utility software, even though its effectiveness is in question, and you acquire Sony's media center alternative, accessible via a dedicated switch above the keyboard, which can be slick but does not truly add something which Windows' own Media Center can't provide. Another switch launches the Vaio Care assistance software program, which provides you with access to troubleshooting, back-up and recovery tools.