Sony Vaio Fit Laptop - Review

It seems that every few months there is a new device out there that calls to us. A new mobile phone, a new tv or even a new computer. And while they may call, there are only a few devices each year that actually deserve to be heard. The Sony Vaio Fit is one such device.

Sony Australia were kind enough to send me the one of the Vaio Fit's and after spending a good amount of time with it I can say that is one impressive machine. The one in question that I was sent sports a Core i7 1.8 ghz processor, which is supported by 8 gigabytes of RAM. Adding to it the machine comes with a Nvidia Geforce gt 735m+ graphics processor with 2gb of ram. It also sports a Hybrid drive with 1TB of traditional Hard drive space and 16gb of SSD memory for the system backup. Topping off this impressive laptop is the amazingly gorgeous 15.5 inch IPS Full HD Triluminos display that has to be hands done one of the best displays on a laptop I have ever seen.

Of course, the specs of a machine are only half the story, if the laptop does not function; all the power in the world is not going to help. The Fit is a laptop with a wealth of options to help overcome any seating position you might find yourself in. Of course you can use it in a standard laptop style, either on your lap or a desk. But should you want to make some minor corrects to a photo, or perhaps even veg out on the couch, you can transform it from laptop mode to tablet mode.

The machine sports a nifty little switch just below the centre of the screen that allows you to turn it into a tablet. In tablet mode, the screen comes down to rest on the keyboard and then you can play as if you were holding any other tablet. 

The Fit also includes another display mode that Sony call Viewer mode, but I call Movie mode. This mode see’s you flip the screen from it standard laptop viewing state, and presents you with the option to see the screen alone. This is great if you want to set the laptop down somewhere and watch a movie on it, without seeing the lit up keyboard or other flashing lights. Also being a touch screen means you don’t have to keep flipping it back around to make changes.

Battery life on the Fit is a little lacking, coming in at 5 hours, it is standard for the Ultrabook style machines, and while I was able to get around 5hrs 30mins, that was with a lower brightness of the display, Your mileage may vary.

There are two small problems with the laptop that I do need to point out, with the first being the worst of the two. When you are in standard laptop mode, the screen does have a bounce to it that seems strange. With the screen itself being quite heavy to fit in the parts that allow for the various display methods, the screen’s shakiness is not understandable. The other small issue is the location of the power button. Unlike almost every other laptop ever made, the power button is not located on the top, but it’s actually on the side here. While not really a problem per say  it does beg the question why?

The Sony Vaio Fit laptop is a great piece of technology. The laptop itself does not feel like a plastic toy, its brushed aluminium finish alone takes the style to the next level. The guts of the machine are among some of the most powerful out there. And with its great display options proves that you can do something new while providing what people expect out of a great laptop.

The Score

8.5

Review unit provided by Sony

The Pros

+Powerful laptop

+Great display options

The Cons

-Screen hinges are not that great

-The power button placement is a little weird