Sony VAIO S13 (SVS13112FXW)

You have been forgiven for thinking , at first glance , the Sony VAIO S13 ( SVS13112FXW ) ( $ 899.99 list ) is a MacBook . In fact , with its white chassis , the VAIO S13 bears a striking resemblance to today - discontinued line of Apple MacBook . The inevitable comparison is a disservice to the VAIO S13 , though , detracting from its multimedia capabilities as well as its sleek chassis , internal optical drive , WiDi functionality , and dual USB 3.0 ports . MacBooks addition , size S13 are very similar to those found in Ultrabooks , but with a critical difference : it sports a standard - voltage processor , and thus leading to its classification as an ultraportable . Regardless of how it looks , however , the VAIO S13 is a solid choice for anyone looking to add a bit of flair to their everyday computing , although it is not innovative or powerful ultraportable available .

Design and Features
The VAIO S13 measures 0.95 by 4.13 by 8.85 inches ( HWD ) . Its light weight Medium £ 3.75 ( as weighed in our Lab scale ) come between the Editors ' Choice Toshiba Portege R835 - P88 ultraportable (£ 3.2) and the Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M5 - 481TG - 6814 ( 4.16 pounds ) ultrabook . Reaches its slim magnesium alloy chassis with a delicate balance between durable and easy to carry . As for the white finish, it is entirely a matter of taste . Some may want to look because it determines the ultraportable VAIO S13 from peers as well as the deluge of Ultrabooks currently on the market . Others may argue that it unjustly apes Apple Aesthetic . Regardless of which camp you belong to , however , it is worth mention that the white finish will leave VAIO S13 , especially the palmrest , vulnerable to smudging and staining after prolonged use . Taken right out of the box , though , the VAIO S13 looks as stylish and modern one would expect an ultrabook to be , especially when the lid is closed and the shiny VAIO logo embossed on its surface are attractively displayed .

The glossy 13.3 - inch display has a resolution of 1366 by 768 , which is typical for this class . The resolution is good enough for 720p video and does a good job displaying text and images alike . Also , look sharp film , an easily verifiable properties because the S13 features a slot - Load CD / DVD Burner . Meanwhile , built - in speakers are on par with most other laptops , capable of pumping out the sound with a decent amount for one or two people in a small room , but do not need to keep your neighbors on the other VAIO S13 door awake at night .

The VAIO S13 sports a backlit tiled keyboard where the keys are decked out in a silver matte - finished, somewhat odd juxtaposed with white chassis . Whatever your preference Aesthetic , typing VAIO S13 is easy , and the rigid chassis exhibited minimal flexing during use . Sony has included some hotkeys above the top row of the keyboard , as an Assist button launches VAIO Care for system tune - up and troubleshooting , a Web button that launches the browser of your choice , and only one labeled " VAIO " that can be configured to trigger any chosen application . While hotkeys are fairly common on any keyboard , Sony has also included a " Performance Selector " switches can toggle between the " strength " or " Speed ​​" mode . Reminiscent of the Mode Dial on the Samsung Series 7 Gamer ( though not nearly as enlarged ) , this shift adjusts power settings on the fly ; " durability " is intended for the protection of the battery , and otherwise disabled fans VAIO S13 while slight dimming the screen , while optimizes " Speed ​​" mode performance by " maxing out " everything out . Like the keyboard , the touchpad with a smooth work , and it fluidly responds to two finger scrolling and pinch - zooming . The buttons of the left - and right- click is included in both the touchpad surface . The palm rest is rather narrow , though , so be prepared for some inadvertent clicks on a stray thumb .

Port selection on the VAIO S13 is stable . The space - load CD / DVD burner and a headphone jack occupy the left side of the system , while the right side features dual USB 3.0 ports , a USB 2.0 port ( with sleep and charge capacity ) , two card readers ( one for proprietary Sony Memory Stick interface and one for the SD card ) , an Ethernet port , a VGA port , and a full - size HDMI output . I'm personally fond of the latter because it eliminates the need for dongles , making connecting the system to the larger display much less cumbersome . Additionally , this VAIO S13 Intel Wireless Display technology ( WiDi ) , so the wire can be removed from the picture completely since high definition audio and video can be beamed to any HDTV kitted with an aftermarket adapter , like the Netgear Push2TV ( $ 99 list ) .

640GB 5400 rpm hard drive VAIO S13 comes preloaded with a decent serving of pre - loaded software on it . As is often the case , it extends from useful apps ( like Microsoft Office Starter ) trial software ( 30 - day trial Kaspersky Internet Security suite ) . There is also a slew of software owned by Sony ( VAIO Care , Media Gallery , PlayMemories Home , and so on ) , although it is tempered by the near - total absence of anything that could be classified as bloatware , so the very minimum you won 't be forced to deal with the usual suspects such as desktop link or game suite .