Sony VAIO S Series VPC-SA21GX/BI
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Part of Sony’s VAIO P Series lineup for this year is the VPC-SA21GX/BI which is a 13-inch laptop that has a starting price of $899. If you like Apple’s designs but you want Windows, this is the model to get as it has an angular, nearly throwback design with a slim profile that makes it look quite similar to last year’s Z model. It adopts an all-metal aluminum case over a sturdy magnesium alloy frame, but it manages to remain lightweight.
A $1,299 configuration of this model is powered by a second generation Intel Core i5-2410M processor running at 2.30 GHz and packs 4GB of DDR3 memory running at 1,333 MHz. You will be able to store your files on the 500GB Serial Ata hard drive that rotates at 5,400 rpm, while for graphics power you get a combo consisting of a dedicated AMD Radeon HD 6630M and an integrated Intel HD 3000.
Sony VAIO S Series VPC-SA21GX/BI (Source: 3.bp.blogspot.com)
The Sony VAIO S Series VPC-SA21GX/BI measures 13 x 8.8 x 0.9 inches (1.4 inches with the slice battery) and it tips the scales at 3.6 pounds (4.7 pounds with the AC adapter or 5.6 pounds including the slice battery). It comes with a raised keyboard along with a dedicated row of launch buttons. The upper lid is very thin while the hinge action feels rather unusual, sometimes even too loose while at other times is too stiff.
The normal-sized touchpad is framed by the generous palm rest and the touchpad has a smooth surface which makes it considerably better as far as the response is concerned in comparison to other touchpads. Below it you’ll notice a couple of discrete buttons and underneath them there’s a fingerprint sensor.
Sony VAIO S Series VPC-SA21GX/BI (Source: notebookcheck.net)
That wide keyboard adopts island-style keys that have a lot of space between them. We should mention that this keyboard is backlit while the Enter and Shift keys are unencumbered by an additional column of keys located on the right side.
The laptop features a 13.3-inch matte screen that has a native resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels but for more money you could get the system with a 1,600 x 900-pixel resolution display for added screen real estate.
As far as connectivity is concerned, this Sony VAIO S Series VPC-SA21GX/BI comes with an HDMI port and VGA, along with headphone + microphone jacks, aside from the incorporated stereo speakers which are quite loud and they sound solid. For data you have two USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port, a Memory Stick reader and an SD card reader. In the networking department we find Bluetooth, an Ethernet port, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and an optional 3G. Also on board is an optical drive in the form of a DVD burner.
