The new Sony VAIO Fit laptops bring premium styling to the main stream market. Image: Sony
Today Sony unveiled new VAIO laptops the Japanese technology giant plans to launch later this month for the mainstream consumer market. The new laptops offer sleek new designs, improved hardware features, and model names that consumers can easily remember.
The name that Sony has settled on for their newest laptops is Sony VAIO Fit 14, Sony VAIO Fit 14E, Sony VAIO Fit 15, and Sony VAIO Fit 15E. The models with the “E” at the end are the more affordable models. Besides the names Sony has decided to offer different display resolutions for the non-”E” and “E” models, for the lower end models consumers will have HD 1600-by-900 pixels and on the higher-end models there are Full HD 1920-by-1080 pixels.
Also if you were wondering the Fit portion of these new models names isn’t meant to imply these new notebooks will be very thin. Actually in a first look video (available at the bottom of the post) on their SGNL YouTube channel a rep. from Sony explained that the Fit portion of the name is meant to inform consumers that these new laptops are designed to fit the needs of a majority of consumers.
Design and Hardware
Even though the new Sony VAIO Fit laptops aren’t designed as Ultrabook competitors Sony has made sure the designs are up-to-date with slim designs. Some nice design features that are included with VAIO Fit laptops include aluminum lids (high-end 14 and 15 only), rounded corners on the laptops body, recessed standard battery so nothing is sticking out of the back of the laptop, large gesture-friendly trackpads, and chiclet style keyboards with LED back-lights.
The optional touchscreen displays available for the Sony VAIO Fit laptops aim to provide a unique Windows experience with Windows 8. Image: Sony
The displays on the Sony VAIO Fit laptops offer a native resolution that trump the current norm of 1366-by-768 pixels which you see in general-use laptops. As mentioned before Sony offers 1600-by-900 pixels for their “E” class models and the high-end VAIO Fit’s have Full HD 1920-by-1080 displays. However that’s not all you can also have your VAIO Fit’s HD display come equipped with capacitive multi-touch, a feature that is very useful in Microsoft’s new Windows 8 operating system which is going to come pre-installed on all VAIO Fit laptops.
Computing technologies that consumers can expect to see offered with the new VAIO Fit laptops include Ivy Bridge 3rd gen. Intel Core i3 to Core i7 processors, 4GB-12GB of DDR3 RAM, 500GB-1TB of hard drive storage with hybrid HDD+SSD solutions, optical drive for burning and playing CD’s and DVD’s, and optional dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M 1GB or 2GB DirectX 11 graphics cards to compliment the standard Intel HD 4000 Graphics that come integrated with the available Intel processors.
In the form of extra technologies there to enhance your VAIO computing experience Sony has decided to include NFC, a Exmor R enhanced HD webcam, and a stereo speaker system that features a subwoofer.
The NFC integration allows you to touch and share content with NFC equipped handheld devices (most smartphones today have NFC). Sony says the VAIO Fit laptops will only require users to touch an NFC equipped handheld device to the laptops large touchpad to share data wirelessly between your computer and your handheld device.
Ports offered with these new laptops include powered USB 2.0 (charge devices), two USB 3.0, HDMI, SD card slot, Ethernet, and headphone/microphone jack.
Availability and Price
Silver, Black and Pink are the three colors Sony VAIO Fit buyers will have available to them in late May.
Sony will be shipping their first VAIO Fit 14E, 15E, 14 and 15 laptops later this month. Prices start at $549 for the 14E, $579 for the 15E, $649 for the 14, and finally $749 for the 15. Color options for the VAIO Fit laptops at launch will include Black, Pink and Silver.
[Via]
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