In 2012, ultrabooks are everywhere. Ostensibly, they're thinner, lighter, possibly more stylish laptops. And, as of late, they're pretty affordable, too. The average Windows ultrabook may have achieved MacBook Air-level prices in 2011, but this year prices have dropped to fit a landscape of more budget-minded Windows computers. Sony, one of the few laptop manufacturers to have skirted the ultrabook wave thus far, has finally unveiled its own in the Sony Vaio T, and counter to the usual trend of Sony Vaios being more expensive devices, this one stays at the affordable end of the spectrum: an entry-level Vaio T costs $799.
Sony VAIO T
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
The more pressing question is this: does a Vaio ultrabook make sense? Sony actually has several quite capable thin laptops in its stable: the Vaio S line, and the nosebleed-expensive
A lower-voltage third-gen Ivy Bridge Intel processor and no optical drive seem like compromises compared to last year's Vaio S, which had practically the same thickness, and started at the same price: $799. The Vaio T's thicker than some ultrabooks, but it's really more of an affordable, spiritual variation of the Vaio Z, with ultrabook branding.
If you've always wanted a Vaio Z but couldn't afford one, maybe the Vaio T will make your dreams come true. Truth be told, it's a good Sony debut ultrabook, but not really a very surprising one.