While it doesn't have an aluminum uni-body, the Sony Vaio VPCZ116GX/S does offer a chassis thinner and lighter than most thin-and-light 13-inch laptops. Utilizing a mixture of brushed metal and magnesium alloy, the laptop's chassis is tough, durable and solid. At 3.0 pounds it is also lighter than even the aforementioned Apple laptop uni-body models. The overall look for the laptop is rather workman-like which should go down well with no-nonsense business execs. The keyboard is a bit narrower, but it is quite comfortable and even has back-lit keys. The touch-pad is similarly excellent and feels as comfortable as the keyboard.
With a 13.3 inch LED display offering a 1600 x 900 pixel resolution the Sony Vaio VPCZ116GX/S clearly marks itself as a higher-end laptop. Other 13-inch laptops have much lower pixel resolutions. This trend is continued with its Intel Core i5 M520 processor and 4GB of DDR3 memory for an ultra-stable and very powerful laptop system. For storage it uses a super tough and super fast 256GB solid-state drive. Graphics are switchable between the more energy-saving Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics or the higher-end Nvidia GeForce GT 330M. Sony have managed to pack in a DVD burner along with 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity. Connections are equally top-notch with a HDMI port, VGA port, three USB ports, an SD card reader and a memory card reader.
Best 13 Inch Laptop
Featuring a hardware-based switch, you can switch the graphics on the Sony Vaio VPCZ116GX/S when you need it. With its Nvidia GeForce GT 330M enabled it can run most 3D games smoothly, which means that the laptop can run practically everything else, including watching 720p HD movies, any office application, Internet browsing and so forth. However, even with the more energy-saving integrated graphics enabled, the laptop is still full of high-end components. Sony have balanced them well though as the Sony Vaio VPCZ116GX/S can last for three hours and thirty minutes on a single charge which is better than some older laptops but not as good as other underpowered CULV thin-and-light laptops.
Overall, the Sony Vaio VPCZ116GX/S is exactly what the doctor ordered if you've been complaining that your expensive laptop isn't fast or powerful enough. The trade-off in battery life is obvious though, but its three-hour battery life should be more than enough for most business execs, engineers, programmers, gamers and other high-intensity users who need the Sony Vaio VPCZ116GX/S's extra performance.
Laptop Reviews - Sony Vaio VPCZ116GX-S 13.3-Inch Laptop
