Sony VAIO VPC-F215FX/BI

The fashionable Sony VAIO VPC-F215FX/BI provides stereoscopic 3D and also shells it up with impressive components.

Sony VAIO VPC-F215FX/BI

If 2010 had been the year from the 3DTV, possibly 2011 may be the yr. of the 3D notebook. In spite of not really receiving almost exactly the same level of hoopla as stereoscopic TVs, we have seen much more 3D-enabled laptop computers this season than ever before. The most recent is Sony’s 16-inch F-series Vaio notebook.

The device is known as the Sony VAIO VPC-F215FX/BI, however should you navigate to the Sony Style website, the nearest current model number may be the Vaio F21AFX, that is similar save for a somewhat different processor chip Intel Core i7.

Just like most Vaio systems, it is slick, appealing, and well-built. It is also nearly obscenely large for factors we cannot quite comprehend; other 3D notebooks have the ability to weigh just like their non-3D counterparts.

Sony’s undertake 3D for laptop computers is exclusive. The device uses Nvidia’s 3D Vision system, that is the precious metal standard of notebook 3D, but rather of using Nvidia’s active shutter eyeglasses, Sony features a customized pair, which works on both this kind of laptop in addition to Sony’s type of 3DTVs. It is a good touch if you own both; it illustrates the consumer-interest-killing fragmentation in stereoscopic 3D.

The Vaio F215FX continues to be on the costly side, actually for a quad-core laptop. You have to pay both usual Sony Vaio premiums, along with the 3D hardware high quality. If you are wanting to enter laptop computer 3D, but wish to spend much less, you will find 3D systems available for about $1, 000, but you will end up getting something which does not look or feel almost as good, and most likely having a lower display quality and lower-end components.

This will come like a shock to nobody; however the Sony Vaio F is actually a single sharp-looking notebook. Our model is within shiny black, and also the body varies somewhat from additional Vaio laptops because both lid and reduce chassis possess a tapered, trapezoidal shape. It is uncommon, although not a poor look, and assists the machine look less cumbersome than it truly is. The polished top lid, nevertheless, draws in fingerprints and streaks very easily.

At almost 7 lbs, with no AC adapter, this really is one large laptop. Certain, 16-inch versions are about the bigger side of the midsize family; however the Vaio F is far too heavy for an everyday travel. By means of assessment, the somewhat smaller 15.6-inch Vaio SE we lately reviewed weighed under 4. 5 lbs. The energy large rock isn’t any light-weight, either. It is big and cumbersome, and provides regarding 1.5 lbs to the general journey weight.

Sony is doing the island-style key pad, using its flat-topped, broadly spaced keys, so long as anybody, and contains since turn out to be a business standard.

The person keys of Sony’s island-style key pad are large and simple to hit, and much less short compared to similar-looking ones about the Vaio SE. The broad chassis also suits in a full-size quantity pad, and also the essential keys are big and simple to hit.

The key pad is backlit, which we usually enjoy, but the Function key commands for volume, lighting manage, and other system duties are regrettably not function-reversed, so you will need to hold lower the Fan key to get into them. On a multimedia system laptop, we would choose either function-reversed Fan-keys, or devoted control keys.

Such as other current Sony Vaio notebook models, the F-series could be decked out with a custom-fit key pad skin. This can be a rubber overlay made to fit particular Vaio laptop versions; it is available in a multitude of colors, and handles the entire key pad area, edge to edge. This kind of optional accessory, generally close to $20, grips the keys pretty tightly, but there is still just a little wiggle underneath the fingers, therefore it is not really likely to be well suited for everybody.

The touch pad is actually anonymous-looking, only a basic designed patch of plastic material on the hand rest. For this costly laptop, we want to see good mouse control keys rather than the cheap-feeling rocker bar those functions for both correct and remaining clicks.

Like a multimedia notebook, we are happy that the Sony Vaio F215 includes a full HD screen having a 1, 920×1, 080-pixel native quality. Shows that do stereoscopic 3D can occasionally possess a subtle display door impact, which truly degrades overall picture quality, however which was no problem with this system. For 2D use, the show was obvious and vibrant, and even provided decent off-axis watching.

The trendy features, such as 2 USB 3.0 slots and a Blu-ray-playing drive, weren’t totally unpredicted, but a few things about the Vaio F had been a bit uncommon. Very first, the system features a FireWire port, something we usually see a couple of times a year now, although they were once standard throughout almost all notebooks.

The 2nd, and much more notable, change was something we missed. This is actually the first Sony laptop we are able to keep in mind that lacks another slot for Sony’s amazing Memory Stick electronic digital media cards. But, before you decide to believe that Sony has abandoned one of it is last great amazing formats; remember that the standard SD card slot right now also takes Memory Stick cards. You realize when you have one lying around, that you simply probably do not.

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