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Review Sony Vaio SVT1311M1ES Ultrabook

Hybrid book. Sony sends an ultrabook into the ring called SVT1311M1ES. An aluminum case and Intel Core i3 processor are to lure customers. A special highlight is the hybrid hard disk. It fuses the size of a conventional HDD with the speed of an SSD. Will Sony's Vaio ultrabook also be convincing in our tests?

The ultrabook market is currently experiencing a growth spurt. Virtually every reputable notebook manufacturer has introduced at least one model in the past few months. In contrast to notebooks which are also designed to cover the mobile sector, ultrabooks feature much higher computing powers and have much higher build qualities. Sony’s latest entry into the ultrabook market is the 13.3 inch Vaio SVT1311M1ES. The ultrabook is made completely of aluminum. Behind its sleek and attractive exterior lies a thoroughly well designed interior. The Vaio is based on a new Intel Core i3 ULV processor and a hybrid hard disk. The ultrabook's weight of 1.6 kilograms (3.5 pounds) is also impressive. We will see how Sony's ultrabook fares in our tests.

We would like to add that our test sample of Sony's Vaio SVT1311M1ES is a pre-series model. There may be differences in upcoming retail configurations and it should be noted that our results, measurements, and findings may not apply to these retail configurations.

Case

The Sony Vaio SVT1311M1ES makes an excellent first impression. The aluminum surface, which is partly brushed aluminum, looks very high-end and elegant. The feel also conveys this impression. Moreover, the aluminum case fits well with the ultrabook's design and can best be described as elegant. The notebook's low build height underlines this even more. The screen can be opened comfortably using one hand and without lifting the base at the same time. One will notice how little weight the delicate display has when opening it. This however also has an impact on the screen's stability. The slightest pressure is enough to cause the display to warp. It seems that a few components in the display bezel exert pressure against the screen and we noticed a few marks here.

Two small plastic feet at the rear of the ultrabook elevate the entire rear end of the unit to make typing more comfortable and improve the ultrabook's cooling. The user sees more aluminum when the device is opened. Our pressure tests show that the base unit is more rigid than the display. The wrist rest hardly yields under pressure and the frame around the keyboard is also very solid. The surface can only be depressed slightly in the keyboard's center. This is within acceptable limits and barely noticeable when typing.

Overall, the ultrabook's workmanship does not give reason for complaint. The aluminum case and solid build give the user the confidence of knowing that he or she is dealing with a high-end device. However, the screen should be treated with care due to its low thickness and resulting lack of complete rigidity.

Connectivity

Ultrabooks usually do not score highly with their interface diversity and the Sony Vaio SVT1311M1ES is a small exception here. The left side features the DC power jack and two USB ports, one being the faster USB 3.0.  The right side hosts the remaining ports. In contrast to many other ultrabooks, there are two connectors for video signals -  an analog VGA out and a digital HDMI port. A network jack and a 2-in-1 card reader are also available. With all of these interfaces, the Sony Vaio SVT1311M1ES's equipment is not bad for an ultrabook. As the interfaces are limited to the laptop's sides, one should take care when using big USB sticks or thicker plugs since they could lift the ultrabook here due to its low thickness.

Front
Front
Left: Power socket, USB 2.0, USB 3.0
Left: Power socket, USB 2.0, USB 3.0
Right: Audio jacks, card reader, HDMI, VGA, RJ45 (LAN)
Right: Audio jacks, card reader, HDMI, VGA, RJ45 (LAN)

Communication

The SVT1311M1ES actually offers almost all communication options that one might want in a mobile device. Everything one’s heart might desire is present, except for a UMTS modem. A network card from Realtek is available for cabled Internet access. It supports 1000BASE-T, 100BASE-TX and 10BASE-T speeds. An Atheros card is installed for wireless connections. It covers IEEE 802.11 b/g/n standards as well as Bluetooth version 4.0.

Scope of delivery

Since our test sample is a pre-series model, there were no supplies in the box aside from the ultrabook and power adapter.

Maintenance

To access the ultrabook's hardware, the battery must first be removed.  The battery is secured using three wide-slot screws which can be removed using anything that happens to fit the slot, such as a coin. The hardware is found underneath another cover.

Warranty

Sony provides a standard one year warranty on the ultrabook. The warranty can be extended by another year when registering the ultrabook on Sony's homepage.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The ultrabook uses free-standing keys in its keyboard. The keys are not particularly large with a size of 14 x 13 millimeters (0.55 x 0.51 inches). The gap between the keys is approximately 4 millimeters (0.16 inches). Users with large hands could have problems and unintentionally hit two keys at the same time. Therefore, it is definitely advisable to try out the keyboard before buying the laptop.

When typing on the keyboard for the first time, one will immediately notice that the keys are very flat and hardly protrude from the base unit. This combined with the hard stop and short key drop can be irritating at first. It also seems like the keys do not provide enough feedback. After a while, one gets used to it and can type comfortably on the keyboard. In addition to the usual FN keys, marked in blue, the Vaio SVT1311M1ES has three buttons above the keyboard. They are named "ASSIST", "WEB" and "VAIO".  Pressing the “ASSIST” button opens the VAIO Care Software. It lets one monitor the ultrabook’s status. The "WEB" key opens the default browser and the "VAIO" key opens either the Media Gallery or PlayMemories Home software.

Touchpad

The touchpad in Sony's SVT1311M1ES is pretty wide but not very tall. This becomes obvious when looking at the touchpad's dimensions of 100 millimeters (width) x 56 millimeters (height) (3.9 x 2.2 inches) and a diagonal of 112 millimeters (4.4 inches). No mouse keys are seen at first glance. Like Apple notebooks, the touchpad itself is the key and can be pressed at both lower edges. A clear click noise confirms triggering. This feature worked perfectly in the test. However, we were a bit unhappy with the touchpad's functions. The touchpad often responded very sluggishly or jerkily. This is very annoying and bothersome during use and does not really fit into the quality device that the Vaio SVT1311M1ES attempts to be. We however assume that the occasional jerks are due to the pre-series status and will be eliminated in the retail version. Multi-touch of course belongs to the touchpad's scope of functions. However, it also exhibits occasional jerks in the course of normal use.

Keyboard
Keyboard
Touchpad
Touchpad

Display

The SVT1311M1ES possesses a 13.3 inch screen with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. The screen is equipped with a backlight and glare-type surface. The screen looks a lot smaller than 13.3 inches at first because it is enclosed by a pretty thick frame. We would have welcomed a somewhat thinner bezel and perhaps a bigger screen in return. As described in connectivity, there are VGA-out and HDMI ports available to drive external monitors. The maximum resolution for external devices is 1920 x 1200 pixels.

177
cd/m²
175
cd/m²
173
cd/m²
167
cd/m²
175
cd/m²
164
cd/m²
159
cd/m²
165
cd/m²
155
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
N116BGE-LB1 tested with Gossen Mavo-Monitor
Maximum: 177 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 167.8 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 175 cd/m²
Contrast: 139:1 (Black: 1.26 cd/m²)42.32% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60.4% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.77% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Sony Vaio vs. Adobe RGB(t)
Sony Vaio vs. Adobe RGB(t)
Sony Vaio vs. sRGB(t)
Sony Vaio vs. sRGB(t)

The SVT1311M1ES is not a high-flyer in brightness rates and compared with other ultrabooks it is quite poor. For example, Asus' Zenbook UX21E is clearly beyond 400 cd/m2 and the MacBook Air's rates are over 200 cd/m2. The Vaio’s average of 167.8 cd/m2 is rather weak by comparison. The illumination of 88 percent is quite homogeneous though. Full brightness can be maintained on battery power. Unfortunately, the black value of 1.26 cd/m2 is rather high. Screens should maintain a black value of less than 1.0 cd/m2. Lower black values improve not only dark movie and game scenes but also improve contrast. Partially as a result of the elevated black value, the contrast is a poor 139:1 for this unit.

The SVT1311M1ES is rather middling in terms of color reproduction. Both the sRGB and AdobeRGB color space are remote from being completely rendered. However, that is not really a problem for Sony's ultrabook as it is unlikely to be used for picture or video editing.

Outdoors
Outdoors

The ultrabook has a bit of a hard time in outdoor use. In addition to low contrast and brightness, the screen's glossy surface affects the contents' visibility.  The contents only become visible to some extent in the shade.

Sony's ultrabook behaves like most other screens on the market in terms of viewing angles. The display is good as long as you look at the screen at an even height. At even heights, it is possible to view the screen from the right or left without major content distortions. This allows several viewers to view the screen. The content quickly starts to invert or fade when looking from above or below.

Viewing angles: Sony Vaio SVT1311M1ES
Viewing angles: Sony Vaio SVT1311M1ES

Performance

Our Sony ultrabook test sample is equipped with a current Intel Core i3-2367M CPU at 1.4 GHz. It is supported by 4 GB of working memory and a 500 GB hard disk. The processor’s integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 chip provides video output. In addition to the 500 GB hard disk, the ultrabook has 32 GB SSD memory (mini PCIe). However, the user cannot access it directly. It is managed automatically by the system. The SSD is clearly noticed during system booting and when opening programs and is extremely fast. This mirrors the Vaio SVT1311M1ES’s main use as a small, quickly available portable companion.

System info CPUZ CPU
System info CPUZ Cache
System info CPUZ Mainboard
System info CPUZ RAM
System info GPUZ
DPC Latency
System information: Sony Vaio SVT1311M1ES

Processor

Intel's Core i3-2367M processor is installed in Sony's ultrabook. It is a ULV (ultra low voltage) model with an exceptionally low consumption. However, that also affects performance. Both cores are not clocked particularly high at 1.4 GHz. Turbo Boost 2.0 is not a feature of the ULV processor and thus it is not automatically overclocked during use. Nevertheless, multi-threading is possible and so it can process four threads simultaneously. Intel's HD Graphics 3000 is also integrated in the processor. Due to this limitation, the i3-2367M only has a TDP of 17 watts. "Normal" i3 processors are specified with a TDP of 35 watts.

To date, we have not had many 13.3 inch subnotebooks or ultrabooks for review. As a result, comparisons with Sony's Vaio ultrabook are limited. Only Toshiba's Portégé Z830-10N (2367MHD 3000) features the same processor. By comparison, the Vaio ultrabook scores a bit better than the Portégé in Cinebench R10's single rendering (64bit) test of only one core.  The Vaio achieves 2275.0 points while Toshiba's Portégé lags a bit behind with 2233.0 points.

In the Cinebench R10 multi rendering (64bit) test, the Vaio stays ahead of Toshiba's Portégé Z830-10N. The difference between both notebooks is very marginal. Sony's ultrabook leads with 5048.0 points to 4821.0 points for Toshiba's laptop. Sony's ultrabook is soundly defeated when compared with the MacBook Air 13 inch 2011 (2557MHD 3000) at 8266.0 points. It should be noted that the Vaio belongs to a set of slower models when compared with other ultrabooks (comparison: Asus Zenbook UX31E-DH52B (2557MHD 3000) 8349.0 points). Here it becomes evident that other ultrabooks are equipped with stronger processors. 

Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
1856
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
4139
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
1970
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
2275 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
5048 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
1783 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
7.23 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
1.35 Points
Help

System Performance

We used the PCMark 7 benchmark to assess the Vaio ultrabook's system performance. Here, the ultrabook achieved 2371.0 points and places itself roughly in the midfield of similar notebooks. Toshiba's Portégé Z830-10N (2367MHD 3000) scored slightly better with 2371.0 points and the MacBook Air 13 inch 2011 (2557MHD 3000) is also clearly in the lead with 3561.0 points. These figures are however unimportant for everyday use. Sony's Vaio proves to be a solid work device for this field. Opening programs especially benefits from the 32 GB SSD drive.

PCMark 7 Score
2371 points
Help

Mass Memory

Crystal Disk Mark
Crystal Disk Mark
HD Tune
HD Tune
HD Tune (SSD)
HD Tune (SSD)

Mass Memory

No less than two hard disks work in Sony's Vaio ultrabook. The first is a 2.5 inch, 500 GB (gross) magnetic disk. It spins at 5400 rpm. The second is a 32 GB SSD drive that the user cannot access directly. The system manages the 32 GBs automatically to speed up specific processes (e.g. booting the laptop).

Although HDTune registered both hard disks, the SSD drive is incorrectly read as 12 GB. The hybrid drive is difficult to compare because of this "hybridization".

Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
Transfer Rate Minimum: 48.2 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 255.1 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 86.5 MB/s
Access Time: 0.2 ms
Burst Rate: 188.3 MB/s
CPU Usage: 1 %

Graphics Card

Graphics Card

The processor integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 is used as the graphics card in Sony's Vaio ultrabook. Like the ULV processor, the graphics card's performance is reduced compared with "standard" models (350 versus 650 MHz base clock). But the consumption benefits from that as we remarked under Processor. In terms of performance, the graphics card is not designed for up-to-date games and is therefore sooner conceived for office tasks or Internet surfing. Nevertheless, a few older games should run on this graphics card.

Intel's HD Graphics 3000 is an old acquaintance in our test lab and, as expected, does not break any records. On the contrary, Sony's Vaio ultrabook is sooner found at the lower end due to the ULV processor's slimmed performance. Sony's ultrabook only managed 1698.0 points in the 3DMark 06 benchmark. Again, Toshiba's Portégé Z830-10N (2367M, HD 3000) has a slight lead on the Sony with 1726.0 points.

3DMark 03 Standard
6962 points
3DMark 06 Standard Score
3083 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Sony's ultrabook is not made for gaming. That is not surprising in light of the notebook's ULV processor and basic onboard graphics. We tested three current games on the notebook. Alan Wake and the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim were absolutely unplayable. This is similar with Anno 2070. The game can be played on the lowest setting with a lot of patience, but it is not really fun.

Further information about Intel's HD Graphics 3000 in other games can be read in our extensive graphics comparison.

low med. high ultra
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) 18 8
Anno 2070 (2011) 22 11 7
Alan Wake (2012) 4

Emissions

Sony's Vaio SVT1311M1ES is very restrained when idling. The fan remains mostly disabled and only the hard disk's noise is audible. The noise level of 29.6 dB (A) is very unobtrusive. However, the fan starts up quite quickly under low load and the noise level increases to 32.4 - 34.4 dB (A), reasonably tolerable levels. The noise increases significantly during full load. The noise level reaches 36.4 - 41.2 dB (A) and is very audible.

Noise Level

Idle
29.6 / 32.4 / 34.4 dB(A)
HDD
30 dB(A)
Load
36.4 / 41.2 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance)
Sony's ultrabook under full load

Temperature

There is no reason for concern when it comes to the Vaio SVT1311M1ES's temperatures. The ultrabook only heats up to a maximum of 35.1 on the top and 36.7 degrees Celsius on the bottom (95.2 Fahrenheit on top, 98.0 Fahrenheit on bottom) under load situations. Those are very good rates. Sony could even consider throttling the fan speed a bit to reduce noise levels slightly. When measuring the device’s idling temperatures, we found the top's maximum temperature to be 30.3 degrees Celsius (86.5 Fahrenheit) and bottom’s maximum temperature to be 31.4 degrees Celsius (88.5 Fahrenheit).  We can safely say that the ultrabook can be used without hesitation on the lap at all times, particularly since an ultrabook will only rarely be used on the lap during full load.

However, we again point out that our test sample is a pre-series device. Consequently, the temperatures could be different in the retail version.

We used the programs Prime95 and FurMark to put Sony's Vaio under the maximum possible load. Here, both the CPU and GPU are stressed extremely. We noticed that the cooling system is at full power immediately after starting the stress test. If we believe the data recorded using PC Wizard, the temperatures are not particularly high. We measured less than 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). The cooling system could have slowed down a notch or two. We also refer to the notebook's pre-series status here. The cooling system's behavior may be revised in the retail version. The processor ran at maximum clock during the entire stress test. ULV processors do not incorporate Turbo Boost. We did not record throttling or similar problems and the subsequent 3DMark 06 benchmark of 3085.0 points did not show any significant differences when compared with the "cold" state.

Max. Load
 32.3 °C
90 F
32.7 °C
91 F
29 °C
84 F
 
 25.1 °C
77 F
35 °C
95 F
28.5 °C
83 F
 
 26.3 °C
79 F
26.6 °C
80 F
25.1 °C
77 F
 
Maximum: 35 °C = 95 F
Average: 29 °C = 84 F
29.3 °C
85 F
29.3 °C
85 F
36.7 °C
98 F
28.3 °C
83 F
29.7 °C
85 F
27.6 °C
82 F
26 °C
79 F
29.2 °C
85 F
28.1 °C
83 F
Maximum: 36.7 °C = 98 F
Average: 29.4 °C = 85 F
Power Supply (max.)  50.2 °C = 122 F | Room Temperature 20.2 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 29 °C / 84 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 35 °C / 95 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 36.7 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26.6 °C / 79.9 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (+1.7 °C / 3 F).

Speakers

The speakers are, as is typical with most notebooks, modest. They lack deep pitches and bass. The treble starts to fray at high volumes. However, the sound quality is acceptable for a movie on the go. The audio jack supplies a higher quality.

Battery Life

Power Consumption

The ultrabook proves to be quite energy-efficient thanks to state-of-the-art energy saving technologies and hardware. This is by design as optimal energy-efficiency is a requirement in order to achieve the run times Sony specifies. The idle consumption is 6.1 - 8.7 watts. When compared with other ultrabooks, the Vaio fares quite well here. Apple's MacBook Air 13 (2557MHD 3000) for example needs 6.0 - 14.0 watts. Sony's Vaio also does a fairly good job under load with 27.0 - 31.9 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.1 / 0.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 6.1 / 7.4 / 8.7 Watt
Load midlight 27 / 31.9 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Maximum battery runtime (Reader's Test)
Reader's Test
Minimum battery runtime (Classic Test)
Classic Test
Charging
Charging
 

Battery Runtime

Sony's Vaio excels in battery life. We used BatteryEater Pro's software to determine the run times. The Reader's test simulates office use with reduced screen brightness and disabled WiFi/Bluetooth. The ultrabook even manages more than the manufacturer's specified 7 hours and achieves a total of 8 hours and 26 minutes. The runtime sinks to 4 hours and 16 minutes when surfing the Internet. At maximum brightness and under full load, the battery life drops to 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
8h 26min
WiFi Surfing
4h 16min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 30min

Verdict

Before we go on with our verdict, we again point out that the reviewed Sony Vaio SVT1311M1ES is a pre-series model. We are in summary very satisfied with Sony's ultrabook as is.

The workmanship is very good. However, there was a minor deduction for display instability.  It can be twisted without much force. Since Apple and Asus prove that superior stability is possible, we deducted a few percentage points here.

After a bit of getting used to the keyboard, we also were very satisfied with it. The touchpad would have achieved an equally good rating if it were not for the sporadic dropouts. But we ascribe this to the pre-series status and presume that it will not occur in the final version.

In terms of connectivity, the notebook scores particularly well due to the available USB 3.0 as well as VGA and HDMI. Most other notebooks cannot keep up with that. However other notebooks break away in terms of performance since they usually feature stronger processors. In return, the good battery life makes up for that.

Overall, we can recommend Sony's Vaio SVT1311M1ES ultrabook without hesitation.  Those looking for an enduring and well-built ultrabook at a reasonably low price are well advised with Sony's laptop.

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In Review:  Sony Vaio SVT1311M1ES
In Review: Sony Vaio SVT1311M1ES

Specifications

Sony Vaio SVT1311M1ES (Vaio T13 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i3-2367M 2 x 1.4 GHz, Sandy Bridge
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 3000, DDR3, 8.15.10.2626
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3-10600, 1333 MHz, max. 8 GB, 2 banks (1 free)
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel, N116BGE-LB1 , LED backlight, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel HM77 (Panther Point)
Storage
Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380, 500 GB 
, 5400 rpm, additional hybrid hard disk, 32 GB SSD memory is managed by system (Samsung MZMPC032HBCD)
Soundcard
Intel Cougar Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: headphone out, Card Reader: 2in1 card reader (SD, MMC)
Networking
Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Atheros AR9485WB-EG Wireless Network Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0 + HS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 18 x 323 x 226 ( = 0.71 x 12.72 x 8.9 in)
Battery
45 Wh Lithium-Polymer, 19.5 volt
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 1.31 Megapixel
Additional features
VAIO Gate, PlayMemories Home, Media Gallery, VAIO Care, VAIO Transfer Support, VAIO Update, VAIO Smart Network, Office 2010 preinstalled, Windows Live Essentials 2011, Adobe Acrobat X Standard, Adobe Reader 10, Intel Anti Theft Service (90 day trial perio
Weight
1.6 kg ( = 56.44 oz / 3.53 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
799 Euro

 

Sony's ultrabook:
Sony's ultrabook:
The notebook's screen struggles with outdoor use.
The notebook's screen struggles with outdoor use.
A webcam should not be omitted.
A webcam should not be omitted.
One hides the battery and the other the hardware.
One hides the battery and the other the hardware.
There are two covers on the bottom.
There are two covers on the bottom.
Elevating restricts the maximum opening angle quite a bit though.
Elevating restricts the maximum opening angle quite a bit though.
The notebook looks very slim from the side.
The notebook looks very slim from the side.
... the laptop is automatically elevated by the hinges.
... the laptop is automatically elevated by the hinges.
When Sony's ultrabook is opened
When Sony's ultrabook is opened
.. but not too heavy either.
.. but not too heavy either.
Not the lightest ultrabook with 1.6 kilograms,
Not the lightest ultrabook with 1.6 kilograms,
the Vaio SVT1311M1ES
the Vaio SVT1311M1ES
The legibility is maintained to an extent in the shade.
The legibility is maintained to an extent in the shade.

Similar Notebooks

Similar devices with the Same Specs

Similar devices from a different Manufacturer

Devices from a different Manufacturer and/or with a different CPU

Review Toshiba Portégé R930-13F Subnotebook
HD Graphics 3000, Core i3 2370M
Review Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E330 Notebook
HD Graphics 3000, Core i3 2370M
Review Asus X301A-RX005V Subnotebook
HD Graphics 3000, Core i3 2350M
Review Sony Vaio SV-S1311G4E Notebook
HD Graphics 3000, Core i3 2350M

Links

  • Manufacturer's information

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Pros

+Boots extremely fast
+Good battery life
+Very good workmanship
+High-end materials
+USB 3.0, VGA and HDMI
+Fair price
+Removable battery
 

Cons

-Display lacks stability of contenders
-Mediocre screen rates (brightness, contrast)
-Keyboard needs familiarization
-Touchpad is sometimes sluggish (pre-series model)

Shortcut

What we like

The design and workmanship. Sony's Vaio SVT1311M1ES is a real good-looker.

What we'd like to see

The touchpad was not quite satisfactory in out (pre-series) test device. We hope that that is due to its pre-series status.

What surprises us

That there are only few other ultrabooks with Sony Vaio SVT1311M1ES's connectivity.

The competition

One contender with similar configuration comes from Toshiba, in form of the Portégé Z830-10N. However, Toshiba completely relies on an SSD drive. It is also more expensive with EUR 1200. If you are willing to spend a bit more, you can take a look at the MacBook Air. Asus' Zenbook is also worth looking at.

Rating

Sony Vaio SVT1311M1ES - 05/18/2012 v2(old)
Simon Kohlstock

Chassis
94%
Keyboard
88%
Pointing Device
84%
Connectivity
66%
Weight
91%
Battery
90%
Display
68%
Games Performance
61%
Application Performance
86%
Temperature
92%
Noise
86%
Add Points
89%
Average
83%
86%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average
Simon Kohlstock, 2012-05-24 (Update: 2013-06- 6)