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Sony Vaio VPC-F21Z1E/BI

Specifications

Sony Vaio VPC-F21Z1E/BI
Sony Vaio VPC-F21Z1E/BI (Vaio VPC-F Series)
Processor
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M - 1024 MB VRAM, Core: 672 MHz, Memory: 900 MHz, DDR3, ForceWare 266.64
Memory
8 GB 
, 2x4096MB PC3-10600
Display
16.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, VAIO Premium-Display, partly anti-glare, 3D-ready, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM65
Storage
Toshiba MK6461GSY, 640 GB 
, 7200 rpm
Soundcard
Realtek ALC275
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 Firewire, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: headphone jack, microphone, Card Reader: Memory Stick Duo (MS PRO-HG, MagicGate) & SD (SDHC, SDXC), keyboard backlight automatically adjusted
Networking
Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Atheros AR9287 Wireless Network Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 3.0 + HS
Optical drive
Pioneer BD-RW BDR-TD03
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 45.4 x 398.3 x 271.3 ( = 1.79 x 15.68 x 10.68 in)
Battery
54 Wh Lithium-Ion, VGP-BPS21A 10.8V 5000mAh
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 1.3MP 1280×1024
Additional features
3D Active Shutter Glasses TDG-BR100/B, PMB VAIO Edition, Adobe Photoshop Elements 9, Adobe Premiere Elements 9, PlayStation 3, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
3.171 kg ( = 111.85 oz / 6.99 pounds), Power Supply: 668 g ( = 23.56 oz / 1.47 pounds)
Price
1999 Euro

 

Pricecompare

Average Score: 75.54% - good
Average of 13 scores (from 15 reviews)
price: 60%, performance: 87%, features: 76%, display: 87% mobility: 58%, workmanship: 86%, ergonomy: 90%, emissions: 86%

Reviews for the Sony Vaio VPC-F21Z1E/BI

84% Review Sony Vaio VPC-F21Z1E/BI 3D Notebook | Notebookcheck
3D Vaio. Sony Vaio's leap into the 3D world gives reason for excitement thanks to F21's perfect full-HD display and its undimmed 3D picture. The level of craftsmanship and choice of materials used for the case don't quite meet the demands of the premium sector, however.
80% Sony Vaio VPC-F21Z1E review
Source: Pocket Lint English Archive.org version
There's a lot to like about the Vaio F, and very little to dislike. It's a powerful laptop that'll handle just about anything you'll throw at it, from video to games to 3D, to day-to-day work. There's more than enough power, and the 1080p screen is one of the best we've seen. Even Sony's idiosyncratic design makes sense, with the Vaio F a striking example of PC design. While it is a little on the heavy side that's only to be expected and you're likely to keep a machine like this on a desk rather than on your lap.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 08/15/2011
Rating: Total score: 80%
70% Sony VAIO VPC-F21Z1E review
Source: Techradar English Archive.org version
A hot, heavy hunk of a machine, which sadly disappoints when it comes to the crunch. The Sony VAIO VPC-F21Z1E's probably one of your best choices if you want a 3D laptop, but ask yourself if that's something you really need. Is it worth over £1500 to you now when £1000 will get you something better in a year?
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 06/21/2011
Rating: Total score: 70%
Sony Vaio F Series 3D review
Source: T3 English Archive.org version
If you can overlook the cost and the fact you can't do serious 3D HD gaming, Sony's VAIO F-Series 3D is sublime. It sports the best 3D features with the best 3D results.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 05/31/2011
75% Sony Vaio VPCF21Z1E 16in laptop
Source: Reg Hardware English Archive.org version
Tech specs aside, the proof is in the playing, and Vaio’s frame rate seemed to be best for new games and worst for the oldest. In the cut-and-thrust of 3D gameplaying, as well as 3D movie-watching and 3D picture fun, the VPCF21Z1E/BI is not just great, but terrific. Whether it’s £1,799-worth of terrific, compared to a 3D-enabled tower system, depends on how much value you put on its luggable portability.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 05/19/2011
Rating: Total score: 75%
60% Sony Vaio F21Z1E/BI 3D laptop computer
Source: Computer Active English Archive.org version
Sony has a reputation for producing expensive computers in its Vaio range, and the Vaio VPCF21Z1E/BI is a more powerful computer than most we review, hence the £1800 price tag. This led to a rather odd quirk, which was that the screen sits an inch or so lower than it might on another laptop, which meant we constantly found our eyes looking an inch too high up - not a big problem, but a disconcerting one.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 04/28/2011
Rating: Total score: 60%
80% Sony VAIO VPCF21Z1E/B review
Source: Tech Advisor English Archive.org version
This entertainment-focused Sony VAIO VPCF21Z1E/B laptop has just about everything you’d need for a domestic-bound desktop replacement. It’s heavy and a touch too noisy for our taste but if you want a luggable notebook with 3D playback – and you have the budget for this £1800 extravaganza – then there’s nothing else we’ve seen that boasts this feature set.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 04/13/2011
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 60% features: 80% workmanship: 90%
80% Sony VAIO VPCF21Z1E/BI review
Source: Techradar English Archive.org version
While the slightly underwhelming graphics performance is unfortunate, when it comes to raw 3D entertainment potential few laptops are better than the VPCF21Z1E/BI. And with such staggering, cutting-edge office performance, it will last for years to come.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/31/2011
Rating: Total score: 80%
Sony VAIO F Series Hands-on
Source: Trusted Reviews English Archive.org version
Naturally, all this goodness doesn't come cheap and we heard that pricing could be as high as £1,800, making this one premium puppy – especially compared to the cheapest 3D laptop option we've seen, the £600 Acer Aspire 5745DG.
Single Review, online available, Length Unknown, Date: 02/23/2011
80% Sony VAIO F Series 3D Review
Source: Stuff TV English Archive.org version
Amazingly, in spite of the gigawatts of power it must be slurping up, barely a decibel escapes from the inky black case, and the little hum that does will easily be covered up by your popcorn munching and movie soundtracks.. The speakers are fair enough considering it’s a laptop but to do that 3D justice you should hook up to a pair of cans or a sound system that’s equal to the impressive internal sound hardware. Unquestionably, the F-series does deliver. The price tag may be as hefty as the laptop itself, but its Tardis-like ability to cram a believable extra dimension into everything you watch is indistinguishable from magic.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 02/01/2011
Rating: Total score: 80%
67% Sony VAIO VPCF21Z1E
Source: PC Pro English Archive.org version
A fast machine with a quality 3D screen that really works, but the price is in another dimension
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 01/26/2011
Rating: Total score: 67% price: 50% performance: 84% features: 67%

Foreign Reviews

80% Sony Vaio VPC-Z21 : ultra-portable sous stéroïdes
Source: [link] Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 11/10/2011
Rating: Total score: 80%
80% 3D Mobil
Source: PC Magazin - 9/11 German
Single Review, , Short, Date: 09/01/2011
Rating: Total score: 80%
86% Sony Vaio VPC-F21Z1E/BI (3D-Notebook)
Source: Chip.de German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 04/15/2011
Rating: Total score: 86% price: 70% performance: 88% features: 87% display: 84% mobility: 44% ergonomy: 92%
Sony VPC-F21Z1E
Source: HardwareLuxx German DE→EN Archive.org version
positive: matte display, 3D-effects, processor; negative: graphic performance not suited for games, input devices, limited mobility
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 10/13/2011
60% Sony Vaio F21 (VPCF21Z1E/BI)
Source: PCM Dutch NL→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 04/26/2011
Rating: Total score: 60%

Comment

NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M:

Mid-range graphics card based on the GT 435M chip (GF108) with higher clock rates and DDR3 support.

Non demanding games should be playable with these graphics cards.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.


Intel Core i7: The Intel Core i7 for laptops is based on the LG1156 Core i5/i7 CPU for desktops. The base clock speed of the CPUs is relatively low, but because of a huge Turbo mode, the cores can dynamically overclock to up to 3.2 GHz (920XM). Therefore, the CPU can be as fast as high clocked dual-core CPUs (using single threaded applications) but still offer the advantage of 4 cores. Because of the large TDP of 45 W / 55 W, the CPU is only intended for large laptops.  


2630QM: Fast Quad-core processor based on the Sandy Bridge architecture with an integrated graphics card and dual-channel DDR3 memory controller. » Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.


16.00":

15-inch display variants are the standard and are used for more than half of all laptops.

The reason for the popularity of mid-sized displays is that this size is reasonably easy on the eyes, often allows high resolutions and thus offers rich details on the screen, yet does not consume too much power and the devices can still be reasonably compact - simply the standard compromise.

» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.


3.171 kg:

A laptop with this weight is comparatively heavy and less designed for mobility than for use at the desk. Therefore, the devices tend to shine less with battery life than with a large screen and higher performance.


Sony: Sony Corporation is one of the largest Japanese electronics companies. The company was founded in 1946 under a different name and initially produced rice stoves. The company launched the first transistor radio. In 1958, the company was renamed Sony. Sony is a combination of the Latin word sonus (sound) and the English word sonny (little boy). Today, its core business is consumer electronics. The company is engaged in the development, design, manufacture and sale of electronic equipment, instruments, devices, game consoles and software. Sony operates in the following segments: Gaming and Network Services, Music, Images, Home Entertainment and Sound, Imaging Products and Solutions, Mobile Communications, Semiconductors, Financial Services and Others.


75.54%: This rating is not earth-shattering. This rating must actually be seen as average, since there are about as many devices with worse ratings as better ones. A purchase recommendation can only be seen with a lot of goodwill, unless it is about websites that generally rate strictly.


» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

 

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Devices with the same GPU

Toshiba Satellite P775-S7368
GeForce GT 540M, Core i5 2430M, 17.30", 3 kg
Asus N73SV-DH72
GeForce GT 540M, Core i7 2630QM, 17.30", 3.4 kg
Medion Akoya P7621-MD97886
GeForce GT 540M, Core i5 2430M, 17.30", 2.9 kg
Medion Akoya P7621-MD97889
GeForce GT 540M, Core i5 2430M, 17.30", 3.5 kg
Toshiba Satellite P770-10G
GeForce GT 540M, Core i5 2410M, 17.30", 3 kg
Asus K93SV-YZ094V
GeForce GT 540M, Core i7 2630QM, 18.40", 3.9 kg
Toshiba Satellite P770-109
GeForce GT 540M, Core i5 2410M, 17.30", 3 kg
Toshiba Satellite P775-10K
GeForce GT 540M, Core i7 2630QM, 17.30", 3 kg
Samsung RF711-S07DE
GeForce GT 540M, Core i7 2630QM, 17.30", 2.9 kg
Samsung RF711-S01DE
GeForce GT 540M, Core i5 2410M, 17.30", 2.9 kg
Asus N73SV-TZ044V
GeForce GT 540M, Core i7 2630QM, 17.30", 3.8 kg
Asus K73SV
GeForce GT 540M, Core i7 2630QM, 17.30", 3.6 kg
Asus N73SV-TZ063V
GeForce GT 540M, Core i7 2630QM, 17.30", 3.6 kg
Asus X7BSV-TY073V
GeForce GT 540M, Core i7 2630QM, 17.30", 3.5 kg
Asus N73SV-TZ040V
GeForce GT 540M, Core i7 2630QM, 17.30", 3.8 kg

Devices with Same Screen Size and/or Weight

Sony Vaio Tap 21 SV-T21227CXB
HD Graphics 4400, Core i7 4500U, 21.50", 3.9 kg
Sony Vaio SVE1713Y1EB
Radeon HD 7650M, Core i7 3632QM, 17.30", 3.2 kg
Sony Vaio SVE1713E1E
Radeon HD 7650M, Core i3 3120M, 17.30", 2.9 kg
Sony Vaio Tap 20-SVJ2022M1E
HD Graphics 4000, Core i3 3227U, 20.00", 8 kg
Sony Vaio SV-E1713Z1EB
Radeon HD 7650M, Core i7 3632QM, 17.30", 3.2 kg
Sony Vaio SV-E1712ACXB
Radeon HD 7650M, Core i7 3632QM, 17.30", 3.2 kg
Sony Vaio SVE1711Z1R
Radeon HD 7650M, Core i7 3612QM, 17.30", 3.2 kg
Sony Vaio SV-E171290X
Radeon HD 7550M, Core i7 3632QM, 17.30", 3.2 kg
Sony Vaio SV-E1711Z1EB
Radeon HD 7650M, Core i7 3612QM, 17.30", 3.2 kg
Sony Vaio SV-E1711P1EW
HD Graphics 3000, Core i5 2450M, 17.30", 2.9 kg
Sony Vaio VPC-EJ3K1E
HD Graphics 3000, Core i3 2350M, 17.30", 3.1 kg
Sony Vaio VPC-EJ3D1E/W
GeForce 410M, Core i5 2450M, 17.30", 3.1 kg
Sony Vaio VPC-EJ28FX/B
HD Graphics 3000, Core i5 2430M, 17.30", 3.1 kg
Sony Vaio VPC-EJ15FG/B
GeForce 410M, Core i5 2410M, 17.30", 3.1 kg
Current Prices
Stefan Hinum, 2011-02-24 (Update: 2012-05-26)