Sony announces US launch details for the VAIO Flip and Tap PCs

Both the convertible Flip line and the Tap Windows tablets are expected to hit Sony stores and Best Buy by late October

Craig Munro, Published 10/16/2013

Ever since Sony's new lineup was shown off at IFA last month, pre-orders and special offers have been popping up on the company's European and Japanese sites with no indication that a US launch was forthcoming. But good things come to those who wait – all three sizes of VAIO Flip, and both the VAIO Tap 11 and Tap 21 are on their way, and the prices aren't half bad either.

The VAIO Flip are convertibles that switch between a standard laptop configuration and a tablet mode. They are available in 13.3-, 14-, and 15.5-inch formats. All three feature Full HD (1920 x 1080) displays, Intel HD 4400 graphics; up to 8 GB of RAM, a choice of Core i3 4005U, Core i5 4200U, or Core i7 4500U processors, HDD, hybrid, or SSD storage, an optional N-Trig digitizer, and a generous selection of connectivity options including an HDMI port, a full size SD card slot, and multiple USB 3.0 ports.

The 15.5-inch model is also available with an impressive 2880 x 1620 display, up to 16 GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 735M (1 or 2 GB).

The VAIO Tap 11 tablet is Sony's version of the Microsoft Surface Pro. It features an 11.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display, a choice of Intel Pentium 3560Y, Core i3 4020Y, Core i5 4210Y, or Core i7 4610Y processors, Intel HD or Intel HD 4200 graphics, 4 GB of RAM, 128 to 512 GB of solid state storage, a micro HDMI port, a microSD card slot, and a USB 3.0 port.

The VAIO Tap 21 is either an oversized tablet, or a reasonably mobile all-in-one PC. It features a 21.5-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display, a Core i5 4200U, Core i7 4500U, or a Core i7 4558U processor, Intel HD 4400 or Intel Iris 5100 graphics, up to 16 GB of RAM, up to 1 TB of hybrid internal storage or up to a 512 SSD, an SD card slot, an Ethernet port, and 2 USB 3.0 ports.

All of these new products will be available in the United States from late October. Prices for the Flip 13, 14, and 15 convertibles start at US$1099, US$749, and US$799 respectively. The Tap 11 will start at US$799 including the keyboard cover, and the Tap 21 will start at US$999.