Oct 17, 2009

Sony Vaio VGN-P11Z a netbook in particular format
While the market for netbooks appears advocating the status quo technology, some manufacturers are trying to hold their own game is the case with Dell, for instance, with its Mini range including the Mini 12, or from Asus, with its Eee PC S101. Sony, meanwhile, did not immediately thrown into the battle were delivered MSI, Asus and many others. And with almost a year behind everyone that the Japanese company announced at CES this year, the Vaio VGN-P11Z. A year of reflection, a year to mature a product that would stand out from the competition? This is what we'll see.

We used the term "netbook" to describe this laptop, and it is not necessarily appropriate. In fact, Sony even refute some of this appellation, considering its product as relatively remote from traditional netbooks like the Asus Eee PC or MSI Wind. We shall see later, some arguments, however, lead us to consider it as such. Others not. This applies to the shape of its chassis, which is not connected to anything that exists today. The Sony Vaio VGN-P11Z measure indeed 24.5 inches wide, 12 cm deep and 2 cm thick. It is almost as large as a netbook classic, but is much less deep and weighs particularly heavy half with 600 grams ... Battery included! This is not the transformer that supplied by Sony will charge more, the latter being particularly discreet.


Sony Vaio P
Sony Vaio P
Sony Vaio P - Chargeur

The Sony VGN-P11Z placed on the Samsung NC10, though one of the finest in its class


In the bowels of the Vaio VGN-P11Z

Logo vista seguridad bubble

While the vast majority of netbooks on the market today are equipped with all Intel Atom N270 processor and Intel 945 chipset, Sony has opted for the platform Poulsbo already tested in our columns via the article in the Dell Mini 12. This platform is equipped with Intel GMA 500, a graphics chip that can decode HD material, but rather uncomfortable in 3D. So much so that even with 2 GB of RAM provided by Sony, the activation causes Aero, Windows Vista, real slow. You will understand, it's Windows Vista Home Premium is installed on the laptop from Sony.

As for the processor installed in the Vaio is still a model of the Atom family, the Z520 in this case . Clocked at 1.33 GHz (against 1.6 for the N270), the FSB is only 533MHz and its memory, L2 cache of 512 K. In other words, this processor is anything but a lightning war. However, it has the advantage to be 45nm and have a thermal envelope (TDP) of only 2 Watts. So a component that heats very little, which explains the lack of ventilation on the Sony netbook.

The hard drive that the team Vaio VGN-P11Z is not a source of heat. With a capacity (relatively low) to 60 GB, 2.5-inch hard drive only runs at 4 200 rpm, which reduces both the noise, heat and ... performance. Note however that it is possible to replace this disc a SSD of 64 or 128 GB (option proposed by Sony). For those who remain in the good old magnetic disk, Sony has provided a protection of the latter. Accessible via the control panel, the Vaio Control Center offers three settings: protecting low, medium or high. If you opt for the latter setting, the performance of your disk will be significantly reduced compared with the setting "Low", about 13% according to our tests.

Protection DD

What equipment for this netbook?
The battery is one of the most important components of a computer made for mobility, because its characteristics have to deal with the need for substantial autonomy and a weight that should be as low as possible. The team that the Vaio VGN-P11Z is particularly small (less than 140 grams) and has 4 cells for a capacity of 2 300 mAh. A weight-capacity so interesting. It remains to see the real autonomy of the machine, knowing that if it does not satisfy you, Sony also offers models with 8 cell battery, with an additional financial effort.

Sony Vaio P

The battery of Sony Vaio VGN-P11Z, thin and lightweight


The small size of the computer associated with a keyboard that retains some ergonomics requires some sacrifices. This is why you will not find a touchpad on this notebook. He is replaced by a trackpad fashionable Dell. As well tell you right now, we're not fans of this type of device: the time taken to point to a specific element is much larger than a mouse or a touchpad. However, one supplied by Sony is accurate and handy. The webcam placed in the top right corner of the screen is however a fairly average quality, since the resolution does not exceed 0.3 megapixel.

Sony Vaio P
Sony Vaio P


For reasons of space, the trackpad has replaced the traditional touchpad


If we look a little on the ends of the Vaio, it is a USB socket, audio output and the outlet on the left side, while the right side also has a USB connector and a rather unusual .
A USB socket, audio output and the outlet on the left side ...


This decision is in fact support an additional module supplied by Sony and which contains a VGA connector and an Ethernet. The trick to relocate the ports that are not always necessary displacement is fairly well found, although the appearance of the module in question somewhat spoils the aesthetics of the Vaio.


Sony Vaio P
Sony Vaio P


Vaio Smart Network

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