Sony VAIO CW Laptop Reviewed

With the VAIO CW series of mid-size notebooks, Sony has created a combination of performance, style, and value that, on paper at least, appears to result in one of the best deals for a laptop out there. Does the VAIO CW live up to its substantial promise, or is there something holding it back?
Positives
Sony’s VAIO laptops are known for their impressive mix of sleek looks and high-end hardware; the 14-inch CW certainly continues this trend, with one important addition. Not only does the CW have the looks and performance, it provides them at a price point that, considering Sony’s reputation, is shockingly low. While the CW’s minimum specifications have a suggested retail price of around $800, the bang-for-your-buck is even better when you move up to the recommended package, which includes a 2.13GHz Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and a 256MB NVIDIA graphics card (which can be upgraded to a 512MB card), and retails for $880.
Much as the CW’s hardware features make it appropriate for a multitude of users and purposes, its design options should appeal to a variety of people. The CW is available in several colors, including otherwise hard-to-find options like pink and yellow. At about five pounds, the CW isn’t ultra-light, but it is very sturdy and makes good use of its space, with a spacious chiclet-style keyboard and a good variety of ports, including three USB and one HDMI.
Negatives
The VAIO CW does just about everything well, but there is one serious problem that has been reported in recent weeks. Although under normal circumstances the CW’s battery life is about average for a laptop of its size, some users of Core i3-equipped CWs have had problems with the battery apparently draining while the laptop is asleep. There’s some speculation that this is actually a software-related problem, meaning that it could be fixed by a downloadable update.
The Bottom Line
The VAIO CW is indeed one of the best values currently on the laptop market, with an impressive combination of powerful hardware, quality design, and a very reasonable price. Provided that Sony can get the battery issues sorted out, the CW can be recommended to anyone who’s looking for a mid-size laptop.

Posted in: Sony