Sony VAIO Y Review

Sony VAIO Y

Review Summary:

The Sony VAIO Y is a 13.3" CULV-powered notebook for users who want the look and feel of the VAIO Z but not the high price.

Pros

• Great build quality
• Solid design with shared elements from the VAIO Z
• Optional dedicated graphics

Cons

• No backlit keyboard option

Sony VAIO Y Full Review

 

The VAIO Y is a 13.3" ultraportable CULV-powered notebook from Sony, acting as the affordable-brother to the high-end VAIO Z. This model includes Intel GMA HD integrated graphics, an Intel Pentium CULV processor (New models feature Intel Core i3 and i5 ULV processors), 4GB of DDR3 memory and a WXGA resolution display. In this review we see how well this model stacks up against other ultraportable systems and if it should be added to your back-to-school notebook buying list.

At the time of publishing this review, Sony has phased out the older Intel Pentium processors, as seen in this review, and replaced them with the newer Intel ULV Core i3 and i5 processors.

Our Sony VAIO Y Specifications:

• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Intel Pentium U5400 (1.2GHz, 3MB cache)
• 4GB DDR3 1066MHz RAM (8GB max)
• 500GB 5400RPM Toshiba Hard Drive
• 13.3" Widescreen LED Backlit Display (1366 x 768)
• Intel GHA HD Integrated Graphics
• Atheros B/G/N, 1Gb LAN, Bluetooth
• Ports: 3 x USB 2.0, Headphone Output, Microphone Input, VGA, HDMI, RJ-45 Ethernet, FireWire
• 6-cell 54Wh battery
• Dimensions: 12.8"(W) x 0.93 - 1.2"(H) x 8.9"(D)
• Weight: 3.81 pounds (with standard capacity battery)
• Price: $769 starting (For latest generation models)

Build and Design
The Sony VAIO Y has a laid back design compared to the more expensive VAIO Z, with slightly thicker panels, smoother lines, and a more tried-and-true color scheme. Whereas the Z might include a custom machined faceplate, the Y offers a standard painted body panel. Another change is the color selection between the two models, with the Z offering more professional finishes and the Y including fun and sporty color options. As a whole the Y-series seems to be the thin and light system designed for a younger crowd. The design still includes many cool elements, including the hinge-integrated power button, slice power indicator light embedded in the top edge of the notebook, and island-style keyboard.

Build quality is top notch for a sub-$800 notebook with sturdy body panels and a very strong chassis. The screen cover provides more than adequate protection for the display, preventing any distortions from showing on the LCD with a firm grip to the opposite side. The keyboard and main body don't seem to have much flex and without the optical drive cavity inside the notebook, it almost seems to have less flex on the right side. Without going to the extremes with a fully machine top-plate Sony still managed to create a very sturdy notebook.

Compared to the Vaio Z which included a proprietary SSD array, the Sony VAIO Y uses a much more basic, and easier to upgrade 2.5" hard drive. This, as well as the system memory, is accessible through the bottom of the notebook. For users looking to upgrade to an SSD down the road this means you wont have to fully dismantle the notebook just to swap out one component.

Screen and Speakers
The Sony VAIO Y comes standard with a 13.3-inch WXGA panel with no upgrade options for higher resolutions. Compared to other CULV-based notebooks the screen rates above average with good color and contrast. I have to admit that this screen was a step down from the one seen on the VAIO Z, which had a higher color saturation and deeper black levels (at nearly triple the cost!). For users looking to enjoy a movie on the road, enjoy a YouTube clip during class or type a term paper during a study session the screen is perfect. Backlight levels were good for bright indoor viewing conditions, with the surface measuring 196nit at full brightness. Viewing angles were good, although colors did seem to have a narrow sweet spot of roughly 10-15 degrees before colors started to shift or invert vertically. Horizontal viewing angles were much better, spanning over 60 degrees from the side.

Speaker performance was good for a thin and light system, with strong volume levels to fill a small room. Bass and midrange were lacking, but that was not unusual for a system in this class. Sony does include a headphone jack which puts out clean audio for private listening, as well as an HDMI-out jack for connecting the notebook to a HDTV and stereo.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The VAIO Y has a comfortable Chiclet-style keyboard that is easy to type on for long periods of time. Compared to the Vaio Zthe spacing is a bit different, putting dedicated Page Up/Down and Home/End keys on the right side of the keyboard, instead of including them as secondary functions over the direction keys. This caused some shrinking of the right shift button and left control button as well as slightly tighter spacing. The keyboard also lacks one of the luxurious backlit keys seen on the VAIO Z, but that was expected given the much lower starting price. Keyboard support is excellent with no noticeable keyboard flex under strong typing pressure. Key responsiveness is great as well as very quiet key actions that don't emit much noise when fully pressed.

The touchpad on the VAIO Y is a Synaptics model that is very responsive and has no discernible lag. The touchpad includes some multitouch features, including two-finger scroll which the Z actually skipped in favor of the chiral-scrolling motion. Refresh rates were excellent, preventing any "trails" from the cursor drawing fast circles on the screen. The touchpad settings out of the box were near perfect, with no tweaks needed during the review. I also found the touchpad buttons to be easy to trigger with the edge of your thumb and had shallow feedback when fully pressed. Overall the touchpad was very good and one of the nicer models seen on a thin and light notebook.

Ports and Features
Port selection on the VAIO Y was very good for a thin and light system, including three USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400, VGA and HDMI-out, audio jacks, and LAN. Expansion slots included a SDHC and MemoryStick card reader, as well as an ExpressCard/34 slot.

Front: MemoryStick reader, SDHC reader, wireless on/off, activity lights

Rear: Power indicator

Left: DC-input, Kensington Lock slot, VGA and HDMI-out, one USB 2.0 port, FireWire 400, headphone and microphone jacks

Right: ExpressCard/34, two USB 2.0 ports, LAN, power button

Performance and Benchmarks
System performance of the Sony VAIO Y was comparable to most CULV-powered notebooks, with the Intel Pentium U5400 processor. The 1.2GHz ULV processor was paired with Intel GMA HD graphics and performed well in our tests. At the time of this review the Sony VAIO Y is available with the Intel Core i3 330UM and Core i5 430UM with TurboBoost, as well as ATI Mobility Radeon 4550 dedicated graphics.

In our tests the U5400 and GMA HD graphics was able to handle HD flash video on sites such as YouTube with the latest Flash 10.1 plugin. The system was also able to decode 720P and 1080P movie trailers downloaded from the Apply website. From the performance seen on this system we fully expect the updated and faster components now seen in the Y to meet and exceed these results.

wPrime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):

PCMark05 measures overall system performance (higher scores mean better performance):

3DMark06 measures overall graphics performance for gaming (higher scores mean better performance):

CrystalDiskMark storage drive performance test:

Wireless performance of the Atheros N-capable card in our review model was more than adequate for streaming high-bitrate HD video and handling fast broadband speeds. We measured a 4.2MB/s read speed over 2.4GHz N connection, with write speeds measuring 5.4MB/s. These speeds are roughly half what you might expect from a wired 100Mbps LAN connection. The test was performed from a distance of about 25 feet through three walls with metal studs. The router was a Linksys E3000 connected to an Ubuntu 10.04 server with an active Samba share that we mapped to the system being tested.

Heat and Noise
As a CULV-based notebook, the Sony VAIO Y operates in a very cool and quiet manner. During stress tests, the hottest spot on the top of the chassis reached 86°F, while the bottom reached 88°F. The cooling fan during all of this remained pretty quiet, as it didn't rise above a quiet whisper even under load. During average use the system stayed just above room temperature and was very comfortable sitting on your lap. It goes without saying, however, that adding the optional ATI dedicated graphics or choosing a faster processor may increase temperatures.

Battery Life
The Sony VAIO Y includes a 6-cell, 54Wh battery that provided reasonable battery life in our tests. With the screen brightness reduced to 70%, wireless active and refreshing a webpage ever 60 seconds, and Windows 7 on the Balanced profile the system stayed on for 5 hours and 46 minutes. For users looking for a little extra time away from the outlet, Sony offers an extended battery that gives an estimated 9 hours of battery life.

Conclusion
The Sony VAIO Y performed very well in our tests with the older Pentium-based model, with the latest generation including Intel Core i3 and i5 ULV processors. The VAIO Y also offers optional ATI Radeon 4550 dedicated graphics for people interested in mild gaming on the go. Compared to its bigger brother, the VAIO Z, the Y is toned-down without as many features or artistic design elements, but it still offers great build quality and very good looks. Battery life is good with the 6-cell battery; it got almost 6 hours in our lab, with an estimated 9 hours with an optional extended battery. If you're in the market for a stylish CULV-powered notebook priced under $800, the VAIO Y is a great choice and offers plenty of options to satisfy most buyers.

Pros:

• Great build quality
• Solid design with shared elements from the VAIO Z
• Optional dedicated graphics

Cons:

• No backlit keyboard option

Individual Ratings: *
Software & Support 
Upgrade Capabilities 
Usability 
Design 
Performance 
Features 
Price/Value Rating 

* Ratings averaged to produce final score