Sony VAIO VGN-CR31S/W

Sony’s Vaio range has rightly taken plaudits along the way, offering style and some top media features to boot. And this compact affair looks to continue the Vaio tradition.

Pros
This is one of the cheaper machines in this roundup and depending on the spec you choose, there are real bargains to be had. Aimed at multimedia users, you’ll be able to create music and movies as well as consume it using Sony’s own pre-installed software.

Cons
Like Marmite, you’ll love or loathe the look as Sony has gone for a decidedly ‘youth’ look and feel. Funky colours and curves are the order of the day. Performance is pedestrian and while it’s a dual-core processor, it tends to run sluggish when being put to the test. However, it’s the keyboard that disappoints the most as it feels rather bouncy and not as robust as we’d like.

Overall
Sony is best known for it’s small and compact notebook’s for travellers but the style and feel of this machine oozes home use. The 14.1-inch screen uses Sony’s own X-black technology so movies, via the built-in DVD rewriter, look better than you expect for the price. Weighing 2.7kg, it’s reasonably light, so carrying it around isn’t too much of a problem. The host of bundled software covers video and music editing. While it feels a little under-powered in places, and battery life is average rather than outstanding this is a decent, all-round multimedia machine for the younger end of the market.

Style

Performance

Usability

Features

Battery life

Value

Overall

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