Sony's VPCZ137GX strikes a balance between portability, ergonomics, and performance that's hard to beat. It's not quite as light or as small as many of its ultraportable competitors, but it offers a 13.1-inch, 1600 by 900 display, great ergonomics, and the onboard DVD burner that's rare in the category. It's still smaller and lighter than your basic all-purpose 14 or 15 inch laptop, too. It's also looks great and is a fantastic performer.
However, the VPCZ137GX - and the Z-series laptops in general - aren't cheap. The VPCZ137GX costs a whopping $2300. Even the cheapest 13.1-inch Z-series unit is nearly $2000, and there are configurations ranging up to $3700.
There are some good reasons for the lofty sticker price, including a 256GB SSD. It's an expensive component, but it bestows a snappy feel to the installed Windows 7 64-bit operating system that you simply won't get with a standard rotating hard disk, even with CPUs faster than the VPCZ137GX's highly competent 2.53GHz Intel Core i5 460M. There's also 4GB of 1066MHz DDR3 system memory and an Nvidia GeForce GT 330M discrete GPU with 1GB of video memory.
Even with a DVD burner on board, Sony manages to squeeze in most of the usual ports including 3 USB 2.0 (sorry, no USB 3.0), both VGA and HDMI, and a gigabit Ethernet port. Bluetooth and N-wireless is provided and Sony's Share My Connection software allows you share a broadband connection with 5 other users. There are also Memory Stick MagicGate and SD memory card slots, as well as microphone and headphone jacks. There are no eSATA or, unusually, Sony I.link (4-pin Firewire) jacks. The Webcam only offers up to 640 by 480 resolution video. Sony also provides a handy three-way button at the top left of the unit that allows you to switch the power scheme between speed, stamina, and auto modes.
Key Features
Operating System [?] : Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Processor
Processor Manufacturer : Intel
Hard Drive
Storage Controller Type : Serial ATA
Operating System
Operating System : Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Platform : PC
Technical Features
Input Method : Camera, Keyboard notebooks with Camera input oards.
Security Features : Finger Print Sensor
Miscellaneous
Family Line : Sony VAIO
