Sony's 18.4-inch Type A VAIO for Type A photog personalities

It's not everyday that you see an 18.4-inch laptop. Then again, Sony (nor anyone else) doesn't rollout too many Full HD laptops targeting photographers and videographers. The VAIO type A features an LED backlit 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, 2.53GHz T9400 Core 2 Duo, Blu-ray burner, up to 4GB of memory and 2x 250GB of disk (plus 1x eSATA jack for more), an increasingly rare Firewire jack for your camcorder, 3x USB 2.0, and a high-speed UDMA-enabled CF slot for quick image transfers off your DSLR's CompactFlash card. As Sony's newest media flagship, we're also looking at HDMI-out, 802.11n WiFi, GeForce 9600M GT graphics, and a full suite of included image and video editing software from Adobe. All this in a relatively hefty 3.9-kg (8.6-pounds) rig. Although, with just 2-hours of battery you'll want to spring for the optional 3-hour add-on. Priced at around ¥320,000 (about $3,000) when these hit the streets of Japan at the end of the month. Two more shots after the break.

[dave lemke @ Sep 9th 2008 6:01AM]

"video videographers"?

GG guys, stop staying up so late. Mstkes hapen wit no slep.

also, first.

[viclauyyc @ Sep 9th 2008 6:04AM]

there might be "film Videographer", maybe.... :)

[Kris @ Sep 9th 2008 6:10AM]

Is that anything like troll trollers?

[eric f. @ Sep 9th 2008 10:55AM]

Hmm. Seems like Dave was right, douce-bags.

[Tom Robertson @ Sep 9th 2008 6:01AM]

Meh... The 9600 is a good touch though.

[TareX @ Sep 9th 2008 8:39AM]

There's a gaming desktop on ebay...Quad-core.. nVidia GTX200.... comes with 19" LCD monitor.... all for $1,599.

The way I see it, you can choose portability or quality. I can't play a game on this monster "laptop" (hardly), knowing I could have played it with much higher res, quality and framerate for half the price.... Can't do.

The (mini-netbook + gaming desktop) combo beats the gaming laptop for me. I'd ideally go for a netbook with gaming capacity like the dual-core Everun netbook with ATI 128MB gfx.... so I can have the option of ultraportable gaming, at least.

[dave lemke @ Sep 9th 2008 6:02AM]

fixed so soon! On - the - ball!

[kadajawi @ Sep 9th 2008 6:08AM]

Its for photogs? So it has no glare display, right? Great!

[aaron @ Sep 9th 2008 6:09AM]

the laptop weighs 3.95Kg not 2kg, thats the screen cover thing

[XenoX101 @ Sep 9th 2008 6:35AM]

18.4"? If it had a stand you could use it as a table.

[Homeboy @ Sep 9th 2008 6:36AM]

That's one huge ass `enter´ button.

[Patriks7 @ Sep 9th 2008 7:14AM]

and one tiny space bar!

[Kelmon @ Sep 9th 2008 7:22AM]

@Patriks7

I'm more curious to know what those extra keys are to the left and right of the space bar. I presume they may be something to do with the Japanese language but it would certainly explain why the space bar is so small.

[fh @ Sep 9th 2008 7:33AM]

@Kelmon
Yes, they're hotkeys standard to Japanese keyboards that let the user toggle between English/Japanese (and various modes of Japanese text conversion).

[Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Sep 9th 2008 8:41AM]

Japanese keyboards have large Enter buttons and small spacebar buttons standard.

[Wish @ Sep 9th 2008 6:49AM]

Probably is heavier and more difficult to carry than my desktop with Quad core Q6600 processor with 4GB ram 1TB hard disk and Geforce 9800GTX graphics card!!

[Mike @ Sep 9th 2008 7:36AM]

Probably not, unless you're a retard who spends 2000$ on the components then buys a 20$ case.

Come over and lift my MGE Quantum, and you'll know why a full steel case is worth it. Effin bodyarmor.

[Guy Barwood @ Sep 9th 2008 7:13AM]

swwweeeeeeetttttt!

The first laptop with a built in CF card reader for a long time, Sony actually thought about this one at some level!

This would also be a good HD mobile editing video production system.

[Larry Kelley @ Sep 9th 2008 7:16AM]

"and a full suite of included image and video editing software from Adobe"

So it comes with an Adobe Master Suite, anyone realize that is almost worth more than the cost of the laptop
http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/mastercollection/

...no that people actually pay for the Adobe Suites nowadays I guess...

[CJ @ Sep 9th 2008 7:45AM]

That basically seals the deal.

As long as this thing doesn't have the battery life of a 1969 ham radio, This will be in the hands of every professional photographer by the end of the year.

[Kagemusha @ Sep 9th 2008 9:01AM]

It looks to be only Adobe Premiere Elements 4 Adobe/Photoshop Elements 6 or Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2/Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.

http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/AW1/

[fxstb2002 @ Sep 9th 2008 9:29AM]

According to the article, it only includes Lightroom and Photoshop Elements.

[kal326 @ Sep 9th 2008 9:40AM]

Wouldn't most professional photographers already have most of that master collection or simliar, since they are well.....professionals?

[eric f. @ Sep 9th 2008 10:59AM]

CJ, I don't think so. I'm a photographer, and if I'm being generous, only 1 out of every 10 photographers I know uses Windows.

[Oliver @ Sep 9th 2008 7:17AM]

Damn Sony and their stuff that looks awesome.

[tom @ Sep 9th 2008 7:39AM]

You are doomed

[Hotrod @ Sep 9th 2008 7:39AM]

You probably cut your own hair.

[CJ @ Sep 9th 2008 7:41AM]

That's going to be an impressive, albiet hard-to-tote portable.

I can see this in the hands of professional photographers, who record their images straight to their computers, it's big, but not as bad as having to carry a rig to shoots.

And having that extra horsepower means you can get a fantastic photo edit on-site, meaning less lost time when it turns out the photos are uneditable (it's happened before, I've known professional photographers that have had to photoshop something almost entirely from scratch, because something happened on the day of shooting, rendering the original photos all but unusable).

[Viaono @ Sep 9th 2008 7:51AM]

Will you die if Apple say "bye bye" to this business?

[Viaono @ Sep 9th 2008 7:53AM]

This stuff is for British spies, Not us.

[luzzio @ Sep 9th 2008 7:57AM]

A total beast... I want. Sony sure knows how to make 'em laptops sinfully appealing.

[luzzio @ Sep 9th 2008 7:58AM]

You've obviously being sarcastic. Thanks for the laugh.

[Ben Wuff @ Sep 9th 2008 8:04AM]

The 4.4 pounds must be a mistake. The comparable 18.4-inch Acer Aspire 8920G has 4.4 kg.

[Viaono @ Sep 9th 2008 8:16AM]

All this in a relatively hefty 3.9-kg (8.6-pounds) rig.

[Jendrik @ Sep 9th 2008 1:02PM]

yeah.. well.... 3.9*2 = 8,6?! I guess I shouldn't have skipped those math lessons.. :x

[Nomi @ Sep 9th 2008 8:21AM]

*yawn*

[Fara @ Sep 9th 2008 8:27AM]

It has one weakness though: The screen. It's probably TN. And it's 1080p. A 1920x1200 S-IPS screen would've been better, though a 1080p S-MVA display would still do the job well enough. Actually, any type of panel with true 8-bit colour support would do. You know, for colour accuracy.

[kifo @ Sep 9th 2008 9:37AM]

The japanese website claims the screen covers 100% of AdobeRGB space. I don't think there is a TN screen that can achieve that yet.

[BigDaddyM @ Sep 9th 2008 10:16AM]

Granted it is hard to read a "translated page" but the screen might be special:

"Antiglare matte surface of the panel to charity. In addition to Adobe RGB cover 100%. RGB 3 backlight LED chip technology and is constantly making white-point correction. Users can set the color temperature. In addition, each individual color, such as temperature checks by the shipping, he said.The built-in display for the ICC to wear the standard profile. Rare for a Windows-based notebook PC. In addition, the application unit切り替るcolor mode is only to prepare for the utility. Each time the application window is active in the color mode is automatically display a change in tone. ICC profiling software to set a fixed mode, xvColor mode, color mode, you can choose fixed mode. "

Yes I did take out the extra characters, and if you could read those, then read the link and tell us what it really means!

[BigDaddyM @ Sep 9th 2008 10:03AM]

Granted it is hard to read a "translated page" but the screen might be special:

"Antiglare matte surface of the panel to charity. In addition to Adobe RGB cover 100%. RGB 3 backlight LED chip technology and is constantly making white-point correction. Users can set the color temperature. In addition, each individual color, such as temperature checks by the shipping, he said.The built-in display for the ICC to wear the standard profile. Rare for a Windows-based notebook PC. In addition, the application unit切り替るcolor mode is only to prepare for the utility. Each time the application window is active in the color mode is automatically display a change in tone. ICC profiling software to set a fixed mode, xvColor mode, color mode, you can choose fixed mode. "

Yes I did take out the extra characters, and if you could read those, then read the link and tell us what it really means!

[BigDaddyM @ Sep 9th 2008 10:35AM]

The Sony website does list two screens, one for print with the 100% Adobe RGB and the other for NTSC, hence the video and photographers editions.

This is technically the right way to do things, but I would still rather go the photo route... I am just used to that workflow and then compensate with a reference monitor on my NLE...
M

[xValentine @ Sep 9th 2008 8:31AM]

Looks good. But the keyboard layout looks crap imo.

[Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Sep 9th 2008 8:54AM]

This is a Japanese model with a Japanese keyboard, other regions will of course get their own keyboards. So don't fret.

[slarity @ Sep 9th 2008 8:32AM]

As you stated the specs TBH I was expecting a higher price.

[abiade @ Sep 9th 2008 8:52AM]

I bought a 17" Compaq lappy about six months ago, later found that the right shift key is not the same size as the left shift key. I found this annoying because I use both shift keys equally and I have to constantly look or adjust to use the right shift key, which is the size of a regular key on the board. I am in the market to buy a new laptop and I've noticed that HP\Compaq laptops has a lot of this configurations. I dont want to constantly look at my keyboard to use the right shift key. The delete key should also be if possible at the most top right corner just like the escape key is positioned at the top left hand corner. This might be minor but it saves a lot of mistyping and time for me.
I might be interested in buying this 18 incher but judging from the photos I cant see clearly how big the right shift key is but the left is big and within reach.

[TheAzureKnight @ Sep 9th 2008 9:30AM]

Does it have Centrino 2? If not then sorry but no buy from me...

Plus 18.4'? Are there even sleeves that will fit a laptop that huge? I guess I could use a messenger bag.

Still though I can only imagine how ridiculously expensive this laptop will be with sony's name on it.

[mrrookie @ Sep 9th 2008 11:30AM]

Protip: it is meant to be used by guys who make thousands with cameras and lens that are worth thousands, not cheap asses like you and me.

[derekbez @ Sep 10th 2008 7:34AM]

$3000 for a battery. That sounds about right for Sony.

Hate to know what the laptop costs.

[amitheone @ Sep 12th 2008 11:14AM]

dude!
$3000 is for the laptop
not the battery add-on :)