Sony VAIO X slimster hands-on
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Sep 2nd 2009 12:51PM
posted Sep 2nd 2009 12:51PM
Further visual inspection reveals a pair of USB jacks, SD/Memory Stick slot, WWAN SIM slot, and folding feet on the bottom to prop up the lappie so you can attach an Ethernet cable in the mechanically yawning RJ45 jack or a Kensington lock. Unfortunately, the only video output option is VGA. Nevertheless, the Windows 7 box we tested performed as expected for such a small device -- lethargically, but capably for casual internet browsing and tweeting. And honestly, we could see ourselves dropping a premium (less than $2,000 we're told) for this 11-inch ultra-portable as opposed to the VAIO P. At least now we know what Sony meant when they said they wanted their products to be aspirational. See the new X up close with its X505 cousin in the gallery. Trust us, it's worth a look.
P.S. It'll be announced with official specs in October with units available for retail about a week after Windows 7 launches.
Am I the only one that didn't even notice the MacBook Pro, at first glance I thought it was some big-ass stand. That thing is sexy, that thing is thing and that thing should be mine..
Lol, just realized, what a statement Sony is making.
Less than $2000? Given Sony's track record with the VAIO P, I wouldn't be shocked if that means $1999.99.
$2000 for an Atom netbook... whoa.
Sony's never been a discount OEM, so you're probably right. If thing packed a little more horsepower, I'd definitely consider it. Oh when will we have a dual core atom?
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
1999.99$
WE DON'T EVEN GET AERO GLASS!!
@chuckles - a dual core atom on this uber-thin baby? Uhm...won't that cut the battery time by nearly half?
Can we give up on the whole dual core Atom thing please? Its never going to happen. If that's what you want buy a thin-and-light with one of the new CULV processors. They're actually what you want, you just don't know it yet.
Okay, if this thing is going to be EXPENSIVE it can't possibly ship with an Atom CPU. A CULV processor is the obvious choice, don't know why they can't figure that out. Unless its under $500 it shouldn't have an Atom, period.
Looks very sexy. I especially like the look of the very hardy looking flop down Ethernet port, which on the 1008HA I assumed would break off. If that's an indication of the kind of structural quality on this thing it bodes well.
Still, at this sort of price point Sony can't make ANY mistakes. Like that stupid itsy bitsy right shift key. By itself that's a deal killer.
With a FAST SSD (Indilinx or Intel, certainly not Samsung), great materials, an incredibly slim body, fabulous battery life, and a 720p-ish screen this could be quite something. They still won't sell many, but the ones they sell will turn heads.
Perhaps AMD Neo?... It does kill the Atom in performance, but also in battery i guess.. Oh AMD if you had your own netbooks processor even if it was not as good but still played 720P you would be doing so well...
The Atom processor is unfortunate. I'm hoping it allows for a dock because VGA is unfortunate too with so many newer standards. There's DVI/HDMI/DisplayPort and soon, maybe even USB.
Is that IRC I see open on the MacBook? ;)
When are pc makers going to realize how to make things FLUSH with the side, and design a good bottom side to a laptop. They always have grooves and holes and random shit everywhere. People still see the bottom when you carry it!
Sorry but if that thing is more than $1400 then anyone who picks that up over a macbook air is fuggin NUTS.
It's half the weight and MUCH smaller than the MacBook Air, and has two USB ports & a user-replaceable battery. Also, if you care so much about what other people think (and that bottom design comment clearly shows you do), why would you want to carry a "premium" laptop that stuffed college kids have as well?
You do realize that this and the Air are not in the same market, right?
I would venture to say its in direct competition with the macbook air, especially with a $1000+ price point. Yeah it might be smaller, but it's probably about as thin, and in a case in a backpack they're going to feel very similar in size and weight.
You are right though. Why don't display lid and topcase fit together more perfectly... that gap is ridiculous !
Same goes for the bottomcase. The Topcase they design with care. They also focus on making the display lid look great. Then you turn the machine upside-down and what you get is a disaster.
The other thing I'm wondering about. What's wrong with these trackpads. They are STILL only stamp-size. Even on premium 2000$ 17" notebooks. Apple can't have a patent saying others must not have large trackpads...
yeah - all those darn random holes and vents on the bottom that keep the computer from turning into a portable stovetop... Ever used a macbook pro? How does iTunes sound without that fan going full blast just to maintain 75 degrees C?
I've never had trouble with Apple laptops as far as heat is concerned. The fans on virtually all macs are incredibly quiet anyway. I have a unibody macbook and it doesn't get too hot at all. Plus with such a low voltage processor in this sucker I'm sure heat isn't a HUGE issue.
DO WANT!
Really, this is the most gorgeous-looking laptop I've ever seen!
Nice, I can buy a couple of these along with the three MacBook Air's I have and replace my whole steak knife set. Nothing cuts through a nice thick Rib Eye like a MacBook Air.
Pleeease don't use an Atom. This laptop doesn't DESERVE it.
*crosses fingers*
*and toes*
I was hoping for a successor to the TT series, but with an Atom, no thanks.
Sony already has the P and W series with the Atom, why another?
Why doesn't it have the power button on the hinge like the recent Vaio laptops? The X505 this is succeding was the first to use it. ???
With a CULV processor and a (Mini) DisplayPort this would be truly awesome. With Atom and VGA it's just sweet-looking, but at 1999€ too expensive. Now I see why they ditched the TT, though.
Okay, this is sleek as hell. I might really be considering this. Perfect for metro commuting and to browse engadget while loafing at work.
wow this is nice
+1 For the no-atom crusade. Give this thing some CULV action and you have instant win.
Is that less than $2,000 before or after taxes?
Before.
You can Sony all you want...but you can't hate their engineering skills.
Where would you like to Sony today?
Hold on one second. Is there even a DVD/Blu-Ray drive on that thing at all?
Where is it? Uh oh...
I think...I think....I am in love with this pretty machine
Sony really does know how to make sexy hardware
I used a Sony X505 for years. It was gorgeous, this was in 2006 or so, and netbooks were unknown of course. Everyone loved it and it was tiny and slipped into a case. And expensive: $3,000. And the screen was 10" and the HDD was 20GB and the battery lasted for 60 minutes.
Still I loved it, until one day it just stopped. No power, no life. Finito. "Sony, can you repair my arm and leg of a machine?" "Sorry, no."
Sony may make lovely machines but they got me good on that X505 and I will never buy one of their products as long as I live.
are you saying that you were refused service while under warranty? or that your warranty expired and you wanted them to fix it for free and when they didn't, you decided to bitch about it on engadget?
So if you completely shun a company for selling you a product and after a period of time dropping support for it, that leave you with what... no... company you will ever buy from again? I guess that's one way to save money.
VGA, they make a fecking carbon fibre notebook and then put VGA on it!?!?! hahaha, something old and something new i guess
Shoulda went with a mini display port.
VGA is standard issue at every university and fortune 500 conference room. this is targeted at those markets, not an engadget "I want HD resolution on 3.5" PMPs" circle-jerk.
That's why there's a Display Port to VGA adapter...
Sony– 1994 called, they want their VGA port back.
If Nokia's new Atom-based netbook has an HDMI port... why can't this new Vaio?
I would easily take a Macbook Air over it. Just seeing that VGA port on the side is ghastly, lol.
the Acer timeline 4810t (14.1 inch) is the perfect portable laptop for me. it bridges the gap between netbook and laptop perfectly, and for only $550
good for you; the Timeline 13.3 and 14.1 models offer exellent value for money and decent performance. that said, they're at the much heavier end of the ultraportable spectrum. 3.5lbs and up if I'm correct, which is more than 2.5 times the weight of this little beauty.
So pretty... in a few years when they release computers in this form with 10x the power, I'm picking one up.
What's the point of comparing an atom powered computer that says "under 2000$" to the 15 inch macbook pro in the photos? its kinda thinner than a full featured laptop with dedicated graphics card and cd/dvd drive? put it next to the Air, might be a tad smaller the air but even still, OSX runs well on poor specs can't say the same about windows. Sounds like too little for too much and I don't see much sexiness looks pretty generic "badass PC black" style to me
Specifications software blocked? They may have blocked System Properties but did you bother with MSInfo or dxdiag?
why the hell do you mention non stop ATOM ATOM ATOM, cant you see what engadget said about atom ??? they say "According to Sony, the choice of an Atom processor is far from decided and is only on display to run the engineering prototypes here at IFA"
i think i'd rather have a Vaio P. 2 Ghz Atom in a smaller computer is a better deal in my opinion.
As one who actually owns a Sony VAIO P, I can say that it's all buy useless as an actual computer, given it's 8.9" screen with an insanely high resolution, rather cumbersome to use touch type, and useless pointing stick/nub.
I received mine as a gift from the in-laws, so I'm stuck with it, but I could never recommend it to anyone in need of a real computer, and the price is simply ridiculous no matter how one looks at it.
whatever the price is, i probably won't be able to buy it; that said, Sony's design and engineering team is really top-draw. If Asus had made something like this, they'd fuck up the bezel and only fix it on the 3rd revision.
The X505 was really sexy. Carbon Fiber body, right?
Why is the keyboard on this one different from the one they presented live?
http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/02/sony-announces-vaio-x-ultraportable/
Oh nevermind. The other one was a German language keyboard.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for bringing back the second Fn key next to the arrow-key group!!!
how can i not afford to love sony
get rid of that huge ass bezel and it will be perfect. seriously, why hasn't any company invested in making small and unobtrusive bezels?
The Carbon Fibre casing is certainly cool and all, but...
If this thing really is sporting a CULV processor, and the specs listed, how can anyone justify paying exorbitant amounts of money for this?
Personally, I'm quite happy with the size, weight, construction, performance, all-day battery autonomy, et al of my Acer Aspire Timeline 4810TZ and 3810TZ ultra portables, and they each have HDMI out, and the 4810 even has a DVD/RW.
Sorry Sony... I'm going to have to pass on this one.
It's the laptop I want my Vaio P to be ;_;
Where are people getting their specs from? I infer this is about 1.5 lbs, the same as a Vaio P. What about the thickness?
Very attractive
*question the price point
Has anyone looked at the F'ing pics?
Years ago they released the X505 (to be seen in the gallery here), which is still hardcore laptop porn (designwise), but it never really left Japan.. (you could buy a freakin roundtrip to Mars for the price of the thing..)
Don't see big quantities of this one leaving Japan either.
Ps if anyone wants to get rid of their x505... ME! ME!
I have x505 and I'm gonna get rid of it :)
Engadget lady/gentleman you're absolutely right, that goddamn VAIO X is jockeying the b'jesus out of the MacBook
i wonder how long they take to think of ways of how to make the power button look cool.
A few years back, I was considering the X505 as my first laptop, but unfortunately it was underpowered, even at the premium it demanded back then.
Hopefully, this new sibling won't meet the same fate *cough*Atom*cough*, and I just might buy it.
They better get rid of the ethernet and VGA port. Get into the future Sony!
X505 was introduced in fall of 2003 (together with introduction of ULV Pentium M 1.0GHz) in Japan. 1.1GHz version came to Europe in 2004 (US also in 2004 I think). the "normal" metal body version was $3000, CF (carbon fiber) was 35g (!) lighter and $1000 more expensive!
In EU, the "normal" version was almost EUR 3000!
So what was limited was not availability, but demand due to extreme price...
And Sony did call it Note extreme (not only due to technology involved)
X505 developer story - from the engineers that designed it:
http://www.siliconpopculture.com/forum/viewthread/3889/
It´s official: Sony Vaio X11 sports a Atom Z550 CPU running at 2ghz. And it lasts 8 hours top on one battery charge. 16 hours if you get an extended battery, which means extended weight, of course. And the price? 1599 Euros here in Europe! For a slim netbook... I was very curious about the X 11, but now I´m kind of disappointed, I must confess.