When I was asked if I wanted to review a new VAIO laptop, my mind was transported back to when VAIO was a Sony product with a top-of-the-line reputation.
As a desktop support manager, I remember ordering a very slick VAIO laptop that was coveted by almost everyone in the office. VAIO pushed the design envelope to produce some very sexy laptops.
Sony spun off the VAIO brand in 2014, and today I’m reviewing the new VAIO FE series laptop, which is sold through Walmart (and coming soon to Sam’s Clubs).
The VAIO FE series has three models, priced at $699, $799 and $949. I tested the lowest-priced model equipped with a 2.4 gigahertz 12th generation Intel i5 processor, eight gigabytes of RAM and a 512gb solid state drive.
The $799 model has the same i5 processor as the lowest-priced model with one terabyte of storage and 16gb RAM. The $949 model bumps the processor to a 12th-gen i7 processor with 16gb of RAM and a one terabyte drive.
Aside from the CPU and RAM/storage configurations, the laptops are identical.
Specs
The VAIO FE has a 14.1-inch LCD IPS display with a resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels powered by Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics.
When you open the laptop screen, the back of the display bezel rotates back to elevate the bottom for a slightly more comfortable typing angle, and it lifts the bottom off the desk for improved cooling.
The overall design is nice, but it’s not sexy like VAIOs of the past.
The two-megapixel front-facing camera has a built-in cover you can slide over the lens if you are worried about privacy. The battery is rated for up to 10 hours of runtime.
The backlit keyboard is comfortable, and there is a row of document navigation keys (home, page up, page down, end) on the far right.
Ports include one USB-C (not Thunderbolt), two USB-A type 3.2, one USB-A type 2.0, ethernet, SD card slot, HDMI and a headphone jack.
There are two speakers between the keyboard and display, and the sound system incudes THX Spatial Audio, which lets the user tweak the sound channels for a surround sound experience. Spatial audio works best with headphones.
Oddly, the speakers don’t get anywhere near what I’d call loud. At max volume, they are about half as loud as you’d expect.
Wireless networking options include Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.
It ships with Windows 11 Home.
Design
The FE laptops are nice looking, and they come in black, silver or rose gold. The display isn’t the brightest or the sharpest, but it is comfortable enough on the eyes for watching a movie or working for a few hours at a time.
The ports are easy to access on both sides. It would be nice if the USB-C were a Thunderbolt 4 port, but I understand the price point is a bit low for that.
There is one interesting design choice I’m not thrilled about: The FE has a fingerprint reader inside the upper left corner of the touchpad. This is a touchpad that’s not huge to begin with, and the fingerprint reader eats up more of that valuable real estate.
I’m used to a larger trackpad. If this were my laptop, I’d keep a wireless mouse handy.
The power port uses a small diameter barrel connector. The power brick is small, with a flip-out plug.
The FE measures 0.78 inches by 12.8 inches by 8.7 inches, and it weighs 3.5 pounds.
I used the FE for regular home and office functions, like surfing the web, email, watching videos and writing. I don’t do much gaming, and this isn’t a laptop I’d choose for a gamer.
For everyday use, the FE is very capable. Eight gigabytes of RAM are what I would consider the bare minimum — 16 is certainly better.
Target market?
The low-end model is reasonably priced, but the price of the top model seems a bit high for the specs.
I’d say the cheapest FE would be a good laptop for a student or anyone on a budget. It’s made of mostly plastic, so I would treat it gently if you want it to last.
My recommendation would be the model in the middle. It has the same specs as the lower-priced model but doubles the RAM and storage for just $100 more.
Buyers of mid-priced laptops inevitably trade better features in exchange for a lower price.
Features found on higher end machines like Thunderbolt 4, OLED displays and better speakers are left out in favor of cheaper alternatives. This isn’t a surprise, but the mid- and high-price models should have a bit more to offer.
Overall, the $699 and $799 VAIO FE models are a decent choice. I’d steer clear of the $949 model.
Pros: Not too expensive, includes Ethernet, nice keyboard
Cons: Small touchpad, awkwardly placed fingerprint reader
Bottom line: This is a nice little laptop for school or home use
Jim Rossman is a tech columnist for Tribune News Service. He may be reached at jrossmantechadviser@gmail.com.
