One thing’s for sure: Sony knows how to do multimedia. The VAIO VGN-AW180Y/Q has a bright, 18.4-inch, full HD display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and wide viewing angles, Blu-ray drive, excellent TV tuner, and booming Dolby speakers. And thanks to dual solid state drives, the performance is unbeatable, too. Our configuration runs a steep $3,999, but you can keep the price at less than two grand and still get a powerful desktop replacement with most of the above amenities. The design isn’t for everyone, however.
Design
The AW is one of those rare machines whose outside doesn’t quite match the inside. In contrast to the glossy black lid and large, silver VAIO logo, the inside is entirely matte (save for the stunning 18.4-inch display, of course). The thick palm rest has a fine, rubbery texture that feels better than it looks. It reminds us of the rubber floor of a playground. Although this notebook is slightly thicker than the 18.4-inch HP HDX 18 (1.6 inches vs. 1.3 inches), it’s lighter: 8.2 pounds to the HDX 18’s 9 pounds.
The touchpad, while smooth, has a black checkered pattern. Although it has just enough resistance, we don’t like its placement left of center. The touch buttons, while tactile, are noisy and small, especially compared with the large touchpad.
Like other VAIO notebooks, the AW has flat, separated keys, reminiscent of Apple’s MacBook. It also has a full number pad on the right side. While not as sexy as the silver keyboard on the HDX 18, these keys were comfortable to type on, and whisper-quiet.
Above the keyboard are touch-sensitive multimedia controls (with two programmable keys thrown in), and above that is a wide speaker strip and fingerprint reader. Unlike panels on other notebooks we’ve tested, these touch controls worked like a charm. Like other VAIO notebooks, the power button is on the right side of the notebook, where the display and keyboard deck meet. It glows a funky shade of green when powered on.
Multimedia Experience
The 18.4-inch, full HD display is LED backlit and has Sony’s proprietary Xbrite technology, which true to its name, helps brighten the display. Unlike the HDX 18, whose 16:9 display was too reflective for our tastes, the AW has versatile viewing angles; we were able to tip the screen far forward, and could watch at nearly 180-degree angles.
When we watched an episode of Heroes on Blu-ray, the screen produced accurate colors and rich details, and for the most part, the scenes looked fluid. But the playback hiccupped a few times: once during a fight scene, and again when we clicked the screen. The speakers, which feature Dolby Digital Live technology, produced loud, rich sound.
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