Sony VAIO Y Series Is Sleek and Well-Equipped, but a Little Pricey

The Y Series is Sony's first foray into using AMD's new Fusion CPUs. It utilizes the fastest of the lot, the E-350: a dual-core CPU that runs at 1.6GHz and integrates a Radeon HD 6310 graphics unit. Sony equips the system with a nice 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive, though the drive only spins at 5400 rpm, which makes launching apps and loading large amounts of data a little on the slow side. (You can scroll down to see the PCWorld Lab results.)

On the performance of this processor, I'll just echo what I have said before: it's an absolute killer to Intel's Atom processors, both on core CPU performance and on graphics performance. Compared against more substantial ultra-low-voltage processors often found in more expensive ultraportable systems, it simply can't keep up. If one calls this a "netbook," its performance is fantastic. If one deems this an "ultraportable" (as Sony does) and charges more money for it (as Sony also does), it's a letdown.

And price is really the issue here. At $600, the Y Series makes a relatively inexpensive 11.6-inch ultraportable laptop, but it's way too expensive to be competitive with most netbooks. Even if I were willing to pay more for the great relative performance of the AMD E-series processor, I can't see spending more than $450 to $500 on a system like this. It would be easier to splurge if the solid-feeling construction was married to a similar attention to detail throughout the design, but quite a few of this laptop's key attributes are disappointing.

The Webcam supports up to 640-by-480-resolution video capture in a world where our cell phones are shooting hi-def video. The keyboard's overall size is good, but individual keys are smallish and spaced far apart; I often slipped off keys or struck two at once. The touchpad has a nice gliding feel to it, but it's absolutely tiny. The screen's 1366 by 768 resolution is appropriate for its size, but colors are a little washed out, and viewing angles are poor. I never expect such small laptops to deliver really high-quality audio, but the sound that pumps from the VAIO Y Series's speakers is especially thin and tinny.

Sony builds in 802.11n wireless, gigabit ethernet, Bluetooth, and three USB 2.0 ports, in addition to front-mounted card readers. That's good, but par for the course these days. On a system this small, it's no surprise to find no optical drive at all. Battery life is on a par with other small Fusion-equipped laptops at about 5.5 hours. Sony tends to install a lot of value-added software on its VAIO computers, including a drop-down toolbar with access to VAIO programs like Media Gallery, Picture Motion Browser, and VAIO Care, along with third-party applications like Norton Antivirus (30-day trial), Evernote, and ArcSoft Webcam Companion 4. Whether you find these useful or not is a matter of personal taste, but they're easily removed if unwanted.

If it were just more useable, I'd have an easier time recommending the Y Series laptop, even at the somewhat steep price of $600. But it's a big stretch to ask that much for a laptop with a keyboard that makes typing difficult, a really small touchpad, and a standard-definition Webcam.