Sony on Tuesday announced a new lineup of Vaio laptops that include Intel’s new Core i5 processors based on the Sandy Bridge micro-architecture.
Targeted at multimedia users, the Vaio C laptops will come with 14-inch and 15.5-inch screens, with prices starting at US$880. The laptops come with optional Blu-Ray drives and discrete graphics cards from Advanced Micro Devices, the company said.
Besides Apple’s Macintosh line, Sony’s Vaio laptops are regarded as some of the better multimedia PCs available. The laptops come with the Windows 7 OS, and Sony is bundling its own software suites for users to edit movies, photos, videos and documents.
Intel’s new Core processors based on the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture offer improved performance and lower power consumption than their predecessors. The microarchitecture puts a CPU and graphics processor in a single chip, which helps laptops deliver better graphics performance while preserving battery life.
Some Vaio C laptops will come with Intel’s Wireless Display 2.0 technology, which allows users to wirelessly stream content from PCs to high-definition televisions. Users would however need to buy a separate wireless adapter for the HDTV.
A feature called Remote Keyboard pairs the Vaio PC with Sony’s Bravia TV sets, PlayStation 3 gaming consoles and Blu-ray Disc players for users to navigate menus or browse the Internet.
The laptops will become available in the U.S. starting in mid-March through the company’s website and retailers. Sony did not comment on worldwide availability, and a company representative did not provide further information on the weight or battery life of the laptops.