Sony Vaio F (Complete Review) – Part 4

While the various preset configurations keep changing and disappearing, Sony currently has the customizable version of this system for sale on its website, and it’s worth noting that even the $1,049 base model includes a quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU. The 1080p screen is also standard, and a 3D compatible version is also available—we reviewed a 3D F-series laptop in 2011. Our test unit also had an upgraded GPU, the Nvidia GeForce 540M, which is $50 more than the standard 520M.

In benchmark testing, the 2.2GHz Intel Core i7 2670QM performed excellently, beating out Dell’s XPS 15z and Toshiba’s P775 (both with Core i7 CPUs) in our multitasking test. In single-app tests, the XPS 15z did a little better, but at this high-end level, any of these systems is more than enough for even heavy multitasking, photo/video editing, and HD media playback.

The Nvidia GeForce 540M is a solid mainstream GPU, and the system ran our Street Fighter IV test at full 1,920×1,080 resolution at an impressive 44.7 frames per second. In Metro 2033, a very challenging test, it only ran at 12.0 frames per second, even at a lower 1,366×768-pixel resolution, but the game itself is very playable if you dial down the detail levels in the in-game menus.

Despite being a bit on the bulky side, the Vaio F did well in nearly every department–until we got to the battery test. It used to be common for big-screen multimedia/gaming laptops to run for only about an hour, but since Intel’s current-gen Core i-series CPUs hit last year, scores have risen across the board. So, it was disappointing to see this 16-inch laptop run for only 1 hour and 44 minutes on our video-playback battery-drain test.

The Sony Vaio F Series is backed by an industry-standard, one-year mail-in warranty. Upgrading to a three-year mail-in plan is an extra $179, or $329 with accidental damage protection. Support is accessible 24-7 via a toll-free phone line, an online knowledge base, and a Web site with driver downloads. Sony’s support sites are clean and easy to navigate.

For a den or dorm room, the big-boned Vaio F could find a good home as a Blu-ray or gaming center, but the large footprint and premium price also mean that the potential audience is somewhat limited, and you may be better served by a thinner high-end 15-inch laptop or an even larger desktop replacement.

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Posted by Usman Khalid on Feb 1 2012. Filed under Sci-Tech. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.