No one does elegant-chic notebooks quite like Sony VGP-BPS8, and the VAIO SZ Series is no exception. This sleek 13.3-inch platform starts at a reasonable $1,499, though our premium model, the VGN-SZ791N/X, costs $1,000 more. For that you get better-than-average performance and a host of unique features, all wrapped in a lightweight carbon-fiber casing that looks as good as it protects.
VAIO VGN-SZ791N/X Design
At 4 pounds and no thicker than 1.5 inches, the wedge-shaped Sony VGP-BPS9 is definitely a head-turner. The carbon black-on-black design comes across as sophisticated, andleft the front edge uncluttered. On the left and right sides are the usual ports, plus a PC Card slot, ExpressCard/34 slot, and a Memory Stick card reader. A 5-in-1 adapter is included, but we wish Sony would just build in a 5-in-1 reader to begin with. There’s also no HDMI port, and we’d rather the multi-format DVD burner were a Blu-ray drive for the price. (Then again, this notebook was designed before these features were mainstream.)
