The price of size

If you plan to buy the Vaio X series start working out right away,for even a centimeter of flab will stick out if you decide to step out with the size-zero Sony in your hand.

If you plan to buy the Vaio X series start working out right away,for even a centimeter of flab will stick out if you decide to step out with the size-zero Sony in your hand. Having coming out with the Vaio P,which could easily fit into your pocket,it was only natural for Sony to go ahead and put a regular netbook on a workout regimen and come up with something as thick as a phone and only slightly heavier. The X is thinner than the MacBook Air and is hence the thinnest netbook out there.

This must be the epitomisation of eye candy and even a tough-to-please journalist like me was thinking of how I could save up to buy one. That is one factor that might put off many admirers,for like most of the Sony brigade,the X too costs a packet. The range starts from Rs 64,990,a bit steep for what will always be a second laptop,though the sexiest.

But then good design and cutting edge technology dont come cheap. The graphite-chrome body will keep your X happy within a bunch of books and no one would notice. Despite the small size,Sony has given a full keyboard with a trackpad; no trackball here. To make space for a full-size wrist rest,the keyboard has been pushed up a bit and some users might find this a bit tough to use along with the smaller keys. But getting accustomed wont take longer than getting used to a QWERTY keyboard.

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The X comes with all the trappings of a regular netbook. No,you dont get anything more than the size-zero for the dough you will have to dish out. It comes with two USB ports,an HDMI port and a cute drop-down Ethernet port. The 11.1 VAIO Display Premium,LED backlight wide-screen sport a 1366 x 768 resolution. The X also boasts of built-in monaural speakers which assure a sound performance given the size of the netbook.

The X is now available in two models. The base VPCX113KG/B (Rs 64,990) works on Windows 7 Home Premium with an Intel Atom Processor Z540. It weighs 655 gm with a lithium ion battery that lasts 3.5 hours and 64 GB PATA storage.
The VPCX117LG/B (Rs 84,990),on the other hand,has a Windows 7 Professional and a better Intel Atom Processor Z550. Its lithium ion battery lasts up to 6.5 hours,but makes it heavier at 760 gm with the 128 GB SATA storage. However,the price difference between the two models doesnt seem all that justified.

An X factor laptop
MICRO Star International (MSI),the original netbook maker,has come out of the cold to pose a challenge to the size-zero contenders with a 14 ultra-slim size (24.5 mm) laptop that weighs just 1.5 kg with the battery. The super svelte form factor of the X410,preloaded with new
Windows 7,makes it small enough to be tucked into a handbag. The X410 also touts some green credentials as it comes loaded with AMDs second Generation Ultrathin Platform as well as PowerNow technology,which allow the unit to run different applications based on their specific power requirements by automatically adjusting CPU speed and voltage. This ensures extended battery life,lowered heat,and a quieter operating environment. The X410 is available with 320GB/500GB SATA memories at prices starting Rs 32,500.

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