Sony Vaio Tap 11 – Windows 8 for everyone

Sony Vaio Tap 11 is a tablet / pc available in different configurations and includes tablet and wireless keyboard. The tablet has a support to be placed on a table. The keyboard also acts as a magnetic cover to protect the display. Windows 8 and then upgrade Windows 8.1 have a multimode tablet of the proposition of computers for home and office.

They were born form factor previously unimaginable that have supported the proposal of the simple laptops and desktops.

Most of the vendor offers both hybrids – it is easily Pluggable tablet in a slot that connects the device to the appropriate keyboard and additional ports, perhaps with the base of the keyboard with a second battery – both tablets equipped with simple keyboards that can also serve as a cover and housing.

It so happens with Surface and undoubtedly is part of this second family also Sony Vaio Tap 11, which in effect, is a tablet with Full HD display, in combination with the keyboard already configured to be connected to the tablet – but with no physical connection (cable or dock) and no need from the user to configure anything. Sony Vaio Tap 11  is available in two colors (black and white) from $999.

The model that we experience comes with Intel Pentium 3560Y 1.20 GHz, 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB SSD hard drive. Sony Vaio Tap is available even with the most important CPU, Intel Core i3 1.5GHz 4020Y (150 euro for the fourth generation of Intel CPUs and launched in the third quarter of this year), up to Intel Core i7-4610Y for about $350. The intermediate version with Core i5 costs $250.

And that’s the first upgrade also suggest that those who buy, that is the transition to Intel Haswell, was also with the Core i3 CPU less important. If you plan to use your computer as Sony Vaio Tap 11 in the round, also suggest a disk a bit bigger, the intermediate 256 GB will be fine (for a further outlay of $ 200).

Keep it in mind that the 128 GB model basis, a portion is occupied by the operating system. Who wants to know that even more space in the configuration will also have the choice of 512 GB SSD storage (for more $400). But you cannot choose a different amount of RAM and 4 GB of available memory are soldered on the motherboard, so you replace only the factory. Upgrade’s minimum recommended that we bring the purchase price already over $ 1,200, while the top configuration pushes the price up to $ 1,700.

Sony Vaio Tap 11 impressions and judgment.

We would like now to alert the user that the configuration for the price higher, and also for $1,200.You can find an excellent laptops, just in case the same vendor. We point because the proposal Vaio Tap 11 is very original, in our opinion not suitable for those who need a working tool and can only afford a device, much more appropriate instead to keep at home as a tablet ready for use on a table, that with a simple gesture of lifting the metallic shell is ready to be used even with the convenience of the keyboard. We therefore, believe that this proposal is suitable as a complement to a budget that already provided in the computer, rather than as a substitute. Even more so in the basic configuration.

With regard to the overall, ergonomices are promoting the fingerboard with flying colors. Decent ergonomics dimpled touchpad (but not excellent), to improve the feedback of the bar at the base, with the left and right buttons of the touchpad balancing, which is a little hard. The keyboard, remember, it is not backlit. The fine points for the solution are given by the 11-inch display with Full HD resolution and the overall bill of this tablet.

Sony Vaio Tap 11 has a USB 3.0, microHDMI output, obviously the socket for the power supply and on the opposite profile, control for volume, headphone and microphone jack and the power button. On the upper profile is protected by a cover the slot for the coupons microSD and the sensor is indicated Nfc. In the package, there is also a digital pen, active and battery powered (AAA). Sony Vaio Tap 11 has a webcam with Exmor technology RS and rear camera with 8 megapixel sensor.

In terms of performance, our test model, the one with the base configuration, we were not fully satisfied. You cannot appreciate the responsiveness you’d expect in launching applications and also with regard to the autonomy Haswell platform offers much more (our copy has shut down after about 6 hours of use from office).

The indicator of the performance of Windows, even with the indicative value which has stops at 5.0 on a scale of 1 to 10, and of course, the highest rating is given by the SSD, while the processor is justly punished.

Sony Vaio Tap 11 offers the best possible software supplied. We note the application notes for AnyTime freehand notes with the digital pen, the integration of Intel AppUp, all services Sony both for update and recovery, and for the multimedia experience, both for content creation ad hoc Sony Vaio MovieCreator and life on social networks with SocialLife, there is finally a useful application for scanning via camera back. Sony Vaio Tap 11 comes complete with McAfee security software and Microsoft Office trial.

Our reservations towards a choice of this kind, we are mentioning are definitely related to the operating system. Microsoft pushes the market, starting from MicroSoft Surface, to a proposal for a Tablet / PC convergent now equipped tablet, now in hybrid richer interfaces, more powerful, but also less portable. Our opinion is that a great tablet will never be a good laptop and a laptop that has no need for anything tile interface as the one proposed by Microsoft.

Above all, we believe that a form factor of this kind, cannot today be the unique solution of computing for the family and for the house, but it is something more. At the same time, the price of the proposal is quite high. In configurations best, even very high. We recommend that far to assess for the same amount buying a good laptop and a simple tablet.

Two devices in short, rather than a single solution. Sony Vaio Tap 11 tries to do their best to cover every segment and in this case. The device can offer a very good light bill for any usage. We’ll see in 2014 if this kind of proposal is exactly what the market requires.