Gadgets & Gizmos

With the resurgence of 3D technology still in full swing, Sony is the latest to jump on the bandwagon with the release of its VAIOVPCF21Z1E/BI. While it’s not the most graphically powerful machine around, it still makes for a formidable 3D media center.
Although the 16-inch chassis isn’t the largest in this group test – the 17.3-inch Alienware holds that crown – it’s still far from sleek. Weighing in at 3.2kg and with a whopping 53mm depth, it’s built strictly for home use, though the 175-minute battery allows for basic mobility when required.
The design is suitably high-end. Finished in glossy black plastic and with a matt-plastic palmrest, the chassis exudes quality and tapers towards the user for added comfort when typing. The high gloss finish is a magnet for fingerprints though, so will need regular cleaning. Thankfully, the spacious, isolation-style keyboard features matt-plastic keys. While the board bounces ever so slightly when typing, the keys are responsive and move with a comfortably sharp action.
The 16-inch screen is its crowning glory. While not the brightest panel we’ve seen, colors are vibrant with sharp contrast and deep black levels. The matt finish eliminates reflections, while the full HD resolution means you can watch high- definition Blu-ray movies in all their glory.
The 3D effect is delivered via a chunky pair of Sony-branded active shutter glasses. As with all but the HP in this group test, they reduce the impact of the screen’s colour and brightness, but the overall effect is stunning. Images leap from the screen for a truly immersive 3D experience. The dedicated nVidia graphics card delivers enough power to run most modern games. It’s largely outperformed by all its rivals in this group test, so some 3D games struggle slightly and show some lag, but there’s more than enough power on offer for editing photos or high-definition video.
Home office performance is excellent, however. Using a processor from Intel’s cutting-edge Sandy Bridge range, complex multi-tasking is handled effortlessly and few laptops can match this level of power. Other features and components are just as impressive. The 640GB hard drive provides exceptional storage space and the optical drive can burn Blu-ray discs, CDs and DVDs.Microsoft Office 2010 Starter software is also included as standard, adding to its value.
While the slightly underwhelming graphics performance is unfortunate, when it comes to raw 3D entertainment potential, few laptops are better than the VAIOVPCF21Z1E/BI.With such staggering, cutting-edge office performance, it will also last for years to come.