SONY VAIO SVZ13114GXX Notebook Intel Core i7 3612QM(2.10GHz) 13.1" 8GB Memory 256GB HDD Intel HD Graphics 4000

Pros: As stated in the earlier post, this machine is very, very fast. Side by side comparisons to other computers in the office put them all to shame.

Sony Support is more friendly than Dell Support, and easier to get straight to the issue with less bureaucratic wrangling. They are also significantly easier to get a hold of, without so much shuffling from one department to another.

The keyboard is indeed back-lit. I didn't see it at first because it is activated by a light sensor.

To date, this is the only "Ultrabook" I can find that violates the rules for being an Ultrabook by having too robust of a processor. And it is as light as Ultrabooks come, and reasonably stylish too. The build quality feels quite good, and all of the fantastic specifications are in the details section or available online.

Cons: However, Sony Support isn't able to actually help with the issue of constant freezing. It is not from software I installed because it froze before I could even get to the desktop the first time I powered it on (and has frozen multiple times since).

Sony advised me to uninstall the pre-loaded antivirus, but it didn't solve the freezing issue. The also advised me to reinstall the OS from the recovery partition, but it didn't solve the freezing issue. Sony said they would mail me a DVD with the OS on it, even though this computer doesn't have an optical drive. However, the OS disc is out of stock. I can't install an OS with my own disc because it wouldn't support the RAID0 arrangement of the SSDs. They said I could mail it to them, but that would mean my boss is without a computer for three weeks, which is unacceptable. Apparently, Sony Support technicians in the area don't support this model because it is too fancy and new.

Other Thoughts: The extended warranty I purchased from Newegg doesn't start for a year, so it is useless right now. And Newegg can't replace the model because it is out of stock (otherwise I would have happily accepted a replacement, since the computer is so fast). So instead, I am returning it for a refund.

Other flaws aside, I still think this is the only competitor for this type of laptop. I ordered one from a different vendor which should arrive soon. I will post another review then on whether it has the same freezing issue, or if it is as fantastic as I hope. (And I will do future business with Newegg because they are awesome and cheap and provide fast shipping and good service!)

Pros: This is essentially an Ultrabook but for one key difference: Ultrabooks are limited to Intel Ultra-Low Voltage (ULV) processors, which are 17w and even the i7 models are dual-core. This is a quad-core processor rated at 35w, and not only is the base clock speed higher, but unlike the ULV processors, this has Turbo Boost.

In terms of speed, it is very, very fast.

Cons (begun early due to lack of room):

There are no decent reviews out there for this laptop, professional or consumer.

Getting real info from Sony sales support is a waste of time. They know nothing, yet take half an hour to demonstrate this by taking more than five minutes to answer a simple question with a completely ignorant answer. (And even then, they were wrong. This reflects the most light of any "matte" screen I've seen in my life. It is more like a cloudy-glossy). I purchased through Newegg because Sony's website support was so bad.

Cons: The laptop froze hard twice in the first ten minutes of using it. Then, it decided to install updates after I changed the settings to only install updates upon request. It crashed during the update install and refused to boot for more than five minutes, running a problem scan that returned no solutions. I turned it back on to have it crash again. I turned it on again and restarted it only to have it try to install the updates again! I did not get a chance to install any software, so whatever the issue is, it is preloaded. Sony Support will be hearing from me.

There is so much bloatware installed that when you open Start>All Programs, all of the folders are pushed past the bottom of the screen due to all the junk pre-installed icons. And this is even with a 1080p screen!

I took the risk purchasing this compared to other brands because it has an Ivy Bridge processor available now, and because unlike all the "Ultrabooks", this has a better processor.

Other Thoughts: The keys are not back-lit, even though all manufacturer documentation claims it is, including the big sticker next to the track-pad. I call this false-advertising.

This laptop is for the president of my company, who wants the latest and best, but most importantly, it has to weigh less than the laptop he bought last year (an annual struggle). He said it didn't look much different than the Toshiba he had before, but I told him the real difference was under the hood. It was pretty embarrassing to have it crash during my demonstration of its incredible boot speed, especially when I couldn't get it back up for the next forty minutes before he left the office.

Hopefully Sony will resolve my issues or replace the laptop for me. Otherwise, this is a stellar laptop. I'd be happy if it stopped crashing, especially after I get to uninstall all the bloatware.

Lastly, the "256 GB SSD" is actually two 128 GB drives in RAID0, actual size 209 GB. Very fast, but 2x chance of data loss from fa

Pros: the laptop is really nice feel really light super fast boot time is about 10 sec the screen is good but it could be better the laptop is a powerhouse you can throght it any application and its gonna run it perfect.

Cons: the speakers dont sound that loud they could make it better but its not a big deal either.

Other Thoughts: if you have the money and really need a nice laptop with great battery life and power you should buy a sony z serie.