Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: mainstream laptops

Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today we're getting down to the very important business of helping you sift through laptops, and you can always head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here!

DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2012 mainstream laptops

Freshman year of college may no longer be the gateway to the magical world of laptop ownership, but even if you already have a notebook, who can resist a new machine in the spirit of starting fresh when September rolls around? Whether you're looking for a Core i5 companion to get you through semesters of paper-writing, Facebooking and WoWing, or a super-sleek centerpiece to your bare-bones dorm, there's a vast playing field of machines to choose from. While sifting through the countless options would surely get you back in the academic research frame of mind, it's a daunting task. We're here to take some of the work off your plate with nine solid mainstream laptops that should satisfy every budget.

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Engadget's back to school guide 2012: mainstream laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony’s multimedia-centric VAIO F gets folded into new 15-inch VAIO S 15

Sony's multimedia-centric VAIO F gets folded into new 15-inch VAIO S 15

Sony is using its latest product announcement to trim the fat off of its line-up, and one of the casualties will be its multimedia-centric VAIO F Series. Of course, the company won't be ditching entertainment laptops altogether -- it's just consolidating the VAIO F line into the VAIO S Series, specifically the VAIO S 15. To further confuse the switch-up, the VAIO SE (that's E for entertainment) is also being folded into the new S 15. Identity confusion aside, what you get here is a 15.5-inch, 1080p IPS display, NVIDIA graphics with up to 2GB of VRAM and various Ivy Bridge processor options (up to a quad-core Core i7 CPU). The 15-inch S Series will start at $1,000 and will be available in black and silver. Sony says it's good for light gaming, and especially media streaming and programs like AutoCAD. Like the other new VAIO systems, the S 15 will be available this month. Check out the gallery and press info below.

Continue reading Sony's multimedia-centric VAIO F gets folded into new 15-inch VAIO S 15

Sony's multimedia-centric VAIO F gets folded into new 15-inch VAIO S 15 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony gives VAIO S and VAIO Z lines Ivy Bridge upgrade, outs two new VAIO E models

Sony gives VAIO S and Z Series Ivy Bridge upgrade, outs two new VAIO E models

Sony began introducing its new Ivy Bridge lineup last month with the VAIO E Series 14P, a multimedia laptop complete with gesture controls. Today, the company announced two larger models to round out that family, the VAIO E Series 15 and 17. Unlike the 14P, these notebooks don't come with Ivy Bridge power, but then their larger displays (15.5 inches and 17.3 inches, respectively) and an optional Blu-ray player on the larger model should be enough to tell you that these are entertainment-focused machines rather than next-gen powerhouses. Both the VAIO 15 and 17 run Intel Core i5-2450M CPUS and handle graphics with a AMD Radeon 7650M GPU and either 1GB or 2GB of VRAM depending on the model. Each also has a 750GB hard drive spinning at 5,400 RPM, plus a built-in webcam, USB 3.0 with a sleep-charge feature, HDMI, Bluetooth and WiFi. The main difference between the two is screen resolution: while the 15.5-incher sports a 1366 x 768 display, the 17.3-inch version has a more brilliant 1600 x 900 pixels. Pricing info is still MIA.

While the VAIO E 15 and 17 didn't make the Ivy Bridge cut, Sony's business-focused VAIO S and VAIO Z lines will get the processor update. The VAIO S will be available in 13.5- and 15.5-inch flavors, each sporting backlit keyboards and a thin design featuring aluminium, magnesium or carbon fiber (depending on the model). While the 13.3-incher's display resolution is yet to be determined, the 15.5-inch model will ship with a 1080p IPS screen. And while we simply know that the VAIO S 13 will come with a choice of Core i5 or Core i7 processors, the VAIO S 15 runs a Intel Core i7-3612QM with 8GB of RAM and an NVIDIA GT640M LE GPU (along with an integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 chip). On the storage side, the 15 has a 1TB hard drive. Both the VAIO S 13 and 15 will have SSD options, and Sony will offer a separate sheet battery for up to 14 hours of longevity. Weight-wise, the outlet is short on specifics, though both models will tip in at less than 4.4 pounds.

Continue reading Sony gives VAIO S and VAIO Z lines Ivy Bridge upgrade, outs two new VAIO E models

Sony gives VAIO S and VAIO Z lines Ivy Bridge upgrade, outs two new VAIO E models originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 16:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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