Sony VAIO VPC-YB2M1E Pro Reviews

The VAIO Y Series offers most things a small laptop should. To keep the weight down it doesn’t have an optical drive, which is less of an issue these days, but it offers three USB 2 ports, a D-SUB output, Gigabit Ethernet, single-band 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1. But the best thing about the Sony VAIO Y Series is undoubtedly the cost. If the laptop itself is one step up from the world of netbooks, so too is the price of only £429 inc VAT, and that makes it a hugely appealing purchase. It’s almost as light as a netbook, will run more demanding applications, and has the battery life to last a long flight, all of which make it an intriguing budget alternative for the more discerning traveller.

At roughly £430, the Y series is around £100 more than the average netbook, but it’s clear why. The more powerful processor and extra memory make a huge difference in Windows and the increased screen resolution makes web browsing much easier. It’s just as portable and has a better than average battery life, which makes it ideal for working on the move. However, before you reach for your credit card, similar Intel-powered laptops are just around the corner and we're sure these will be more powerful for the same price. Unless you're desperate to buy a budget ultraportable right now, our advice is to wait.