One of Sony’s flagship Windows 8 devices is the Sony Vaio 11 Duo Slider. The Vaio Slider is an 11.6-inch device which is a hybrid of a tablet and a laptop. Fresh from the box, the device looks like a thick tablet, but by sliding the screen upwards, the device then becomes a small laptop.
When in laptop form, the device has a full QWERTY keyboard which is attached to the body of the screen. There is also a very small optical point stick which works as a mouse, but no track-pad. This is a compromise which was made due to the size of the device. There is no real need to use the optical pointer on this device as it is touch enabled, but if a mouse was a necessity for using certain programmes, purchasing an external mouse would be advisable. The Duo 11 also comes with a pen which recognises 256 levels of pressure sensitivity.
The hybrid has two cameras, both 2.4MP.
This device will undoubtedly be compared to tablets such as the iPad and the Samsung Tab 2, but in reality, it’s so much more. The Vaio 11 Duo has a Core i5 1.7GHz processor, which is equal to that of a low powered Ultrabook; which is really quite remarkable considering its size. It also has a 128GB SSD and an SD slot which allows for the memory to be expanded up to 64GB.
Aside from the internal specifications, there are 2 USB 3.0 ports on the side of the device along with a HDMI port. Two unexpected additions on the side of the Duo 11 are a VGA slot and an Ethernet port.
The battery life on the Sony Vaio Duo 11 is slightly disappointing considering firstly, it is Sony and secondly it is a bulky enough design.
This type of device is ideal for Windows 8. The ability to go from touch to keyboard and mouse is what Microsoft’s latest operating system has been optimised for.
Once over the initial culture shock of the new operating system, it works very well. There are still some holes in the Windows App Store on Windows 8, but having the ability to put a full version of Microsoft Office onto the device and run any programme that would have been on a Windows 7 computer is a major plus.
Verdict:
While it is costly, comparing the Sony Vaio Duo 11 Slider to a tablet such as the New iPad is a pointless task; the Vaio Duo 11 is packed with power, ports and programmes that could not be rivalled by tablets.
It is difficult to compare this device as it is a hybrid. The size and mobility of the device is incredibly impressive. The 1080p screen is stunning making it a pleasure to use for work or movies.
The keyboard is quite cramped, but that is a compromise of the design. It is possible to get a Bluetooth keyboard if the one provided is far too small, but obviously that is not ideal.
As mentioned, an external mouse would be highly recommended. The mouse provided is not practical, particularly for editing or anything which requires mouse precision.
While this is one of the first hybrid devices to be released, it is by no means the finished article. The battery life leaves a lot to be desired for example.
