6. Finish: Perfectible

Sony has a reputation for putting classy finishes on their products. Let’s see if that reputation has been upheld with the new Vaio TT and Z.

Subtle Good Looks

At first glance, the aesthetics are restrained. The all-black finish is broken only by a strip of chromed plastic on either side of the shell. Both units have the now-emblematic tube connecting the display to the chassis, with the power connector and on/off button mounted on it. The shells are made of carbon fiber, which is a material that’s light yet shock-resistant.

Among the shortcomings we noticed are loose hinges on the TT. They moved noticeably under only slight pressure. The Z has a hinge problem, too -– the hinges aren’t stiff enough to support the display firmly. It falls backward easily in response to minor vibration. It all adds up to a slightly "cheesy" feel.

Play in the battery was a defect of previous Vaio models, and we noticed it with the TT. Of course, these faults were all observed on prototype models. Sony may pay a little more attention to design in the commercial versions. One more thing: a slot-in drive would have been a welcome replacement for the optical drives used, which also tend to have play in them.

Only A Seven Ounce Difference

We should point out that the weight difference between the TT and Z is less than seven ounces, despite the 2.2-inch difference in display size. The 11.1-inch TT weighs 2.9 pounds and the 13.1-inch Z’s weight is less than 3.3 pounds.