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Take a look at your average laptop with a 15-inch display and you’ll be looking at a laptop that’s not particularly well equipped. Oh, sure, it may have a quick processor, but the finer details are often elusive. Low-resolution displays and so-so keyboards are common. That’s a shame, because features such as these make the difference between a decent laptop and a great one. Spending a little more for a laptop that nails the details is often worthwhile.
Yet the recent economic downturn has kept purse-strings tight, leaving laptops with high prices and premium features out in the cold. Laptops such as this Sony Vaio C, a 15.5-inch model that starts at a relatively high $729. When loaded with the goodies found on our review unit, such as a Core i5 processor, 640GB hard drive and a 1080p display, the price is $1049.
These extras are impressive, but many consumers have trouble spending so much for any laptop without an Apple logo on its lid. Is this Sony worth its impressive price? Let’s find out.

Beautiful and robust

Taking in this laptop at-a-glance is difficult. Given just a moment’s attention, it appears rather conventional. Our review unit’s dark purple color is intriguing, but not instantly exciting, as in some lighting it appears black.
On closer inspection, however, the laptop comes to life. Both the lid and the interior palmrest are finished with an unusual double coating. A patterned texture is visible, but a layer of gloss is paved over it, creating a sense of depth. It’s different, elegant, and beautiful.

 The beauty turns out to be skin-deep. While much of the chassis is solid, there is noticeable flex on bottom, directly beneath the location of the optical drive. Holding the laptop at any particular edge can induce a creaking noise as various plastics bend and strain under the laptop’s own weight. That is not to say it’s flimsy, but there are less expensive laptops that better resist flex.
Other elements of the design deserve praise. Display movement during use, which was a problem on the previous reviewed Sony S series, isn’t an issue here. Even the most aggressive typists will find that their fingers of fury don’t induce wobble. The lid is similarly robust, as it allows minimal flex when objects are placed on top.
Connectivity is readily available. Along the left flank of the laptop lurk one USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 port as well as VGA and HDMI for video out. Examine the right and two more USB 2.0 ports will be revealed along with headphone and mic jacks. Both an SD Card slot and a Memory Stick Duo slot inhabit the front.

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