Sony VAIO C Series: Garish Looks Hide Decent Notebooks

Sony's 14hr VAIO S series may be the company's new mobility maven, but the Sony VAIO C Series promises to be a little more affordable. Described as "a dramatic lifestyle statement" – by which we're assuming Sony is referring to that "lifestyle" where you burn out your retinas with ridiculously garish colors – the VAIO C Series packs a 14-inch 1366 x 768 display and choice of Intel Core i5 processors, together with AMD Radeon HD 6470M graphics with HDMI connectivity.

There's also four USB ports – three 2.0, and one 3.0 – along with up to 320GB of HDD storage and up to 4GB of DDR3 memory. As well as the AMD GPU there's integrated Intel HD graphics with automatic switch-over, and a DVD burner.

WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and an HD webcam round out the main specs, and the C Series gets the same keyboard backlighting and instant-boot WEB mode as the S Series. No word on pricing at this stage, but the Sony VAIO C Series should make its retail debut from March 2011.

Press Release:

Light up your life with new 14" VAIO C Series

Colourful notebook PC with 3D output and stand-out looks to match your lifestyle

Stunning notebook PC with ground-breaking 'light emitting' translucent style option

High-contrast 14" (35.5cm) widescreen VAIO Display

HD web camera powered by "Exmor" for clearer, sharper video web chat

HDMI out (3D supported) for watching videos and games on 3D TV

Surf the Internet in seconds with one-touch WEB access

Seeing really is believing. With eye-grabbing looks that demand attention, the colourful new 14" VAIO C Series from Sony makes a dramatic lifestyle statement. It's also a fully-featured notebook PC, with ample power to handle your day-to-day computing needs.

The latest VAIO C Series showcases a radical style direction by Sony that stands out from run-of-the-mill notebook PCs. A choice of fashion colours include two special orange and green 'light emitting' options. This audacious design scatters light along edges of the translucent PC lid and other key surfaces to create a dramatic glow effect.

Aside from ground-breaking looks, new VAIO C Series balances portability and performance to make light of everyday tasks – from emailing to editing presentations.

The high contrast 14" (35.5cm) real-wide VAIO Display with LED backlighting provides plenty of screen space for web browsing, photo viewing and document editing.

Night or day, new VAIO C Series is beautifully easy to use. Backlighting on the full-pitch isolation keyboard illuminates automatically for precise, accurate typing when the lights are low. There's also a multi-touch trackpad, and an ambient light sensor that optimises screen brightness for a clear, comfortable picture in daylight or at dusk.

The integrated HD web camera powered by "Exmor" delivers a crisp, clear HD image for more realistic web chats and video calls.

With a touch of the handily-placed WEB button you're powered up and online in seconds. Launching Internet access without a full boot-up, it's a valuable time-saver for checking emails in a café or airport lounge. There's also an ASSIST button that launches VAIO Care software, troubleshooting problems and keeping your VAIO in top condition.

14" VAIO C Series isn't short on computing power and storage capacity to accommodate everyday multimedia and general computing needs. The latest Intel® Core™ i5 processor is matched by up to 320GB HDD space and 4GB RAM for comfortable multitasking with Genuine Windows 7® Home Premium installed.

Connectivity options include Bluetooth®, four USB ports (one USB 3.0 and three USB 2.0) and a new HDMI out (3D supported). Just connect your 3D TV to enjoy favourite 3D movies and games on the television screen.

Available as an option when you order VAIO C Series online, hybrid graphics switch automatically between performance and battery-saving modes to suit the task in hand. Other choices when you order online from Sony include CPU and storage enhancements to power up your VAIO.

There's a colourful family of official accessories by Sony to complement the stand-out looks of the latest 14" VAIO Series. A curvaceously sculpted Bluetooth wireless mouse and funky keyboard skins are joined by a sleek carry pouch with a colour-coordinated lining to match your notebook.

The brilliantly styled new 14" VAIO C Series of notebook PCs by Sony is available from March/ April 2011 depending on country.