An ultraportable
Barely larger than a Eee PC, the TZ31 is a quite different category of performance, equipment and price.

The promise

Enable users and demanding professionals to have a successful and complete machine barely larger than a Eee PC is the goal with the Sony TZ31. A machine whose performance gap is proportional to the price of the Asus machine. A difference justified?
The reality

It is beautiful. It falls like a hair in the soup, but it’s a fact: the design of this laptop is a success. Jet Black with a ignition button on the green fluorescent hinge of the right gear, it is very compact class, the type of object that is appreciated out in the evening. Its quality of finish is excellent, there is no play in any parts or protrusions on the cover. A bonnet as well thought out multimedia buttons are accessible on the front, even the hood closed. Forget or neglect, we must instead open the cover to reduce the sound. Not everything can be perfect. And it’sa shame.
“Then look, look a little! ”

Sony Vaio VGN-TZ31WN/B

There are screen and screen. In these price ranges manufacturers typically slabs mates, less prone to glare, but also less dynamic and less luminous. For this TZ31, Sony has chosen to include a brilliant slab. Like it or we assess, we must recognize one thing: this screen is superb. On the one hand, the colors are very pleasing to the eye, on the other hand, it is incredibly bright and contrasting. The only pitfall is related to the vertical resolution is limited to 768 pixels, which is slightly insufficient for some windows. But this is not insurmountable.

A keyboard comfortable to use
As Oscar Wilde said, the most important thing is consistency. And what about the keyboard, once again, Sony makes an almost perfect score. The distance between keys makes typing more accurate and they respond well, while flexibility and responsiveness. Perhaps in the hands of users find logger format is too small - a 11.1-inch - but it is not connected to the keyboard. Web camera called Eye Motion like the PS2 model, is not of the same ilk: the image is not very clear and quite noisy. Nothing catastrophic, but from a professional image, it is disappointing.

Regardless of software, but some are impossible to uninstall
Since a vast majority of laptops we’ve tested recently, the TZ31 comes with a Microsoft Office limited in time and antivirus software - Norton 360 - also limited (90 days). It is further equipped with the software house of Sony, which we may regret or appreciate the quality, according to taste. However, one can only regret the presence of an AOL connection software, which launches at startup, and it has been impossible to uninstall. An option to choose which are embedded, or easily uninstall software onboard would be welcome.

A battery to make love strikes
Sony Announces Seven hours of autonomy. Here it is said that “the manufacturer data, should not be relied upon! . Well if it read DVD took 3 hours 25 minutes, which ranks among the champions. In text mode it approaches this value, knowing you can stop at any time to feed the CD player to save a little more energy. To you the joys of subway breakdowns, social movements and other blockages student. Especially with 3.5 G connectivity you can access the Net from all over France.

Performance and equipment sufficient
No question you start to make 3D modeling or simulation of atomic explosions: it is a portable multimedia-office, and it’s not bad. Especially since this is not Intel GMA 950 which will be a great relief to play. For once, Sony was silent on the Firewire and it is regrettable that there is not a third USB port 2. But the compactness and durability of the battery charged. We particularly note that it is very consistent in configuration and has everything you need to enter, calculate, browse and access the Net.

Sony Vaio VGN-TZ31WN/B

The verdict

The ideal travel companion, the mobile office that loves going out, a real working tool for both efficient and beautiful: the VGN-TZ31WN is a frank success. While not free of defects, however it will make all the facilities you expect from a machine of this size. The beauty of the machine and more.