Ever since Windows 8 was launched, laptop makers have tried scores of different designs to optimise the design of hybrid machines. Last year, Sony brought the Vaio Duo 11 and the Vaio Pro 13 to India. While the Duo 11 had a folding display with a cramped keyboard, the Pro 13 was a slim ultrabook with a touchscreen. This year, Sony has launched a new take on the 2-in-one laptop ? the Vaio Flip, whose display flips 180 degrees.
Usually the main worry with flip mechanisms is reliability. Sony said it has manually flipped the screen over a million times during quality checks. The company also said the screen is scratch-proof and will not crack easily under pressure.
The laptop is quite portable at 1.31 kg (13-inch model with 128 GB SSD). If you want more storage space, you lost out on the portability. The weight of the 14-inch variant with 1 TB storage is 1.96 kg. These laptops ship with Intel?s fourth generation Core i5 and i7 processors and Intel HD 4400 graphics.
You can use the laptop in three different modes. The first one is like a conventional laptop. You can flip the screen 180 degrees if you want the keyboard out of the way. To do this, you will have to move a sliding key to release the lock. The screen snaps on to the stand when you flip it. But don?t forget to lock it when using it in laptop mode as the screen tends to move when lifting the lid. The third mode is like a tablet. The screen can be placed parallel to the keyboard.
The Vaio Flip is available in four variants priced between Rs 94,990 and Rs 1,19,990. To lure buyers, Sony has some interesting offers available. A person who buys the Vaio Flip gets a free Sony MDR-XB910A, which is a pair of headphones worth Rs 12,990. This is a limited time offer (till stocks last). Apart from that, Sony offers three months of unlimited music download for free using the Jive app and one year of accidental damage warranty. You can also buy two years of extended warranty with the laptop for Rs 999. This costs Rs 2,499, but with the Vaio Flip warranty is discounted.
