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Sony VPC-SB1V9E review: Performance
Whenever we get our hands on a brand new ultra-portable laptop, we're always keen to test it out and see what it can handle. With the Sony VAIO VPC-SB1V9E, we expected great things.
The main reason is the inclusion of Intel's latest Sandy Bridge technology, specifically a dual-core Core i5-2410M CPU running at 2.3GHz in the VAIO VPC-SB1V9E. We've seen some incredible performance from these high-powered chips, going above and beyond the original Core i5 and i7 processors. With 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM memory also on board, we hoped the VAIO VPC-SB1V9E wouldn't let us down.
Benchmark test results:
Battery Life: 288
MobileMark 2007: 283
3DMark 2003: 12230
Our benchmark tests proved that this is the most powerful ultra-portable laptop we've seen so far. Multi-tasking even with intensive business software is little effort for the VAIO VPC-SB1V9E, although the laptop's fans do whine when it's busy, which proves rather distracting in quiet environments.
Impressively, Sony has also shoved an AMD Mobility Radeon HD 6470M graphics card into its VAIO S-Series laptops. While we can't imagine anyone doing much gaming on these ultra-portables, the extra graphical grunt is perfect for any design professionals who wish to edit video or run similar multimedia software.
Of course, this excellent performance is moot if the laptop dies ten minutes after unplugging it from the mains. The recent VAIO VPC-Y21S1E/SI survived for over seven hours on battery power alone, despite featuring a Core i7 CPU, so again our expectations were high.
Although the VAIO VPC-SB1V9E can't boast that kind of longevity, we did get almost five hours of use before it gave in and powered down. Considering the specs, this is a grand effort. You should have enough battery life for even the most arduous and delay-hammered commutes.
Sony's also included a Speed/Stamina switch at the top of the chassis, which can be used to elongate battery life by reducing a few performance settings. If you want to sacrifice some graphical power to wring an extra hour of life from the battery, this is an excellent option.
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