Sony Vaio VPCCA1S1E
A not impressive notebook from Sony
Even though Sony Vaio laptops are considered to be the best in the world, if you ever test the Sony Vaio VPCCA1S1E, you will have no more the same impression.
First of all, I was shocked of the wheight of Sony Vaio VPCCA1S1E: it weighs no more than 2.5 kg, more than most of the laptops from the Vaio Family. Considering that most of the Sony Vaio laptops weigh no more than 1.5 kg, that’s from start a “minus” for this model.
14 inch display
I was also disappointed by the 14-inch display. Even though it is supposed to be capable of streaming HD movies and images, the colors seem to be fade and washed out.The best part though, is that the screen runs a 136*768 resolution, and can be upgraded to a resolution of 1600*900. I don’t know why, but so far, even if we’re talking about a Sony Vaio laptop, this one doesn’t deserve its money(somewhere around $1000), especially as there are older Sony Vaio that are cheaper and better.
Intel Core i5 processor
The configuration is pretty impressive, though. VPCCA1S1E comes with a Intel Core i5-2410M CPU dual-core capable of running 2,3 Ghz. The RAM memory is of 3 GB as well as the HDD goes up to 500 GB.
Right above the screen, there is the 1.3 mp webcam incorporated. At a first test, the webcam seems to manage well, even though we’d expected a camera of at least 2.0 mp, like all the respectable laptops have. Though, as the colors and the movement of the camera works well, nothing to say bad about it. Still, not impressive at all.
Good keyboard feeling
The keyboard is also a bit different from the classic Vaio keyboard we were used to. However, the pads seem to have a big distance between them, therefore the people with small hands might not like it very much. As far as my concern, nothing to say too bad here either, even though, I’ve said it before and I repeat it, it’s not exactly what I’ve expected from a Vaio.
The good thing about this model is that most of the parts can be upgraded. Though, in order to choose to upgrade the components and not change completely the laptop, you’ll have to like the design of the laptop. Even though it is kind of revolutionary, from my perspective, it’s one of the ugliest designs that I’ve ever seen. Though, some people really like it, so nothing bad to make a conclusion out of.
Upgrading is possible
Speaking of possible upgrades, here some of the components that can be “enhanced”: the Ram memory can go up to 4 GB as well as the main chipset. For example, we recommend the 2.7GHz Core i7-2620M processor, as it is perfectly compatible with Sony Vaio VPCCA1S1E. Though, upgrading it might be very expensive, as for example, if you choose our recommended chip, it will cost you up to $250 more.
The test and review conclusions
As a conclusion, from my point of view, this laptop is one of the weakest models from the Sony Vaio family. Even if it is capable of offering a decent performance, considering its price, Sony Vaio VPCCA1S1E is one of the laptops that I wouldn’t ever buy.
Technical specifications and features
| CPU manufacturer | Intel |
| CPU type | Core i5-2410M |
| OS family | Microsoft Windows |
| Operating system | Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) |
| Optical drive | DVD writer |
| Available colours | Black, Green, Orange, Pink, White |
| Screen size | 14 in. |
| Weight | 2450 g |
| Size (WxHxD) | 341x28x235 mm |
