The Japanese company has concentrated primarily on premium professional models since it was spun off from Sony. Its latest product launch yielded something rather different though. As The Verge reports, VAIO’s C15 line-up is aimed more at consumers looking for a distinctive device.
The laptop’s hardware is rather low-end, especially compared to other VAIO models. The basic configuration gets you a 15.5-inch 1366×768 display, an Intel Celeron 3215U processor and 4GB of RAM. It’s possible to upgrade to a Full HD 1920×1080 display, an Intel Core i3 processor and 8GB of RAM.
VAIO C15
VAIO
There’s also a media-focused speaker system with subwoofer, a DVD drive and a full-size keyboard with numeric keypad. Connectivity is typical of a 15-inch notebook including HDMI, Ethernet and USB 3.0 ports. In either specification, the internals are nothing to note though, leading to the C15’s main selling point.
VAIO is pitching the laptops as “fashionable PCs,” launching a major social media campaign aiming to get consumers engaged with computers. VAIO’s even offering a free mug when you buy the laptop. To appeal to consumers, the C15 eschews VAIO’s more typical metal chassis for a sturdy bright plastic, finished in a selection of different colour blends.
VAIO C15
VAIO
At launch, four different options will be available: white and copper, navy and grey, orange and khaki and a particularly striking yellow and black. The latter option is primarily yellow with a black band across the lower half of the keyboard tray, making the laptop reminiscent of a bumblebee.
Across the range, the accent colours are bold and gaudy. The VAIO C15 isn’t a laptop to buy if you’re going for a subdued look. Even in the safer white/copper and navy/grey themes, VAIO goes out of its way to create contrast and a unique sense of style. The range appears to herald VAIO’s departure from pure high-end models as it seeks to expand into the more open consumer market.
Despite the low-end internals and plastic body, the C15 doesn’t come cheap. The basic model costs 66,800 yen from the Sony store (around $640). Other stores will be setting prices at 94,800 yen (around $900), reaching VAIO’s other better-equipped models.
VAIO C15
VAIO
At this kind of price, the C15 becomes much less attractive than its colour would suggest. The unique themes can’t justify the lacklustre internals and money could be better spent elsewhere. However, the range could prove to be popular regardless. For those looking for a laptop with styling unlike anything else on the market, the C15 certainly fits the bill.
It may not be the most powerful or the greatest value but what it lacks in practicality it certainly makes up for in style. However, worldwide customers may be disappointed as the range is currently exclusive to VAIO’s native region. There’s no word yet on whether the company will launch the C15 in markets outside of Japan.
