Remember Vaio, the line of laptops formerly owned by Sony? It’s still kicking, and about to launch a colorful new model: the Vaio C15.
This is the first standard laptop from Vaio since Sony sold the brand in 2014, and it’s looking pretty good. The key selling point, so far as we can tell, is the color options — the laptop comes in unique combinations like yellow/black, white/copper, navy/gray, and orange/khaki. Some of these colors even have a pinstriped look.
Currently, the laptop is being advertised in Japan, and there’s no word about a North American release, but photos offer a look at what future post-Sony Viao laptops look like.
The laptop’s base model is powered by an Intel Celeron 3215U processor and 4GB of memory, with another model offering a Core i3-5005U and 8GB of memory. The 15.5-inch display offers a default resolution of 1366 by 768 pixels, with a 1080p panel optional. There’s no solid state drive: the standard model comes with a 500GB mechanical disk. A solid state drive is not available even as an option, though a hybrid drive (a mechanical disk with a large solid state cache) can be purchased. Interestingly, Windows 7 is offered as an alternative to Windows 10.
The laptop costs 66,800 Japanese yen, or $641 U.S., if purchased from the Vaio online Store, which is a little high. Buy the laptop elsewhere and you’ll pay 94,800 yen, or $910. Japanese laptop prices tend to be around 30 percent higher than those in the U.S., which makes up at least part of the difference.
The colors are certainly cool, helping these laptops stand out. The photos sure do make the visual case that a laptop can complement your interior design. And there are notable features other than the color schemes. The speakers include a bass subwoofer, and the keyboard offers a numeric keypad.
Japan Industrial Partners, which bought the Vaio line from Sony in 2014, seems to be hoping the strength of the brand — and a nice color scheme — will move units.
Japanese pre-orders for the Vaio C15 begin on September 1; purchases can be made in Japan starting September 9.
