Sony has more than a passing interest in both 3D and Blu-ray. The company is one of the biggest vendors of 3D TVs and a leading developer of the Blu-ray disc format. It makes sense that both are centrepiece technologies for its flagship all-in-one PC.
The Vaio has enough computing performance to make the most of both, with the best specifications in our group. It’s based around a second-generation Core i7-2670QM quad-core processor, which runs at 2.2GHz as standard but climbs to 3.1GHz with Turbo Boost enabled. There’s also 8GB of system memory, a 1TB hard drive and an nVidia GT540M graphics card, with 1GB of video memory.
This PC decimated its rivals in our gaming tests, where it achieved 125fps in Stalker: Call of Pripyat (‘Ultra’ settings). The closest competition scored only 26fps in the same test. Importantly, the Sony is also able to deliver a reasonable framerate when operating under the extra strain of 3D mode.
We weren’t able to run our WorldBench 6 speed test, but believe Sony’s Vaio would have obliterated the competition here, too.
The 24in glossy display offers strong blacks, bright, vivid colours and crisp text. It works very well in 3D mode when paired with the supplied glasses; unlike the Asus, 3D is fully integrated to this all-in-one.
The included webcam delivers a clear HD picture. You also get three USB 3.0 ports for attaching the latest high-speed peripherals and a combo DVD/Blu-ray burner.
Unfortunately, this dream entertainment PC carries a hefty price tag. At £1,599, it sits at the higher end of the all-in-one market. The 27in version of our Best Buy iMac, meanwhile, is available from £1,399 and offers a significantly larger and better-quality screen.
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