New VAIO SX12 and SX14: Speedy PCIe 4 storage, big battery life, and more

Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central

VAIO has new machines on the market. They are the 2022 iterations of the SX12 and SX14 business laptops. Both come in a number of different configurations, but for those of you who want to know the minimum and maximum pricing, here’s the scoop: The SX12’s cheapest config goes for $1,249 and caps out at $2,299. The SX14 has the same minimum price for entry but maxes at $2,499.

We last looked at the SX12 back in 2019 and were impressed. It’s an insanely good keyboard with angled typing, tons of ports, super light chassis, and just unlike any other laptop on the market.

As to why you may want to pay that hefty chunk of change, VAIO’s new SX models bring a couple of big items to the table. First, each can pack up to 2TB of very fast PCIe 4 storage, if you like your SSDs to move like Sonic. The laptops’ batteries can also manage “up to 15.5 hours of continuous video playback,” meaning even if you’re without a charger, you won’t be in trouble for a while.

They also have up to 32GB of RAM, 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processors, and are preloaded with Windows 11 Pro. This is also one of the first laptosp we’re testing with the new 5.0GHz Core i7-1195G7 processor, which is the fastest U-series chip ever.

Here’s the potential tradeoff, depending on what kind of laptop user you are: Both the SX12 and SX14 roll with LED FHD (1920×1080) IPS touch displays. That may be a dealbreaker for you given the era we’re in of 4K laptops, but it’s part of the sacrifice for VAIO’s emphasis on battery life.

Interestingly, although the laptops are not convertibles (they lay flat, however), they support inking with Wacom AES 2.0. You even get a nifty pen, although there is nowhere actually to store it during travel.

VAIO is also adding Windows Hello infrared (IR) to the mix whereas the company usually opts for a fingerprint reader (which is still available).

And, like all VAIO laptops, these are torture-tested for drops, falls, and even water resistance (for the keyboard).

Both machines are out right now, and can be bought directly at VAIO’s website. Alternatively, check out the best Windows laptops for other options.

Look for our review in the coming weeks. In the meantime, check out our flagship VAIO Z review from earlier this year if you want to see the power and potential behind VAIO’s design and component choice.