What you need to know

  • VAIO announced the SX12, a thin and light laptop with plenty of ports.
  • The VAIO SX12 is now available in the U.S.
  • The design is similar to the VAIO SX14 seen earlier this year.

VAIO is making a strong comeback after its big split with Sony a few years ago. VAIOs are still designed and made in Japan, where its lineage is strong, even in 2019.   The new SX12 — a smaller version of the SX14 — is a new "sub-notebook" that goes on sale today. Here is what you need to know about it.

VAIO SX12

The VAIO SX12 packs a whopping nine ports into a thin and light laptop, and it's now available in the U.S.

 

VAIO SX12 is seriously small


The SX12 is a continuation of VAIO's goal to make highly versatile, but also very reliable laptops for business users. Developed primarily for the Japanese market, VAIO brings some unique features that no other laptops in its class have, specifically lots of ports.

VAIO SX12 tech specs

 

Category DeviceNameTKTKTK
Operating system Windows 10 Pro
Display 12.5 inches, 16:9 aspect ratio, 1920x1080, matte, non-touch
Processor Intel Core i5-8265U
Intel Core i7-8565U
Graphics Intel UHD 620
Memory 8 or 16GB DDR3 (2,133MHz)
Storage 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB NVMe SSD
Front Camera 0.92MP
Security Fingerprint
TCG2.0 Security Chip
Connectivity Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac)
Bluetooth 4.1
4G LTE (optional)
Ports Full SD reader
USB Type-C with PD, DP1.2
HDMI
VGA
Ethernet 1,000BASE-T
USB 3.1 Type-A (x1)
USB 3.0 Type-A (x2)
Audio Dual speakers, Headphones
Battery Up to 10 hours
Dimensions 287.8 mm (W) x 15.7 mm ~18.0 mm (H) x 203.3 mm (D)
Weight 1.99 lbs (902g)
Colors Pink, silver, all-black, Kachi blue

The device includes three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, a full-size SD card slot, an HDMI port, an ethernet port, a VGA port, and a headphone and microphone port.   The laptop runs on an Intel 8th Gen quad-core Core i5 or i7 processor and has an optional LTE module. Despite its number of ports, the VAIO SX12 weighs only 902 grams (1.99 lbs).  

VAIO SX12 in 'Kachi' blue


Besides standard colors like white and all-black, the high-end model with a Core i7, 16GB of RAM, 1TB of storage comes in a new "Kachi" blue. Kachi is described as a "dark indigo" and goes back to the days of the samurais who "preferred this color as a good luck color that leads to "kachi (win)." With gold accents, the color is achieved with a unique, organic dye process of the unidirectional carbon fiber chassis. Each limited-edition Kachi VAIO SX12 has a unique shade and look thanks to this challenging procedure.   That high-end Kachi model retails for $2,199 and comes with special matching packaging and a wipe cloth.  

VAIO SX12 is special

 
Pricing starts at $1,199 for the Core i5 model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage in pink, while the silver model costs $100 more with a 512GB solid-state drive (SSD) instead. The all-black configurations jump to an i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and either 512GB of storage ($1,599) or 1TB ($1,899). For those who want a rugged but tiny laptop that can handle just about everything you throw at it, the VAIO SX12 is an exciting option.

Look for our review of the VAIO SX12 in the coming weeks.

VAIO SX12

The VAIO SX12 packs a whopping nine ports into a thin and light laptop, and it's now available in the U.S.

Portable (and affordable) power accessories we love

Each and every one of these charging gadgets will keep your favorite gear and gadgets going for longer, and none of them costs more than $30.

VisionTek 8,000 mAh micro-USB power bank ($13 at Dell)

This compact dual-output powerbank can speedily recharge any and all your devices, thanks to a two-amp "fast charge feature," using its micro-USB out port. Its simple design includes an LED indicator, and it costs about as much as a single ticket to the movies.

Panasonic eneloop AA batteries (From $13 at Dell)

Panasonic's rechargeable batteries are among the best available, and just a couple of them will keep your favorite remote, mice or other peripherals powered up when you need them. They're also eco. And the company's affordable charger fits and charges both AA and AAA batteries at the same time.

Belkin Qi Wireless Charging Pad ($30 at Dell)

This unobtrusive Qi wireless charging pad looks good (and kind of like a UFO …) and easily charges all your Qi-compatible device up to 5W. Its LED indicator lights up when you're charging. And it costs just $30.

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