Seeking harmony: The Japanese difference with the VAIO SE14

We all want it -- that perfect blend of notebook aesthetics, functionality, and affordability. Stop by any major IT retailer and you’re often met with a swathe of notebooks to choose from, and the options are as varied as they are exciting. Cutting through that swathe is the new VAIO SE14, a region-exclusive model that redefines what it means to be an entry-level ultrabook.
 

Pursuing aesthetics

VAIO wants their notebooks to inspire ease and confidence, and the SE14 is a flawless expression of that design philosophy. Users tired of the usual monotone or loud colours will find a touch of tasteful elegance here. Available in either dark grey or red copper, its subdued hues are a great fit for both the office and classroom.

Open it up and you’ll see that VAIO has paid careful attention to the hinge, as well. The lid on the SE14 extends a little further at the rear, making for a gently sloping keyboard when the notebook is opened. It’s a unique look and an elegantly practical design, granting users a better typing experience for those long hours of note-taking and reporting.

Balancing power

There’s substance behind those looks too. The VAIO SE14 is equipped with the latest Intel 8th Gen ‘Whisky Lake’ processors to meet the demands of most working professionals and students. Its most basic configuration offers the Core i5-8265U, a good all-round processor, matched to a speedy 256GB PCIe SSD for fast load times and quick response.

Upping the appeal are the SE14’s suite of connectivity options. It has two USB-C ports and two USB-A (all four supporting USB 3.1 Gen 1), alongside a HDMI 1.4 port, a headphone/microphone combo jack, and a microSD card reader. This way, you won’t have to tote a bag of adapters and dongles that you might lose or break.

The VAIO notebook also comes with a unique feature called Conference Optimization. One of the cool things about it is that it automatically adjusts the two digital array microphones on its high-quality webcam to Activate Noise Cancellation (or ANC) to optimize audio reception.

For instance, in single-mode it will limit and optimize the reception of the microphone to under 45-degree to allow your client to hear you even in a noisy environment. Multiple-mode on the other hand, accepts voices from a 180-degree arc around it and allows you and multiple colleagues to take the meeting call on one VAIO notebook.

Clarity is not compromised either, as the VAIO SE14 comes with four high quality speakers on top/bottom side, providing clear and higher quality audio. You’ll never have to ask the person on the other line to repeat.

It’s not all about work, however. Fronting the SE14 is a 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) display with IPS-technology, so you get a crisp and accurate picture that’s great for on-the-go entertainment. Watch uninterrupted movies on the plane or catch up with the latest shows during breaktime -- whatever it is, VAIO wants you to enjoy the best of work and play.
 

Enhance your world

At 1.35kg, the SE14 is an excellent pick for daily commutes and frequent travel. It’s light enough to not weigh down shoulders on long train rides, and the sleek design means you won’t have any trouble pulling it out of bags regularly during classes or security checks. There’s another benefit to its unapologetically simple design, too, since it lets you work more comfortably in spaces too cramped for ergonomic stands.

Yet what truly makes the VAIO SE14 attention-grabbing is its highly attractive price tag, starting from only $1,499. For a bit more, the SE14 will also be coming with an AMD Radeon 550X discreet GPU, if you fancy playing some serious games on it too. The SE14 is manufactured by licensed partner Nexstgo to make VAIO accessible to all, and you can expect to receive warranty support in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Now that’s what we call a harmonious blend of aesthetics, functionality, and affordability.

To keep tabs on what else is new and upcoming from VAIO, check out our event coverage article and our video roundup.

Visit https://sg.vaio.com/ for more details.