While not quite as slim as those two, the 13-inch Sony is considerably more powerful. The 2.7GHz Intel i7 processor keeps things ticking over thanks to a whopping 8GB of RAM. There’s also a 256GB SSD hard drive and a 7-hour battery life, all while weighing less than 1.2kg.
Some models will feature Sony’s VAIO ‘Everywair’ 3G WWAN connectivity, meaning you’ll be able to connect your laptop up to a mobile phone network when on the go. There’s also a HD webcam powered by Sony’s fantastic Exmor sensor, and the option to have a full HD 1080p (1920 x 1080) screen, if you really want to splash out that is.
What’s that next to it, you ask? That’s the ace up Sony’s sleeve. The Vaio Z will be available with a desktop Power Media Dock, bringing with it an optical disc drive as well as an AMD Radeon 6650M GPU and an extra 1GB or RAM, meaning that gaming or movie playback should be taken care of without a hitch. The Dock connects to the laptop via USB 3.0 and also provides the super fast Thunderbolt connection (known as Light Peak here), which until now has only featured on the Apple Macbook Pro. The Dock also provides HDMI and VGA connectivity, allowing you to connect it to up to 3 additional external monitors.
The Sony Vaio Z will be on sale in the UK by the end of July, with prices starting at £1434. Is this your next laptop? Let us know your thoughts on the Gadget Helpline Twitter feed.