MacBook Air终于遇到对手了吗？

    用一只手拿着索尼（Sony）的13英寸Vaio Pro笔记本电脑，就会吃惊地发现它有多轻。它甚至比最苗条的11英寸MacBook Air还要轻。

    MacBook Air显然远远算不上重，但苹果（Apple）的竞争对手索尼声称，Vaio Pro的整个机身都采用了碳纤维材质，11英寸版的重量只有1.92磅，13英寸版为2.4磅。这一点相当引人瞩目，因为13英寸版Vaio Pro只比11英寸MacBook Air重一根头发，但屏幕尺寸却大两寸。

    索尼向我们提供了起步价为1,249美元的13英寸版Vaio Pro以供测试。这款电脑配备了Windows 8系统、英特尔最新一代1.6GHz（最高2.29 GHz）Haswell处理器、4GB内存、128GB固态硬盘、2个USB 3.0接口、1个SD卡插口和1个HDMI输出接口。颜色有两种（银色和碳黑色）。这款笔记本电脑看起来像是前身的高度进化版本。如果说联想X1 Carbon（我们在去年9月进行了评测，它的设计平淡无味）是超级本领域里的林肯Town Car，那么索尼Vaio Pro黑色款就是特斯拉Model S。

    更关心视觉表现的PC商务骑士们会发现，Vaio Pro在这个方面不仅满足而且超过了他们的需求。13英寸触摸屏拥有1,920 x 1,080的最高分辨率，能够立即响应手指的点击和滑动，而且还采用了Triluminos技术，这种显示方法带来了索尼所承诺的那种丰富逼真的色彩。我不敢说Vaio Pro的屏幕色彩更加精确，但有旁观者认为比其他大多数超级本的显示屏更加生动。至少，观看图片和电影是种享受。

    带有内置灯光的键盘很大，足以让我这种打字快的人能够迅速写完电子邮件而不会出现打字错误。触控板在大多数时候表现良好，但有时用两根手指滚动网页会出现几秒钟的严重延迟。这个问题时有发生，很令人不爽。确实，虽然PC触控板制造商们在追赶苹果笔记本电脑的触控板方面已经取得了某些进展，但他们还没有完全成功。

    Clasp Sony's 13-inch VAIO Pro in one hand, and you'll be impressed by how light it feels. It's even lighter than the most svelte 11-inch MacBook Air.

    The Air is obviously far from heavy, but thanks to carbon fiber used throughout the Vaio Pro's body, Sony (SNE) trimmed the weight to 1.92 lbs. for the 11-inch version and 2.4 lbs for the 13-incher, trumping Apple's (AAPL) competitor. That's impressive given that the latter Sony model weighs just a hair more than the 11-inch Air but manages two more inches of screen real estate.

    For testing, Sony loaned us the entry-level $1,249 13-inch model stocked with Windows 8, Intel's latest-generation Haswell processor running at 1.6 GHz (with speeds up to 2.29 GHz), 4 gigabytes of RAM, a 128 GB solid state drive, 2 USB 3.0 ports, an SD card slot and an HDMI output. Available in two shades -- silver and carbon black -- this notebook looks like highly evolved versions of predecessors. If Lenovo's X1 Carbon, reviewed last September, with its safe, innocuous design, is the Lincoln Town Car of ultrabooks, the Sony Vaio Pro in black is a Tesla Model S.

    PC road warriors more concerned with making a visual statement will find the Vaio Pro offers that and more. The 13-inch touchscreen display, with a maximum resolution of 1,920 x 1,080, responds instantly to taps and finger swipes. It also sports "Triluminos" technology, fancy jargon for a kind of lighting method that translates into what the company promises are rich, authentic colors. I wouldn't say colors onscreen appeared more accurate, but they were more vibrant than most ultrabook displays -- an observation onlookers made in passing. At the very least, viewing photos and movies was a treat.

    The keyboard with built-in lighting is large enough so even loud typers like me who attack the keys can quickly bang out emails or write typo-free; the trackpad works just fine for the most part, but sometimes there was a serious delay lasting several seconds when trying to scroll down web pages with two fingers. It happened often enough to be annoying. Indeed, while PC trackpad makers have covered some serious ground in catching up with the trackpads featured in Apple's notebooks, they're still not quite there yet.