When asked about the performance of the VAIO Z, Mr. Miyairi first mentioned the selection of memory. The memory used in the VAIO Z is the latest DDR3. Most conventional notebook PCs use its predecessor, the DDR2. DDR3 is still expensive, and some members of the team wanted to put DDR2 in VAIO Z. So why did they ultimately select the more expensive DDR3?

Mr. Miyairi passionately explains how the DDR3 best matched the concept of VAIO Z.

With VAIO Z, we wanted to give customers the best product possible. DDR3 uses less power and offers better performance than DDR2. While DDR2 clocks in the bandwidth of 677 to 800 MHz, DDR3 can achieve up to 1066 MHz. This enables you to get full performance out of the Intel Core2 Duo processor. I believed that with its low power and high performance, DDR3 was exactly the type of device we should use for VAIO Z. I wasn't at all reluctant to include it.

The CPU is a standard voltage Intel^®Core^TM-2 Duo Processor. If VAIO TZ and VAIO G used the ultra-low voltage CPUs developed especially for mobile PCs, why does the VAIO Z use a more power-hungry standard voltage CPU?

Mr. Miyairi explains the reasons behind this choice.

Users of VAIO TZ and VAIO G prefer long life over performance, so they can take their PCs out with them all day. That's why the ultra-low voltage CPU was ideal for those models. However, many users of the VAIO SZ Premium Version made it their main PC, so performance was the most important aspect for them. Plus, the technology was changing, which worked to our advantage. In the past, standard voltage CPUs were generally 35 W, but a new 25 W one was developed, which allowed us to use a CPU for VAIO Z that offered high performance while keeping down power consumption.

VAIO SZ Premium featured a 13.3-inch, 16:10 Clear Bright LCD display. For VAIO Z, the display has been switched to a newly-developed 13.1-inch, 16:9 Clear Tough LCD [Rich Colour]. VAIO Z's screen resolution is 1600 x 900, which is capable of displaying more information than the conventional display.

Looking at the displays, you'll be surprised by the vivid colour of the Clear Tough LCD [Rich Colour]. Skin tones are especially natural, a noticeable improvement over the Clear Bright LCD featured in previous models. While Clear Bright LCDs offered strong dark tones, they tended to have strong contrast, resulting in bluish skin tones. And with high contrast, a certain amount of reflection is inevitable.

The Clear Tough LCD [Rich Colour] offers more natural colours, contrast, and colour purity with almost no reflection. Skin tones and blues look brighter. The durability of the display has also been improved.

Mr. Otsuka tells why Clear Tough is the ultimate LCD for a mobile PC.

While it's tough enough to withstand business use, it allows you to enjoy visual content to its fullest. That's the Clear Tough LCD [Rich Colour]. The low reflection and excellent scratch resistance are perfect for business applications. Also, you can enjoy HD video with beautiful colour. This could be the LCD with the perfect balance for a mobile PC.