In our CNET Labs benchmark tests, this high-end Core i7 model performed admirably, matching up well against other low-voltage Core i7 laptops, including the Asus Zenbook UX32VD and the Dell XPS 14, in our tests. Like any current Core i5 or i7 laptop (and, honestly, most Core i3 laptops), this system has more than enough power for even heavy multitasking, from Photoshop to video encoding.
Where it falls a bit behind is in gaming performance. With no discrete GPU, you're stuck with Intel's integrated HD 4000 graphics. That's fine for HD video playback and Facebook games, but in our Street Fighter IV test at 1,600x900 resolution, the CT14 only ran at 20.4 frames per second. You'd have to dial the resolution and settings way down to get a playable experience from most any current game.
 Juice box |
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| Vizio Thin and Light CT14-A2 | Average watts per hour | ||
| Off (60 percent) | 0.26 | ||
| Sleep (10 percent) | 0.78 | ||
| Idle (25 percent) | 6.70 | ||
| Load (5 percent) | 33.78 | ||
| Raw kWh | 31.52 | ||
| Annual power consumption cost | $3.58 | ||
One area in which an ultrabook really needs to excel is battery life. Unfortunately, the Vizio CT14-A2 is borderline adequate in this area, running for 4 hours and 9 minutes in our video playback battery drain test. Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air ran nearly twice as long, and even Dell's high-powered XPS 14 ran for nearly 2 hours more. Hitting around the 4-hour mark is just not going to cut it for a purportedly highly portable laptop.
Vizio offers a two-year warranty, at least for any Vizio laptop purchased through its Web site, or a one-year warranty otherwise. From its years in the television business, the company has detailed Web support tools and a clean, easy-to-search interface. Toll-free telephone support is available from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT at 877-698-4946. As a new entrant in the PC field, however, Vizio has yet to be put to the test in providing long-term computer support.
The Vizio CT14-A2 is a hard laptop to dislike. Its design is familiar but different enough to stand out, and it feels like a fully formed consumer product, rather than a collection of thrown-together components. A few first-gen blunders, such as the omitted SD card slot and backlit keyboard, and the weak battery life, are things that can hopefully be addressed in the next wave of Vizio laptops.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
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System configurations:
Vizio Thin and Light CT14-A2
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U; 4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 64MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 256GB Toshiba SSD
HP Envy Sleekbook 6
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 1.4GHz AMD A6-4455MM APU; 4GB DDR3 SDRAM 667MHz; 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 7500G; 500GB Hitachi 5,400rpm
Asus Zenbook Prime UX32VD
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U; 4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 620M / 64MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 500GB Hitachi 5,400rpm
Apple MacBook Air 13.3-inch (Summer 2012)
OS X 10.7.4 Lion; 1.8GHz Intel Core i5; 4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,600MHz; 384MB (Shared) Intel HD 4000; 128GB Apple SSD
Dell XPS 14
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 630M / 64MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 500GB Hitachi 5,400rpm
What You'll Pay
- MSRP: $1,199.99
- Similar model: $748.67
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