I must admit that I was not expecting the world when I picked up the CT14-A0 version of the Vizio thin-and-light laptop as a secondary notebook to take on vacation, for general family use if one of the main computers goes off into the weeds, or perhaps to use a dedicated Linux machine.The build quality is superb, all metal, and the unit has an elegant, understated design. For web browsing, email, watching videos, light photo editing (cropping, red-eye removal, and the like), and typical office tasks (word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations), the Intel Core i3 processor in my first model (the CT14-A0) is far faster than I expected it to be. I love the clear, bright display and the high resolution, as too many (and even more expensive) ultrabooks offer only the generic low-end 1366 x 768 resolution.
The keyboard is a joy to type on and I'm finding that I like the slightly larger beveled keys far more than the traditional island-style keys on my Sony laptop. I noticed a bit of keyboard flex, but I'm a heavy typer and have experienced some degree of flex on every laptop/notebook I've ever used; the keyboard is still top-notch as far as I am concerned. Because of the types of computing tasks I do, I typically use a Bluetooth mouse with laptops/notebooks more than I do the trackpad, but I think that I can get used to this trackpad; by the way, there is a recommended driver update for the trackpad on Vizio's site.
There is a full-sized (not micro) HDMI port for connecting sound and video to a large monitor or TV. (An HDMI cable is, of course, not included.)
Sound quality was better than I expected, although a disclaimer is in order: I don't typically listen to music while working, and I'm no audiophile.
The SSD had no funky partitioning scheme to undo; there was just a single partition. I appreciated not having to waste any time getting the system set up and running properly.
Three possible cons:
* There is no SD card slot; you can easily find an inexpensive USB adapter for your flash memory cards if that is an issue, but without a dedicated slot, you won't be able to keep an SD card permanently mounted as a sort of secondary hard disk for extra storage.
* There are only two USB ports, one on each side; the good news is that they are both USB 3.0.
* The keyboard is not backlit; however, the screen is bright and the keyboard is silver, if that helps.
My humble suggestions to Vizio for future models:
* Include an SD card slot.
* An 8-GB memory option would be sweet.
Unless the cons represent a problem for you, it is difficult not to like this machine. It seems that Vizio sat back and watched the ultrabook market develop, learned from the mistakes of others, and only then released an initial series of excellent ultrabooks that hit most of the right notes. I look forward to seeing more from Vizio in the ultrabook market.
Which one do I prefer to use?
XPS for work.
Alienware and Gateway for gaming
Casual Browsing --> Vizio 14".
Pros:
Very light It feels lighter then the air.
Solid Build quality surpasses the air.
Rubberized bottom You know that feeling when you put cold Macbook air metal on your thighs, well I hate that feeling. Vizio really got it right. The bottom is rubber coated.
Screen If i'm not mistaken the screen is an IPS and is 1600 x 900. Looks better then the air.
Cons:
No backlight keyboard... It makes it very hard to use at night.
Track Pad is nearly unusable. Even with the new firmware... I like a mouse anyways but seriously...? It is soo bad...
Conclusion.
I'd get this laptop over a Air. Simply because it's less expensive by $300-$400 and it seriously is one of the best laptops I've ever used.
Buy VIZIO Thin and Light CT14-A0 14-Inch Ultrabook Now
I've had my Vizio 14" i3 ultrabook for about a week now. Most everything is excellent with one major exception the keyboard. I'm really, really hoping that I get used to it, but for one reason or another, the number of errors in my typing has gone up by a factor of about 20. 1) I'll think I hit a key, but it won't always register and 2) I'll hit a key and it registers twice. The double key register usually happens when I hit the key lighter. When I hit the keys squarely on, without any hesitation, everything seems to work just fine. The non-registering is probably a hardware problem, but the double-registering should be fixable through a software update I would think.All that said, I am otherwise VERY happy with this computer. But if I don't acclimate to this keyboard, I don't care how good of a deal it is, I'll have to return it. It's pretty annoying to have to correct so many errors in your typing.
Read Best Reviews of VIZIO Thin and Light CT14-A0 14-Inch Ultrabook Here
This is a great little laptop, and it is by far the best thin and light available for under $600. No competition. End of story. Build quality is excellent, and the screen is one of the best available in any 14-inch laptop.Professional reviews have tended to criticize the keyboard and touchpad, but I think this is a largely response to the promotional interviews posted on The Verge which stated this computer has the best keyboard and touchpad among Windows laptops. While I can't say the input devices are the greatest ever, I find the keyboard to be better than average (good spacing, no flex) and the touchpad to be just fine.
The touchpad is manufactured by Sentelic, so it has limited features and doesn't work with Linux as well as some other brands. The driver that ships with the computer is problematic, but an update available on the Vizio website makes the touchpad usable with smooth two-finger scrolling. I have found that this configuration works well for me:
1) Download and install new driver.
2) Disable the confusingly named "Click on Pad." (This is what is usually called tap to click.)
3) Disable all gestures except two-finger vertical and horizontal scrolling.
After going through these steps, I find the touchpad to be as functional as an HP clickpad from 2011. (In other words, it can be temperamental when resizing windows, but it's mostly not an issue.)
In short, this is a quality machine at a great price. Grab it now.
Want VIZIO Thin and Light CT14-A0 14-Inch Ultrabook Discount?
I recieved the CT14 A0 ultrabook yesterday and have been tinkering with it as much as possible in the last 24 hours. It is very sleek and sexy! So far I Love it.Pros:
-Beautiful looks! Inside and outside. Somehow the color and the texture was chosen with aesthetics in mind.
-The trackpad is sensetive to light touch. I prefer touch-clicking rather than tapping the button. 2-finger scroll works pretty well for webpages.
-BLAZING FAST ! Boot time : 20 sec to reach login screen. After login, 5sec to fully load the desktop with startup apps, bluetooth connection to speakers, wifi etc . Shutdown time 10sec. I believe this is possible because of the solid state hard drive.
-No bloatwares! In my opinion , bloatwares are utter garbage and a waste of resource. For every preinstalled program, there are 10 free open source programs out there.
-Vizio has done a fairly classy job with there own logos, startup screens etc.
Cons:
-The trackpad does not respond well at times. It has completely frozen on a 2 occasions. That doesnt bother me too much. The way around this problem is a quick sleep-wake or several taps and clicks.. Its still a glitch
-I miss the Alternate Menu (Right-cick menu) key thats usually near the Right Ctrl key.
-The edges around the palm are kinda sharp and might bother you after long hours of use.
-The 128GB size of the hard drive might come and bite you one day. I have been used to a 500gb HDD for a long time. I'm already figuring out ways to put the old laptop up as a file server.
This laptop is probably the best value-for-money in the ultrabook category. I bet the prices will creep up slowly.
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