VAIO’s TruePerformance Technology Supercharges High-End PCs That Deliver Enhanced Comfort and Productivity to IT Pros and Businesses

TL; DR: As a subsidiary of Sony (through 2014), one of the world’s most influential tech giants, VAIO Corporation has been responsible for numerous computing innovations over the years — from state-of-the-art laptops to smartphones and other high-end devices. Today, VAIO is making waves in the tech community with its TruePerformance technology, which powers the company’s new VAIO S laptop. TruePerformance was developed to efficiently increase computing power limitations without the threat of overheating. The result is an enhanced machine capable of handling the demanding workloads of IT professionals and businesses that rely on heavy CPU power.

It’s Monday morning, and you’re sitting by the computer with a cup of coffee and a CD player. Debating on whether to listen to Pearl Jam or Nirvana, you suddenly remember that your new computer is capable of reading CDs as well. As you jam out and wait for your dial-up modem to establish a stable connection, you happen to glance over at the calendar. The year is 1998, and you’re grateful to have purchased that VAIO PCG-505 off eBay last month.

One of VAIO’s earliest notebooks, the PCG-505 series was iconic for its combination of portability and power. At 3.1 pounds, the PCG-505 shipped with a Pentium MMX CPU, a 2.1 GB hard drive, a 10.4-inch SVGA screen, and 32 MB of RAM. The 505 line was a major factor in VAIO’s early success, and similar design elements have been incorporated into its successor, the Sony VAIO X series. Weighing in at just under 1.8 pounds, the VAIO X series was branded the world’s lightest notebook in 2009.

Today, VAIO continues this history of staying on the cutting-edge with the development of its latest series of laptops, dubbed VAIO S, TruePerformance, which unlock the full potential of Intel CPUs through better design principles.

High-performance CPUs, such as the latest generation of Intel Core i7s, generate massive amounts of heat and require specialized heatsinks and ample ventilation, making overheating one of the most notorious issues with ultrathin laptops. To prevent heat damage to other components, overrun CPUs lock up, resulting in severe performance degradation. In extreme cases, this may render the system virtually unusable or even trigger the power supply to abruptly shut down.

“What triggered the development of VAIO TruePerformance was the appearance of the eighth generation of quad-core Intel processors,” a member of the VAIO development team told us. “The challenge was optimizing heat dissipation and power consumption to actually maintain high performance levels.”

To achieve higher performance limits, the VAIO S line was designed to handle heavy power via a combination of stronger PSUs, better ventilation, and a completely redesigned and reprogrammed cooling fan. VAIO S laptops are powered by CPUs equipped with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 — a form of dynamic overclocking. With TruePerformance, the VAIO S line can achieve higher levels of performance without compromise, making full use of Intel’s built-in innovations.

Today, VAIO is its own brand, having separated from Sony in 2014. But VAIO still holds its place as a global leader in high-end portability solutions. As evidenced by the VAIO S series, tackling the pains of PC ownership has been a major inspiration in the company’s design process.

“Our corporate philosophy is that ‘comfort enhances productivity,’” VAIO’s developer said. “To make your work time more pleasant and maximize efficiency, we stick with keeping sustainable performance high. Our design and commercialization process is a direct reflection of listening to customer feedback.”

Users appreciate the flexibility and convenience of notebooks while also craving smooth operation and a design that boasts intelligent engineering as well as aesthetic appeal.

Considered a major improvement over the norm, the VAIO S line is geared toward those with an active lifestyle. At 2.34 pounds and only 0.52 inches thick, the VAIO S is easy to carry and fits in most laptop-sized carrying cases. The flexibility of being able to take the VAIO S anywhere at any time makes this performance powerhouse versatile enough for both work and play. As such, the main target groups of VAIO TruePerformance include gamers, IT professionals, business people, and others in need of a high-power computing solution.

“These are people who see the PC as part of their lifestyle as well as a way to seek out new experiences,” VAIO’s developer said. “The greatest advantage of TruePerformance is the satisfaction that results from using a more responsive system.”

Higher efficiency means higher productivity and fewer frustrations — no more lagging during intense gameplay or while juggling multiple spreadsheets and browser tabs.

TruePerformance allows users to achieve more by leveraging and enhancing existing technology. As one of the world’s largest manufacturers of computers and their components, Intel has seen its CPUs adopted by many vendors, including VAIO. Quad-core processors, such as the Core-i5 and Core-i7, in particular, have made their way into the majority of high-end computers. Current-generation Intel CPUs consistently score the highest on benchmarking tests, beating out the best of its competition in terms of pure power.

Adding to the value of Intel CPUs is their built-in Turbo Boost Technology, which allows for a safer and more consistent alternative to overclocking. When under heavy load, the CPU’s frequency will increase in set increments of 100 MHz to 133 MHz. While this gives a notable performance boost, Turbo Boost is limited by thermal and electrical restrictions.

“Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 boosts performance in environments where power consumption and temperature are satisfied,” VAIO’s developer said. “The period during which maximum performance can be maintained is limited, and VAIO TruePerformance keeps it at a high level even when this decline would usually occur.”

With significant improvements to cooling and power supply systems, VAIO improves upon an already brilliant innovation by fully tapping into its power — or its “true performance.”

In addition to enhancing Intel’s Turbo Boost Technology, the VAIO S is breaking new ground with other high-quality specs and sleek design principles. The VAIO S not only boasts stunning CPU capabilities, but also features improvements to security, durability, and ergonomics.

A fingerprint scanner allows the customer to login instantly while keeping their files and other data safe. The case is molded from magnesium alloy, granting it impressive structural integrity. For comfort and convenience, the VAIO S features an angled and quiet keyboard, along with multiple ports for USB and HDMI, among others.

“Pleasure and comfort increase work productivity,” VAIO’s developer said. “Your work progresses more smoothly because it feels like you’re not working as hard.”

The VAIO S is only the latest effort to revolutionize the way we work and play. Always focused on creating the best possible user experience, VAIO has a rich history of releasing creative and experimental products.

During the Sony years, VAIO developed products such as the VGN-AR70B, the world’s first notebook to feature Blu-ray compatibility. Since the split, VAIO has developed several other unique innovations like the Z Canvas and Phone Biz. Launched in 2015, Z Canvas was sold as a 2-in-1 PC with digital artists in mind. Built with a Core-i7 processor and Intel Iris Pro Graphics, Z Canvas boasted a high-resolution multi-touch display and stylus capabilities. The original Phone Biz was released in 2016 as a Windows 10 phone and was eventually replaced by the Android-powered VAIO Phone A.

No matter the customer type or the task at hand, VAIO has consistently delivered a leaner, meaner computing machine.

As an innovative and people-first manufacturer, VAIO takes inspiration from customer feedback as well as the hottest high-tech trends. As evidenced by the numerous glowing reviews for the VAIO S alone, VAIO creates products not only to for profit, but also as an investment in the buyer’s productivity and enjoyment.

“We’re looking to focus more on the potential business needs of our customers,” VAIO’s developer said. “VAIO products will continue to offer a comfortable and powerful tool that acts as a business companion.”

While the VAIO S series is the star of the show in 2018, it is only the beginning for TruePerformance. With the potential to unlock the full capabilities of today’s hardware, TruePerformance places VAIO one step ahead of the competition.

“We hope it will be one of the hallmarks of VAIO products in the future,” Eguchi Shuji, VAIO’s Project Leader for PC Design, said in an interview. “TruePerformance itself is a generic term for the evolution of the entire system. From now on, we may be able to apply TruePerformance in new and different ways.”

VAIO has always been a highly innovative business, driving much of Sony’s success in the portable computing market. Since 1996, VAIO has created many happy customers by offering products that reflect thoughtful engineering and craftsmanship — products that not only work well, but also spark creativity and inspire success.