Sony Vaio Tap 20

Bottom Line

Basically an enormous 20-inch tablet with a kickstand, wireless keyboard and mouse, the Sony Vaio Tap 20 is one of the most innovative desktop PCs of the year. It has its flaws, but experts -- and glowing owner reviews -- predict that this might be the future of Windows 8 desktops.

Performance

Plenty of punch for casual games. You can choose among three performance levels. Professionals test the middle one -- a "notebook-class" setup, PCMag.com says -- with a low-voltage dual-core Intel Core i5, 4 GB of memory, 750 GB hard drive and integrated graphics.

"Yes, low voltage means slower performance," CNET says. It's "fast enough," but you do give up some speed in the name of cooler temperatures and battery life of between one hour 40 minutes and about three hours 40 minutes of video streaming and playback in tests. Don't be confused by the inclusion of a battery, however; with its 20-inch screen and hefty weight, the Tap 20 is still a desktop computer first and foremost.

Performance falls short of other all-in-one desktop computers like the Apple iMac 21.5-inch , PCMag.com says. Gaming is strictly a casual affair, but that's actually "where the Tap 20 shines," says Alexandra Chang at Wired. "The novelty and fun of swiping at fruit or ropes on a giant touch screen hasn't worn off yet."

There's also a base Core i3 version (*Est. $880 and up) and step-up Core i7 version (*Est. $1,200 and up) with 8 GB of memory and available solid-state drive. Both get good owner feedback at Amazon.com and BestBuy.com, but experts haven't tested them.

Design

Fun touch screen, but lagginess bothers testers. The Sony's 1.5-inch-thick, soft-touch plastic body frames the 20-inch glass screen. It isn't full HD, unfortunately, just 1,600 by 900 pixels, but is still bright and clear with good viewing angles. The speakers are "fairly modest, although they're adequate for listening to a spot of music in the kitchen while you knock up dinner," PC Advisor says.

It's pretty fun lying on the floor playing games on a big-enough-to-share screen, experts and owners say. "Sony's rounded plastic chassis practically invites you to grab it, and it's sturdy enough that you feel confident lifting it up and moving it around," CNET says. The kickstand adjusts at any angle, and the Sony comes with a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Occasional touch screen lag irritates testers. "The drag isn't bad enough to spoil the entire experience, but it's annoying when you encounter it," CNET reports, saying it feels about as responsive as a smartphone. At more than 11 pounds, the Tap 20's too hefty to really sling around like a tablet, or even a laptop. And at 20 inches, it's way too big to fit into a bag. There's no optical drive -- no surprise, since the Sony's trying to stay somewhat slim and light -- and limited ports for a desktop: two USB 3.0, headphone, microphone and Ethernet jacks, plus a Memory Stick/SD card reader.

Support & reliability

Sony's known for solid reliability. The Vaio Tap 20 comes with a class-standard one-year warranty, plus toll-free 24/7 phone tech support for the year. Sony is known for its good tech support. Although we found no reliability ratings for Sony's desktop computers, its laptops rate average or better for reliability in independent customer surveys.

Value

Not powerful, but unique. There's no question, you can easily get a more powerful desktop for the money. But the Sony Vaio Tap 20 is absolutely the only way to get a 20-inch tablet-like touch screen. If that sounds appealing and you don't expect to play much more than "Angry Birds" and "Fruit Ninja," experts and owners say you'll probably be very happy with the Sony.