Vaio shows off latest prototype tablet after split from Sony

Vaio has revealed its first prototype tablet PC since it was sold by Sony earlier this year. Announced at Adobe’s MAX design conference in Los Angeles yesterday, the hybrid device is aimed squarely at creative professionals and will supposedly offer desktop class performance in a tablet form factor.

“By creating a tablet environment that is as powerful as a desktop, we want to free up creators from the desk when at work,” said Yoshifumi Ito, Vaio’s deputy general manager.

It’s eerily reminiscent of Sony’s Vaio Tap 11 hybrid that was released toward the end of last year, but this 12.3in device will have a massive 2,560×1,704 display and will be powered by one of Intel’s quad-core H-series processors, which comes with Intel’s Iris Pro integrated graphics – the same graphics chip in Apple’s 15in Macbook Pro.

It’s certainly a powerful specification, but its large range of ports is also likely to make it quite chunky. It will have two full-sized USB3 ports, an HDMI port, a mini DisplayPort, a full size SDXC card slot and a Gigabit Ethernet port. The tablet will also come with a detachable wireless keyboard and stylus pen.

If Vaio decide to bring the tablet to market, the company said it expects the tablet to go on sale in May 2015. However, it only plans to sell the tablet in Japan for now. The tablet won’t come cheap either, as The Wall Street Journal reports the tablet would cost 200,000 Yen (around $1,825 or £1,145).

Until now, Vaio has only been selling laptops in Japan based on Sony’s previous Vaio Fit and Vaio Pro designs but without the Sony branding.