First impressions of the SZ2XP are excellent. With the lid closed I was immediately taken in by the sleek carbon fibre appearance and the VIAO logo seemingly carved out on the surface. So many notebooks have a plastic feel to them but this Sony has a very pleasing smooth finish. The notebook tapers from a thin edge at the front to a thicker base at the rear. Pick it up from the front and it's literally the thin end of the wedge. There are five indicator lights built into the circular hinge for power, battery, hard disk, and separate ones for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. These can be seen even when the lid is closed. The lid closes gently with a magnetic lock to keep it shut.