Photo by JoeSalmon506 on Flickr
Culture

Top 8 Japanese Laptop Brands

When you think of technology and innovation, Japan ranks high globally. Little wonder then, that for laptops, too, Japanese brands would be trusted all over the world. Here are the top Japanese brands for laptops.

  • Vaio
  • Fujitsu
  • NEC Corporation
  • Panasonic
  • Dynabook Corporation
  • GM Japan
  • Kohjinsha
  • Toshiba

Japan is known for prioritizing functionality and features. Their designs are often minimalistic. However, the designs carry a sense of aesthetics that are simple, yet pleasing. In most laptops made in Japan, the simple designs stand out. You can expect to see sharp angles, sleek bodies, and intuitive designs. Most laptops are shipped overseas from Japan. However, if you are in Japan, buying a laptop in Japan can also be very rewarding.

Image by www_slon_pics from Pixabay
Image by www_slon_pics from Pixabay

Vaio

Photo by Ahmad Bhabri on Flickr
Photo by Ahmad Bhabri on Flickr

Sony incorporated Vaio as their computer brand in 1996. However, as of 2014, it is an independent brand. The headquarters are in Nagano, Japan, and the brand serves the regions of Asia, the USA, Europe, and South America. Vaio owns the complete processes of laptop designing, manufacturing, sales, and support.

The manufacturing takes place in Japan. The expert teams get together to work on the designs and making of the laptops. The processes make use of superior Japanese technology and aesthetics. And Vaio laptops are truly beautiful to behold. The sleek and compact designs look modern and stylish. The laptops have a unique sharp side silhouette which is Vaio’s design USP.

Vaio SX14. Photo by Hardware Italia on Flickr.
Vaio SX14. Photo by Hardware Italia on Flickr.

Even when it comes to performance, Vaio is not too far behind. The brand’s unmatched technology tunes the CPU to create lean machines that you would love to work on. Other thoughtful features such as quiet keyboards and lightweight bodies make these laptops very usable and practical. A notable feature is the ability to charge some of the laptops using a mobile battery which is a very handy function.

Vaio SX14 Review

The laptops created by Vaio go through very stringent quality checks. At the Vaio manufacturing unit in Nagano, each laptop is manually checked for quality standards. The after-sales support provided by the company also does not fail to disappoint. Overall, Vaio is a great brand if you are looking for reliable laptops that look amazing, too.

Fujitsu

Photo by Texitech on Flickr
Photo by Texitech on Flickr

Fujitsu was established in 1935. The company forayed into the personal computer realm in 1981. The company values innovation and believes in customer-friendly solutions that make a difference. It leverages available technology to create sustainable solutions that empower the users.

Fujitsu undertakes deep research in the ‘Fujitsu Laboratories’ to come up with innovative solutions. From materials and devices to software and networks, all aspects undergo a lot of thought before coming up with new solutions. They also have a dedicated R&D team to ensure continuous improvement.

Fujitsu LifeBook U9310X Review

Fujitsu laptops come with the brand name ‘Fujitsu Lifebook’. They are built for superior performance for home and office use. They also have notebooks for people who are always on the go. Lightweight, sleek laptops which can be used at airports, in cars, during flights, and so on. There is also a specialized range of laptops for professionals who need to work with visual aids or graphics.

NEC Corporation

Photo by t noma on Flickr
Photo by t noma on Flickr

NEC Corporation was founded as Nippon Electric Company in 1899 in Tokyo, Japan. From creating a transistorized computer in 1958, the company has come a long way. The company, today, has its offices in many cities across the globe. With continuous research and technological innovation, the company makes laptops that are advanced. With several awards under its belt for research, NEC leverages technology in all its products.

Photo by t noma on Flickr
Photo by t noma on Flickr

NEC manufactures business laptops under the line named VersaPro. They also have a laptop range known as Lavie. These laptops enjoy good popularity in Japan. They are now available globally, too. The laptops are designed for good performance. With high-quality LED and LCD screens, these functional laptops offer good value and usability.

Panasonic

For many of us, a laptop has become a constant companion. We use it every day for several hours together. Panasonic believes that since laptop use has increased dramatically, the quality and performance should not be compromised upon. Panasonic, Japan, makes all their laptops in their factory in Kobe. The Japanese quality and efficient production processes ensure laptops that customers trust and love.

Photo by Janne Moren on Flickr
Photo by Janne Moren on Flickr

Panasonic is an old and well-reputed company in Japan. It was established over 85 years ago in 1935. The company philosophy is to constantly improve upon the products through research. They focus on both the designs and the technology. This, along with good manufacturing practices, Panasonic creates reliable products. They even have a dedicated innovation center.

Notably, Panasonic has 4 series in its laptop segment.

  • LV Series: These are laptops with a larger screen. These are large screens that are also detachable.
  • SV Series: They have smaller screens compared to the LV series. They are lightweight but offer great performance.
  • QV Series: These are high balance 2-in-1 laptops.
  • RZ Series: These are compact laptops.

All in all, Panasonic offers a good range. They have something for everyone and every use. The Panasonic Toughbook which stopped manufacturing in 2016 also gained good support among customers.

Dynabook Corporation

Dynabook was established in Tokyo in 1954. Toshiba had a merger with Dynabook in 1984. In 2018, Sharp Corporation took a major stake in Dynabook. Business facts aside, Dynabook makes great laptops. They have a good range of offerings. Their major lines for laptops are as below.

  • Protege family: This line features ultrathin laptops. They promise great performance on the go. With world-class engineering and manufacturing processes, these laptops come in standard as well as customized variants.
  • Tecra family: These are business-class laptops. They have a multitude of features and offer excellent performance. These are reliable machines that help to boost productivity. They come with advanced security features. At the same time, the laptops have slim and elegant designs to give them a professional edge.
  • Satellite pro family: This is Dynabook’s budget range of laptops. They offer the best combination of performance and portability at an affordable price. They are ideal for home use. At a lower-end price point, they provide great computing power.
  • Dynabook E series: This is a range of tough laptops built to last. The design is compact and lightweight. However, these laptops are not the ones to buckle down with a few blows. They can handle shocks and vibrations way better than other laptops.

GM Japan

GM Japan

GM Japan bases its philosophy for laptop manufacturing on four pillars – maintainability, functionality, design, and convenience. They make laptops that are lightweight and also affordable. However, they also ensure that their products carry the legacy of Japanese technology and superior quality.

GM Japan is a new company. It was established in 2010. However, in this short time, it has created well-loved laptops. The GLM 2in1 Ultralight Laptop is the lightest in the class at just 575 grams! Even the GLM Ultralight with a large screen of 15.6 inches weights just 2 kgs. The brand has opened the doors for slim and light laptops in various sizes and configurations.

Kohjinsha

Kohjinsha SH6

Kohjinsha is a lesser-known Japanese brand of laptops. It was founded in Japan in 2004. However, the brand is very well known within Japan. It is famous for making UMPC which is nothing but Ultra-mobile PC. They make laptops with screen sizes under 11 inches. These are mini laptops. They are lightweight and offer great portability.

Kohjinsha DZ Dual Screen

Currently, the laptops are not available outside Japan. However, if you happen to visit the country, you should definitely try to get one. The Kohjinsha DZ Dual screen laptop gained a lot of interest in the PC world for its unique design.

Toshiba

Photo by Pierre Lecourt on Flickr
Photo by Pierre Lecourt on Flickr

Toshiba stopped manufacturing new laptops as of August 2020. However, it has been a Japanese brand that is well-known even outside Japan. Also, Toshiba laptops are still in use. Some models which were manufactured before the operations ceased are still available for purchase.

Toshiba laptops were used and continue to be used by many people. However, one of the reasons why Toshiba had to stop making laptops was because their laptops could not stand their own in the competition. The other brands from Japan and the rest of the world were coming up with newer models that were better in look and feel. However, the fact remains that Toshiba laptops provided good performance.

Photo by ToshibaUSA on Flickr
Photo by ToshibaUSA on Flickr

So, if you would still like to get a Toshiba, you can go for pre-used or new models while they are still available.

Eli Civil

A software engineer, entrepreneur, and Japanese culture enthusiast. I travel the world while working from my laptop and try to visit Japan as often as I can. About Eli Civil

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