Laptop Thoughts: News & Reviews on Laptops, Netbooks, Slates, and More.

"The Ultrabook can basically be described as a Mac Book Air for the non-Apple user. However, the form factor does take a bit of getting used to."

Seems like more and more industry pundits are coming around to the UltraBook way of thinking. Rob Enderle often has his own spin on things, but his view here is pretty much spot-on (except, IMHO, his comment about Apple being design over function - my MacBook Air is pretty darned functional!). Anyway, unburdening a typical backpack can be an interesting process, lightening it with an UltraBook is an added plus. Rob does a quick review of three systems, from ASUS, Toshiba and Dell, and, of course has opinions on each one, but prefers the Dell XPS 13 in the final tally, and likes the lessened load on his back. I agree, and I've taken to using an older laptop now as my "desktop" computer, and carrying only a lighter system at other times.

"The company just announced the XPS 13, which weighs in at a shade less than three pounds (2.99, to be exact) and has a wedge profile that tapers from .71 inches to .24 (18 to 6mm). With a starting price of $1,000, it sports an aluminum lid and carbon fiber chassis -- a material we wish more Ultrabook makers would incorporate. Though it has a 13-inch screen, it's the kind of panel with bezels so narrow that Dell was able to build a chassis small enough for a 12-inch system."

It is hard to believe that the start of the ultra thin laptop rage started way back in 2008. While there certainly excessively thin laptops before the Macbook Air, the Air caught the attention of the consumer market in droves. It is four, yes, four years later, and Dell has put forward their latest competitor. If you are into thin, but not an Apple fan, Engadget's quick overview may give you the information you need. While I personally like the idea of laptops light enough that I can carry, I await the day that they carry more graphics punch. What about you?

"Metal is so 2011. An Ultrabook that breaks the mold, HP’s new Envy 14 Spectre sports a head-turning glass design at this year’s CES. It’s on the display as well as the lid and palm rest, making the Spectre (available February 8th for $1,399) one of the most unique laptops ever. While it costs $100 more than the 13-inch MacBook Air, HP packs this Ultrabook with lots of premium features, including a higher-resolution display, powerful Beats audio and even NFC capability."

Ultrabooks are going to be hot. That is what the press is saying. All the major PC manufacturers must be rubbing their hands with glee, hoping that the huge glut of ultrabooks coming out this year will spark renewed sales. But aside from thin, how do you stand out? With glass! The HP Spectre's glass finish is supposed to be scratch resistant but what about fingerprints? It seems with all these stylish computing tools from smartphones to tablets to now glass ultrabooks, the must have accessory to buy will be polishing cloths. Excuse me while I go buy some stock in some of those companies.

"LG has just announced their entry to the Ultrabook category, the 13.3″ Xnote Z330. While the outside cover has a concentric circle, etched pattern similar to that of the ASUS Zenbooks (although more subtle and originates from the corner instead of from the center of the cover), the overall look of the Xnote Z330 resembles that of a MacBook Pro/Air."

Starting at about $1500 and going to about $2300, LG seems to have aimed high, but missed the mark a bit on price, when $1000 is the holy grail. Specs are, well, like other Ultrabooks: 3-pounds; 4GB RAM; SSD; Intel Core i5 or i7; 1366x768 resolution; etc. LG promises that the X Note will cold boot into Windows 7 in 10 seconds or less. This system looks like the love child of an ASUS Zenbook and a MacBook Air (actually quite attractive). Further details should be forthcoming. With this latest generation of notebooks/ultrabooks, I can carry a MacBook Air and an Ultrabook, and still have my laptop case weigh less than my work laptop of 4-5 years ago. Thank you, manufacturers, from my shoulders and back!

"PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 16, 2011 - HP today introduced its first business UltrabookTM, which features a thin and light design, strong security options and a responsive solid state hard drive for the ultimate mobile experience. The HP Folio13 also delivers up to 9 hours of battery life, the highest performance available among Ultrabook devices currently on the market."

Looks a bit like a small MacBook Pro, eh? A nice feature set, and, meets one of my requirements, a backlit keyboard. RJ-45 (Ethernet) and USB 3.0 ports are included, and a 128GB SSD is standard. An embedded TPM (security) chip will be included in some models (January 2012), allowing secure authentication and data encryption. With a 13.3-inch BrightView screen, Intel Core processors, and a very good webcam, this 18mm thin ultrabook weighs-in at about 3.3-pounds (~1.5kg). HP's Press Release (see link) stated that the Folio 13 will be available starting December 7th, with prices starting at $899.99. I've been looking for a new Windows laptop, and the Folio may jump to my short list.

"Windows users don't need to hide in shame whenever they see someone whip out a MacBook Air at the local Starbucks. The ASUS Zenbook UX31 is a slim, stylish Ultrabook that not only packs a robust Core i5 processor and 128GB SSD into its 3-pound unibody aluminum chassis, but a high-res 1600 x 900 display and excellent audio."

Finally, an ultrabook that challenges the MacBook Air (MBA). Higher (1600x900) resolution, but not quite as good with viewing angles. Keyboard is flat, effective, but required harder touches to get keys to register. The large touchpad needs work. Cooling is excellent. Better audio, but the bass vibrates the deck of the UX31. Boot and wake slower than the MBA, but better than other Windows systems. More ports, but some compromises. Processor robust, but topped in the reported benchmarks by the MBA. Graphics performance slightly less than reported by the MBA. Battery life good, but, again, not as good as the MBA. But, starting at $200 less than the MBA, and with a larger screen, my impression is that the hardware is excellent, but that the software (mostly drivers) still needs some work. The MacBook Air still leads, but the competition is narrowing the gap. If I need a Windows laptop, this one definitely goes on my short list.

Now dubbed the "ZENBOOK", the much-anticipated UX21 and UX31 ultrabooks are coming very soon - as in, available for order tomorrow. Woot! I'm really excited about this personally, because I've been looking for a new laptop for quite a long time now. The UX31 looks like it's exactly what I'm looking for, though I'm reluctant to drop $1500 on one until I read a review or two. Asus has a good track record with recent laptops, so I'm cautiously optimistic this will be a solid product. What about you? Are you getting an ultrabook?

Full press release after the break. Read more...

"We've heard the stories, but we've yet to appreciate it in the flesh until now. That's right, Pocket-lint was present and correct at the first UK showing of the Asus UX31, the company's new Ultrabook. Shown at an Intel Tweet Up in London to an unsuspecting audience, the new flagship Asus device and MacBook Air destroyer, according to some, settled in for a quiet 20 minutes with Pocket-lint."

I'm smitten...this may very well be my next laptop. The design is fantastic, the specs are right in line with what I'm looking for (256 MB SSD, Core i7 CPU) and, best of all, the 13.3" screen will come with a 1600 x 900 option. FINALLY someone doing something other than 1366 x 768! Assuming the price point is around $1500 (give or take) and the reviews are good, this is the laptop I'll be buying this fall. More photos here as well.

"We caught up with the 13-inch system in the IDF Ultrabook Pavillion, where it was being used to demonstrate Intel's new Pair and Share media streaming technology. We didn't get a chance to do any real work on the demo model, but we were struck by the system's sleek, business-first looks and its svelte 2.45-pound, 0.63-inch thick design."

It doesn't have the same "WOW" factor as the Asus UX31, but it's got all the right stuff on the inside (no mention of CPU though). I'm super excited about these Ultrabooks, but I'm a bit irked that in typical Windows OEM fashion, we're being shown things we can't buy for months. Apple has the right approach: announce something and have it on store shelves soon. Don't lose the buying impulse by making people wait months and months...

"At this year's Computex Intel announced a "new" category of notebook computer designed to further blur the lines between traditional notebooks and tablets: the Ultrabook. Requirements for an Ultrabook are straightforward: it needs to be thin and light, it needs to have an SSD and it needs to be available at less than $1000. Think MacBook Air, but for all manufacturers."

The $300 million fund may help drive more interest in the Ultrabook spec, but I am not really sure how it will help. Companies are already seeking to achieve the same coolness factor that the MacBook Air, or Samsung Series 9 have. Those that currently do not have something comparable offer basic laptops at half the cost, or are investing their energies into the hot tablet market. If it catches on though, I suspect that there will be an increase in manilla folder sales.