Ultrabooks refresh laptop category | Bangkok Post: tech

Besides the phenomenal success of tablets, this year the ultra-thin notebook form factor, the so-called Ultrabook will help refresh the laptop category. Indeed, almost every laptop maker has come out with a model of its own.

The LG Z330 weighs a mere 1.21kg.

The new form factor has been addressed with security as a top priority, along with USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt ports, according to Intel.

Intel has also worked to improve the user experience, making it more seamless by increasing the performance of the solid state drive and calling for the use of more hybrid SSD/hard disk drives.

This will deliver more storage capacity, at the same time giving users a faster over all experience. Intel has built a layer of protection into the hardware that will be needed as the devices go mainstream in the coming years.

Asus has married the world of design and top-end performance on its Zenbook. The Zenbook UX31E has an excellent look with a stunning 13-inch LED backlit display with a pixel resolution of 1600x900. It is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor, boasts 128GB and 256GB SSD hard disk and runs on Windows 7 operating system.

Acer unveiled its Aspire S5 model, supporting the faster data transfer speeds with Thunderbolt, two USB 2.0 ports, a USB port 3.0, HDMI, audio and mic ports, webcam, integrated gigabit LAN and Bluetooth v3.0. Powered by Intel's Ivy Bridge Processor, it offers 8GB of RAM, runs on Windows 7 operating system and features a 13-inch LED backlit display.

There's no pricing at the moment, but Acer expects to begin shipping the Aspire S5 in the second quarter of this year.

HP's Envy Spectre sports a 14-inch Radiance LED backlit display, Intel i5 processor, Intel HD 3000 graphic cards, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD and runs on the Windows 7 OS. The device comes pre-installed with full versions of Adobe Photoshop Elements and Adobe Premiere Elements.

Samsung announced the latest update to its Series 9 laptop at the show, making the stylish machine thinner and promising a whole new batch of hardware. The new Series 9 is less than half an inch thick. High-end aluminium covers the frame, which still manages to expose a few connectivity ports on the side in the name of utility.

The ASUS Zenbook features an ultra slim 13-inch design, SonicMaster audio technology and all-in-one multimedia functions.

The Z330 is the most compact product in LG's newest Super Ultrabook Series. In terms of performance, LG's proprietary Super Speed Boot technology enables rapid booting _ roughly three times faster than other 13-inch notebooks in the market. Powered by an Intel Core i7 processor, the Z330 requires less than 10 seconds to complete booting, while it requires a mere 2 seconds to recover from stand-by mode.

The Z330 is equipped with the latest SATA3 Solid State Drive (SSD), which is more than 11 times faster than an ordinary hard drive. The device is light, weighing a mere 1.21kg.

Lenovo is expanding its Ultrabook portfolio with the IdeaPad U310 and U410. Powered by the Intel Core Processor family, these thin and light laptops include Ultrabook versions with 64GB SSD drives for caching data, and versions with up to 500GB HDD storage. Both versions feature ultra-responsive performance with fast boot times and quick resume from sleep. The PCs also features other smart elements including automatically updating the mailbox, instant messaging and social media messages even in sleep mode, with up to 8 hours battery life.

Dell introduced its new XPS 13 Ultrabook _ a 13.3-inch high definition model running on Intel's second-generation Core i5 or i7 processors. Intel HD 3000 graphics and Intel Rapid Start technology are highlights of the new device, while Intel Smart Connect technology is also included, allowing the XPS 13 to "wake up" periodically to update calendars and email. Battery life is slightly under 9 hours. Dell took strides to ensure the new XPS 13 would appeal to both consumer and corporate markets.

Sony’s Ultrabook concept was protected in a glass case without disclosing any specs.

Sony so far has not launched an Ultrabook. At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, Sony showcased a concept device but did not disclose any specifications. The concept, however, should feature one of Intel's Ultrabook guidelines: ultra-low voltage (ULV) Sandy Bridge, or the upcoming Ivy Bridge, processors as well as SSD or hybrid storage.

Both Toshiba and Asus agreed that the Ultrabook segment has acceptably responded to a group of users who require the light and thin form factor with performance.

Last year Toshiba Thailand introduced the Portege Z830 at 39,000 baht. Takon Niyomthai, country manager for IT of Toshiba Thailand, noted that the market feedback has been very promising. Toshiba plans to launch its second model in the segment under its consumer Satellite brand, with a lower price and more mainstream features. The new Satellite will be some 10,000 baht lower than the Portege.

AsusTek Computer managing director Pornthep Watchara-Amnouy noted that the performance of the Ultrabook is not inferior to MacBook Air, in fact some are even better. "Price is not a concern if the device fulfills ones' needs," he said, pointing out that there will be more variety of Ultrabook models on the market during the second quarter, while the average price will be around 30,000 baht.

At present, Ultrabooks accounts for less than 1% of the PC market in Thailand and most of the models introduced so far have been high-end and expensive. Starting from the second quarter of this year, many brands are going to launch new series giving consumers a wider variety of choices at competitive prices.

Lenovo’s U310 Ultrabook comes with a 64GB SSD drive and up to 500GB hard disc drive storage.

HP’s Envy Spectre attracted showgoers at the recent Consumer Electronics Show with its sleek design, weighing just 1.8kg and measuring 0.78-inch thick.