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Sony VAIO Pro 11 review: finally, a new flagship ultraportable to replace the Z
More Info Sony VAIO Z review (2011) Sony's VAIO Pro Ultrabooks weigh as little as 1.92 pounds, start at $1,150 Intel: Haswell will boost battery life by 50 percent If you've ever read the comments section here at Engadget, you know it's possible to develop a fanatical attachment to a brand. To a specific product, though? And a laptop, of all things? That's fairly rare. But the VAIO Z wasn't a common notebook. For years, it was Sony's flagship ultraportable, with a featherweight design, top-of-the-line specs and a delicious carbon fiber weave. It was the sort of laptop for which techies happily spent $2,000 -- and they were ready to plunk down even more money when a new version came out. Then it was discontinued, only to be replaced by mid-range models with lesser specs. There was a clear hole in Sony's lineup, and diehards were left disappointed, with no clear upgrade path once it came time to retire the ol' Z. In a sense, the Z is still dead: to this day, there is no Z series in Sony's lineup. But there is the new Pro line, and it more or less picks up where the Z left off. (It takes after the business-friendly S series, too.) Starting at $1,150 and available in 11- and 13-inch sizes, these machines use carbon fiber to achieve an even lighter design (under two pounds for the 11-inch model). Both pack fresh Haswell processors, with 1080p screens, NFC and backlit keyboards all standard. As it happens, we've been testing the smaller Pro 11 for almost two weeks, so although Sony just announced these machines to the public, we already have a full suite of impressions, benchmarks and hands-on photos ready to go. Join us after the break to see if this is the Z replacement you've been waiting for.%Gallery-189832%
Hands-on with the Dell XPS 11: meet Dell's answer to the Lenovo Yoga (video)
Just a short while ago we brought word that Dell had quietly announced the Dell XPS 11, an 11.6-inch Ultrabook with a hinge that folds all the way back into tablet mode, with the keyboard disabled after it passes 180 degrees. Yep, it is what it sounds like: a direct strike at Lenovo's Yoga convertibles. As we said in our earlier report, it won't actually be available until the holiday season, but fortunately we just had a chance to get hands-on with a prototype unit here at Computex. So, we're prepared to share a few first impressions, even though certain minor details like price and specs have yet to be finalized. Meet us past the break for the full preview.%Gallery-190109%
ASUS Zenbook Infinity official with a Gorilla Glass 3 lid, touchscreen and backlit keyboard (eyes-on video)
Just as promised, ASUS has unveiled its Zenbook Infinity at Computex 2013 in Taipei. Being the first laptop -- let alone an Ultrabook -- to boast a Gorilla Glass 3 lid and palm rest, it's able to take advantage of three times the scratch resistance than the material's predecessor. This has allowed ASUS to achieve a maximum thickness of just 15.5mm, or about 14 percent thinner than the previous line of Zenbooks. But would the glass survive a drop? According to the product manager, the laptop's passed various drop tests, but only time will tell if it's as good as he promised. Despite the slimmer body, the Zenbook Infinity surprises us with a built-in touchscreen as well as a backlit keyboard. There's also a USB 3.0 port on each side, along with an SD card slot, micro-HDMI port and a Mini DisplayPort. No word on the other specs or prices just yet as this laptop won't be out until Q4, so stay tuned for future announcements. Check our our eyes-on video after the break. %Gallery-190077%
Gigabyte PC revamps include game-ready Ultrabooks, AMD A4-based tablet (hands-on)
Gigabyte loves to pull out all the stops at Computex, and this year is no exception: the company just unveiled 11 (mostly) new laptops and tablets. According to a brochure on hand at the computer maker's demo table, the emphasis is chiefly on slimmer portables with both Haswell-era Core processors and some dedicated graphics firepower. The P34G and P35K Ultrablade models are equally 0.83 inches thick, but pack gaming-friendly GeForce GTX 760M (P34G) and 765M (P35K) video. More pedestrian Ultrabooks get a boost as well: both the touchscreen U24T (pictured above) and the non-touch U24F wield a mid-tier GeForce GT 750M. If you don't mind bulkier laptops, the Q2546N, Q2556N, U35F, P27K and P27W scale from the GeForce GT 740M through to the GTX 770M while allowing for more storage and Creative Sound Blaster audio tuning. The tablet updates aren't nearly as extensive. Most of Gigabyte's energy centers on the 10-inch Slate S10A, a spin on the S1082 with an AMD Temash-based A4-1200 processor that delivers up to 14 hours of battery life. Other refreshes are even subtler: the 11.6-inch U21M convertible is similar to the U2142, while the dockable S1185 returns virtually unchanged outside from a new Padbook nickname. Release dates and prices aren't immediately available for any of the new systems, unfortunately, but you can peek at a few of the fresh models in our hands-on photos just below. %Gallery-190058% Zach Honig and Mat Smith contributed to this report.
Seagate ships 5mm Laptop Ultrathin hard drive to ASUS, Dell and more
Western Digital may have been quick to release a 5mm hard drive, but it doesn't have a lock on the category: Seagate is entering the fray by shipping its own slim disk, the Laptop Ultrathin. Like its rival, the drive stuffs as much as 500GB of conventional, rotating storage into SSD-like dimensions ideal for Ultrabooks and some tablets. It even costs the same $89 as its WD counterpart, although we're more likely to find the disk built into our next PC than pick one up as an upgrade. Both ASUS and Dell have chosen the Laptop Ultrathin for new models, and we suspect they won't be alone.
Acer Aspire S7 Ultrabook refreshed with a WQHD screen, S3 gets a total makeover (hands-on)
It was a year ago at Computex that Acer unveiled the Aspire S7, a skinny sliver of a thing that turned out to be one of our favorite Ultrabooks of 2012. Now, 12 months later, the company is unveiling... the Aspire S7. A much-improved S7, to be precise. Going into the second half of the year, there's only to be a 13-inch version (the 11-incher's been discontinued), and it has much the same industrial design, with a lightweight chassis and Gorilla Glass lid. The difference is that it will now be offered with a 2,560 x 1,440 screen, which will be standard in certain regions, like Europe. (Elsewhere, a 1080p IPS panel will continue to be the base option.) As you'd expect, Acer's upgraded the S7 to Haswell CPUs (Core i3, i5 and i7), but it also squeezed in a bigger battery -- 47Wh, up from 35Wh. Between that bigger cell and new chipset, Acer is rating the battery life at seven hours, which, if true, would correct one of the OG model's biggest shortcomings. Rounding out the list, Acer moved the mics to the front, and also updated the cooling system with the promise of less fan noise. Meanwhile, Acer thoroughly revamped the mid-range S3 Ultrabook so that it looks more like the S7. The main differences are that this has no Gorilla Glass on the lid, and the entire machine is noticeably heavier (1.67kg vs. 1.3). Part of the reason for that chunkier shape is that it will be offered with beefier components, including optional NVIDIA GT735M graphics and a 1TB hard drive (you can also get it with an SSD). Additionally, the S3 steps up to Haswell CPUs, along with a 1080p IPS touchscreen -- the same kind that the S7 had when it first launched. Design-wise, as we said, it looks like the S7, particularly with the lid shut, and it's now made from one piece of aluminum, instead of several. The keyboard looks different from the S7's, though, and is also a bit clackier, for whatever reason. In Europe, at least, the Aspire S7-392 will start at €1,450, and the S3-392 will go from €999. Both will arrive in July. No word yet on US pricing. For a closer look, check out our hands-on photos and video, both embedded after the break. Update: US pricing for the S7 will start at $1,400 and go up to $1,700, depending on the configuration.
Intel sets Haswell launch for June 4th, details bold battery life claims
Haswell is hardly a secret at this point: there's been a steady drip-drip of demos and technical leaks since as far back as 2011, and just a month ago we brought you the low-down on its integrated graphics. But today, finally, we have official pricing for a number of variants, a concrete date for availability (this coming Tuesday, June 4th) and, perhaps most importantly, some detailed benchmark claims about what Haswell is capable of -- particularly in its mobile form. Sure, Intel already dominates in MacBooks, Ultrabooks (by definition) and in hybrids like Surface Pro, but the chip maker readily admits that the processors in those portable PCs were just cut-down desktop chips. Haswell is different, having been built from the ground up with Intel's North Cape prototype and other mobile form factors in mind. As a loose-lipped executive recently let slip, we can look forward to a 50 percent increase in battery life in the coming wave of devices, with no loss of performance. Read on and we'll discover how this is possible and what it could mean for the dream of all-day mobile computing.%Gallery-189926%
The Weekly Roundup for 05.20.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Samsung ATIV Book 7 review: a high-end Ultrabook arriving just before Haswell
If you've been waiting for Samsung to refresh last year's Series 9 Ultrabook, don't hold your breath; apart from a recent upgrade to 1080p resolution, it's basically stayed the same. That doesn't mean Samsung is taking a break from ultraportables, though: the company recently started shipping the Series 7 Ultra (now called the ATIV Book 7), which debuted at CES. Regardless of the name, the idea was always for it to be part of Samsung's performance line, ranking right below the flagship Series 9 family. To that end, it ships for $1,060 with all the specs you'd expect to find in a mid- to high-end Ultrabook: a Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, a 13.3-inch, 1080p display and a stronger set of speakers than on the Series 9. Obviously, the fact that it's launching with Ivy Bridge is one knock against it, but how does it stack up otherwise? Might it be a good deal if it ever gets a CPU refresh?%Gallery-189371%
Lenovo ThinkPad S3 and S5 teased, show off aluminum 'floating design'
Starting to get bored of the ThinkPad's classic look but not keen on the Edge series? Then we have good news for you! Earlier today we received a couple of photos that show off two upcoming Lenovo Ultrabooks: the 13-inch ThinkPad S3 (codename "Labatt") and the 15-inch ThinkPad S5 ("Guinness"). As you can see above and after the break, both aluminum laptops feature a new "floating design" that might have taken a page out of Samsung and Vizio's book: shaving off the front outer edges of the bottom side to create that slim and floating illusion. Also, these will apparently come with either a black or silver lid. Some folks on Sina Weibo have received other teaser photos of the ThinkPad S5, with one confirming the presence of JBL stereo speakers. The funny thing is Chinese website Yesky reported on a charity auction that actually sold limited editions of the S3 and S5 earlier this month, but those unannounced Ultrabooks went under everyone else's radar. If you're curious, Yesky speculates that a launch is due in China at the end of this month, but you'll have to stay tuned for the prices and specs.
Toshiba Kirabook review: Toshiba tries to reinvent itself with a flagship Ultrabook
More Info Toshiba's Kirabook rocks a 2,560 x 1,440 display, arrives May 12th starting at $1,600 Toshiba Kirabook hands-on Chromebook Pixel review It's not like Toshiba is new to laptops -- it's been making them for decades -- but for whatever reason, US consumers don't seem to trust the company with top-shelf products. Four-hundred-dollar machines, maybe, but a designer laptop? An Ultrabook, no less? Toshiba has an image problem, to be sure, and the executives in Tokyo know it. The answer, they hope, is to start fresh with a clean slate. The company recently announced a new family of premium devices, called Kira, with the 13-inch Kirabook being the inaugural product. At first blush, it has all the trappings of a flagship machine, with an all-metal chassis, backlit keyboard, 8GB of RAM, a two-year warranty and a 2,560 x 1,440 display, one sharp enough to rival the Chromebook Pixel and Retina display MacBook Pro. In fact, this is the first Windows laptop to offer such a high-resolution panel, which gives Toshiba a big opportunity indeed: to lure people who still haven't found their perfect Ultrabook. The problem with "perfect," of course, is that it comes at a price: $1,600 and up, in this case, and the touchscreen isn't even standard. That leaves just one question, then: is it worth it?%Gallery-187940%
Ask Engadget: best sub-$1000 Ultrabook?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Meredith, who needs a new Ultrabook so she can go to law school. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm going to law school and I'll need a new laptop. Since I'll be commuting with a long train ride each way, I'm looking for a sub-$1000 device with Windows, a long battery life, SSD and it has to be lightweight. I don't need anything too powerful as I'm not doing any gaming, but something that'll work reliably for the next three years would be ideal for lecturers, web browsing and word processing. Is there a bargain to be had now, or should I wait for back-to-school Ultrabooks to come out? Thanks!" In your humble narrator's position, waiting a few months for a Haswell device, which promises significantly increased battery life might be a wise choice. However, if you're not too fussed about a touchscreen device, then our laptop expert feels that Samsung's Series 9 might be the way forward. Of course, this isn't just a private enquiry, so let's share this out with the wider community and see what they can come up with. It's Ask Engadget, folks, you know the drill.
NEC launches VersaPro VX business laptop, VG Ultrabook in Japan
You probably won't ever see these latest NEC computers hit retailers on this side of the Pacific, but if you do your laptop shopping in Japan, it's time to listen up. NEC's just flooded the market with a bounty of fresh models, all likely destined for corporate IT departments, and maybe a few homes. There are a few additions to the Mate series, including an MG all-in-one, along with ML, ME and MB slim towers. Then, on the portables front, there's some VB, VH, VD and VA notebooks, followed by two standouts: a VX laptop for 138,500 JPY ($1,400) and a VG Ultrabook priced at a whopping 261,000 JPY (about $2,650). That first model is available with Intel Core i3 or i5 processors, a WXGA 15.6-inch LCD and integrated graphics. The pricey Ultrabook, for its part, can be had with a Core i5 or i7 processor, four gigs of RAM, a 1,600 x 900-pixel 13.3-inch LCD, integrated graphics and either Windows 8 Pro or Windows 7 (huzzah!). There's plenty more to discover, of course, but we'll leave that up to you. NEC loyalists can get their fix (in Japanese) at the source link below.
Intel Silvermont: next-gen mobile CPU's three times as fast and more energy efficient
ARM's long been the dominant form of silicon in mobile devices, but Intel aims to change that with its next-generation Atom chip design codenamed Silvermont. According to Intel, the new architecture will enable CPUs that operate at up to three times the speed of existing models, while (in some cases) also offering chips that sip just one-fifth the amount of electricity to get computational jobs done. The keys to those improvements are Intel's 22nm process and Tri-Gate transistors tuned for SoCs. While Silvermont was designed with mobile in mind, the architecture supports up to eight cores and will find its way into data centers and Ultrabooks in addition to phones and tablets. When? Intel's not telling yet, but rest assured when Silvermont shows up in an actual product, we'll be there to put it through its paces.
Acer brings options galore to new Aspire V5 and V7 laptops (hands-on)
Choice, you say? Acer's newest laptop duo is offering that in spades. At a gala this morning in New York City, the company rolled out quite the arrangement of new kit -- not the least of which was a revamped Aspire V5 and Aspire V7. The two lines ship with a 14- or 15.6-inch display, giving users the option of a 1,366 x 768 panel or a (highly recommended) 1,920 x 1,080 IPS panel; those seeking something even smaller will also find an 11.6-inch option in the V5 range, weighing just three pounds and measuring under an inch thick. The whole lot can be selected with dual- or quad-core chips from AMD and Intel, while select configurations are equipped with NVIDIA's GeForce GT7XXM series or AMD's Radeon HD8750 discrete graphics. In essence, the V7 only differs from the V5 by adding a "silky touch" finish on the bottom, the "latest Intel CPUs," optional SSDs and Intel's Wireless Display (WiDi) technology. Both ranges offer the new Acer Converter Port, which aims to make the act of connecting to an external display, HDD, router, etc. a lesson in simplicity. The newfangled V series will ship at the end of the month with prices starting at $499, but you can bet that the model you're really after will land far north of that. %Gallery-187475% %Gallery-187474%
Acer unveils Aspire P3 convertible Ultrabook (update: video)
Acer brought a whole bunch of folks out to NYC for a global press conference and made sure the attending press got their money's worth. In addition to outing the unique convertible R7, the company unveiled the Aspire P3 -- its first convertible Windows 8 Ultrabook. The screen can be angled forward to use as a traditional (ish) laptop or completely folded down in slate mode. As you can see in the image, there's even a place to clip on a stylus. Acer wasn't too forthcoming with specs during the presentation, but we'll be sure to dig up those specifics when we get our hands-on (which should be coming shortly). Update: You'll find impressions and specs after the break. %Gallery-187460%
Acer intros Aspire R7, a laptop with an adjustable display like an all-in-one (update: video)
When Acer plans a global press event, asking journalists to fly in from twelve time zones away, you know it's going to announce more than just some back-to-school PCs. The company just announced the Aspire R7, a 15-inch laptop whose display sits on a flexible "Ezel" hinge, allowing it to be pushed up and back so that it lies nearly flat -- yep, just like an all-in-one desktop. Similar to the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga line, too, you can flip the screen all the way back so that it faces away from the keyboard, a feature that seems especially well-suited for giving presentations. In terms of specs, Acer is being a little cagey, but we have learned the R7 has a 15.6-inch, 1080p display with a choice of Core i5 and i7 processors. Pen input is possible too, though you'll be limited to passive capacitive pens (read: there's no active digitizer on board). The whole thing weighs in the neighborhood of five and a half pounds. Also confirmed: it's up for pre-order now for $999, available exclusively at Best Buy in the US. We're told it will ship May 17th. In the meantime, we've got hands-on photos below, and we'll very shortly be adding some first impressions after the break.
Intel's Haswell-powered 'North Cape' reappears, promises 10 hours of battery life in tablet-mode (hands-on)
We've just spotted a familiar friend at Intel's Innovation Future Showcase in London -- its Haswell-powered North Cape laptop / tablet hybrid. As a quick reminder, alongside that fourth-generation Intel Core processor there's a 13-inch 1080p display that detaches from the keyboard, and now we've been given a few important updates on the reference device, battery performance on Haswell and how Intel's reference design will transfer between tablet and Ultrabook mode. All that and more after the break.%Gallery-186789%
Toshiba Kirabook hands-on (video)
Take a stroll through the laptop section at Best Buy recently? If you have, you know Toshiba's got a firm stronghold on the cheapie notebook market. The thing is, $400 systems don't exactly offer high margins -- a problem when people aren't buying that many PCs to begin with. And besides, who wants to be known for shoddy build quality and ho-hum designs? Not Toshiba, anyway. The suits in Tokyo were so fed up with the company's low-rent reputation that they decided to launch a premium line to prove Toshiba is indeed capable of making high-end machines. That line is called Kira, though for now there's just one product to speak of: the Kirabook, a 13-inch ultraportable starting at $1,600. For the money, you get a mix of modern design, top-shelf components and a whole lot of sucking-up from Toshiba's technical support. Topping the list is a 2,560 x 1,440 display, making this the first Windows Ultrabook to sport such a high-res screen. (We've already seen similar panels on the Chromebook Pixel and the Retina display MacBooks.) Additionally, users receive two years of warranty coverage and a dedicated support line, with near-instant pick-up times and a US-based staff (something customers have been asking for, says Toshiba). Also included: full versions of Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 and Premiere Elements 11, along with 25GB of online storage and a two-year Norton subscription -- something HP already bundles on select machines. The Kirabook will be sold in the US, Japan and Australia, with prices ranging from $1,600 to $2,000. It'll ship May 12th and go up for pre-order on May 3rd, but for now, we've got a detailed walk-through video waiting after the break, along with some early impressions. So come join us -- because who doesn't enjoy laptop porn?
Toshiba's Kirabook rocks a 2560 x 1440 display, arrives May 12th starting at $1,600
Toshiba's been holding its own at the affordable end of the laptop and PC market for a while, but that doesn't mean it can't do classy. Perhaps that's why it's just announced KIRAbook, a 13-inch Ultrabook aimed squarely at the high end. All the usual top-tier treats are here, plus an impressive 2,560 x 1,440 (221 ppi) panel, making this the first Windows Ultrabook to offer such a high-resolution screen. There's also a pressed magnesium housing and touchscreen input (non-touch version also available). That tactile input option also comes with a 10-point Corning Concore sheet of glass between your digits and the Windows 8 operating system. That OS will be housed on a 256GB SSD, supported by 8GB of 1,600 MHz RAM and third-gen Intel Core processors. There is also 25GB of cloud storage if you need a little more. At launch, there will be three configurations starting at $1,599, rising to $1,999 if you want all the bells and whistles (i.e., Core i7 and that touchscreen). If this sounds like your thing, then you can pre-order in May 3rd, or walk into bricks and mortar stores on May 12th.%Gallery-185995%