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13-inch ASUS Taichi 31 with dual 1080p displays finally shipping after long delay
If you saw our review of the 11.6-inch Taichi 21, you'll know that its unusual dual-screen design had a pretty bad impact on battery life. ASUS is taking another crack at the whip, however, this time with the 13.3-inch Taichi that is finally shipping after a major hold-up in the US and promises a big boost to stamina -- a max of seven hours of use rather than five. If this claim stands up to scrutiny, the Ultrabook's other advantages should come back into play: namely the presence of pen or multi-touch input on the outer screen, excellent viewing angles and speakers, and a range of configurations based on either a Core i5 or i7 with SSD storage. We have no idea how pricing will compare to the $1,300 base of the 11-incher and the Taichi 31 hasn't appeared at any major retailers yet -- i.e., it still isn't quite as "available" as ASUS claims -- but we'll bring you an update when that changes.
Samsung Series 9 Ultrabook with 1080p display available now for $1,400
Last month, Samsung outed an update to the 13-inch Series 9 that saw its 1,600 x 900 LCD display replaced with the glory of full 1080p. And starting today, that Windows 8 Ultrabook is going on sale with pretty much the same internal configuration it had in a previous, less Premium life -- save for the 2GHz Core i7 inside. For a cool $1,400, you're looking at 4GB of RAM, an integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU, WiFi a/b/g/n and a 128GB SSD all neatly packed into an aluminum unibody design. So, you can do your eyes a favor (and your wallet some significant damage) by trading up now. Or stick with what you've got. Don't worry, if they don't ask, you don't have to tell Intel.
Toshiba's Portege Z10t detachable Ultrabook debuts at IDF (hands-on)
Right after Intel's somewhat mundane announcement of the Ultrabook Convertible and Ultrabook Detachable sub-brands at IDF in Beijing, SVP Kirk Skaugen surprised us by whipping out an unnamed laptop coming from Toshiba, so we jumped onto the stage to get a sniff of the only two units at the venue. Judging by the looks of it, we're confident that this is actually the Portege Z10t that hit the FCC last month -- the vents, camera and logo on the back match those in the drawing (embedded after the break) filed in the application.
How would you change Samsung's Series 9?
It's not that many devices that we ever really go to bat for, but Samsung's Series 9 Ultrabook has a small place in our heart. When we reviewed the mid-2012 refresh, we could only find a few problems -- the flaky trackpad, the limited storage options and the fact it was a bit on the pricey side. We've known for a while that Samsung's product engineers scour your comments for useful suggestions, so if you bought one of these, why not share your experiences with 'em?
MSI Slidebook S20 review: MSI's flagship Windows 8 Ultrabook has a flawed design
If you've been following our reviews of Windows 8 laptops, you know we haven't been too kind to the slider form factor. It's not like we set out to pan these machines, but time and again we've found that the propped-up display ruins the typing experience. Keep that in mind as we begin our review of the Slidebook S20, MSI's flagship Win 8 device, priced at $1,200 in the US. It's a bold move from a company whose bread and butter is not ultraportables, but gaming systems. In fact, the 11.6-inch S20 is the outfit's only high-end Windows 8 Ultrabook. So the company must have quite a bit of confidence in that form factor, then, if it didn't bother with dockable tablets or some other kind of convertible design. Could that mean the S20 has something all the others don't?%Gallery-184277%
Lenovo ThinkPad Helix slated for April release in the US
Lenovo's still being vague about a release date for its ThinkPad Helix, but it's at least narrowed down the retail window somewhat. Though the 11.6-inch, 1080p Ultrabook had already been officially delayed and marked for a Spring release, the company is now confirming via its Twitter account that consumers can look for it to launch sometime in April. That's specifically for the US market, as no other word on overseas availability has been announced. When it does finally go on sale stateside, look for the reversible Windows 8 device to carry a $1,499 price tag and potential AT&T-friendly LTE.
Samsung ships ATIV Smart PC Pro with AT&T LTE, 13-inch Series 9 Premium with 1080p screen
Samsung's ATIV Smart PC has been giving Americans a blend of LTE data and Windows 8 for some time, but we're sure that some would like a little more oomph. The company agrees -- it just released a version of the ATIV Smart PC Pro equipped with AT&T-capable LTE. If you've got a not-insubstantial $1,600 to commit to a tablet, you can stay online beyond WiFi while wielding a laptop-grade 1.7GHz Core i5, 4GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD and as much as eight hours of runtime. Ultrabook fans aren't left out from Samsung's upgrades. A newer Premium trim level for the 13-inch Series 9 swaps out the regular 1,600 x 900 LCD for a full 1080p screen. The higher resolution bumps the price to a slightly intimidating $1,900, although Samsung does outfit the PC with a 1.9GHz Core i7, 4GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. Between this and the Smart PC Pro, it's safe to say that the company can accommodate the highest of the high end.
Lenovo ThinkPad T431s Ultrabook: refined exterior, widened trackpad, shipping in April for $949
Lenovo's taking the wraps off of its newest ThinkPad here at Engadget Expand, but in fact, the T431s represents more than just a minor spec bump. It's actually the first ThinkPad borne out of Lenovo's latest "clean sheet" development initiative -- an 18-month process that the company briefed me on here. Regarding the laptop at hand, the 14-incher boasts a slimmer, sexier and more understated design, all while remaining very much a ThinkPad. It's being classified as an Ultrabook, yet it still meets the Mil-SPEC 8 standard for rigidity and durability. In other words, the weight loss isn't coming at the expense of ruggedness. As for specs, it's rocking a 1,600 x 900 matte display with 250 nits of brightness, integrated Intel HD graphics, a 720p front-facing webcam, 4GB of RAM (with optional upgrades boosting it as high as 12GB), a 47WHr (three-cell) sealed battery, an optionally backlit keyboard, Bluetooth 4.0 and built-in support for both WiFi and WWAN connections. It measures in at 13.03 x 8.89 x 0.8 inches while weighing 3.6 pounds, and it's easily one of the sturdiest Ultrabooks we've had the pleasure of wrapping our paws around.
Mega Man gets equipped with Japanese laptop
Joining Sega in the unlikely trend of video game-themed Japanese laptops, Capcom is looking to release a Mega Man special edition Ultrabook PC. And, like Capcom tends to do for Mega Man projects, it's polling fans to find the best design. As this inscrutable practice takes off, we feel the need to document it.A poll is up for the Ultrabook, with users allowed to vote once per day to select whether a generic "Rockman" design, tiled Dr. Wily and Robot Masters (the correct choice), overwrought NES box art-style Mega Man, or a pile of various Rolls will emblazon the laptop.So if you want to spend a few minutes voting on the look of a computer you very likely won't be able to buy, and probably shouldn't – sweet Mega Man art is not the recommended metric for choosing a computer – you're free to do so.
Dell ships its WiGig-based Wireless Dock, gives your Latitude a home base for $249 (video)
Dell has been teasing plans for a true wireless dock that would let Latitude 6430u Ultrabook owners get all the expansion they need without proprietary technologies -- or the usual cable spaghetti. It's at last here in the (rather plainly titled) Dell Wireless Dock. The station relies on a bandwidth-rich WiGig connection to give the Latitude supplementary audio, DisplayPort, HDMI, Ethernet and three USB 3.0 ports without skipping a beat. Few would call the Wireless Dock cheap at $249, but it could be a time-saver for any worker who just wants to grab their laptop and go at the end of a long day. Eager buyers should see the dock at the source link very shortly.
Samsung Series 5 UltraTouch review: a solid, if slightly overpriced, mid-range Ultrabook
More Info Samsung demos Series 5 Ultra Touch and Series 5 Ultra Convertible Ultrabooks, we go hands-on Samsung Series 5 UltraTouch Ultrabook arrives October 26th, starting at $799 Samsung refreshes its mid-range Series 5 Ultrabook with touch; arrives in February for $749+ If you read our latest laptop buyer's guide, you may have noticed we included a lot of high-end PCs. Which makes sense: we've been quite busy reviewing flagship devices since Windows 8 went on sale last fall. We're talking the best Microsoft's partners have to offer: twisting screens, dual screens, 8-second boot-up times. That's been fun, and we're pretty sure those are the more interesting products to read about, but even so, we decided it's high time we started reviewing some more mid-range systems -- you know, those models that don't cost $1,200. So, in the coming months, you're going to see us review more of these everyman systems, in addition to those lustworthy flagships. First up: the Samsung Series 5 UltraTouch. We'll admit, we're a little tardy here, as this went on sale late last year, but if you've never heard of it, it's basically last year's Series 5 Ultrabook with a touch panel appended. For the money ($800 and up), you get some modest specs (Core i3 / i5 processors with hybrid storage and a 1,366 x 768 screen), though if our research is correct, those are the same basic specs you'll find on most competing models. Given that, any display snobs can show themselves the door now, before we even get started. But what if you've been looking for a more affordable Windows 8 system? How does Samsung's entry stack up?%Gallery-178896%
ASUS TAICHI 21 review: are two screens better than one?
More Info ASUS reveals TAICHI convertible notebook / tablet with dual 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch displays ASUS TAICHI dual-screen Ultrabook coming in November for $1,300, 13-inch version to follow a month later ASUS TAICHI shipments reportedly pushed to at least December It's tough to forget the ASUS TAICHI: out of all the Windows 8 convertibles we've seen (and we've seen a lot) this is the only one with two screens on board. In particular, it's got one on the inside, which you'd use in regular notebook mode, along with a touchscreen on the outside that allows you to use the PC as a tablet. If you like, you can shut the lid completely and turn the machine into a slate-type of device, but you can also leave the lid open so that you're mirroring your desktop, or displaying something different on each one (imagine the possibilities for presenters!). As an added trick, that outer screen also accepts pen input, though you'll have to splurge on the highest-end configuration to get it with a stylus. For now, ASUS is selling the 11.6-inch TAICHI 21 ($1,299 and up), though a 13-inch version is going to start shipping later this month. Hopefully, though, our review after the break answers questions you'd have about either model. Namely, what's it like to use a machine with two screens, anyway?
Lenovo delays ThinkPad Helix, eyes a spring release
If you were biding your time until late February to pick up a ThinkPad Helix, we've got some bad news: Lenovo's revealed on Facebook that the convertible Ultrabook has been pushed back to a March or April release. For a refresher, the Helix packs an 11.6-inch 1080p Gorilla Glass display and carries a $1,499 price tag in its base configuration. Mum's the word on what's forced the flexible hardware closer to spring, but we've reached out to Lenovo for confirmation and more details. [Thanks, D]
Sony details VAIO T15, touchscreen T14 Ultrabooks on their way to Japan
Sony was mum on most of the details of the VAIO T15 and a touch-upgraded T14 when they appeared at CES. We won't have to wait until the spring launch in the US to know what some editions of the Ultrabook will carry, though. At least for Japan's February 9th release, the T15 won't be running any Haswell-based parts -- the top-spec system carries a 2GHz Core i7 from the current generation, a BDXL drive and a 1TB hybrid hard disk. The touch-ready T14 will be just as modest with a 1.8GHz Core i5, a DVD burner and up to 750GB of hybrid storage. We wouldn't be shocked to see performance boosts to either PC before they cross the Pacific, but we at least know what to expect as a baseline.
LG intros 15.6-inch U560, helps stretch our definition of Ultrabook (video)
There have already been a few 15-inch Ultrabooks that have pushed the very limits of the thin-and-light category. Still, LG wants its turn at bending the rules. Its new U560 packs a 15.6-inch display and an optical drive that, together, contribute to the PC's 4.3-pound weight and 0.82-inch thickness -- really, it's a traditional laptop in a slimmer than usual package. Not that we'll complain too much when it involves an IPS-based LCD, a 1.8GHz Core i5, dedicated graphics (a support page suggests NVIDIA) and both a spinning hard disk as well as solid-state storage. The U560's launch is limited to South Korea so far, although we wouldn't be surprised to see Europe and other territories get their turn.
CES 2013: Laptop and Ultrabook roundup
CES is done for another year, but before we can drop the microphone, we need to put together a reminisci-package to summarize the week in notebook computing. This year's show was chock-full with Ultrabooks, leading many to believe that full-fat notebooks are going the way of the Dodo. However, Intel's Kirk Skaugen feels that rumors of the laptop's demise at the hands of the Ultrabook are greatly exaggerated -- seeing the latter as merely a subset of the overall mobile PC firmament. Intel announced its power-sipping Haswell architecture and revealed its highly desirable North Cape reference design, which offered us a tantalizing glimpse of what future hardware could be like. However, before we get to that, we need to deal with the hardware hitting stores this year, so if you'd like to know more, follow us after the break.
Kirk Skaugen reveals why Intel made touch mandatory for Haswell Ultrabooks
We were able to sit down with Intel's PC chief, Kirk Skaugen, and chew through the revelations and news that were announced at the press conference the day before. We wanted to know if Ultrabooks will eventually replace Laptops, what was the motivation behind the decision to make Haswell Ultrabooks touch only and if there's one form factor from the several available that's winning the popularity war. Share our curiosity? After the break is where you need to be.
LG's 13.3-inch Windows 8 Ultrabook Z360 hands-on
By now, you should be familiar with all the Windows 8 options flooding the market and here on the CES 2013 show floor, LG's showing off its latest Ultrabook entry: the Z360. The thin and light device measures just 13.6mm and weighs in at 1.15kg making it easily openable with just one finger. Of course, since the Z360's 13.3-inch 1080p IPS panel doesn't support touch input, there's an array of dedicated "Metro" hot keys along the left edge of the keyboard. Inside, you're getting a fourth-generation Intel Core i5 processor (alternate Core i3 and i7 configurations are also possible) which allows for the device to cold boot in just eight seconds. On the Z360's bottom right, you'll find two slots for microSD slightly hidden, as well as HDMI and wired ethernet ports around the device. LG hasn't made its pricing or release details known at this time, so stay tuned for those additional details. %Gallery-175319%
Spotted: Samsung shows off a white Series 9 Ultrabook with a different finish, we prefer the old version
Welcome to "Laptop Porn," an exciting series hosted by that lady who reviews notebooks sometimes. Here at CES 2013, Samsung is showing off a white version of its 13-inch Series 9 Ultrabook -- the same second-gen model that's been shipping since last year. What's interesting is that although this has the same magnesium-alloy frame as all the other Series 9 laptops, the finish feels different: it's smoother, and warmer to the touch. It feels so different, in fact, that we initially thought it was some sort of watered-down plastic version meant to be sold at a lower price. As it turns out, it's apparently just difficult to paint metal, and the manufacturing process required to make this laptop in white results in a smoother surface. We're not sure we prefer it this way, though this finish does have the advantage of masking fingerprints better. Samsung says it hasn't decided whether or not to bring this to market. In fact, a rep told us the product team is going to listen to feedback at the show to decide whether or not introducing this different material is a good idea. (We already know they take Engadget commenters very seriously!) In any case, in absence of any concrete plans, we'll leave you to peruse our hands-on photos and have unnecessarily heated arguments about color preferences.%Gallery-175324%
Samsung refreshes its mid-range Series 5 Ultrabook with touch; arrives in February for $749+
Just about a year after Samsung first announced its mid-range Series 5 Ultrabooks, it's refreshing them with a higher-end aluminum chassis, backlit keyboards and touchscreens. The laptop, which will be available with a 14-inch screen only, will be offerred in black, red and navy (same as the GS III). It will come standard with a touchscreen in the US, though the version on display here at CES wasn't touch-enabled. Perhaps the biggest difference -- aside from the touch bit -- is that the design has a considerably more upscale feel than the last-gen models. Here, you have a brushed aluminum lid that takes after the high-end Series 9 line. In fact, every surface here is made of metal, save for the bottom, which is plastic. The keyboard layout is more similar to last year's model, though, except that now it has backlighting. As before, the chassis is thick enough to accommodate a tray-loading optical drive. Other amenities include three USB ports (one of them 3.0), an Ethernet jack, HDMI-out, a headphone port, DisplayPort (swapped in for VGA) and a lock slot. A Samsung rep told us it will be sold in two configurations in the US: a $749 model with a Core i3 processor and 4GB of RAM and an $899 model with Core i5 and eight gigs of memory. Both will have 1,366 x 768 resolution (a minor disappointment) and a 500GB hard drive paired with 24GB of ExpressCache for faster boot-ups and application launch times. In the US, at least, you're looking at integrated graphics only, though in other countries it will be available with an AMD Radeon HD 8750 GPU. Look for these in February and for now, enjoy the hands-on shots below.