ultrabooks
Latest
Dell XPS 12 review: with the launch of Windows 8, 'convertible' takes on a new meaning
More Info Dell announces XPS 10 Windows 8 hybrid, XPS Duo 12 convertible Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 convertible priced at $1,199 and up, ships this month with pre-orders starting today Toshiba unveils U925t Ultrabook with slide-out touchscreen A Windows 8 PC that can be used in a tablet mode? Those will come a dime a dozen this fall. But what's fascinating is how each PC maker has approached the challenge of mixing a touchscreen with a more traditional mouse-and-keyboard setup. For some OEMs, this means going the hybrid route, with 10- or 11-inch tablets that slot neatly into an optional keyboard dock. For others, it means a full-fledged PC with a slide-out touchscreen. And for a few, it means a laptop whose screen can fold down, leaving you with what can only be described as an oversized slate. That's how we would describe the Dell XPS 12, a 12.5-inch notebook whose screen flips inside its hinge, allowing you to use the machine in tablet mode or, if you prefer, with the screen facing away from the keys. (Yes, Dell is giving this form factor a second try.) It starts at a relatively steep $1,200 but then again, this is a fairly premium machine we're talking about: it combines all the ingredients of an Ultrabook (lightweight build, Ivy Bridge processor and a solid-state drive) with a 400-nit, 1080p, Gorilla Glass touchscreen. So what's it like to use this form factor? And how does it fare as a regular ol' Windows 8 PC? Let's see.
Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook gets updated with Ivy Bridge (updated)
File this under things we could've sworn happened already: Dell is updating its nine-month-old XPS 13 Ultrabook with third-generation Core (read: Ivy Bridge) processors. While the rest of the company's Win 8 lineup isn't shipping until October 26th now, the refreshed XPS 13 should already be live on Dell's site, with the same starting price of $1,000. Update: A previous version of this article reported that the XPS 13 would be available with a touchscreen. In fact, it will still be offered with non-touch-enabled panels only.
Sony announces 14-inch VAIO T14 Ultrabook, says it will offer the T13 with an optional touchscreen
In case you haven't noticed, Sony just announced pricing for all sorts of touch-friendly Windows 8 products -- namely, the VAIO Duo 11, Tap 20 and the E14P multimedia laptop. But not everything in the company's lineup needs to have a touchscreen. The outfit just announced the VAIO T14, a reasonably priced 14-inch Ultrabook that you'll have to use the old-fashioned way: with a keyboard and trackpad. So far as we can tell, it's the same metal-and-plastic industrial design as the existing T13, except now the speakers sit above the keyboard, instead of on the front edge. As you can imagine, the 14-inch version (pictured above) is a bit thicker and heavier than the 13-inch model (3.77 pounds, up from 3.54), which means the chassis is now wide enough to accommodate an optical drive. What's slightly disappointing, though, is that while the T14 has a larger footprint, it doesn't add any additional ports. As with the T13, you get two USB ports (one 3.0, one 2.0), HDMI output, an Ethernet jack, audio-out and a VGA socket. Another USB connection or two would've been nice, is all. In addition to announcing the T14, Sony also revealed that it will start offering the T13 with an optional touchscreen -- a $100 upgrade you can add during the configuration process. (Sony's Japanese and UK divisions already announced a touch-enabled version of the T13, but until now it was unclear whether it would ever go on sale in the US.) As you might have guessed, that touchscreen adds a few ounces to the weight. The upside, though (aside from having a touchscreen, if that's what you're into) is that it has a prettier, edge-to-edge glass display -- a definite improvement over that standard wide bezel. (Check out the shot after the break to see what we mean.) The T13 will continue to sell for $670 and up, with the touch option becoming available this month. The T14 will also go on sale in the coming weeks starting at at $670.
Acer's Aspire S7 Ultrabooks coming October 26th, starting at $1,200 for the 11-inch version
Back at Computex, Acer announced the Aspire S7 series -- the company's third line of Ultrabooks, and the first of the bunch to sport touchscreens. At the time, we were told they'd go on sale once Windows 8 started shipping and sure enough, Acer just sent out a press release confirming they'll be available October 26th, the day Win 8 officially launches. Prices will start at $1,200 for the 11-inch model (the S7-191), but you'll pay either $1,400 or $1,650 for the 13-inch version (S7-391), depending on which configuration you choose. For those who missed the initial June reveal, the laptops all have 1080p IPS screens and backlit keyboards. The 13-inch model in particular has a display that can lie completely flat. Another key difference: the 11-inch version has an aluminum lid, while the 13-incher's is fashioned out of Gorilla Glass. Whichever you choose, the S7 comes with a USB to Ethernet adapter, a micro-HDMI to VGA dongle and a carrying case -- a first for Acer. They also make use of Acer's TwinAir cooling technology and are set up to work with AcerCloud, the company's free online storage service, which you can use with mobile apps on iOS and Android. Inside, the SSDs are all arranged in RAID 0 configuration, which means you can expect the kind of absurdly fast I/O speeds we recorded on the Aspire S5. (The lack of redundancy in that RAID 0 setup also means you might want to be extra vigilant about backing up your stuff.) The battery life is rated for six hours on both models, but the 13-inch version will be available with an external cell that can supposedly double the runtime. Meanwhile. RAM is fixed at 4GB, and integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics are the standard. All told, just the kind of specs you'd expect on a high-end Ultrabook. Again, these will ship on October 26th, starting at $1,200 for the smaller 11-inch model. In the meantime, we've got a few additional specs after the break, and you can always revisit our hands-on from Computex if you want to re-live the magic of a crowded press conference.
Fujitsu Lifebook UH75 running Windows 8 at CEATEC (hands-on video)
CEATEC isn't exactly the first place you'd expect a new notebook to turn up, but Fujitsu's booth had a bit of a surprise on the laptop front. The Japanese company had its Lifebook UH75 Ultrabook on display running Windows 8. That OS is the real news here: no other real specs beside the 14-inch screen we already knew about. Fujitsu said this machine will launch alongside its new Arrows Tab sometime in late October or November. Check out our video hands-on below the break.
Hard drive shipments recover from floods in Thailand, expected to reach record high
Last year's floods in Thailand caused hard drive shortages after wreaking havoc on a number of electronics manufacturers, but new stats from IHS iSuppli indicate that the HDD market for PCs has fully recovered and is poised to hit an all time high. The firm expects 524 million units for internal use in PCs to ship this year, besting the previous record by 4.3 percent. What's giving the recovery an added boost? According to the analytics group, the extra demand comes courtesy of Windows 8 and Ultrabooks. Unfortunately for deal hounds, the company noted in a report earlier this year that prices aren't expected to dip below the pre-flood range until 2014. If IHS iSuppli projections hold true, total annual hard drive shipments could reach 575.1 million by 2016.
HP announces Envy m4 thin-and-light, along with two slimmed-down Sleekbooks
Remember the Pavilion m6? It was one of many, many lightweight laptops HP announced last spring. To recap, it didn't technically fit Intel's Ultrabook specifications, but it was still quite thin, and offered features not normally found on ultraportables -- things like discrete graphics and a subwoofer. In any case, HP is expanding that particular line: it just announced the Envy m4, a 14-inch companion to the 15-inch m6 that went on sale this summer. Like the m6, it has an aluminum design, along with Beats Audio and a subwoofer. Spec-wise, it'll be offered with Core i3 and i5 processors, up to 8GB of RAM and either a solid-state drive or up to 1TB of HDD storage. The display resolution is fixed at 1,366 x 768 -- typical for mid-range laptops. (Note: only one configuration will be available in the US, though additional variants will be offered in other countries.) Intel Wireless Display is standard, and the battery promises up to eight hours of runtime. It also has a fingerprint reader, which you can use with HP's SimplePass technology to log into the PC and as well as websites. Meanwhile, HP added two models to its growing line of Sleekbooks (read: thin-and-light laptops that for whatever reason don't meet Intel's Ultrabook requirements). These new models include the Pavilion Sleekbook 14 and 15, which look like the company's entry-level G series, but are significantly trimmer. The laptops, available in black and red, will be offered with Ivy Bridge chips, optional discrete graphics, 1080p displays, up to 8GB of RAM and up to 1TB of HDD storage. In both cases, the battery life is said to max out at six hours -- less than the m4 or most Ultrabooks, but still decent. Last thing -- and this really is apropos of nothing -- HP also mentioned in its press release that the existing 11-inch Pavilion dm1 will be offered with an HSPA+ radio capable of running on T-Mobile's network. HP says it will offer up to 200MB of free data per month, for two years. That deal is effective next month, on October 26th. The Envy m4 will start at $900 while the Pavilion Sleekbook 14 and 15 will go for $500 and $560, respectively. These, too, will arrive on the 26th, the day Windows 8 launches. For now help yourself to photos galore past the break.
Targus Ultralife accessories for Ultrabooks turn their noses up at lesser, non-ultrafied PC peripherals
If sales figures from earlier in the year are any indication, it would seem that Ultrabooks are gaining traction, so you can't really blame accessory makers for wanting to piggyback on their success. Targus just introduced a bunch of slim, lightweight peripherals, and while you don't have to use them with your skinny little ultraportable, the company's marketing team really hopes you do. All told, the Ultralife line includes almost a dozen items, all of which have the same anodized bronze aluminum design and peekhole accent (looks like you're out of luck if your laptop skews more gray). Included in the group are a 65W adapter ($70) and a $40 hub with three USB sockets and an Ethernet jack, the idea being that most Ultrabooks don't have a wired internet connection built in. Also on tap: a polishing cloth ($10), a stylus with a magnetic holder ($20) and a slew of cases and sleeves, ranging in price from $40 to $80 (the MSRP varies depending on the material, and whether you buy it in a 13.3- or 14-inch size). Finally, the company announced a trio of wireless mice, including a plain-Jane model ($50), one with a microSD reader ($60) and one that doubles as as presenter ($90). All of these are available now, if the heavy, pedestrian mouse and USB hub you currently own just won't do.
HP Envy Spectre XT review: a sleek and speedy Ultrabook with a killer keyboard
More Info HP unveils Envy Spectre XT Ultrabook, other thin-and-lights in various sizes HP announces 15-inch Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook, Envy 4 Ultrabook with touch HP Envy 14 Spectre review HP's Envy 14 Spectre hit almost all the right notes when we reviewed it back in March, thanks to its high-res display, sleek metal-and-glass design and brisk performance, but a stiff trackpad and the steep $1,400 price were clear downsides. The new Envy Spectre XT, a 13.3-inch Ivy Bridge-powered Ultrabook, has a thinner, lighter profile than its big brother, and a lower $1,000 price tag to match. That's still not chump change, though, so does the XT deserve a spot in the top tier of Intel-approved ultraportables? Join us past the break for the full breakdown. %Gallery-165035%
Nuance and Intel team on Dragon Assistant Beta for Ultrabooks, Dell XPS 13 to lead the charge
Intel at CES promised a partnership with Nuance to give Ultrabooks a taste of ready-made voice recognition, and we're finally seeing the results at IDF in San Francisco through the launch of Nuance's Dragon Assistant Beta. As the name implies, this isn't just a voice dictation engine like that in Naturally Speaking: chatty users can delegate common tasks like playing music, reading social network updates and searching the web. The beta isn't immediately available as of this writing, but it should go live soon and will be a core part of of Ultrabook software bundles in the near future, starting with the Dell XPS 13 this fall. We're wondering why Intel is focusing its Dragon Assistant efforts solely on thin-and-lights -- the company still makes money from portlier PCs, after all -- but we won't mind as much given the simultaneous launch of a Perceptual Computing SDK 2013 Beta, which lets developers work Dragon recognition into their own apps. More details await after the break.
Spotted at IDF: NEC's lightweight LaVie Z Ultrabook (hands-on video)
Remember NEC's LaVie Z Ultrabook we first heard about at Computex? It's a super light (875g / 1.93 lbs) and thin (15mm / 0.59-inch) magnesium alloy system running Windows 7 that's only available in Japan and we just spotted it here at IDF 2012 in San Francisco. Spec-wise you're looking at a 1.9GHz third-generation (Ivy Bridge) Core i7 CPU, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD with integrated Intel HD 4000 GPU driving a 13.3-inch 1600 x 900-pixel display. It features an SD card slot on the left side, audio, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, HDMI and power connectors on the right edge along with the obligatory webcam. We spent a few minutes using the LaVie Z and were quite impressed with how lightweight and well made it is. It feels like a premium Ultrabook yet still looks unique -- unlike the plethora of me-too designs the PC industry's been dumping on the market lately (yes, we're looking at you, HP). The screen is nice and bright with decent viewing angles. NEC's done a good job with the button-less trackpad which is properly responsive. Sadly the keyboard is a bit of a mixed bag -- the short travel and small surface area of the individual keys will be an issue for some. Want to know more? Check out the gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.%Gallery-164973%
We're live from IDF 2012 in San Francisco
Are you ready for a smorgasbord of news on Ultrabooks, Clover Trail-equipped tablets, Windows 8 hybrid devices and maybe even Medfield-based smartphones? Well you're come to the right place because we're live at Intel's Developer Forum 2012 here in beautiful San Francisco, where over the next few days we'll bring you the latest news on all things Intel.
Western Digital builds 5mm-thick hybrid hard drive, Ultrabook makers sign on early
Those 7mm-thick hard drives you've seen in some Ultrabooks are already looking a tad on the chunky side. Western Digital has started producing sample versions of a hybrid hard drive (you're not yet looking at it here) that measures just 5mm (0.2in) tall, even as it crams in both flash and a 500GB main disk. If you think the slimmer drive is just the ticket for a best-of-all-worlds laptop that's both fast and capacious, you're not alone: Acer and ASUS have mentioned their collaboration in the same breath, which may be a strong clue as to where future Aspires and Zenbooks are going. The remaining question is when they arrive. Sampling isn't the same as mass production, which could leave us with months to go before the 5mm drive lands in future extra-skinny PCs.
Acer announces Aspire M3 and Aspire V5 laptops with touchscreens (update: hands-on photos)
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.engadget.com/acer-aspire-v5-touch-aspire-m3-touch/"><img alt="Acer announces Aspire M3 and Aspire V5 laptops with touchscreens" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/08/aspirem3.jpg" style="margin:4px;"/> </a></p><p>In case you haven't noticed, there are two kinds of Windows 8 devices on display at IFA this week: laptop / tablet hybrids, and already-announced laptops, refreshed to include touchscreens. Acer's newest two Ultrabooks fall into that second category: the company just announced touch-enabled versions of its <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/04/acer-aspire-timeline-ultra-m3-review/">Aspire M3 Ultrabook</a> and Aspire V5 thin-and-light. For now, Acer isn't saying a word about price or availability, so for now you'll have to be content with a few spec details, all embedded after the break.</p><p> <strong>Update:</strong> We've added some more pictures of Acer's new touch-friendly Ultrabooks in the flesh.</p><p> %Gallery-164010%%Gallery-164006%</p><p></p><p></p>
Lenovo outs 15-inch IdeaPad U510 Ultrabook with Ivy Bridge CPU, optical drive: $679 and up (update: hands-on)
Lenovo's IFA itinerary is marathon-length. It unveiled no fewer than three tablets yesterday, not to mention three new IdeaPad S Series notebooks, and today it's serving up more laptops. Let's hit the high-profile guy first: Lenovo's IdeaPad Series lineup of Ultrabooks is getting its first 15-inch model, the Windows 8-running U510. The machine weighs 4.85 pounds (2.2kg) and measures 0.83 inches (21mm) thin, which is hefty for an Ultrabook but gives it enough room for a DVD burner or an optional Blu-ray drive. The 15.6-inch display's resolution is a ho-hum 1,366 x 768, which is exactly what you'll find on the IdeaPad U310. The laptop will be available with up to a Core i7 Ivy Bridge CPU, up to 8GB of RAM and a 500GB, 750GB or 1TB hard drive and optional 24/32GB SSD cache. Connections include USB 2.0, USB 3.0, VGA and HDMI, and there's an SD card reader as well. Lenovo rates the machine for six hours of battery life. The U510 will set you back $679 (for the entry-level configuration) when it goes on sale in September. For now, you can check out our hands-on photos below. %Gallery-163961% %Gallery-163899% Zach Honig contributed to this report.
CyberPowerPC intros Zeus-M Ultrabook series, prices start at $679
There's something going on in Berlin that's left us with an array of upcoming laptops to look forward to, but believe it or not, there are still others looking for the spotlight in the portable department. And, well, such is the case with CyberPowerPC and its recently unveiled Zeus-M Ultrabook series. For starters, the 14.1-inch (1366 x 768) M unit alone starts off at a mere $679, which will get you a third-gen Core i5-3317U CPU paired with decent HD 4000 graphics, USB 3.0, a 60GB SSD and 4GB of RAM -- or, there's an option to make it 8GB for only 20 more bucks. Meanwhile, the pricier, better-specced M2 is $799 and boasts the same Intel processor as its M brethren, but does come standard with 16GB of RAM and a 120GB solid-state drive. Both M Ultrabooks are available now, with CyberPowerPC saying they'll be ready to ship within 5 to 10 business days.
Toshiba outs Satellite U945 and P845t Ultrabooks, Satellite S955 thin-and-light
In addition to unveiling that U925t laptop / tablet hybrid yesterday, Toshiba is announcing some more conventional-looking PCs this week at IFA. These new models include the Satellite U945, a low-end Ultrabook; the Satellite P845t, an Ultrabook with a touchscreen; and the Satellite S955, a 15-inch thin-and-light. Across the board, these will be available October 26th, the day Windows 8 formally launches. For now, too, Toshiba isn't revealing prices, though we already know plenty about the specs. Join us after the break where we'll spell out those nitty-gritty details.%Gallery-163544%%Gallery-163742%
HP announces 15-inch Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook, Envy 4 Ultrabook with touch (update: video)
If you thought laptop / tablet mashups were trendy, we can think of at least one other theme you're going to see repeated ad nauseam over the coming months: PC makers putting touchscreens on things that didn't used to have them. That's right, in addition to all those funky-looking hybrids, you're going to see lots of familiar-looking laptops get upgraded with touch in time for the Windows 8 launch. Exhibit A: HP, which just announced two conventional notebooks with touch. This includes a finger-friendly version of the 14-inch Envy 4 Ultrabook, as well as the Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook, a 15-inch version of the Spectre XT announced earlier this year. Both will be available during the holiday season. That's the short version, but if you follow past the break, we've got a lot to talk about in the way of specs. Join us, will you?
Samsung Series 5 UltraTouch Ultrabook arrives October 26th, starting at $799
Remember that touchscreen Series 5 Ultrabook that Samsung showed off at Computex last June? Well, it's definitely coming to the US and will be available October 26th, the same day Windows 8 formally launches. As we noted in our hands-on, this is basically the same Series 5 we reviewed earlier this year, except the touchscreen adds some heft (it now weighs 3.83 pounds, versus 3.24 for the non-touch version). As for specs, you're looking at just two configurations, both of which have 4GB of RAM, a 13-inch (1,366 x 768) display and a 500GB hard drive with 24GB of ExpressCache. The only difference is that the entry-level $799 model has a Core i3 processor, while the $899 version steps up to i5. If that all sounds rather humdrum, Samsung is attempting to spice up Windows 8 by bundling custom apps, some of which you might remember from its various Android products. Sammy's various "Hubs" (Music, Video, Media and Social) are all present and accounted for, as is the AllShare app, which uses DLNA to share content across different devices. Additionally, Samsung is including a handful of desktop applications designed to soften the learning curve for people new to Windows 8. For instance, S-Launcher is a desktop widget that replicates the now-extinct Start Menu, live search and all. eSettings, meanwhile, is a centralized options menu for folks who might not know where to find power management or display settings in Win 8. If you follow on below, you'll find a short video walk-through of some of these apps (Sammy didn't demo AllShare or the Hubs for us, sadly), and we've also got fresh hands-on shots to complement the ones we took back in June.%Gallery-163016%
Toshiba unveils U925t Ultrabook with slide-out touchscreen, keeps the price a secret for now
If Computex was a coming out party for Windows 8 Ultrabooks, Toshiba was one of the wallflowers: though the company teased some concept devices, it only let journalists photograph them from certain angles, and with their screens turned off. Now, though, we're closing the summer with yet another tradeshow, and Toshiba is using the occasion to demo its wares in more detail. The company just announced the Satellite U925t, that Windows 8 slider we showed you earlier in the summer. No word on price, except that it's expected to be "slightly north" of the Satellite U845W, which starts at $1,000. We do know that it will ship on October 26th, the day Win 8 formally launches. In the meantime, Toshiba hasn't left any specs to the imagination. What we have here is a 12.5-inch Ultrabook with a slide-out, Gorilla Glass touchscreen. Pushing the screen up reveals a built-in keyboard, and we were pleasantly surprised in our hands-on to find that it's actually quite spacious. (With this form factor, the propped up display usually cuts into the usable keyboard space.) The keys are also backlit, and have the same feel as what you'll find on Toshiba's U845 and U845W Ultrabooks. That is to say they're shallow, and very, very quiet. The whole package weighs "just over three pounds" and measures about 0.8 inches thick, making it easy enough to stuff in a carry-on. When you push up the display you'll also find another surprise: an autofocusing 3-megapixel camera on the back side. For good measure, there's also a lower-res shooter up front. On the inside, it packs a Core i5 processor, Intel HD 4000 graphics and a 128GB SSD. Like many other Ultrabooks, it also has Intel's Wireless Display tech on board, though you'll of course have to buy the requisite set-top box separately. Taking a tour around the device, you'll find a mix of tablet- and laptop-style trappings: two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI, vents, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a volume rocker and a button for turning off screen auto-rotation. Software-wise, Toshiba is bundling Desktop Assist, a utility designed to give Windows 8 newbies quick access to files, programs and the like. You'll also see Live Tiles for things like Toshiba Central (a support hub), Book Place and Toshiba App Place. That's all she wrote for now, but expect us to follow up closer to October 26th with a more specific price. Until then, we've got hands-on photos below, along with a short walk-through video.%Gallery-163534%
