Ultrabook Smultrabook...

[Amp34]

With all the (mostly less than impressive) Ultrabooks released at CES there are a couple of ultraportables that apparently don't realy like to be called the same as their kin...

They look very interesting, far more so than most of the sub par ultrabooks appearing recently. Samsung have announced a new series 9 with a 1600x900 screen and cleaned up looks.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/09/redesigned-samsung-series-9-laptop-announced/

And HP have gone another direction entirely with the Envy Spectre

http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/09/hp-envy-14-spectre-announced/

Both look very sexy compared to the others released recently. That gives 3 good ultrabooks (Zenbook the other).

 

[Izi]

look great, i am glad manufacturers are starting to care about build and aesthetics.

 

[Xinn]

Was looking at these the other day, the Samsung looks lovely. Getting bored of PC gaming so might sack off the desktop and pick up one of those depending on UK pricing.

 

[bledd]

Sony X505 remains the nicest looking 'ultrabook' ever imo

So far ahead of it's time!

I do like the look of that Samsung though

 

[Izi]

Was looking at these the other day, the Samsung looks lovely. Getting bored of PC gaming so might sack off the desktop and pick up one of those depending on UK pricing.

The samsung is £1k inc vat.

Also no way is the Sony X505 nicer than the Samsung!

 

[bledd]

^ http://boingboing.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/x505.jpg

Please..

Don't get me wrong, I hate Sony laptops, they usually need some really weird applications just to control the screen brightness etc. But they really hit the mark with this old beauty

 

[Izi]

^ http://boingboing.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/x505.jpg

Please..

Don't get me wrong, I hate Sony laptops, they usually need some really weird applications just to control the screen brightness etc. But they really hit the mark with this old beauty

hmm not a fan. I like trackpads too much for one.

 

[supafly]

^ http://boingboing.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/x505.jpg

Please..

Don't get me wrong, I hate Sony laptops, they usually need some really weird applications just to control the screen brightness etc. But they really hit the mark with this old beauty

That looks super.

I have seen the old Samsung Series 9 in the shops, it looked ok online, in the shop it looked like cheap glossy plastic trash (maybe a bit harsh). And the quality screen was awful.

 

[Izi]

That looks super.

I have seen the old Samsung Series 9 in the shops, it looked ok online, in the shop it looked like cheap glossy plastic trash (maybe a bit harsh). And the quality screen was awful.

thats odd as its 100% Duralumin casing

 

[Amp34]

That looks super.

I have seen the old Samsung Series 9 in the shops, it looked ok online, in the shop it looked like cheap glossy plastic trash (maybe a bit harsh). And the quality screen was awful.

I can see the slightly cheap glossy plastic issue, the inside isn't brilliant, least they sorted that now. As for the screen... I thought it was widely regarded as one of the best quality ones you can get on a laptop... Thought it was pretty good when I saw it in the flesh, just a shame about the low resolution, since sorted as well.

^ http://boingboing.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/x505.jpg

Please..

Don't get me wrong, I hate Sony laptops, they usually need some really weird applications just to control the screen brightness etc. But they really hit the mark with this old beauty

How have I not seen that before?! Looks very nice, but I assume quite old now?

The current Z series is beautiful as well, just a little to expensive for me, although I was >< close to buying one a couple of months ago, ended up with an MBA!

 

[Xinn]

The samsung is £1k inc vat.

Also no way is the Sony X505 nicer than the Samsung!

More European fail then saw it quoted at $999 so thought it might be at least a little cheaper that that in £'s. Guess not.

 

[Domo]

How do all these emerging ultrabooks compare to the MBA? I'm looking to get one but might have to hold off until May for the arrival of Ivy Bridge.

I'm using a Tecra R500 at the moment, which considering it's age is very small and light (less than 1KG) and even has an optical drive. Shame it flexes more than a sheet of A4 + it runs VERY hot!

 

[Xinn]

How do all these emerging ultrabooks compare to the MBA?

Depends which model, the Sammy Series 9 is meant to come in at $999, so compared to the $999 MBA it has a better spec. 128GB SSD Vs 64GB on the MBA and 4GB RAM Vs 2GB on the MBA.

I think the Sammy has USB 3.0 (USB 2.0 on MBA) ports, mini HDMI and display port as well. MBA has Thunderbolt

Don't know much about the actual screen quality but the Sammy screen res (1600x900) also beats the MBA (1366x768).

CPU is the same 1.6Ghz i5 I believe.

Now if only I had a spare grand to give Samsung.

 

[Izi]

The asus ultrabook ux31 will come with an i7, 256gb SSD, 4gb ram and USB 3 with a 1600x900 screen. So far its the fastest ultrabook tested.

The main feature it lacks is backlit keyboard.

EDIT: http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/asus-u...81d5-a25372d2e3d7&istItemId=ptmpatxl&istBid=t

£999 128gb version

 

[Amp34]

How do all these emerging ultrabooks compare to the MBA? I'm looking to get one but might have to hold off until May for the arrival of Ivy Bridge.

I'm using a Tecra R500 at the moment, which considering it's age is very small and light (less than 1KG) and even has an optical drive. Shame it flexes more than a sheet of A4 + it runs VERY hot!

The Series 9 may better it but at the moment there really isn't anything better if you have the money.

I got an MBA a month ago after looking round, although I did have tight spec wants (1***x900 screen mostly). The MBA is still the fastest ultra book style laptop at the moment other than the Sony Z series, which is significantly more expensive. The UX31 is slightly faster but still difficult to get hold of (AFAIK - it also has a few questions about it's build quality and reliability) and of the new "ultra books" the Series 9 looks the best in terms of specs to size.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/asus-zenbook-ux31-review/
http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/25/macbook-air-review-mid-2011/

Windows Benchmarks PCMarkVantage 3DMark06
Battery Life
MacBook Air (mid 2011) (1.7GHz Core i5-2557M, Intel HD Graphics 3000, Under Windows 7) 9484 4223 4:12
MacBook Pro (early 2011) (2.2GHz Core i7-2720QM, Radeon HD 6750M, under Windows 7) 8041 10,262 unknown
HP Envy 14 (Core i5-450M, Radeon HD 5650) 6038 1928 / 6899 3:51
Toshiba Portege R705 (Core i3-350M) 5024 1739 / 3686 4:25
Sony VAIO Z (Core i5-450M, NVIDIA 330M) 9949 6,193 unknown
Samsung Series 9 (Core i5-2537M) 7582 2240 4:20
Dell XPS 14 (Core i5-460M, NVIDIA 420M) 5796 1955 / 6827 2:58
ASUS Zenbook UX31 (1.7 GHz Core i5-2557M, Intel HD Graphics 3000) 10,508 4,209 5:41
Notes: For 3DMark06, the first number reflects score with the discrete GPU off (if possible), the second with it on.

 

[Amp34]

Depends which model, the Sammy Series 9 is meant to come in at $999, so compared to the $999 MBA it has a better spec. 128GB SSD Vs 64GB on the MBA and 4GB RAM Vs 2GB on the MBA.

I think the Sammy has USB 3.0 (USB 2.0 on MBA) ports, mini HDMI and display port as well. MBA has Thunderbolt

Don't know much about the actual screen quality but the Sammy screen res (1600x900) also beats the MBA (1366x768).

CPU is the same 1.6Ghz i5 I believe.

Now if only I had a spare grand to give Samsung.

You're talking about the 11" MBA there, the 13" is more but has a decent 1440x900 resolution, better than the MBP 13".

 

[Izi]

The Series 9 may better it but at the moment there really isn't anything better if you have the money.

I got an MBA a month ago after looking round, although I did have tight spec wants (1***x900 screen mostly). The MBA is still the fastest ultra book style laptop at the moment other than the Sony Z series, which is significantly more expensive. The UX31 is slightly faster but still difficult to get hold of (AFAIK - it also has a few questions about it's build quality and reliability) and of the new "ultra books" the Series 9 looks the best in terms of specs to size.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/asus-zenbook-ux31-review/
http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/25/macbook-air-review-mid-2011/

The asus is lighter, faster, smaller, higher definition, USB3, HDMI and Sata 6.

It is also £100 less than the MBA.

There are no build quality issues that i have heard reported - its a full aluminium case.

 

[Amp34]

Yet you only seem to be able to get the 128GB i7 over here not the 256GB and there are quite a few reports of Wifi issues...

I was close to getting one but couldn't take the chance with wifi issues as I was getting it abroad and it would be a long flight back if it didn't work...

But yes it is one of the top 3 out at the moment and runs windows like a dream.

EDIT: And looking around again, the only google shopping hits for the UX31 are a couple of sites I've never heard of and the one you linked to. Even the big UK online stores don't sell them... Confused I was and confused I am, it's as if they aren't being sold in this country at the moment, yet one legitimate company is.

 

[Izi]

Yet you only seem to be able to get the 128GB i7 over here not the 256GB and there are quite a few reports of Wifi issues...

I was close to getting one but couldn't take the chance with wifi issues as I was getting it abroad and it would be a long flight back if it didn't work...

But yes it is one of the top 3 out at the moment and runs windows like a dream.

EDIT: And looking around again, the only google shopping hits for the UX31 are a couple of sites I've never heard of and the one you linked to. Even the big UK online stores don't sell them... Confused I was and confused I am, it's as if they aren't being sold in this country at the moment, yet one legitimate company is.

Yep, I think we are going to have to wait a month for the 256 version. However, even the 128 version has i7 processor: http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/asus-u...81d5-a25372d2e3d7&istItemId=ptmpatxl&istBid=t

 

[Amp34]

I know, but not the 256GB HDD I wanted.


I didn't realise they weren't out properly over here, it's been ages since they were released though...?

I have to say though, with the i7 MBA I really have lost any doubts about ULV processors now. It flies and photoshop runs like a dream (making and editing 100mp Panoramas etc), a far cry from the original ULV processors that were around a couple of years ago.