NEC is jumping into the Ultrabook market this summer with the Lavie Z ( name subject to change, according to the company). The company says that they will use lithium alloy magnesium, “in the body of a PC for the first time in the world”, to achieve a sub-1kg weight on an Ultrabook with a 13.3″ screen — something we’ve yet to see. NEC is apparently holding a competition where you can guess what the lightest model of the Lavie Z will be, and if you guess correctly you could win […]

The Dell XPS 13 is finally in our hands, just in time for the live webcast this evening. Late yesterday evening I managed to get an overview video made and it’s embedded below. It’s a fantastic looking device which a punchy screen and a great keyboard but there’s also an issue of ports. For photographers and videographers, one of the target ‘creative’ markets for the Ultrabook, you’ll miss any form of SD card slot. For those using VGA and HDMI screens, you’ll be annoyed at having to buy one or […]

This is an interesting development. We’ve been waiting for Asus to announce the refresh to their current Zenbook line with the Zenbook Prime, which would update the existing UX21E and UX31E to the UX21A and UX31A respectively. Oddly, Asus has gone and announced two entirely different Zenbook models that are different than the two that we had heard about. At a press event in Taipei, Asus has taken the wraps off of the UX32A and UX32VD. Both will use the latest Intel Ivy Bridge CPU and pack in more ports […]

It’s time for another live session here at Ultrabooknews.  Friday 11th at 2000hrs 2100hrs (9pm Berlin, Your timezone here.) We’ve already received the Lenovo U300s here and tomorrow we’re expecting a Dell XPS 13 so it makes sense to put them together with the other two Ultrabooks we already have here and to give you the chance to interact with, oh, lets just call it the biggest live Ultrabook review ever! I’m also pleased to announce that we have a special guest. Patrick Moorehead of Moor Insights and Strategy will join […]

We’ve been tracking the Envy 4 and Envy 6 for the last few weeks. After some leaks, and some confusing official information from one of HP’s sites, everything has been made clear — the new Envy 4 and Envy 6 are budget-oriented ultrathin devices which will come in official Ultrabook or AMD-based ‘Sleekbook’ flavors. The AMD options push the prices down even further by giving up on some of the Ultrabook feature requirements. Starting at $599 for the cheapest Sleekbook, or $699 for the cheapest Ultrabook, these are value-packed systems!

The Envy Spectre XT Ultrabook has just been officially unveiled by HP as a refresh of the previous Envy Spectre. The new Spectre XT Ultrabook represents HP’s top of the line Ultrabook offering Intel’s latest third-generation Ivy Bridge CPU with HD4000 graphics and a full range of ports. At just 14.55mm thick and 1.39kg, the Spectre XT can manage up to 8 hours of battery life, according to HP. Step inside for a rundown of features, a gallery of photos, and a hands-on video.

I’m surprised that this has happened. The Fujitsu U772 has been outed in the flesh in a ‘pre-production’ review. We got hands-on back at CeBIT when the model name was unknown and we enjoyed one of the thinnest, best-looking Ultrabooks so far. 15.9mm and amazingly small for a 14” laptop. Is it the incredibly thin bezel that makes it look so modern and tasty or is the overall chic look and ultra-thin lines?

The Zenbook Prime (UX31A, the 13.3″ model) has appeared on the Italaian retailer website Fnac. There has still be not official confirmation of the full specs of the Zenbook Prime series from Asus, but all signs are now pointing to a next-gen Ivy Bridge CPU being on board as well as a full 1920x1080p display. Additionally reworked keyboard with backlight is expected to grace this sleek Ultrabook. The retailer listing also gives us an indication of the prices that we can expect to see at launch.