Acer Aspire S3, Lenovo U300S, Toshiba Z830, Asus UX21, Asus UX31.
Update: Now that the HP Folio is in the running, this poll has been closed. Results are below.
Over the last week there’s been an excellent discussion going on here at Ultrabooknews. We’ve talked about the argument against Ultrabook, the argument for buying an Ultrabook, discussed some specific solutions and issues and we’ve even seen some of you pushing the button on a purchase. Finally, the first review of the last of the first round of Ultrabooks is in so there are now independent reference points for all of them. I want to thank you all for your input in the comments so far. Keep it going!
On the right-hand column here on the desktop version of Ultrabooknews.com (scroll down a bit!) you’ll see a list of Ultrabooks. [If you’re viewing the mobile site, view the list here.] From day one I’ve been tracking views of the pages and each day the list gets re-ordered with the most popular device (over the last 7 days) showing at the top. It gives you an idea about what devices are most popular but for a second data point, I think it’s a good time to take a poll.
Poll : Which is your favorite Ultrabook?
Feel free to add comments below and let others get the benefit from your thoughts – whatever they are.
For more information on all of the Ultrabooks (and some of the alternatives) see the product database. Specification also available via the images above.
I’m going for the UX21 as I want 11″ for my needs. i7 is tempting but not sure if its worth the extra size to go 13″ as I need true portability. The only downside to all these Ultrabooks is the lack of integrated 3G. It feels like a step backwards, and of course with sealed untits retrofitting is not an option.
You should also include two other options.
a) I am not interested in ultrabooks.
b) MacBook Air (for all intents and purposes, it is an ultrabook, infact it was the first ultrabook in the market)
I considered both those options but decided to keep it to true Ultrabooks only. I’m working on an Ultrabook vs MBA article but i’ll probably have to borrow an MBA for a month to make it a legitimate comparison.
You don’t need choice a) simply because those who are not interested in ultrabooks are not reading this site.
I am interested in ultrabooks but I cannot justify the cost for my usage. Went with the newly released 11.6-inch Asus U24E instead. Voted for the Lenovo U300S as I’m sure it has the best keyboard / trackpad and display ergonomics.
Let us know how you get on with the U24E!
Will do!
+1. Please let us know your thoughts on the U24E it seems really impressive.
Lets see if we can get a guest post out of Peter. I’m sure there would be a lot of interest.
sure I could give my thoughts but it’d be pretty biased as I have not touched or used any ultrabooks yet.
That is silly. One can be not interested in something but yet read news on it to futher knowledge on the subject.
Silly? when was the last time you optionally voll poted on your favourite thing that you had no interest in?
Quite often actually. You don’t have to be interested in something to vote on something. For example, I don’t intend to own an ipad2 and I am not interested it it. But I will vote for it cause I acknowledge it is a brilliant device.
The point you made is something you are NOT interested in. You are obviously interested in gadgets including tablets and ultrabooks and voting on (general topic) tech blogs.
Yes, I am not interested in wine making…so I frequent blogs about making wine…just to enlarge my knowledge in a subject in which I have no interest. Hmmmmm. Doesn’t work for me.
BUT, Chippy COULD put an option for a semi-ultrabook (series9, etc). Either way, I love what Chippy is doing here for all of us.
If it does not work for you, does not mean it won’t work for others.
The MBA was not the first Ultrabook, an Ultrabook is just a specification for Ultra Portables for Ultra Thin & Light laptops and those have been around a lot longer than the MBA.
Besides, the Ultrabook specification excludes discrete graphics. So only the third gen MBA counts anyway.
Apple is just the first to make one that was more successful than niche products have normally been, never mind it took them the second try before they got it right.
On a side note, I’ll be ditching OSx on my 11″ MBA tomorrow and installing Win7. Will try to test out Intel QuickSync and some basic benchmarks, will be interesting to see how the MBA hardware performs under Windows
Update;
I removed OSx and installed Win7. I can confirm Intel Quick Sync Video is supported, plus battery life of around 5.5-6hrs. I will be keeping Win on the MBA until my UX21 arrives. Running Win the MBA could almost wear the “Ultrabook” name.
MBA!
I bought an Asus netbook a few years ago and all the talk of poor keyboards and mousepads on the UX31 sounds very very familiar.
Until only a few days ago, the Toshiba was winning my vote. Poor SSD and flimsy plastic build finally killed off the love.
U300s is looking better and better everyday. I want a UK release soon!
What no MacAir. Once again Apple has led the innovation and created the market for all these followers. Frankly the Apple is a superior package, if not expensive, as it actually works without the headaches of Microsoft, a follower in todays market.
It’s debatable if anyone is actually following Apple as much as just competing with them.
After all, Apple did not invent the Ultra Thin & Light laptop market and aside from OSX and their design style there is less and less separating them from other PC makers.
So while Apple may be the single most successful company and have a larger share than any one of the other competitors but all of them combined still represent the vast majority of the market.
Especially since Windows users still represent over 81% of the market by last estimate and that’s likely to grow when Windows 8 comes out.
Apple is already even considering killing off their Mac Pro desktop line.
So don’t discount the competition, especially since the competition will only get more intense once they get past the initial cost of establishing Ultrabooks and the technology makes it easier to make them.
While many will stumble with their first attempts at these products, especially those who had no previous experience making Ultra Thin & Light systems, you shouldn’t assume they won’t improve or even exceed Apple at some point.
Besides, we’ve yet to see what companies that have a much longer history than Apple for making Ultra Thin & Light laptops will have to offer in the Ultrabook category.
To morganmoblie: 2 thoughts, why isn’t an MBA an ultrabook? my wife’s looks like one to me. Also, why pay extra for the apple hardware, it seems quite similar to the ASUS 11″? Or will you revert it to OSX when you get the asus?
To all: any further update on the asus trackpad problem chippy mentioned? I’m planning on getting one and wondered if I should wait.
It appears to be a driver issue, some progress has been noted with a recent update but not confirmed if it solves all the issues yet.
Personally, I’d wait for Ivy Bridge model to come out. Asus has indicated they will be the first out and the price vs performance offered will be noticeably better.
They may also fix some of the complaints the present Sandy Bridge models are having. Like I’m hoping they either provide user swappable batteries or offer a optional battery slice option for those wanting longer run times in the next model.
While Ivy Bridge shipments have been delayed, we’re still only about half a year or so away from seeing those models start shipping.
What’s the advantage of Ivy Bridge?
I read http://www.techradar.com/news/computing-components/processors/intel-ivy-bridge-vs-sandy-bridge-1026232
I’m not interested in overclocking or gaming video performance. I just need a small, light laptop for web & email when traveling. I’m curious if the lower power usage will mean a noticeable improvement in battery life, however.
Thanks!
My estimate at the moment is about 20% battery life improvement although in certain scenarios it will be less, in other scenarios, more.
The reduction from 32nm to 22nm naturally reduces power requirements. Just like you can get longer run time from a Sandy Bridge chip than you could with the original i-Series chips.
Just compare the Asus EP121 Slate to the Samsung Series 7 Slate run times.
However, starting with Ivy Bridge Intel is introducing new technology like their Tri-Gate Transistors that are suppose to provide more efficient performance with less power usage. So counts as at least a partial architectural improvement on top of just the benefit you get from going from 32nm down to 22nm.
Intel is also introducing more power saving features that they previously have been lacking. Like dynamic TDP for adjusting power usage to only what is needed at any one time, among other new enhancements.
While we may also start seeing other more power efficient components next year. Like they have made some progress on making the screens more energy efficient and that goes a long way to improving run time.
Though I agree with Chippy, if you’re using the system for high performance at or near constantly then those power saving features pretty much go out the window. So depends a lot on how the system will be used.
Provided of course Intel doesn’t run into any unforeseen issues that may slow adoption of the new chips.
I will go for Toshiba z830, It looks the most promising for now, I like everything in this ultrabook, but the only reason moving to Toshiba is that my favorite brand Sony isnt making an ultrabook yet !
Well, I caved and bought something else. For me, the style of the ultras is WAY cool but also optional. Chippy’s article about the downsides of the Ultras really rang home with me. Having just resuscitated a dead Vaio after HD failure, buying an expensive ultra that would be hard or very expensive to repair if there was an SSD, battery, or Ram failure just didn’t seem wise.
Plus, I really want something with a discreet video card. All the tests show the HD 3000 does a great job for what it is, but frame rates in games are very poor, and I suspect video editing would be as well. I want to do both games and vid editing on the road, so sacrificing some size and weight for video power as well as upgradability/repairability seems to make sense for me.
So I took a step back and looked at some almost Ultras and found the Asus u36sd. Reviews seem pretty solid. Biggest downside is the screen, but I am hearing that about almost every UB anyway. I also found a 160 GB SSD option (which seems a liveable size). 128 GB seems too small after recovery partitions and such. 160 I can live with (guessing I net 135 GB or so).
So here is the one I bought. i7, 8 GB, 160 GB SSD, 3.6 lb, 8 cell battery, Nvidia GT520M, Win7 Pro64. Etc. Oh and fullsize ports is nice.
http://www.pcnation.com/web/details.asp?item=LA9565
I REALLY want an Ultrabook for style and portability, but it sounds like I will use this for awhile, and revisit Ultrabooks when they are sporting Win8 and in an Ultravertible (tablet/ultrabook) form factor. And I gather we wont see much like that til 2013. So this is my new toy for now!
I’m glad you made a choice that was right for you. That’s the right thing to do. As a result of reading your report I’m going to start to add Ultrabook alternatives to the database. I think it’s going to help people come to their own conclusions too.
Thanks. It was a tough choice because I was getting all Ga Ga over the UB form factor. Still am.
BTW, THANK YOU for creating this forum. Without it, I would have been completely uneducated about this class of Pcs.
And I want to apologize for those people one the forum who have been so picking aggressive and rude with you. One guy in particular (don’t need to say his name) has been all up in your face and for no good reason. Why do people do that, when you are expending your time and money to make this site happen.
Thanks again for your hard work. I will be checking in!
I’ve been blogging for nearly 6 years so I don’t mind opposing views any more. In fact, I need them to made me think straight! Everyone welcome!
Opposing views are great. But there is a way to do that politely. But your experience and thick skin are both good things!