Choosing a Laptop; The Ultrabook made it Harder.

I’ve just fired-up my blogging tools after reading this. Shopping for a laptop has got harder since the Ultrabook launched. Hell, even shopping for an Ultrabook is getting harder now that you’ve got three definitions on the market and devices like the Acer P3 that look like tablets and devices like the Dell Latitude 7000 which might, or might not be an Ultrabook depending on the version you buy! Then there are devices that look like Ultrabooks, but aren’t. The price range of $433 [today] to over $3000 doesn’t help either.

‘Ultrabook’ was always a project-first in my opinion but it was also used as a banner under which premium devices were sold. As time went on the price range widened, the definition broke (there is no single definition for consumers today because three iterations of Ultrabooks are on the market) and the competition started appearing in Ultrabook-alternatives. As a project, Ultrabook is responsible for some major, desirable changes and I believe it has strengthened Intel’s position on the laptop market. In time, it will reduce the cost of producing a laptop and become a springboard for hybrid devices but trying to choose one right now is a nightmare.

I helped a few people buy a laptop while I was on holiday back in my hometown last week. We ended up with a touchscreen Intel Core-based laptop in both cases. They weren’t Ultrabooks. As I went through the process of helping my friends we focused on CPU and price as a starting point. We discussed brand values but we didn’t talk about the Ultrabook.

UltrabookNews is, of course, here to help you navigate the Ultrabook market. Our selector, our product list and our buying advisor (updated) will guide you (like no other site can) but in terms of laptops…I’m afraid you still need to do as much research as before. All we can say is that you should probably look at the Ultrabooks first, and the rest of the market later. Either that, or ask your friends, as before. (We’re there for you on Facebook if you need personal advice.)

The Ultrabook has helped the market move forward and has been a banner under which some premium prices, needed to subsidize major industry changes, were charged, but it will never simplify the process of buying a laptop. For that, fewer variants need to be produced…a possible consequence of the shake-out going on the in PC market today. But that’s another story.