The Intel Developer Forum has already kicked off with some exciting announcements, from Ivy Bridge chips to a solar-powered CPU. Add to that Intel's big push on the Ultrabooks category, those ultrathin laptops that will be outfitted with consumer ultra-low voltage CPUs and aimed squarely at the Apple MacBook Air.
So far, only four Ultrabooks have been announced, and none have shipped. But that's not to say we don't have the details about what these ultrabooks will bring to the table. Lead analyst Cisco Cheng and junior analyst Natalie Shoemaker have had some up close and personal time with all four. We round up their hands-on previews here.
Asus started the ball rolling with its launch of the Asus UX21 at Computex 2011 last May. Like the Apple MacBook Air 11-inch, the UX21 has a sloping design, which starts at 7mm in the back and tapers to 3mm once you reach the front bezel. It differs from the Air in that the UX21 has a USB 3.0 port and a mini-HDMI port, though we wish it went a step further and added an SD card reader. Pricing is likely under $1,000, though Asus has not confirmed anything in that regard.
The Toshiba Portege Z835, announced at Berlin's IFA 2011 Consumer Electronics Show, has a chassis that measures a mere 0.63 inches thick and weighs 2.45 pounds. For perspective, it's thinner and lighter than the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (Thunderbolt). The Z835 is made out of magnesium alloy, with a brushed finish throughout the lid and interior. According to Toshiba, the price for the Z835 will be below $1,000, and should be available in mid-November.
Also announced at IFA, the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s, is also incredibly thin, measuring a mere 0.59 inches thick. It's shaped like a book and crafted from a single piece of aluminum. One standout feature is what Lenovo is calling a "breathable" keyboard. It has fans that are strategically placed under the keyboard to draw in air to cool the laptop. The vents are placed on the left side and back hinge area so that hot air is blowing away from the laptop. At $1,119 for the basic config, it's somewhat pricier than other ultrabooks.
Last, but certainly not least, is the Acer Aspire S3, another ultrabook announced at IFA. Unsurprisingly, it's thin, measuring 0.51 inches thick, which is thinner than the MacBook Air 13-inch at its thickest point (0.67 inches). Like the other ultrabooks that have been announced, it lacks an integrated optical drive, but it does have a media card reader. The S3 will retail for around $1,179 when it ships later this year.
For more on ultrabooks, see the slideshow above and check out "Ultrabooks: What You Need to Know." And stay tuned for PCMag's full reviews.