Non-touch computers
Do not avoid the view that Windows 8 is
designed for touch. But that does not mean you need the touch screen: after
all, most Windows 8 coming out today has updated trackpad driver that allows
you to do the same gesture that you would do on a touch screen (claws in from
the right to reveal the Charms bar). Meanwhile, the touch screens increase the
cost of the computer, and add thickness and weight. From what we see, they have
a great impact on battery life. And wipe the fingerprints on the touch screen
can quickly become tiring. Therefore, while we talk about the friendly touch
computers, we can think of several good reasons that you might not want to
follow that trend.
Ultraportable
We hope this part will become increasingly
smaller, if not irrelevant, because the touch screen will be a requirement for
Windows Ultrabooks packaging Intel’s Core 4th generation processor. However,
this time, this is a choice of lightweight computer that screen is intended to
clean fingerprints.
MacBook
Air
We do not lie: you might want to wait an
update at this time. MacBook Air can use higher resolution screen (the current
resolution is 1,440x900 on the 13-inch model), and we think it could have that
screen on the next version, which we hope to release in early summer. In
summary, we have nothing to complain about monolithic aluminum design, smooth
glass trackpad or comfortable keyboard - in fact, we dare to say that Air also
has a combination of the best keyboard and touchpad in any laptop. It is fast
and provides one of the longest battery lives we've seen on the Ultrabook,
although its duration may be more impressed with Intel's upcoming Haswell chip.
It is one of the most comprehensive Ultrabooks we've checked, but need to make
sure that you find okay with the current specifications if you decide to buy at
this time.
MacBook
Air
The bottom line
·
Although the competitors have caught up in some
areas (in particular, the quality of the screen), MacBook Air is the most
comprehensive Ultrabook you can buy now.
Price
·
$999 (11 inch) / $1,199 (13 inch)
Key Specifications
·
Up to a 2GHz Core i7 CPU (select models)
·
4GB to 8GB of RAM
·
64 to 512GB of internal storage
·
Intel HD Graphics 4000
·
11.6-inch (1,366 x 768) or 13.3-inch (1,440 x
900) display
Samsung
Series 9
This has also been a long time, but perhaps
that does not mean that we still like it after one year released? For a long
time we had fun when designing the Series 9 - 15 inch model in particular, with
0:58 inch thick, is the thinnest laptop we know in this size range. Series 9
can be redesigned soon, but we find that Samsung introduced it in new colors at
CES we think that it can be attached to that ID in a long time. In addition to
style, it has bright 1,600x900 screen matte, a quiet backlight keyboard and
overall fast performance. Battery life is long on the 13 inch and 15 inch model
but again likes the MacBook Air, you can definitely expect a longer run time if
it is refreshed with Haswell.
Samsung
Series 9
The bottom line
·
Unless you want the touch screen (or the
player), this is definitely Windows laptops we recommend that you buy.
Price
·
$1,300 (13 inch) / $1,500 (15 inch)
Key Specifications
·
13-inch
·
1.7 GHz Intel Core i5-3317U
·
4GB of RAM
·
128GB of internal storage
·
Intel HD Graphics 4000
·
13.3-inch (1,600 x 900) display
·
15-inch
·
up to a 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U
·
8GB of RAM
·
128 or 256GB of internal storage
·
Intel HD Graphics 4000
·
15-inch (1,600 x 900) display
Acer
Timeline Ultra M5
Aspire M5 is not the most advanced laptop
we tested in 2012, but it provides some best performances with this price
segment. As one of the first computers packed GPU from Kepler of Nvidiia, it is
still the only one available Ultrabook with discrete graphics. With a thickness
of 0.81 inches and 4.3 pounds, it's quite compact for a 14 inch computer,
especially if you consider that it has a room for the tray loading optical
drive (tray-loading). The screen enthusiasts will not appreciate 1,366x768
resolution (or typical Acer build quality), but we prefer the narrow bezel. In
addition to these problems, we think you'll love this computer if you're
looking for a lightweight computer with reasonable price and more performance
oriented.
Acer
Timeline Ultra M5
The bottom line
·
One of the few Ultrabooks with good enough
graphics for gaming, and it's cheap!
Price
·
$700 and up
Key Specifications
·
1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U CPU
·
6GB of RAM
·
500GB of internal storage (with a 20GB SSD)
·
Intel HD Graphics 4000 or NVIDIA GeForce GT640M
LE (1GB)
·
14- or 15.6-inch (1,366 x 768) display
