Ultra portables (< 3lb @ 13-14 inch) ?

[you2]

I'm thinking about an ultra portable (less than 3 lbs) 13-14 inch. I've read the reviews but only seen a couple of units in store. It seems like the candidates are

asus ux31a (i hear mix things so no clue on battery life)
acer s7 (fantastic display but short battery life)
mac airbook (seems like a champ but not 1080p like the above 2; maybe it doesn't matter?)
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Toshiba has a unit @ 2.64 lb (but I hear the display is kind of sucky); like wise I hear that leveno x1 has a poor display.
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I should mention that I would be running linux on the box and not using it for much gaming; but would like hd4000 or better.
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So questions: Are there alternatives I should consider or first hand comments on the above units or shoudl I wait another tech cycle (6-9 months) ?
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I should (have) mentioned that I would like 6+ hours when watching movies (long flights); 4GB is plenty of ram; under 3 lbs is strongly desired.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

How about the Microsoft Surface?

 

[Red Storm]

I would personally wait another tech cycle, especially since you listed that as an option.

 

[Roland00Address]

You may want to wait till the next generation of ultraportables if you want longer battery life. Intel currently requires all ultrabooks to get 5 hours of battery at a minimum with mobile mark (Intel wants 7 hours on average but it requires 5 hours).

With haswell and the shark bay platform this minimum battery life is now 9 hours and intel wants 13 hours on average but 9 hours being a requirement with mobilemark.

 

[you2]

Is it 13-14 inch and does it run linux ?

How about the Microsoft Surface?

 

[you2]

Ok thanks; I guess wait it is.

You may want to wait till the next generation of ultraportables if you want longer battery life. Intel currently requires all ultrabooks to get 5 hours of battery at a minimum with mobile mark (Intel wants 7 hours on average but it requires 5 hours).

With haswell and the shark bay platform this minimum battery life is now 9 hours and intel wants 13 hours on average but 9 hours being a requirement with mobilemark.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

When you say run Linux, do you mean in a VM or remove the OS that comes with it and install Linux instead?

 

[you2]

Not as a VM as the native OS.

When you say run Linux, do you mean in a VM or remove the OS that comes with it and install Linux instead?

 

[Puddle Jumper]

It's a little heaver than you want but the Lenovo x220/x230 would easily exceed your battery life requirements.

Waiting another cycle should be a big help for battery life on Ultrabooks thanks to the ULV haswell parts that should be out by then.

 

[dagamer34]

The Acer Aspire S7 has a decent display (it's excellent compared to a lot of the trash sold at Best Buy), but I'm not a fan of the construction. After playing around with a lot of Windows 8 laptops, I'd say either get the ASUS UX31A Touch (touch version is only at Best Buy) or wait for Haswell. There's nothing else on the market worth buying right now.