Windows 8 Touch Ultrabook Considerations / what are you using?

[Collider]

So after first rejecting Windows 8, I happened to use it on a touch device and that was a complete game changer, suddenly my mac book felt obsolete.

Have been doing research for last few months and am up to date on current line up, and the overall Windows 8 Ultrabooks / convertables landscape feels that it "isn't there just yet", and by that I mean that there are very few models that match Apple build quality.

Just curious to see what people on this forum are using or considering feel free to share thoughts.

 

[PrincessFrosty]

I believe there's touch versions of the Asus Zenbook range now, I think they're called "Zenbook Prime Touch" or just "Zenbook Touch"

If you want apple like build quality and aesthetics with better hardware like a 1080p IPS screen then these are a great choice, I have a regular Zenbook Prime and it's a bloody amazing piece of kit, the touch versions look just as good.

 

[Ravynmagi]

I think I'd really like to have the Lenovo Yoga 11S, but am holding out for the Haswell version. I like the 11.6 inch size for Ultrabooks and it's $800 price is within my pain threshold. I'd really like something with a detachable tablet like the Lenovo Helix but it's $1600 price is well outside my pain threshold.

 

[Connoisseur]

I'm considering the zenbook infinity. I believe Anand mentioned that it was by far the most beautiful looking of the upcoming Haswell ultrabooks. Probably won't be released for another couple of months though. Here's the link:

http://anandtech.com/show/7035/asus...-with-the-most-beautiful-notebook-at-computex

 

[zerogear]

Laptops: Asus Zenbook Infinity, Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus, possibly the new Dell XPS 11.

Convertibles: Surface Pro 2 (Hopeful), or Lenovo Thinkpad Helix

I personally really want convertibles, so I'm waiting for surface and/or lenovo go use Haswell.

 

[Connoisseur]

What I would LOVE to see is a thin & light/ultrabook that can play games at an okay resolution. I know there's strong debate about this one way or another but I travel a lot with my company's clunky lenovo T420. I would love to have a companion machine that's thin and light which I can use to game away my lonely nights in hotel rooms. Something that can play borderlands 2 level games at at least 1600x900 and medium settings would be awesome.

 

[fralexandr]

What I would LOVE to see is a thin & light/ultrabook that can play games at an okay resolution. I know there's strong debate about this one way or another but I travel a lot with my company's clunky lenovo T420. I would love to have a companion machine that's thin and light which I can use to game away my lonely nights in hotel rooms. Something that can play borderlands 2 level games at at least 1600x900 and medium settings would be awesome.

they exist... razer blade
http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-blade/
it's just pricey: $1.8k base (128gb ssd), nvidia 765m, 14", 4.1lbs, 0.66" thick

these kinds of notebooks (sony viao z, alienware m11x/m14x, clevo "monster" w110erf; of which the sony viao z was the only one that would be thin & light when it came out, it was also ~$1.5-2k though) have "existed" for a while, though the recent advances in performance/power (and to some extent price and size) have made them more viable.

clevo's current offering is the w230st
http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np7330-clevo-w230st-p-6163.html?wconfigure=yes
$1k for a 13" with a 765m it's pretty surprising, though not as portable as the razer blade (4.4lbs, 1.26" thick)

heat and space will always be an issue for mobile parts though which is why the thin/light/performance don't really mix well. liquid heatpipes are supposed to be coming out in phones soon, hopefully they can withstand drops (let's face it dropping a notebook is bad anyway, but phones are expected to survive drops)
but if that hits, thin & light gaming notebooks will likely improve (there was some talk of liquid cooled notebooks ~ a year ago)

notebooks
http://gizmodo.com/5896149/liquid+c...clocked-processors-without-overcooking-thighs
phones
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/15/necs-medias-x-smartphone-for-docomo-liquid-cooled/

 

[Connoisseur]

they exist... razer blade
http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-blade/
it's just pricey: $1.8k base (128gb ssd), nvidia 765m, 14", 4.1lbs, 0.66" thick

these kinds of notebooks (sony viao z, alienware m11x/m14x, clevo "monster" w110erf; of which the sony viao z was the only one that would be thin & light when it came out, it was also ~$1.5-2k though) have "existed" for a while, though the recent advances in performance/power (and to some extent price and size) have made them more viable.

clevo's current offering is the w230st
http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np7330-clevo-w230st-p-6163.html?wconfigure=yes
$1k for a 13" with a 765m it's pretty surprising, though not as portable as the razer blade (4.4lbs, 1.26" thick)

heat and space will always be an issue for mobile parts though which is why the thin/light/performance don't really mix well. liquid heatpipes are supposed to be coming out in phones soon, hopefully they can withstand drops (let's face it dropping a notebook is bad anyway, but phones are expected to survive drops)
but if that hits, thin & light gaming notebooks will likely improve (there was some talk of liquid cooled notebooks ~ a year ago)

notebooks
http://gizmodo.com/5896149/liquid+c...clocked-processors-without-overcooking-thighs
phones
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/15/necs-medias-x-smartphone-for-docomo-liquid-cooled/

Not going to thread hijack but the blade is such an unfortunate machine. I'd be all over it except for that freaking screen. My thinkpad already has a terrible screen. If i'm paying ~2k I want a gorgeous system.

The clevo is tempting but it isn't really thin and light.

 

[marcplante]

Look to the Pro lines. HP makes ElitePads. Dell Makes a Latitude touchscreen 6xxx series (?)

 

[crashtestdummy]

I'll probably get a Lenovo Yoga when the Haswell versions come out. Some people claim to hate the exposed keyboard, but I don't really see a problem with it.

 

[Connoisseur]

I'll probably get a Lenovo Yoga when the Haswell versions come out. Some people claim to hate the exposed keyboard, but I don't really see a problem with it.

Tried it at the microsoft store. Just feels weird having keys on the outside of the tablet. I'm sure they're built sturdy but I feel like they can break off by accident if I put it in the backpack wrong

 

[tyanni]

Laptops: Asus Zenbook Infinity, Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus, possibly the new Dell XPS 11.

Convertibles: Surface Pro 2 (Hopeful), or Lenovo Thinkpad Helix

I personally really want convertibles, so I'm waiting for surface and/or lenovo go use Haswell.

Exactly. I am due for a new laptop at work, and I am holding out for the Ativ Book 9 Plus. Missed the Asus Zenbook Infinity, but will check it out now. Surface 2 will hopefully fix the issues with the current Surface.