by Kenneth Andrews

Created on: January 22, 2012

Ultrabooks are the latest thing in computer marketing hyperbole. A thin, fast, light laptop that... no, that's it. They're thin, fast , light laptops, and they've been given a silly name so that they can compete in the touchscreen and tablet era. Intel apparently defines the machines as being laptops which weigh less than four pounds and are no more than 0.8 inches thick. So, assuming a five pound laptop would somehow cripple you, what should you look for when buying an ultrabook?

1) Flash drive?

The main boast of ultrabooks is that they should wake up almost as soon as you lift the lid and you can start working straight away. This is achieved through the use of flash memory, or solid state drives. Some lower cost ultrabooks compromise on this start-up time, however, by a hybrid arrangement including flash SSD memory and a traditional hard disk. Hybrid drives tend to offer more storage at lower prices, but given that start up speed is one of the only reasons to buy an ultrabook, you should look carefully at the type of memory on offer before purchasing.

2) Case design.

The whole point of an ultrabook slim light frame is that it can be taken everywhere, so you want a fairly robust machine. The Dell XPS 13 opts for aluminium and carbon fiber for the casing, and this kind of construction is preferable to plastic lids, which can prove fragile in the event of a sharp impact. On a similarly physical note, think about the ultrabook's trackpad. Many manufacturers have opted for buttonless trackpads so as not to compromise the ultrabook's sleek design lines. Some people do find these trackpads very fiddly to use, so if you feel you need a physical button, you'll need to shop around (or buy a USB mouse).

3) Screen size and resolution.

Ultrabook screens go right up to 15 inches, but that's mostly a matter for personal taste. It's essential that when you're buying an ultrabook, you look at the resolution on offer - the higher the resolution, the greater the detail you'll be able to view on the screen, however big the screen itself actually is.

4) Battery life.

In these days of Kindles and other long life battery powered products, hardware manufacturers are under pressure to improve battery life between charges. Ultrabook manufacturers have claimed that their machines will operate all day on a single charge, but in terms of using a machine practically, anything over six hours is pretty good. Check out average battery life before buying any ultrabook.

5) Any port in a storm.

Designers are cutting down on the number of ports in ultrabooks, to keep the weight down and the thickness low. For most users, a couple of USB ports and an SD card slot is all that is required, but business users may require ethernet or VGA ports in order to connect to wired networks and projectors and things. If this applies to you, take a good look at the available ports on an ultrabook before making a purchasing decision.

Summary

Ultrabooks are the tablet generation's answer to netbooks, and it remains to be seen whether they'll take off. Don't be fooled by the glossy advertising, and pay careful attention to core specs for details such as memory, battery life, screen resolution and general design, and make sure you buy the machine that's genuinely right for you.

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