Normally I wait until I get gear in house before I do a hands-on, but this time, I’m so excited I couldn’t wait. Yesterday I ordered two of my current favorites ultrathins (i.e., full-power machines with very light and very thin designs) – the Sony VAIO Z and the Asus UX30.
I like these machines, particularly in tandem, because they show exactly what a Windows 7 OEM partner can do with the form factor at both the fully-loaded and cost-conscious ends of the spectrum. The Asus UX30 is a solid laptop that you can get with a variety of specs – up to a Core2Duo processor , 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive. It’s all neatly wrapped up in a super-thin brushed metal case with a full-size keyboard, large trackpad, and edge-to-edge glass. And you can get one for as low as $849.
On the other side of the coin is the luxurious Sony VAIO Z. This is Sony’s high-end ultraportable (not that anything Sony makes is low-end, but you get my drift), and it boasts a spec sheet that crushes most laptops twice its size. You can get one configured with up to a Core i7 processor, dual – yes, you read that right, dual – 256GB SSDs, Blu-Ray, and 8GB RAM. Pricing starts at $1899, but you do get what you pay for. Engadget did a review of the Sony VAIO Z and liked it, and I’m sure I will as well.
Even though this is a relatively new category, there’s something for everyone. Want a compact 13” display? We’ve got plenty, like the Toshiba t-135, the two machines I mentioned above, and the Lenovo x301. Shopping for price? How about an Acer Aspire Timeline 5810tz for $500? Need something totally off the wall, like a machine that weighs about a pound (the Sony VAIO X) or one that does conductive charging and wireless docking (the Dell Latitude Z)? We’ve got that too.
If you own an ultrathin, which one did you choose and why? If you’re looking to buy one, what kind of requirements do you have in terms of specs, size and price? Let me know in the comments or hit me on Twitter @BenThePCGuy.