Acer may stretch meaning of ultrabook with 15-inch, $699 PC
updated 08:05 am EST, Wed December 21, 2011
Acer 15in ultrabook may be cheap
Acer's category-breaking 15-inch 'ultrabook' could be far cheaper than the norm for the category if rumors from Taiwan's part suppliers are accurate. Made by Pegatron, the possibly fiberglass-based design was estimated by Digitimes' source to cost $699, or well under the $999 benchmark. It would reportedly come after "satisfactory" sales of 11- and 13-inch systems.
Other details of the system aren't known. Earlier clues had it arriving in early 2012, possibly being unveiled at Acer's CES event on January 8.
Whatever the design, having a 15-inch system would fall outside of Intel's ultrabook category. The term was meant for ultraportables that can't weigh more than three pounds and usually have screens of 13 inches or less. With others similarly expected to break the definition at CES, Intel risks losing control of the name and watching it used simply to describe thin and light Windows notebooks.
Intel had originally wanted the ultrabook badge to let Windows PC builders have reference for making an alternative to the MacBook Air. Murmurs, however, have repeatedly surfaced from PC builders that complain they can't undercut Apple on price as the usually could, since the very thin, full-speed design prevents them from using lower-quality casings or slower processors.
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Joined: Jan 2008
"far cheaper than the norm"
That was the main point I took from this article. Buy cheap, get cheap...keep that in mind a year from now if you buy one of these.
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