If similarly equipped, is an Ultrabook worth the price difference? Appreciate any advice from others who have researched or have personal experiences. Thanks in advance!
15" Ultrabook vs Standard Notebook
cesorg on 01/01/2013 - 21:19
Comments
I think the majority have higher res screens and SSD's (or at least SSD caches) too, versus the run-of-the-mill notebook, so general usage will probably be improved.
Ultrabooks don't come with DVD burners either, so that's another thing to consider if you do actually still use optical media. Some ultrabooks also lack certain ports (e.g no expresscard slot, sometimes no SD card reader, less than 3 usb ports, no VGA port)
Whether or not an Ultrabook is worth the price difference, will depend on how you use it. If all you're doing is web browsing, or word processing or playing Facebook games whilst commuting, the ultrabook would be a better option. You can get more powerful notebooks for the price (CPU and GPU wise), but whether you actually need the power is up to you.
One thing that I keep seeing in Ultrabooks is the usage of ULV (Ultra Low Voltage) processors, which in general do not have the same grunt as full voltage processors in similar notebooks. I purchased an Asus U36SD last year, which is pretty much an ultrabook save for the SSD and the full voltage i7 processor and dedicated GPU. If light is important then an ultrabook is the way to go, if you need power then I would strongly suggest having a closer look at mobility notebooks lines (Asus U36, Acer Timeline etc)
I personally will never go back to a full size notebook. Asus UX31A (i7 Model). Extremely portable with huge battery life when out and about, have it tied to an Asus 24" professional monitor + mouse & keyboard at the office. Heaven!
Thanks kindly for all that took the time to respond. Really appreciate all advice received!
Ultrabooks are usually thinner, lighter, better battery and worse graphics. If you bring it around a lot, it's probably worth the difference.