W8 ultrabook advice

[GraemeT]

Hi all,

Hope I'm putting this in the right place. My home PC is a Windows XP desktop. In all sorts of ways its struggling, too much so for me to bother with much longer. Everything's going mobile for the average user, such as me, so desktops don't appeal to me now. In addition, I'm having fun (mostly) with my Lumia 820 and really want to explore it. Windows XP won't let me do this, and of course if I want to tinker with the WP8 SDK then WP8 64-bit is my only option.

So, I'm after recommedations for a WP8 touchscreen ultrabook. Any suggestions? The ASUS VivoBook S200E looks nearly perfect for me but I think 11.6" screen is a bit too small. I think they've released a 14" one but it gets slated for battery life. I'm looking for 13.3" to 15.6" screens. I'm not a gamer. I'm in the UK, if that influences things.

Thanks in advance, GraemeT.

 

[Sam Sabri]

Acer S7, Samsung Series 7 Ultra, or the Lenovo Thinkpad Helix are what I'd get. Dan has an Acer S7 and really likes it, but when we were at CES he said if he had known about the Samsung he might have gone with that one. I really, really want the ThinkPad Helix. Those are all some good starting points! Happy hunting.

 

[CHIP72]

Before buying my Asus VivoBook X202E, I gave consideration to buying a Sony Vaio T Series 13, a 13.3" laptop that weighs about 3.5 pounds.

BTW, I personally feel an 11.6" screen laptop is a really good size - not too big, not too small, and not too heavy. (The Asus VivoBook X202E, which is essentially a slightly better version of the S200E model, weighs less than 3 pounds/about 1.3 kg.) I'm not sure I'd feel that way though if my desktop (Windows 7, 23" HD monitor) wasn't my primary computer.

 

[Tempest790]

Check out the HP Revolve (11 inch 1366x768 or the HP Spectre Touchsmart XT which has a larger 1920x1080 screen.

Me personally, I'm waiting for the Microsoft Surface Pro.

 

[conanheath]

Just picked up a Sony Vaio SVE14 or E Series. Not an ultrabook technically. I wanted touch screen, at least an i5 and a cd/dvd drive built in. Only one I could find with all the right stuff. I have the RT so I wasn't looking for the most portable but more performance. Not sure what your needs are or price range but might check out Sony website. Also was nice to get W8 Pro and be able to have clean install, no bloatware. First time I've bought clean install and I can't recommend it enough.

 

[jmshub]

I just worked with a client's Lenovo yoga 13. It was a really nice Win8 laptop with good touch screen. The screen folding backwards to the back is kind of gimmicky, since the back of the tablet side is the keyboard, but for a good laptop that would occasionally be a tablet, I like it.
Sent from my Lumia 920 using Board Express

 

[willied]

The Asus UX31A is a really good choice, but it doesn't have a touchscreen. I imagine they'll add a touch screen with the next update. Samsung makes really nice ultrabooks as well. Also, if you have patience, I would wait until Intel releases their 4th Gen (Haswell) i series processors. They're supposed to come out this summer, and they feature improved battery life and performance.

 

[conanheath]

If you get one thing, get a touch screen. It makes the experience of W8 so much better and faster. I got RT at launch and found myself reaching for screen on old laptop after first month. Now I feel like I can fly around W8 faster than I ever did on W7. Touch screen is the only way to truly appreciate W8 experience.

 

[bawboh86]

I have a Lenovo Yoga 13, and love it. I don't think you can go wrong with it. I've also heard great things about the Dell XPS 12. Or, you can wait for the Surface Pro to land on Feb 9 and use that with a touch or type cover.

 

[robinleck]

Hello OP, sorry to sidestep your thread but I have a related query regarding Surface W8 Pro...
Since Surface W8 Pro is launching Feb 9 only in US & Canada, is there any way to purchase it online from my home country, Singapore. Like the OP's concerns, i have been researching the various W8 tablet convertibles but personally, none of them are as compelling & lustful as Surface W8 Pro. Thanks & Cheers !!!