Today seems to be the unofficial "Ultrabook Day" as both Lenovo and Toshiba unveil new models with second-generation Intel 'Sandy Bridge' Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) processors at similar price points, all poised for this November. Ultrabooks are touted as full computers that are thinner/lighter, faster (at boot up) and more energy efficient, with a sub-$1000 price tag, at least that's Intel's goal when it introduced the category earlier this year. Lenovo's U Series offers three different Ultrabooks with the the U300s being the most portable at 13.3-inch, while the Toshiba Portege Z830 series will be offering two variants with one for the consumer and the other for the enterprise/business market. So how does Lenovo's IdeaPad U300s stack up against Toshiba's Portege Z830? Read on to find out.
Neither includes an optical drive and only has the option for a solid state drive -- the U300s comes with a 256 GB SSD (which contributes to its 10-second boot up) while the Z830 offers a minimum 128 GB SSD (for a 10 to 20-second full boot up).
Neither machines are meant for gaming as they both use integrated graphics (Intel GMA HD 3000 in the Lenovo), but both share the same display at 1366 X 768 resolution, with 16:9 aspect ratio for 720p HD playback.
Ultrabooks are as big on industrial design as they are thin and light so I don't think either the U300s or the Z830 has the edge here. If you're more daring, the Lenovo could be a good choice as it comes in a head-turning Clementine Orange or a more low-key Graphite Gray, crafted from a single sheet of aluminum with rounded corners and edges and a glass touchpad. The Toshiba goes for sharp -- sharp lines and corners -- that gives it an a serious, industrial, all-business feel in a magnesium alloy chassis (though it looks like brushed aluminum).
To keep this powerful machine cool yet quiet, both Lenovo and Toshiba redesigned the cooling system in a similar way: to suck in air through the keyboard and disperse hot air through the side vents rather than ventilate through just the bottom.
Following in the tradition of other Lenovo keyboards, the U300s one is also spill resistant and feature expertly curved AccuType chiclet keys, while the Z830 offers a LED back-lit spill resistant keyboard.
I can't wait to see how the Asus UX21 and other Ultrabooks coming down the pipe. What about you? Which Ultrabook are you most interested in so far?
[Source: Lenovo press release, Toshiba press release, CPU World]
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