Slashdot Mirror
Intel Core M Enables Lower Cost Ultrabooks; Asus UX305 Tested
MojoKid (1002251) writes Asus announced their super-slim Zenbook UX305 during the IFA trade show in Berlin in September. The machine will be available in two models, one with a 1920x1080 IPS display and one with a QHD+ display that boasts a native resolution of 3200x1800. They're both built around Intel's more power-efficient Core M processor, which was designed for ultra-thin and "fanless" form factors. Intel's Core M does seem to offer significant advances both in terms of power consumption and performance, which enables many of the design features found on the 12.3mm thin UX305. The Core M 5Y10 in the Asus Zenbook UX305 is complemented by 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and this is one of the few ultrabooks to feature a matte display. All told, the machine put up some decent numbers in the benchmarks and battery life was excellent, but what's perhaps most interesting is that this is an "ultrabook" class machine that weighs in at a much more palatable $700 price tag.
(2) Palatable to some. $700 isn't much to spend on a computer by the standards of the upper middle class, but it's still a pretty big chunk of change.
For what it is, absolutely. You can go to an OEM and buy a base system, sans SSD and RAM, for $1000 that would massively outperform this. Essentially double the price for storage and RAM, and you'll have a decent looking Clevo system. For $700 all you're getting is a battery life that is nine hours or so, probably seven to eight on average. Buy a tablet instead if all you're going to do is browse the interwebs --after all that's the workload constraint to get that battery life on the system reviewed anyway.
$700 isn't much to spend on a computer by the standards of the upper middle class, but it's still a pretty big chunk of change.
Ultrathin, latest Core M proc, 8 G memory, 256 G SSD... $700. That's sound a fair price (and it's ASUS-grade quality).
Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
At $281 for 1K tray pricing, they're not exactly delivering the most bang for the buck. Intel's basically setting their own prices now and has had record quarters lately.
Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
It's a spec. Designed by intel's marketing group. Which is constantly in flux. Their long term goal is to push affordable yet quality laptop design, but at the same time I wouldn't all $700 "palatable" for an Ultrabook. $570-$640 is palatable for an ultrabook. $700 is just a regular laptop price.
And really, should we be praising laptop manufacturers for putting a 1080p screen in a $700 laptop? In 2015? How many pixels does your phone have? How much does it cost off contract. Extrapolate.
moox. for a new generation.
My dad has a saying that's stuck with me over the decades: "I am way too poor to be buying cheap shit". This doesn't apply just to clothes - I own 2 jackets that are EXPENSIVE, except one of them is literally older than me and the other is 16 years old, so the total cost of ownership is way less than buying and replacing every few years. Even though computer values depreciates faster, same rules do apply: if you live in a western country (poor is a relative concept), if you buy a 400$ computer, you are not a "smart spender", you are a retard, because in the hands of a normal user that machine will be barely usable in 3 years time.
I bought an Asus X200CA (12" touchscreen, slow CPU, 4 GB RAM) for about $260 back in October. They do make computers that serve the same purpose for the same amount of money (or less money); it's just that the computer in TFA isn't it.
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
Since this device does not fit your use case, it does not imply it is useless for everyone out there...While I'm personally much more interested in desktop replacement laptops (which is what I'm currently typing this on), I know several people who are very interested in this class of machines.
The ~$2000 Clevo laptop would be great for gaming or as a desktop replacement system. It will, however, not be an ultra-portable. What with weighing roughly 4kg and a battery life of around 3 hours when surfing the net or around 1.5 hours when under load, I think most people would prefer not to lug it around with them, a better example would've been a Razer Blade but that seems like overkill if all you're going to do is surf the web or write reports on it.
As for a tablet, try compiling a report on a tablet, you can pick whichever OS you want. I don't have any experience with pulling my teeth with pliers but I imagine compiling a report on a tablet's touchscreen or on a flimsy keyboard would probably be more painful. It shouldn't be very hard to imagine a scenario where someone might need to compile a report while travelling or is the only use-case of why someone could possibly need an ultra-portable that you can think of is browsing the interwebs?