Hasta La Gadget!

It’s certainly not very Zen, but AnandTech has pried open ASUS’ 11.6-inch ultrabook to see exactly what makes it all tick. The Zenbook’s innards are all tightly packed together inside the oh-so-thin casing, with the UX21’s slim-line cooler covering both of the Intel Core i7-2677M processors. The 128GB model has been given an ADATA SDD, while the bigger 256GB version runs on SanDisk storage, with the WiFi card contorted to squeeze inside the aluminum alloy body. ASUS has extended its design sensibilities outside of the tightly-packed casing, with the Microsoft serial number and certificate transplanted to the power unit, which leaves the Zenbook’s slick design lines and finish peacefully untainted. Those desperate for more details on the rig’s workings and accessories can find inner calm at the link below.

ASUS Zenbook gets taken apart, finds the peace within originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The ASUS ZenBook measures a mere .11 inches (3 mm) at its thinnest point. Image: ASUS

Hoping to shatter the dominance of the MacBook Air in the ultraportable laptop market, ASUS officially launched its slick brushed aluminum ZenBooks yesterday.

The notebooks are available in 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch models, and the 11-incher, the UX21, starts at just under $1,000. It comes standard with a 128 GB hybrid solid state drive, and base models feature an Intel i5 processor (i7 upgrades are available). The ZenBook runs Windows 7 and is part of Intel’s “Ultrabook” line, which includes notebooks that are less than one-inch thick and in the sub-$1,000 price range.

The ZenBook is super thin: 0.11 inches at its thinnest point and 0.35 inches at its thickest, validating claims that it’s the thinnest notebook available (the MacBook Air is slightly thicker at its largest point, .68 inches). The UX21 weighs in at just under two and a half pounds (2.43 lbs), while the 13-inch model, the UX31, tips the scales at 2.84 lbs. Compared to respective MacBook Air models, the UX21 is slightly heavier and the UX31 is slightly lighter.

When the super-thin MacBook Air debuted in 2008, it carved a niche out of the notebook market. Super light and 11- to 13-inches in size, it was perfect for toting in the wild, and more powerful than similarly small but lower-speced netbooks (and, in the case of the 2011 MacBook Air, just as powerful as the larger 2010 MacBook Pros). The MacBook Air proved thin is in, and now there are several lookalikes — er, competitors — available, such as the Acer Aspire and the ZenBook, which we first previewed in May.

The ZenBook features an “Instant On” capability that allows it to boot from standby mode in only two seconds, and can last for up to two weeks on a single battery charge in standby.

The ASUS ZenBook is available now, starting at $999 for the UX21 and $1,099 for the UX31.

And the Ultrabooks have arrived! We just got word that the Acer Aspire S3 will go on sale in the US and Canada this week for $899 — making it the first pinch-thin, MacBook Air competitor to hit the market, landing ahead of competing models from Toshiba, Lenovo and ASUS. To recap, this 2.98-pound aluminum beaut has a 13.3-inch (1366 x 768) panel, is rated for six hours (or 50 standby days!) of battery life and promises to wake from sleep in a mere two seconds. For the money, you’ll get an ultra low voltage Core i5 CPU, 4GB of RAM and 20GB of solid-state storage combined with a 320GB HDD. No word yet on how many additional configs will be available, though Acer did confirm that this $899 version will be followed by models with Core i3 and i7 processors and beefier storage capacity. Intrigued? Have a gander at our hands-on preview if you missed it the first time around, and find some fancy press shots below.

Continue reading Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook hits the US and Canada this week, rings in at $899

Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook hits the US and Canada this week, rings in at $899 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sorry folks, this colorful Series 3 lappy from Sammy is for the fine citizens of Korea only, at least for the moment. The 350U weighs in at just under three pounds and 0.8-inches thick, while housing a Core i5, up to a 640GB HD, a 12.5-inch anti-reflective screen, and a battery large enough to keep it chugging along for over eight hours. Really, the big difference between this notebook and the same-sized Series 3 shipping here in the states are the color options. While Americans all get the same gun-metal gray, our friends across the pacific can pick black, silver or pink (you know, for the ladies). The 350U is priced starting at 1,090,000 won, just over $1,000. Check out the gallery below.

Samsung Series 3 350U laptop delivers colorful ultraportable computing to the Korean masses originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve been waiting for ASUS to launch its Eee PC X101 for the better part of a year, and it looks like the wait is almost over. The slim, MeeGo-running netbook has popped up on two online retailers’ sites with price tags just above the company’s promised $199 positioning. Despite earlier rumors of a July launch, the ultraportable has managed to slip through the cracks of summer, and most likely will debut this fall — although, no official release has been mentioned. If you’re eager to get your pre-order on for this single-core 1.33GHz Atom N435 netbook, you can snag it at Amazon for $227, or CDW for a more attractive $210. Those holding out hope for its pricier, Windows 7 brother — the X101H — will just have to sit this one out.

[Thanks, Andrew]

ASUS Eee PC X101 now available for pre-order at CDW and Amazon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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