Huge Number of Windows 8 Ultrabooks Set To Be Released

Windows 8

It appears that the time of the touchscreen laptop is on hand as the head of Intel revealed that a huge number of Windows 8 Ultrabooks are set to be released in the future.

Paul Otellini, the CEO of Intel, revealed in a recent conference call that Intel was able to achieve its mid-year goal for the Ultrabook and the company was satisfied with the performance of this market category. Although this statement is not consistent with analysts’ reports that revealed a poor second quarter for the device, the reports did not consider the second generation Ultrabooks that featured the Ivy Bridge processors.

The end of the second quarter is normally slow for laptops even as the second half of the year is typically good for devices.

In the same conference call, Otellini also revealed that over forty Windows 8 Ultrabooks with touchscreen capabilities are already being developed. These upcoming Windows 8 Ultrabooks will be using the Ivy Bridge processor of the company.

With at least forty Windows 8 Ultrabooks, the total number of Ultrabooks using the Ivy Bridge processor that will be released will go over the 140 mark. A number of these products are also expected to be a tablet that can be converted for use as a laptop. Otellini also indicated that systems priced at around $699 may be released by fall.

The release of the Windows 8 Ultrabooks with touchscreen capabilities will bring the touch-based user experience enjoyed by tablet owners into the laptop.

Even as the Windows 8 Ultrabook has yet to be released into the market, a number of Ultrabooks have already made an appearance in a number of retail outlets including Best Buy and Walmart. The HP Envy Ultrabook is already offered through Best Buy while Walmart is already offering a $648 Acer Aspire Ultrabook.

Ultrabook Prices May Go Down Due to Hybrid Disk Drives

Ultrabook

Reports have hinted at a possible reduction in the price of upcoming devices due to the introduction of hybrid disk drives. The report revealed that the prices of low-end ultrabooks will likely go down to around $600 if they will come with these hybrid disk drives.

The hybrid disk drives combine solid state drive, which feature smaller storage capacities, with a conventional hard disk drive. The hybrid disk drives are priced at less than fifty percent compared to devices that only have solid-state drives.

Due to this PC manufacturers will choose to utilize hybrid drives for low-end models of their device offerings including the low-end ultrabooks

Current prices of ultrabooks start at around $800 including the Portege Z835 of Toshiba, which has a price tag of around $800. The Toshiba ultrabook does not utilize a hybrid disk drive but comes with a 128GB SSD.

Ultrabooks that will come with these hybrid disk drives will be priced at around $600 to $700 according to the source of the reports. It should also be noted that the same sources have revealed that the price of the Ivy Bridge chip of Intel will also be reduced by the company by around $70.

Even as Intel has not given any statement in connection to the price tag of the Ivy Bridge chip, reports have revealed that a source from Intel has hinted that the report on the possible reduction in the price of the processors was not accurate.

The Ivy Bridge processors are expected to be released by spring and may be used on ultrabooks that will feature the Windows 8 OS.