Skip to main content

How to buy an Ultrabook: Beyond the specs

How-to-buy-an-Ultrabook-Beyond-the-specs
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ultrabooks are everywhere these days. Coined by Intel in 2011, the term Ultrabook refers to a category of laptops that are lightweight yet powerful and meet a baseline standard of specifications that are continually evolving.

Recently, Intel required every new Ultrabook to have touchscreen capabilities, hardware ready for voice command, and a battery-life of at least six hours of HD video playback, suggesting the semi-conductor manufacture hopes to spur even more innovation.

But if anything is preventing Ultrabooks from becoming mainstream, it’s the price. Manufactures have yet to release a decent budget Ultrabook option. Evolving spec requirements (most importantly size and weight) can make a pretty minimal device cost well over $1000. No, Ultrabooks aren’t for gamers or spendthrifts. Or, for that matter, anyone in need of a screen over 15 inches. Also cross it off your list if you depend on three USB ports. And expect to find most Ultrabook devices designed for the tablet optimized Windows 8 OS.

Even so, Ultrabooks are becoming less niche. If you’ve decided to make the purchase, we recommend giving any device a thorough test-run, because there are physical attributes aplenty that will affect your Ultrabook user experience that don’t show up on a spec sheet. Most Ultrabooks are available for testing at brick-and-mortar retail stores such as Apple and Microsoft, allowing you to fiddle with the trackpad, keyboard, software interface, and other components that substantially differ from model to model.

While you’re at it, check out our favorite Ultrabooks and common mistakes we’ve noticed among laptop buyers.

This article was originally published April 1, 2012 and has been updated to reflect changes in the market. Matt Smith contributed to this article.

Slimmer isn’t always better

Designing a seriously slim device will come with trade-offs. Some Ultrabooks sacrifice quality composition for a lightweight feel. Take the Dell Inspiron 14 7000 Series, for example. We gave the laptop a positive review. Even so, the chassis was awkwardly designed; the frame had sharp sides that dug into our reviewer’s hands when held. Often times, featherweights have too many creaks and groans or surfaces that feel awkward. That’s the kind of information that won’t show up on a spec sheet.

Dell Inspiron 14 7000
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Testing out an ultrabook at your local retailer will give you a good sense if your desired device will feel flimsy. It will also give you a good sense of the chassis design. Pay close attention to any vibration or any surfaces that seem to re-align themselves as your hands place pressure on the exterior. Also, note the quality of the materials used and the way they feel.

Keyboard and touchpad function

Touchscreens may be required by Intel, but today’s Ultrabooks still depend on well performing keyboard and touchpads. Testing the keyboard will give you a good sense of key travel. Type a few sentences and see how the keyboard reacts. Is there enough space below the keyboard for your palms? These may seem like minor points, but they can cause frustration over time.

HP Envy TouchSmart Ultrabook 4
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Another factor to consider is the touchpad. Move your fingers across the surface to see if you like the texture. Also make sure to depress the integrated buttons.

There probably won’t be individual left and right buttons – that’s because most manufacturers have integrated them into the touchpad surface. Instead of touching a button, you now just depress the lower left or right hand side of the touchpad. Some touchpads require almost no effort to activate, while others require quite a bit, and everyone has a personal preference.

Display considerations

A device boasting a resolution exceeding 1080p is certainly worth more than a cursory glance, but its not always the right choice, given that many Ultrabooks have yet to master properly scaling anything over 200 pixels per inch. High-resolution laptops often yield a smaller picture because operating systems such as Windows render dimensions in pixel size. More pixels on the screen reduces the size of everything, including fonts, icons, and other key aspects of the visual display.

Take note: while Ultrabooks aren’t known for their gaming prowess, increasing native resolution may make things move slower. Games and movies benefit only marginally from the increased sharpness. Games can take quite a hit if the underlying hardware isn’t powerful enough. And generally Ultrabooks sacrifice under-the-hood speed for portability and power saving compared to their bulkier brethren.

Glossy screen

It’s easy to overlook the importance of a screen. Many Ultrabooks have a glossy screen. It looks great under some lights but working in a room with lots of natural daylight can render a high-gloss screen nearly useless.

Acer Aspire S7
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Heat and noise management

Heat and noise management is a widespread problem among Ultrabooks. Their small size can make cooling components difficult. What’s more, it’s one trait you can’t judge in a big box store.

Here’s the good news: we at DT record external temperatures in our Ultrabook reviews and we also make note of noise levels. While there’s no hard-and-fast rule for what people find tolerable, temperatures over 100 degrees usually cause discomfort. Temperatures over 90 degrees stands a real good chance of giving you sweaty palms.

Bottom Line:

Buying an Ultrabook is complex, but testing out Ultrabooks at brick and mortar stores is a good start. Beyond that, reviews will help assess Ultrabooks beyond the physical feel and spec sheets. We’ll walk you through every feature of a notebook and how it performed in our hands-on testing, from display, to durability, to performance. We take an in-depth look and evaluate every Ultrabook we receive, including everything from the user interface, the display-to-performance, and overall design.

Remember that you have options. You’re not required to buy that extra-thin convertible Ultrabook that weighs less than your phone. Hunt around the Internet a bit and you’re almost certain to find a similar that’ll work better for you. The wrong device is never a good deal, no matter how slim.

Editors' Recommendations

Joe Donovan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Joe Donovan is an editorial assistant for Digital Trends who covers a variety of general assignments throughout the…
Best color laser printers for 2024: tested and reviewed
A Brother printer on a counter in front of a brick wall.

The best color laser printers can be a great investment, saving you quite a bit of time and money. For shoppers worried about the long-term ink costs, you'll find color laser printers surprisingly affordable. Laser printers use toner, which lasts a very long time, delivering a low cost per page for monochrome documents and fast color prints. The best color laser printers offer quick performance and reliability to help keep your home office or small business productive.

If you need to scan documents for record-keeping and photo capture or want the convenience of a color copier, an all-in-one color laser printer is an essential tool for your small business or personal use. For a small added cost, you get expanded capabilities. That's why every model on this list is an all-in-one from the best printer brands.

Read more
The 5 best Wi-Fi adapters for PC in 2024
The Ugreen AC1300 Wi-Fi adapter in a desktop PC.

Whether you're designing it yourself or getting a pre-built PC, it can be easy to get a computer and realize that it doesn't have a native Wi-Fi adapter. Or, maybe it does, but you're internet speeds are getting faster, game downloads are getting bigger, you've already upgraded your router and need an adapter to match your newfound power requirements. No matter the situation, an external Wi-Fi adapter that you can add to your PC setup or even laptop setup will be worth your time. Here, we investigate the best Wi-Fi adapters for PC use. Most are incredibly affordable and just snap into a free USB port and start working.
The best Wi-Fi adapter for PC in 2024

Buy the

Read more
How to pin a website to the taskbar in Windows
A man sits, using a laptop running the Windows 11 operating system.

Windows includes many interesting tools, but if you’re like many people, more and more of your digital life is happening in your web browser and nowhere else. That being the case, you’ll want to keep your most important websites close at hand. The easiest way to access them in Windows is the Start menu and the taskbar, treating them more or less like programs in and of themselves.

Although easy overall, getting a website from your browser to your taskbar is slightly different depending on which browser you’re using.

Read more