ultrabook
{{short description|High-end, lightweight laptop}}
{{about|Intel specification|Tadpole UltraSPARC laptop line|Tadpole Ultrabook}}
{{infobox computer
| name = Ultrabook
| logo =
| photo = Asus x21 ultrabook.jpg
| release date = 2011
| developer = Intel Corporation
| type = Laptop platform
| caption = Asus Zenbook UX21, an ultra thin laptop marketed as an Ultrabook
| predecessor = Intel Centrino (2003-2010) {{br}} Intel Common Building Block
| successor = Intel Evo
}}
Ultrabook is a class of premium consumer-grade notebook computers. The term was originated by and is trademarked by Intel,{{Cite web |date=2012-01-26 |title=Ultrabook shipments could hit 178 million by 2016 {{!}} IT Business |url=https://www.itbusiness.ca/news/ultrabook-shipments-could-hit-178-million-by-2016/17142 |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=www.itbusiness.ca |language=en-US}} replacing the earlier Centrino mobile platform. Introduced in 2011, they were originally marketed as featuring ultra thin form factor and light weight design without compromising battery life or performance, running on Intel Core processors.
When newly introduced, Ultrabooks were generally small enough compared to average laptop models to qualify as subnotebooks. As ultrabook features became more mainstream in the mid-late 2010s, explicitly branding laptop models as "ultrabooks" became much less frequent. As of 2021, while Intel maintains the Ultrabook trademark,{{Cite web|title=Trademark Usage Guidelines for Ultrabook™|url=https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/trademarks/ultrabook.html|access-date=2021-04-23|website=Intel|language=en|archive-date=2021-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423071908/https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/trademarks/ultrabook.html|url-status=live}} it is rarely used for new models and has been superseded in Intel's own marketing by the Intel Evo branding.{{Cite web|title=Intel® Evo™ Platform Brand|url=https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/docs/devices-systems/laptops/laptop-innovation-program/evo-platform-brand-video.html|access-date=2021-04-23|website=Intel|language=en|archive-date=2021-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423071909/https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/docs/devices-systems/laptops/laptop-innovation-program/evo-platform-brand-video.html|url-status=live}}
History
File:Ultrabooks in Stories.jpg, Asus Zenbook UX21E, Toshiba Portégé Z830]]
In 2011, Intel Capital press officer Jordan Balk Schaer announced a new fund to support startups working on technologies in line with the company's concept for next generation notebooks.{{citation | first = Rick | last = Merritt | journal = EE Times | url = http://eetimes.com/electronics-news/4218699/Intel-Capital-launches--300M-ultrabook-fund | title = Intel Capital launches $300M ultrabook fund | date = August 10, 2011 | access-date = August 11, 2011 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110930202658/http://eetimes.com/electronics-news/4218699/Intel-Capital-launches--300M-ultrabook-fund | archive-date = September 30, 2011 }}. The company set aside a $300 million fund to be spent over the next three to four years in areas related to Ultrabooks. Intel announced the Ultrabook concept at Computex in 2011. The Ultrabook would be a thin (less than 0.8 inches thick{{Citation | first = Jeffrey | last = Burt | journal = eWeek | url = http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Intel-Ultrabook-Partners-Look-for-Cut-in-Chip-Prices-Report-830199/ | title = Intel Ultrabook Partners Look for Cut in Chip Prices | type = report | date = September 20, 2011 | access-date = September 28, 2011}}.) notebook that utilized Intel processors, and would emphasize portability and a longer battery life than other laptops By this marketing initiative and the associated $300 million fund, Intel hoped to influence the slumping PC market against rising competition from smartphones{{Citation | url = http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-8-biggest-product-flops-of-the-year-2012-12-28 | title = The 8 biggest product flops of 2012 | type = slide show | newspaper = MarketWatch | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130730072420/http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-8-biggest-product-flops-of-the-year-2012-12-28 | archive-date = 2013-07-30 }}. and tablet computers,{{Citation | title = Intel Ultrabooks offer more choice, better value than MacBook Air or iPad | url = http://www.pcworld.com/article/252825/intel_ultrabooks_offer_more_choice_better_value_than_macbook_air_or_ipad.html | journal = PC World | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121024064337/http://www.pcworld.com/article/252825/intel_ultrabooks_offer_more_choice_better_value_than_macbook_air_or_ipad.html | archive-date = 2012-10-24 }}. which are typically powered by competing ARM-based processors.{{Citation | first = Peter | last = Bright | url = https://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2011/09/ultrabook-intels-300-million-plan-to-beat-apple-at-its-own-game.ars | title = Ultrabook: Intel's $300 million plan to beat Apple at its own game | journal = Ars Technica | date = 2011-09-06 | access-date = 2011-09-07 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110923181334/http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2011/09/ultrabook-intels-300-million-plan-to-beat-apple-at-its-own-game.ars | archive-date = 2011-09-23 }}.
Ultrabooks competed against other subnotebooks, including Apple’s MacBook Air, which has similar form specifications and was powered until 2020 by Intel CPUs, but was not advertised under the Ultrabook brand.{{Citation | url = http://gulfnews.com/business/technology/ultrabooks-threaten-macbook-air-1.978751 | title = Ultrabooks threaten MacBook Air | journal = Gulf News | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121012172322/http://gulfnews.com/business/technology/ultrabooks-threaten-macbook-air-1.978751 | archive-date = 2012-10-12 }}.{{Citation | url = https://www.theverge.com/2012/2/10/2787484/macbook-air-with-windows-7-review-the-ultrabook-to-rule-them-all | title = MacBook Air with MS Windows 7: the Ultrabook to rule them all | format = review | journal = The Verge | date = 2012-02-10 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120806040636/http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/10/2787484/macbook-air-with-windows-7-review-the-ultrabook-to-rule-them-all | archive-date = 2012-08-06 }}.{{Citation | title = PC Mag | url = https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2397811,00.asp | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170704095418/http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2397811,00.asp | archive-date = 2017-07-04 }}
At the Intel Developer Forum in 2011, four Taiwan ODMs showed prototype Ultrabooks that used Intel's Ivy Bridge chips.{{Citation | first = Rick | last = Merritt | journal = EE Times | url = http://eetimes.com/electronics-news/4227333/Intel-shows-progress-on-ultrabook-vision | title = Intel shows progress on ultrabook vision | date = September 14, 2011 | access-date = September 14, 2011 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110923092745/http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4227333/Intel-shows-progress-on-ultrabook-vision | archive-date = September 23, 2011 }}. Intel plans to reduce power consumption of its chips for Ultrabooks, like Ivy Bridge processors, which will feature 17 W default thermal design power.{{Citation | first = Jacob | last = Hugosson | publisher = NordicHardware | url = http://www.nordichardware.com/news/69-cpu-chipset/44146-intel-ivy-bridge-variable-tdp-detailed.html | title = Intel Ivy Bridge variable TDP detailed | date = September 12, 2011 | access-date = July 16, 2012}}.
At a presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show, an Intel manager stated that market analysis revealed that screen size motivated some of the reluctance to switch to 13" Ultrabooks. As a result, Intel planned to ensure, through cooperation with manufacturers, a 14 or 15-inch screen on 50% of the 75 Ultrabook models that would likely come to market in 2012.{{Citation |url= https://www.engadget.com/2012/01/09/intel-75-plus-ultrabooks-coming-in-2012-50-percent-of-them-wil/ |title= Intel: 75-plus Ultrabooks coming in 2012, 50 percent of them will have 14- and 15-inch screens |publisher= Engadget |date= 2012-01-09 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160531002851/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/09/intel-75-plus-ultrabooks-coming-in-2012-50-percent-of-them-wil/ |archive-date= 2016-05-31 }}.{{Citation |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP6g-FoP5Ao |title= CES: Intel's New Ultrabooks Line-Up |format= video |journal= Forbes |publisher= YouTube |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160527203446/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP6g-FoP5Ao |archive-date= 2016-05-27 }}.File:Lenovo ThinkPad X260 with Ultrabook branding.jpg X260, released in 2016, with Ultrabook branding]]IHS iSuppli had originally forecast that 22 million Ultrabooks would be shipped by the end of 2012, and 61 million would be shipped in 2013. By October 2012, IHS had revised its projections down significantly, to 10 million units sold in 2012 and 44 million for 2013.{{Citation | url = http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/ultrabook-sales-underwhelm-initially/240008326 | title = Ultrabook Sales Underwhelm Initially | newspaper = Information week | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121106070618/http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/ultrabook-sales-underwhelm-initially/240008326 | archive-date = 2012-11-06 }}. Most Ultrabooks were too expensive for wide adoption.{{cite web|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/259141/why_ultrabook_sales_have_flopped_so_far.html|title=Why Ultrabook Sales Have Flopped So Far|date=12 July 2012|work=PCWorld|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006164652/http://www.pcworld.com/article/259141/why_ultrabook_sales_have_flopped_so_far.html|archive-date=6 October 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/10/28/intels-ultrabook-right-idea-wrong-price.aspx|title=Intel's Ultrabook: Right Idea, Wrong Price|author=Ashraf Eassa|date=28 October 2013|work=fool.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031191153/http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/10/28/intels-ultrabook-right-idea-wrong-price.aspx|archive-date=31 October 2013}} In addition Intel's constant changing of Ultrabook specifications caused confusion among consumers; and this was compounded by OEMs that released slim/"sleek" or "Sleekbook" laptops (e.g. Hewlett-Packard Pavilion TouchSmart 15z-b000 Sleekbook, Samsung Ativ Book 9 Lite) that are cheaper AMD-powered variants of their more expensive Intel-equipped Ultrabooks.{{cite web|url=http://www.ultrabookreview.com/836-cheaper-ultrabook-alternatives/|title=The top ultrabook alternatives you should consider|work=ultrabookreview.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202221601/http://www.ultrabookreview.com/836-cheaper-ultrabook-alternatives/|archive-date=2013-12-02}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cnet.com/laptops/samsung-ativ-book-9/4505-3121_7-35796874.html|title=Samsung Ativ Book 9 Lite review - CNET|author=Scott Stein|date=26 September 2013|publisher=CBS Interactive|work=CNET|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029212601/http://www.cnet.com/laptops/samsung-ativ-book-9/4505-3121_7-35796874.html|archive-date=29 October 2013}} Overall there was a shift in the market away from PCs as a whole (including Ultrabooks) and towards smartphones and tablet computers as the personal computing devices of choice.{{Citation |url= http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57523672-75/remember-ultrabooks-yeah-no-one-else-does-either/ |title= Remember ultrabooks? Yeah, no one else does either |publisher= CNet News |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130208004513/http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57523672-75/remember-ultrabooks-yeah-no-one-else-does-either/ |archive-date= 2013-02-08 }}.
Intel banked on the release of Windows 8 as well as new form factors, such as "convertible" laptops with touchscreens and tablets with keyboard docks ("detachable"),{{Citation | last = Jaroslovsky | first = Rich | date = 2013-01-06 | title = MS Windows 8's mutant spawn invade laptop market | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/windows-8s-mutant-spawn-invade-laptop-market-rich-jaroslovsky/2013/01/06/e7bd3df0-552f-11e2-89de-76c1c54b1418_story.html}}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{cite web | url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/personalfinance/windows-8-spawns-new-mutant-laptop-hybrids/1270216/ | title=Windows 8 spawns new mutant laptop hybrids | access-date=2022-08-20 | archive-date=2022-08-20 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220820023856/https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/personalfinance/windows-8-spawns-new-mutant-laptop-hybrids/1270216/ | url-status=live }} and features (accelerometers and gyroscopes for touchscreens, hand-gesture recognition) to build demand for Ultrabooks. With the third generation Ultrabook specification, introduced in June 2013 alongside its new Haswell processor architecture, Intel also added the requirement for all future Ultrabooks to include touchscreens. The requirement, grounded in user experience research,{{cite web | url=https://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/04/intel-study-touchscreen-laptops/ | title=Intel Conducts Study to See if Touchscreen Laptops are wanted | access-date=2022-02-24 | archive-date=2022-02-24 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224022348/https://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/04/intel-study-touchscreen-laptops/ | url-status=live }} was intended to prevent "game-playing" and market confusion from OEMs, who had offered low-end products with touchscreens but not Ultrabooks.
Specifications
Intel required that OEMs meet certain specifications to market a laptop as an Ultrabook.{{cite web|url=http://www.ultrabookreview.com/2796-ultrabook-definition/|title=Ultrabook Reviews|last=Ultrabook Reviews|first=Ultrabook Reviews|work=Ultrabook Branding Requirements|publisher=Ultrabook Reviews|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007100733/http://www.ultrabookreview.com/2796-ultrabook-definition/|archive-date=2013-10-07|url-status=live|access-date=19 May 2012}} These requirements changed with each release of Intel's Centrino mobile platform.
List of models
{{Main|List of Ultrabook models}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Citation | url = https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/faqs/intel/intel-evo-platform/ | publisher = Lenovo | contribution = Intel Evo | title = What is Intel Evo}}.
- {{Citation | url = http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/sponsors-of-tomorrow/ultrabook.html | publisher = Intel | contribution = Ultrabook | title = Sponsors of tomorrow}}.
- {{Citation | url = http://software.intel.com/en-us/ultrabook/ | contribution = Ultrabook | publisher = Intel | title = Software Network}}.
{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before = Centrino}}
{{s-ttl|title = Ultrabook |years = 2011–2020 }}
{{s-aft|after = Intel Evo}}
{{end}}
{{Computer sizes}}
{{Intel technology}}