Hey everyone, this is just a quick update to my extended list of ultrabooks worth buying and I’ve put it together as many of you were asking for a curated list of all the Haswell ultrabooks available right now or soon to be launched.
Before we proceed, there are a few things you should know about Haswell ultrabooks.
The new platform does not offer huge performances gain over the older Ivy Bridge line. In terms of CPU, you get 5-10% better scores in various benchmarks, and you’ll hardly feel that in everyday use. Of course, we are talking about the Intel ULV series here, although Intel do plan on diversifying their range of low-voltage processors in the near future, but we’ll talk more about that in another post.
Oh, and if you want to know for sure if a laptop has a Haswell processor, look for the CPU’s code. Haswell lines look like this: Core ix-4xxxU, Core ix-4xxxY or Core ix-4xxxM (ex: Core i5-4200U, Core i7-4500U, Core i5-4200U – ultra low-voltage processors) , while older Ivy Bridge lines had a Core iX-3xxxU indicator and the previous Sandy Bridge processors looked like this: Core iX-2xxx.
In terms of graphics, things are a bit different. Haswell chips are either paired with Intel 4400 HD graphics chips, or the newer Intel HD 5000/5100 series, also called Iris graphics. The later does offer a nice boost, visible in games or other graphic intense applications (video editors, 3D renders, etc). The 4400 HD is somewhat faster than the older Intel HD 4000 in actual games, as you can see in these two videos (games on Intel HD 4000 and games on Intel HD 4400), but the differences are not to die for.
Haswell however really ups the game when it comes to everyday-use efficiency. Under heavy load, Haswell and Ivy Bridge hardware require more or less the same amount of energy. With light or daily use though, Haswell is even two times more efficient, and that translates in longer battery life, as you’ll find from this post.
Haswell ultrabooks impress with their energy efficiency
So if you do care about battery life, Haswell is clearly the way to go. If you want to run some games on your ultrabook, Haswell with Iris graphics is for you as well, but don’t expect too much, regular ultrabooks are not exactly made for such tasks, you’d better see this post about gaming ultrabooks if you want a sleek gaming machine. Also, if you want the latest features, you’ll mostly get them with the latest entries that bundle Haswell hardware. Otherwise, Ivy Bridge machines are still great options, especially if you’re looking to save some money, as these will be greatly discounted in the next couple of months.
Anyway with those on the table, here are the main Haswell ultrabooks you can find right now in stores or you will find in the near future. I’m constantly updating this list, but if you spotted anything that’s missing, feel free to drop me a comment at the end of the post, any help is greatly appreciated.
11-13 inch Haswell ultrabooks
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| Model | Screen | Processor | Graphics | Weight | Price(*) | |
| Acer Aspire S3-392 2014 | 13.3″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 735M | 2.63 lbs/1.63 kg | $999 | |
| Apple Macbook Air 11 | 11.6″ TN 1366 x 768 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 5000 | 2.38 lbs / 1.08 kg | $899 | |
| Apple Macbook Air 13 | 13.3″ TN 1440 x 900 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 5000 | 2.96 lbs / 1.35 kg | $999 | |
| Asus Vivobook X200LA | 11.6″ TN touch 1366 x 768 px | Core i3 U | Intel 4400 | 3.0 lbs / 1.36 kg | $469 | |
| Asus Vivobook S301/ Q301 | 13.3″ TN touch 1366 x 768 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel 4400 or AMD Radeon | 3.8 lbs / 1.72 kg | $599 | |
| Asus Transformer Book Flip TP300 | 13.4″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 820M | 3.8 lbs / 1.72 kilos | $499 | |
| Asus Zenbook UX301 Infinity | 13.3″ IPS touch 2560 x 1440 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 / 5100 | 3.1 lbs / 1.43 kg | $1399 | |
| Asus Zenbook UX302LA | 13.3″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg | $999 | |
| Asus Zenbook UX302LG | 13.3″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 730M | 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg | $1199 | |
| Asus Zenbook UX32LA | 13.3″ TN non-glare 1366 x 768 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 3.2 lbs / 1.45 kg | $799 | |
| Asus Zenbook UX32LN | 13.3″ TN non-glare 1366 x 768 px or IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Nvidia 840 GT | 3.2 lbs / 1.45 kg | $999 | |
| Asus Zenbook UX303LA | 13.3″ IPS non-glare 1366 x 768 px or touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 3.2 lbs / 1.45 kg | $749 | |
| Asus Zenbook UX303LN | 13.3″ IPS non-glare 1920 x 1080 ps or touch 3200 x 1800 px | Core i5/i7 U | Nvidia 840 GT | 3.2 lbs / 1.45 kg | $899 | |
| Dell Inspiron 13 7000 | 13.3″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i5 U | Intel HD 4400 / 5000 | 3.7 lbs / 1.66 kg | $599 | |
| Dell XPS 11 | 11.6″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i5 Y | Intel HD 4200 | 2.5 lbs / 1.13 kg | $699 | |
| Dell XPS 12 | 12.5″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 / 5000 | 3.4 lbs / 1.54 kg | $1099 | |
| Dell XPS 13 | 13.3″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 / 5000 | 3 lbs / 1.36 kg | $999 | |
| Dell Latitude 12 E7240 | 12.5″ TN 1366 x 768 px | Core i3 U | Intel HD 4400 | 2.99 lbs / 1.35 kg | $1169 | |
| Fujitsu Lifebook U554 | 13.3″ TN 1366 x 768 px | Core i5 U | Intel 4400 HD | 3.5 lbs / 1.58 kg | $999 | |
| Gigabyte Aorus X3 | 13.3″ IGZO IPS 2560 x 1440 px | Core i7-4710HQ | Nvidia GTX 870M | 3.96 lbs / 1.8 kg | tba | |
| Gigabyte Aorus X3 Plus | 13.9″ IGZO IPS 2560 x 1440 or 3200 x 1800 px | Core i7-4710HQ / 4860HQ | Nvidia GTX 870M | 3.96 lbs / 1.8 kg | $2099 | |
| HP Spectre 13T-3000 | 13.3″ IPS 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel 4400 HD | 3.2 lbs / 1.45 kg | $999 | |
| HP Split 13 X2 | 13.3″ IPS 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i7 Y | Intel 4200 HD | slate only: 2.36 lbs slate+dock: 4.9 lbs |
$749 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X240 | 12.5″ IPS 1366 x 768 px / 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | starting at 2.84 lbs / 1.28 kg | $999 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga | 12.5″ IPS touch 1366 x 768 px / 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 3.5 lbs / 1.58 kg | $1299 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad U330 | 13.3″ TN touch 1366 x 768 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 3.74 lbs / 1.7 kg | $699 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro | 13.3″ IPS touch 3200 x 1800 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 3.1 lbs / 1.39 kg | $1049 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 2 11 | 11.6″ TN touch 1366 x 768 px | Pentium | Intel HD graphics | 3.2 lbs / 1.45 kg | $499 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 2 13 | 13.3″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 3.45 lbs / 1.55 kg | $899 | |
| Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus | 13.3″ IPS touch 3200 x 1800 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 3.06 lbs / 1.38 kg | $1399 | |
| Samsung ATIV Q | 13.3″ IPS touch 3200 x 1800 px | Core i5/i7 U | – | – | – | |
| Sony Vaio Pro 11 | 11.6″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 1.92 lbs / 0.87 kg | $1149 | |
| Sony Vaio Pro 13 | 13.3″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 2.34 lbs / 1.06 kg | $1249 | |
| Sony VAIO Duo 13 | 13.3″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 / 5000 | 2.93 lbs / 1.32 kg | $1399 | |
| Sony Vaio Tap 11 | 11.6″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 Y | Intel HD 4200 | slate only: 1.7 lbs with keyboard: 2.2 lbs |
$1149 | |
| Sony Vaio Flip 13 | 13.3″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 2.89 lbs / 1.31 kg | $1099 | |
| Toshiba Kirabook 13.3 | 13.3″ IPS touch 2560 x 1440 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 2.97 lbs / 1.34 kg | $1499 | |
| Toshiba Z30 | 13.3″ TN non-glare 1366 x 768 px or IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 2.6 lbs / 1.17 kg | $899 | |
If you want something with a larger screen and better specs, have a look at the units below.
14+ inch Haswell ultrabooks and ultraportables
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| Model | Screen | Processor | Graphics | Weight | Price(*) | |
| Acer Aspire R7-572 | 15.6″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 5.3 lbs / 2.40 kg | $899 | |
| Acer Aspire V7 482PG | 14″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 750M | 4.41 lbs / 2.00 kg | $899 | |
| Acer Aspire V7 582PG | 15.6″ IPS touch 1366 x 768 px | Core i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 720M, 750M or 850M | 4.85 lbs / 2.19 kg | $849 | |
| Acer Aspire V5 573G | 15.6″ TN touch 1366 x 768 px | Core i5 U | Nvidia GT 720M or 750M | 4.41 lbs / 2.00 kg | $849 | |
| Acer TravelMate P645 | 14″ IPS non-glare 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | AMD Radeon HD 8750M | 3.46 lbs / 1.57 kg | – | |
| Asus E451LD | 14″ TN anti-glare 1366 x 768 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel 4400 and Nvidia GT 820M | 4.0 lbs / 1.81 kg | $849 | |
| Asus Transformer Book Flip TP400 | 14″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 820M | – | – | |
| Asus Transformer Book Flip TP500 | 15.6″ TN touch 1366 x 768 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 820M | 5.7 lbs / 2.6 kilos | $599 | |
| Asus Transformer Book Flip TP550 | 15.6″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 840M | 5.0 lbs / 2.26 kilos | $649 | |
| Asus Vivobook S451 / V451 | 14″ TN touch 1366 x 768 px | Core i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 740M | 4.85 lbs / 2.20 kg | $799 | |
| Asus Vivobook S551 / V551 | 15.6″ TN touch 1366 x 768 px | Core i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 740M | 5.3 lbs / 2.40 kg | $799 | |
| Asus Zenbook NX500 | 15.6″ IPS touch 3840 x 2160 px | Core i7 HQ | Nvidia GT 850M | 4.85 lbs / 2.20 kg | tba | |
| Asus Zenbook GX500 | 15.6″ IPS touch 3840 x 2160 px | Core i7 HQ | Nvidia GT 860M | 4.85 lbs / 2.20 kg | tba | |
| Dell Inspiron 5000 series | 15.6″ touch TN 1366 x 768 px or IPS 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i5/i7 ULV | Intel HD 4400 | 5.7 lbs / 2.54 kg | $649 | |
| Dell Inspiron 7000 series | 15.6″ touch TN 1366 x 768 px or IPS 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i5/i7 ULV | Intel HD 4400 or Nvidia GT 750M | 5.7 lbs / 2.54 kg | $699 | |
| Dell Latitude 14 E7440 | 14″ TN 1366 x 768 px / IPS 1920 x 1080 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | starts at 3.6 lbs / 1.63 kg | $1049 | |
| Dell XPS 15 | 15.6″ IPS touch 3200 x 1800 px | Core i7 HQ | Nvidia GT 750M | 4.44 lbs / 2.01 kg | $1549 | |
| Fujitsu Lifebook U904 | 14″ IPS touch 3200 x 1800 px | Core i5 U | Intel 4400 HD | 3.06 lbs / 1.38 kg | – | |
| Gigabyte U24F | 14″ TN matte 1600 x 900 px | Core i7-4500U | Nvidia GT 750M | 3.5 lbs / 1.58 kg | $1499 | |
| Gigabyte U24T | 14″ TN touch 1366 x 768 px | Core i7-4500U | Nvidia GT 750M | 3.9 lbs / 1.76 kg | $1399 | |
| Gigabyte P34G | 14″ IPS matte 1920 x 1080 px | Core i7-4700HQ | Nvidia GTX 760M | 3.7 lbs / 1.67 kg | $1399 | |
| Gigabyte P34G v2 | 14″ IPS matte 1920 x 1080 px | Core i7-4710HQ | Nvidia GTX 860M | 3.8 lbs / 1.72 kg | $1599 | |
| Gigabyte U35F | 15.6″ IPS 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 750M | 5.07 lbs / 2.29 kg | – | |
| Gigabyte P35K | 15.6″ IPS matte 1920 x 1080 px | Core i7-4700HQ | Nvidia GTX 765M | 5.1 lbs / 2.31 kg | $1399 | |
| Gigabyte P35G v2 | 15.6″ IPS matte 1920 x 1080 px | Core i7-4710HQ | Nvidia GTX 860M | 5.1 lbs / 2.31 kg | $1599 | |
| Gigabyte P35W v2 | 15.6″ IPS matte 1920 x 1080 px | Core i7-4710HQ | Nvidia GTX 870M | 5.1 lbs / 2.31 kg | $1799 | |
| HP EliteBook 1040 G1 | 14″ TN 1600 x 900 ps / IPS 1920 x 1080 px non-glare | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 3.3 lbs / 1.49 kg | $1299 | |
| HP Envy TouchSmart 14 | 14″ TN touch 1366 x 768 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 730M | 4.44 lbs / 2.01 kg | $749 | |
| HP Envy TouchSmart 15 | 15.6″ TN 1366 x 768 px or IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 M | Intel HD or Nvidia GT 740M/750M | 5.6 lbs / 2.54 kg | $849 | |
| HP ZBook 14 | 14″ LED non-glare, optional touch, 1600 x 900 or 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | AMD FirePro M4100 | starts at 3.57 lbs / 1.61 kg | $1399 | |
| HP ZBook 15 | 15.6″ LED non-glare 1920 x 1080 px | Core i7 MQ | NVIDIA Quadro K610M / K1100M / K2100M | starts at 6.2 lbs / 2.81 kg | $1699 | |
| HP ZBook 17 | 17.3″ LED non-glare 1600 x 900 or 1920 x 1080 px | Core i7 MQ | NVIDIA Quadro K610M / K3100M | starts at 7.67 lbs / 3.48 kg | $1849 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2014 | 14″ 1600 x 900 px TN or 2560 x 1440 px IPS touch | Core i5/i7 U | Intel 4400 HD | 2.99 lbs / 1.36 kg | $1299 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T440s | 14″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel 4400 HD | 3.5 lbs / 1.58 kg | $949 | |
| Lenovo Flex 14 | 14 TN touch 1366 x 768 px | up to Core i7 | Intel HD 4400 | 4.4 lbs / 1.99 kg | $549 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 14 | 14 TN touch 1366 x 768 px | up to Core i7 / AMD APUs | Intel HD 4400 | 4.2 lbs / 1.90 kg | $699 | |
| Lenovo Flex 15 | 15.6″ TN touch 1366 x 768 px | up to Core i7 | Intel HD 4400 | 5.1 lbs / 2.31 kg | $449 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 15 | 14 TN touch 1366 x 768 px / 1920 x 1080 px | up to Core i7 / AMD APUs | Intel HD 4400 | 5.1 lbs / 2.31 kg | $499 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad U430 | 14″ TN touch 1366 x 768 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 730M | 4.17 lbs / 1.84 kg | $699 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad S510p | 15.6″ TN 1366 x 768 px | Core i5/i7 U | Nvidia GT 720M | 5.73 lbs / 2.59 kg | $749 | |
| Lenovo Y40 | 14″ TN non-glare 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | AMD R9-M275 | 4.9 lbs / 2.22 kg | $849 | |
| Lenovo Y50 | 15.6″ TN non-glare 1920 x 1080 px | Core i7-4710HQ | Nvidia GTX 860M | 5.3 lbs / 2.40 kg | $1049 | |
| MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 2PC | 15.6″ IGZO IPS 1920 x 1080 px | Core i7-4710HQ | Nvidia GTX 860M | 4.4 lbs / 1.99 kg | $1799 | |
| MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 3K 2PE | 15.6″ IGZO IPS 2880 x 1620 px | Core i7-4710HQ | Nvidia GTX 870M / 970M | 4.4 lbs / 1.99 kg | $1999 | |
| Razer Blade 14 2014 | 14″ IGZO IPS touch 3200 x 1800 px | Core i7 HQ | Nvidia GTX 870M | 4.5 lbs / 2.06 kg | $1999 | |
| Razer Blade Pro 2014 |
17.3″ TN matte 1920 x 1080 px | Core i7 HQ | Nvidia GTX 860M | 6.54 lbs / 2.93 kg | $2499 | |
| Samsung ATIV Book 2 2013 NP270E | 15.6″ TN non-glare 1366 x 768 px | Core i5 U | Intel HD 4400 | 4.85 lbs / 2.19 kg | – | |
| Samsung ATIV Book 9 2014 NP940X5G | 15.6″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 px | Core i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 4.4 lbs / 1.99 kg | $1499 | |
| Sony Vaio Fit 14A / Flip PC |
14″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 and 2880 x 1620 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 | 4.32 lbs / 1.95 kg | $849 | |
| Sony Vaio Fit 15A / Flip PC |
15.5″ IPS touch 1920 x 1080 and 2880 x 1620 px | Core i3/i5/i7 U | Intel HD 4400 or Nvidia GT 735M | 5.05 lbs / 2.29 kg | $1049 | |
* Clicking each price will show you where you can find discounts for these products.
Alright, that’s about it for now, these are the most known Haswell ultrabooks and ultraportables that you can find now in stores or will be available soon.
If you’re interested in more details about these and some other good portable laptops worth buying, this post is a good place to start. If you’re on a budget, you might want to see this list of good ultrabooks that sell for under $800 . Or if you want something very powerful, these gaming ultrabooks might be what you need. Last but not least, more and more convertible ultrabooks have been released lately, so you might want to check them out as well.
Either way, you’ll find plenty of things about ultrabooks on this website, including the latest news, detailed reviews, and comparisons.
And if you have any questions or need any help, feel free to drop me a line in the comments below, or in any other article, I’ll be around to reply.
munesh
May 28, 2014 at 3:58 pm
Hi
What is your feedback on Lenovo Ideapad U530 Touch
Please advise
Andrei Girbea
May 29, 2014 at 11:05 am
It’s a decent and affordable laptop from what I know, but I haven’t properly reviewed it.
Tarun
July 14, 2014 at 11:08 pm
Please review it as soon as possible… I’m thinking of buying it.
Darsh
May 28, 2014 at 4:05 pm
Oh, okay.
So if you were to recommend an ultrabook to someone from your list (which I think is all-inclusive at the moment) who wants a 15+ incher and an all-around great ultrabook that can do almost everything (with hardcore gaming not being a particular requirement), what would you recommend?
P.S. That someone (me :) ) is not on a budget (so I’m open to high-end stuff) and is just looking for the best ultrabook that money can buy right now, is thin, looks good and isn’t too noisy or has any heating issues, what would you recommend?
Thanks again and keep up the amazing work.
Andrei Girbea
May 29, 2014 at 11:12 am
15 incher? Well, the latest Dell XPS 15 would be at the top of my list . Other options would be the 15 inch HP TouchSmart or maybe the Razer Blades, but you said gaming is not at the top of your list, so probably there’s no point in going that high.
If you don’t want any of the latest Haswell laptops, you could also look at the older Samsung Series 9 and the Asus Zenbook UX500VZ.
Jeff
May 29, 2014 at 4:58 am
Great articles Andrei. Would you consider reviewing the available options from some of the other brands like Maingear, Eon/Originpc, Aorus, MSI, ibuypower and powernotebooks?
Thanks for the great info on the ultrabook gaming PC’s
My ultimate setup would be:
i7 Haswell
NVidia Graphics 4Gb
16Gb Ram
500G – 1Tb ssd
1Gb 7200 RPM HDD
15.6″ Touchscreen
The MSI GS60 2PC Ghost 3K comes close but no touchscreen.
Any ideas?
Again, thanks for all you do.
Andrei Girbea
May 29, 2014 at 11:20 am
Hey Jeff. I’d love to review those but I’m not based in the US, so it’s close to impossible to get them for reviews here… So I can’t actually say much about all those. I can’t think of a similar 15 incher with such graphics. The Razer Blade 2014 could be an options, but it’s a 14 incher with only 8 GB of RAM and limited storage possibilities.
Jeff
June 14, 2014 at 10:52 pm
Hi Andrei
I just purchased the HP Envy TouchSmart 17-j153cl Notebook. It had -most- of the things I wanted in my list above, but what sold me on it was the $875.00 USD price tag on sale at Costco. (As you know,) it has the Intel (Quad Core i7-4700MQ @ 2.40GHz processor, 16384Mb DDR3 SDRAM, 1TB (5400 rpm) HDD and uses the Intel graphics package. Not quite what I described above in my dream machine, but darn close, and the price paid vs. the amount I would have paid with the MSI GS620 (around $2100.00 USD) actually made it a no-brainer for me. I’m going to take the money i didn’t spend and take a vacation. :) Again Andrei, great articles, the information provided in them were invaluable in helping me make an informed purchasing decision. Knowledge is power, thank you very much for your writing and for what you do. Keep up the good work.
Aloha from Hawaii.
Andrei Girbea
June 16, 2014 at 9:48 am
Hi Jeff. Enjoy your vacation. And thanks for the kind words.
The GS620 did came with powerful graphics, so it’s not exactly a match for the HP, but if you don’t plan on gaming, you’ll be fine. You might want to upgrade that slow HDD though to an SSD, if you don’t mind sipping less Mai Tais on the beach :P
themadhatter01
June 10, 2014 at 12:34 am
Firstly, great site Andrei and fantastic article. I found your reviews to be immensely useful but I was hoping you could help me find the ideal computer for me. The following specs would be ideal:
13.3″-15.6″ screen size
1920 x 1080 px or better
IPS non-touch screen (I don’t think a touch screen is that useful for my purposes)
Haswell Intel Core i5 or i7
under 4 lb preferably
under $800
a good graphics card (like an Nvidia) would be great too
From looking through your list, I think some of the Asus Transformer Book Flip computers can work but I’m not looking for a touch screen or hybrid computer so I might be able to sacrifice that for a cheaper computer or one with better features in other areas. Acer Aspire also looks good, although it may be out of my price range. Gigabyte P34G is probably my ideal computer but it’s also out of my price range. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Andrei Girbea
June 11, 2014 at 9:01 am
It’s going to be very difficult to find a matte screen on a Haswell laptop.
For 13 inchers, I would look at the soon to be released Asus Zenbook UX303LA, the Sony Vaio Pro 13 (although Sony sold their Vaio line and that might affect long-term warranty and support) or the HP EliteBook 850 G1 , if you could get them within your budget. You might the first two, not sure about the HP though.
If you want to look at older IvyBridge models, you have a bit more options, but I’m not sure exactly which one gets withing your budget. You’ll have to check fro some deals. I’d look at the Asus Zenbook UX31A or the UX51VZ , the Samsung Np900x3g and probably others as well, there’s nothing else coming to my mind right now.
Gurjot
June 20, 2014 at 7:49 pm
Hey Andrei, I currently have a Dell XPS 15 (2012 model) and I`m looking to swap for something lighter, with a better battery, and a better screen (I was really unimpressed by the screen on this laptop). Overall I`m looking for something school oriented, and the good screen is required because I look at PDFs on my laptop for hours at a time. Any help you could provide would be appreciated, thanks in advance!
Andrei Girbea
June 20, 2014 at 10:54 pm
Do you want a 15 incher or something smaller? And what’s you budget?
Gurjot
June 21, 2014 at 9:30 am
I’m not that picky on screen size, but I want a really clear display, anything between 13 to 15 is good for me. I’m not looking to spend over 1200 on this. Thanks again!
Andrei Girbea
June 22, 2014 at 9:56 pm
Hard to give you specific options, there are many good laptops that might fit within your budget, like the HP Spectre 13T-3000, Asus Zenbooks (quite a few of them), Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro, Acer Aspire S7, Dell XPS 12/13 and even the XPS 15 2014 and some others.
If you want a clear screen, I’d suggest looking at some sort of 1080P IPS panel. Higher density screens are also an option, but Windows 8/8.1 doesn’t always scale properly and that means that sometimes you’ll end up with jittery details. Look into this matter for more details.
Wayne
July 8, 2014 at 12:26 pm
The link for the Lenovo ThinkPad X240 points to the Kirabook!
Andrei Girbea
July 8, 2014 at 2:24 pm
Thanks for noticing, got it fixed now.
spacer
July 10, 2014 at 7:25 am
I was wondering which among these are known to be most reliable/compatible with linux?
Andrei Girbea
July 10, 2014 at 9:16 am
I’m afraid that’s a bit out of my league, but I’ll try to document a post on this subject
Walter
July 17, 2014 at 7:29 am
You missed one. The newest version of the 11.6″ Asus Vivobook x200LA has a Haswell i3 4010u. It may be the most inexpensive 11.6″ with an i3 4XXXU at about $500. However, I think its soldered single channel ram probably chokes the graphics chip on it…
Andrei Girbea
July 17, 2014 at 8:31 am
Thanks, I’ve included that one in my list of recommended mini-ultrabooks here https://www.ultrabookreview.com/2375-best-11-6-inch-ultrabooks/ , but forgot to add it to this list. I don’t think you should worry much about the single channel RAM. This is after all meant for light activities, as the i3 CPU is not very powerful. The HDD is the bottleneck though and I’d replace it with an SSD, that will really improve the performance.
There’s also an even cheaper X200CA, with a Pentium processor, going for under $300. But this one is only suited for basic tasks.
Andrei Girbea
July 23, 2014 at 11:10 am
hi juliet. can you be more specific? Links or at least details about the configurations would help.
Tony
July 24, 2014 at 3:48 am
I’m thinking of buying the Lenovo Y50 Touch by the end of this month. I have heard alot about the bad screen quality. But I have also heard that the touch model has better colors than the non-touch model.What do you think about its display in the touch model? I would like to watch movies at 1080p with good quality colors. I am moving from a Dell Inspiron 15 (Basic 2012 model). Will I note a significant difference?
I feel that this laptop is within my price range and required specifications. I am not much of a heavy gamer but do like to game occasionally. I would like the laptop to be thin and sleek. Is there any other similar laptop that you would recommend? 15 inches
Andrei Girbea
July 24, 2014 at 11:37 am
I haven’t personally tested the Y50 yet. Its screens are bad compared to what you get on most modern laptop, as Lenovo went with some average TN panels. If they’re good enough for you or not, that’s something only you can tell. My advice, try to see them in stores before buying, if possible, or buy from a reputable source that allows returns, in case you’re not happy with that you get.
Compared to the Dell Inspiron which I believe has a 1366 x 768 px TN panel, the screen on the Y50s shouldn’t be worse. Colors, contrast and viewing angles are more or less the same, but this one is sharper.
Tony
July 24, 2014 at 7:24 pm
Are there ant similar laptops that you would recommend?
Andrei Girbea
July 24, 2014 at 9:09 pm
I’m currently working on upgrading this post https://www.ultrabookreview.com/2404-14-15-inch-ultrabooks/, so I’ll be able to answer your question once I’m done with it
Lucian
November 12, 2014 at 6:22 pm
Any thoughts on the Asus G551JM vs the Lenovo Y50-70? Both are very close in specs and price. Would appreciate your opinion:)
Andrei Girbea
November 13, 2014 at 1:26 pm
I haven’t reviewed the Y50, so can’t get in depth. I’ve seen people complaining about he TN FHD panel on it though, among other things
branon
November 20, 2014 at 5:01 pm
Very useful. I wish there was a way to sort by date released, weight, screen size etc.
Thanks.
mikey
March 23, 2015 at 9:01 am
Good day.. Im planning to buy a laptop around $500-$900 that can do gaming and video streaming..although im not a hard gamer but i love to play games more often..any recommendation what laptop is worth buying..thank you sir for the info
mikey
March 23, 2015 at 9:04 am
And in addition what is your review about asus n550jk..thanks again sir and have a good day
George
June 16, 2015 at 2:36 pm
Is there a reason these ultrabooks don’t have numeric keypads, constrain themselves typically to 13″ screens, and don’t have expandable memory beyond 8Gb. If it is not tablet or a convertible, a touch screen is a luxury (unlike a numeric keypad, expansion memory slot, and wider screen).