Table of Contents
This post is a complete list of all the available Broadwell ultrabooks and ultraportables, a list that I’m continuously updating with the latest launches. If you’re visiting this post past the Fall of 2015, you should also check out the detailed list of Skylake ultraportables.
Haswell has been a major step in the history of modern laptops, spurring a multitude of thin and light computers with powerful internals, able to last for hours of daily use. Broadwell, its successor, builds on those same lines and leads to even thinner and lighter laptops, faster, longer-lasting and packed with new features. The 5th generation Core platform delivers increased CPU/graphics performance over the 4th generation Haswell solutions with Intel HD 4400 chips while being more efficient at the same time. We’re not getting in depth here, but you can check out some of the other posts in this section for more details.
Still, it’s important to know that there are two faces of Broadwell powered portable laptops.
On one side there’s the high-efficiency side of the Broadwell mobile line, also known as Intel Core-M or Broadwell Y (successor of the Haswell Core Y), which does not impress with performance, but is bundled in a fair number of extra-thin, long-lasting and mostly fanless designs (here’s a list of all the available fanless ultrabooks). On the other there’s the Broadwell U series of Core i3/i5 and i7 processors, which will power most of the ultrabooks available in 2015. This post is not about what you should expect from Intel’s new architecture and is not a comparison between of the Core M and Core U subfamilies, it’s just a complete list of all the available Broadwell ultrabooks and ultraportables.
A few of the improvements Core-M brings
You can click on the product names for more details and for my reviews, but you can also check out the up-to-date prices and potential discounts by clicking on the links in the Price column. Keep in mind that those are suggested MSRP prices and most of the time you’ll find each computer slightly cheaper by following the links.
First we’ll list the Core M ultraportables
Anyway, we’ll start with the most compact and portable devices, mainly 2-in-1s with 10 to 12.5 inch displays, but mostly everything that’s light and easy to carry around, built on Core M hardware and has a smaller than 13 inch screen. All the Core iX devices are also listed down below.
Sub 13-inch Core M ultra-portables
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| Model | Type | Screen | Hardware | Weight | Price(*) | |
| Acer Aspire Switch 11 V | detachable | 11.6″ IPS touch FHD | Core M | 1.49 kg / 3.5 lbs (w/dock) | $599 | |
| Acer Aspire Switch 12 2014 | detachable | 12.5″ IPS touch FHD | Core M-5Y10 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 1.40 kg / 3.1 lbs (w/dock) | $649 | |
| Acer Aspire Switch 12 2015 | detachable | 12.5″ IPS touch FHD | Core M | – | – | |
| Apple MacBook 12 | clamshell | 12.0″ IPS retina | Core M-5Y51 or M-5Y71 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 0.90 kg / 2.0 lbs | $1199 | |
| Asus Transformer Book T300FA |
detachable | 12.5″ IPS touch HD | Core M-5Y10 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 1.62 kg / 3.6 lbs (w/dock) | $599 | |
| Asus Transformer Book Chi T300 |
detachable | 12.5″ IPS touch QHD | Core M-5Y10 / M-5Y71 | 1.44 kg / 3.19 lbs (w/dock) | $699 | |
| HP Elite x2 1011 G1 | detachable | 11.6″ IPS touch HD/FHD | Core M-5Y10 to 5Y71 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 1.62 kg / 3.57 lbs (w/ dock) | $899 | |
| HP EliteBook Folio 1020 | clamshell | 12.5″ IPS FHD or touch QHD | Core M-5Y71 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 1.21 kg / 2.69 lbs | $1199 | |
| HP Pavilion 360 11-n108tu |
convertible | 11.6″ touch HD | Core M-5Y10 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 1.4 kg / 3.1 lbs | – | |
| Dell Venue 11 Pro 7140 |
detachable | 10.8″ IPS touch FHD | Core M-5Y10 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 0.75 kg / 1.69 lbs (without dock) | $699 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 3 11 | convertible | 11.6″ IPS touch FHD | Core M-5Y70 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 1.18 kg / 2.6 lbs | $749 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 |
detachable | 11.6″ IPS touch FHD | Core M-5Y10 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 1.36 kg / 3 lbs (w/ dock) | $999 | |
| Nec LaVie U | detachable | 11.6″ IPS touch FHD | – | 1.36 kg / 3.01 lbs (w/ dock) | – | |
| Panasonic Let’s Note RZ4 |
convertible | 10.1″ IPS touch FHD | Core M-5Y10 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 1.83 kg / 4.05 lbs (w/ dock) | $1499 | |
| Samsung ATIV Book 9 |
clamshell | 12.2″ IPS touch WQXGA | Core M-5Y31 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 0.94 kg / 2.1 lbs | $1199 | |
| Toshiba Portégé Z20t | convertible | 12.5″ IPS touch FHD | Core M w/ Intel HD 5300 | 1.59 kg / 3.5 lbs (w/ dock) | $1299 | |
And this section is reserved for anything with a screen larger than 13 inch, whether it’s a 13.3 inch, a 14 incher , a 15.6 incher or something else. There are very few Core M machines in this category, as the platform is mainly designed for small and portable machines, like the ones in the previous table.
13+ inch Core M ultrabooks
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| Model | Type | Screen | Hardware | Weight | Price(*) | |
| Asus Zenbook UX305 | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD and QHD+ | Core M-5Y10a or M-5Y71 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 1.27 kg / 2.8 lbs | $699 | |
| Dell Latitude 13 7000 | detachable | 13.3″ IPS touch FHD | Core M 5Y10 to 5Y71 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 1.66 kg / 3.7 lbs (w/ dock) | $1199 | |
| HP Envy X2 13 | detachable | 13.3″ IPS touch HD/FHD | Core M 5Y10 to 5Y71 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 1.66 kg / 4.05 lbs (w/ dock) | $799 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro | convertible | 13.3″ touch IPS QHD+ | Core M-5Y70 and 5Y71 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 1.18 kg / 2.6 lbs | $1349 | |
| HP Envy X2 15 | detachable | 15.6″ touch IPS FHD | Core M-5Y10 to 5Y71 w/ Intel HD 5300 | 2.45 kg / 5.42 lbs (w/ dock) | $749 | |
All the Broadwell U ultraportables
This chapter is dedicated to the more powerful ultrabooks motorized by the Intel 5th generation Core i3/i5 and i7processors. Once again we’ll start with the smaller units with screens under 13 inch.
Sub 13-inch Broadwell ultra-portables
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| Model | Type | Screen | Hardware | Weight | Price(*) | |
| Apple Macbook Air 11 | clamshell | 11.6″ TN HD | Core i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 2.38 lbs / 1.08 kg | $899 | |
| Fujitsu Lifebook T725 | convertible | 12.5″ IPS touch HD | Core i3, i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.81 kg / 3.66 lbs | – | |
| HP EliteBook 720 G2 | clamshell | 12.5″ HD or touch FHD | Core i5 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.34 kg / 2.94 lbs | $1099 | |
| HP EliteBook Revolve 810 G3 | convertible | 11.6″ IPS HD | Core i3, i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.4 kg / 3.08 lbs | $1149 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X250 | clamshell | 12.5″ IPS FHD | Core i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.31 kg / 2.9 lbs | $1149 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 12 | convertible | 12.5″ IPS touch FHD | Core i5 and i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.58 kg / 3.5 lbs | $999 | |
In the following list you’ll find the 13 inch Broadwell ultraportables, the perfect balance between speed and portability.
13 to 13.9 inch ultrabooks
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| Model | Type | Screen | Hardware | Weight | Price(*) | |
| Acer Aspire R13 (R7-371T) | convertible | 13.3″ IPS touch QHD | Core i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs | $999 | |
| Acer Aspire S7-393 | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS touch QHD | Core i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.31 kg / 2.9 lbs | $1299 | |
| Acer Aspire V13 (V3-371) |
clamshell | 13.3″ HD | Core i5 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs | $599 | |
| Alienware 13 Gaming Laptop | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD or QHD | Core i7-5500U w/ Nvidia GTX 860M | 2.05 kg / 4.53 lbs | $1399 | |
| Apple Macbook Air 13 | clamshell | 13.3″ TN WXGA+ | Core i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 2.96 lbs / 1.35 kg | $999 | |
| Apple Macbook Pro 13 | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS WQXGA | Core i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 3.48 lbs / 1.57 kg | $999 | |
| Asus Transformer Book Flip TP300LA/LD | convertible | 13.3″ IPS touch FHD | Core i3/i5/i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 or Nvidia GT 820M | 3.8 lbs / 1.72 kilos | $499 | |
| Asus Zenbook UX301LA | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS touch QHD | Core i7-5500U w/ Intel HD 5500 or Core i7-5557U w/ Intel HD 6100 | 3.1 lbs / 1.43 kg | $1399 | |
| Asus Zenbook UX303LA | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS touch FHD | Core i5 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs | $899 | |
| Asus Zenbook UX303LB | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD or QHD+ | Core i7 w/ Nvidia 840M | 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs | $1299 | |
| Asus Zenbook UX305LA | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD matte | Core i5/i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.3 kg / 2.86 lbs | $799 | |
| Dell Inspiron 13 7000 | convertible | 13.3″ IPS touch FHD | Core i3/i5/i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 3.7 lbs / 1.66 kg | $599 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9343 | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD or touch QHD+ | Core i3, i5 and i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.18 kg / 2.6 lbs | $799 | |
| HP Spectre x360 | convertible | 13.3″ IPS touch FHD or QHD | Core i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.48 kg / 3.26 lbs | $899 | |
| Fujitsu Lifebook T935 | convertible | 13.3″ IPS touch FHD or QHD | Core i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.6 kg / 3.52 lbs | – | |
| Fujitsu Stylistic Q775 | detachable | 13.3″ IPS touch FHD | Core i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 0.99 kg / 2.18 lbs (without dock) | – | |
| Lenovo Lavie Z HZ550 | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS QHD | Core i5 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 0.78 kg / 1.72 lbs | – | |
| Lenovo Lavie Z HZ750 | convertible | 13.3″ IPS touch FHD/QHD | Core i5 and i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 0.92 kg / 2.04 lbs | – | |
| LG Gram 13 | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD | Core i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 0.98 kg / 2.16 lbs | $1499 | |
| Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus NP940X3 | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS touch QHD+ | Core i5 and i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.38 kg / 3.05 lbs | $1299 | |
| Toshiba Z30-B | clamshell | 13.3″ HD or FHD | Core i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.2 kg / 2.64 lbs | $1099 | |
| Toshiba Kirabook 2015 | clamshell | 13.3″ FHD or QHD | Core i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.34 kg / 2.96 lbs | $1299 | |
If you want beefier features, but not in a full-size computer, then you should check the 14 inchers in this section.
14 to 14.9 inch options
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| Model | Type | Screen | Hardware | Weight | Price(*) | |
| Acer Aspire R 14 (R3-471T) | convertible | 14.0″ TN HD | Core i5 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 2.01 kg / 4.5 lbs | $569 | |
| HP EliteBook Folio 1040 | clamshell | 14.0″ HD+ or FHD | Core i5 and i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.51 kg / 3.32 lbs | $1299 | |
| HP EliteBook 740 G2 | clamshell | 14.0″ various models | Core i3 and i5 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.58 kg / 3.45 lbs | $969 | |
| HP EliteBook 840 G2 | clamshell | 14.0″ various models | Core i5 and i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.55 kg / 3.4 lbs | $1049 | |
| HP ZBook 14 G2 | clamshell | 14.0″ various models | Core i5 and i7 w/ AMD FirePro M4150 | 1.71 kg / 3.77 lbs | $1249 | |
| Lenovo Flex 3 14 | convertible | 14.0″ IPS touch FHD | Core i3, i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | – | $549 | |
| Lenovo S41 | clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD | Core i5 or i7 w/ Nvidia | 1.76 kg / 3.9 lbs | – | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2015 | convertible | 14.0″ IPS FHD or QHD (w/ option for touch) | Core i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.30 kg / 2.87 lbs | $1199 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 | convertible | 14.0″ IPS touch FHD | Core i5 and i7 w/ Nvidia 840M | 1.90 kg / 4.2 lbs | $1199 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 3 14 | convertible | 14.0″ IPS touch FHD | Core i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.58 kg / 3.5 lbs | $799 | |
| Lenovo Y40-80 | clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD | Core i5 or i7 w/ AMD Radeon R9 M275 2GB | 2.22 kg / 4.9 lbs | $699 | |
| LG Gram 14 | clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD | Core i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 0.98 kg / 2.16 lbs | $1499 | |
| Toshiba Tecra Z40 | clamshell | 14.0″ HD or touch FHD | up to i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.47 kg / 3.24 lbs | $699 | |
Last but not least, this is where you’ll find the full-size ultrabooks and ultra-portable laptops, devices with 15+ inch displays and a multitude of features and hardware options.
15 inch (and bigger) Broadwell laptops
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| Model | Type | Screen | Hardware | Weight | Price(*) | |
| Acer Aspire V 15 Nitro VN7-571G | clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD | Core i7 w/ Nvidia 950M | 2.20 kg/4.85 lbs | ~$799 | |
| Acer Aspire V 15 V3-572 | clamshell | 15.6″ FHD | Core i5 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 2.65 kg/5.62 lbs | $599 | |
| Asus Transformer Book Flip TP500 | convertible | 15.6″ TN touch HD or FHD | Core i3/i5/i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 or Nvidia 820M | 5.7 lbs / 2.6 kilos | $599 | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3000 | clamshell | 15.6″ HD (optional touchscreen) | Core i3 and i5 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 2.16 kg / 4.8 lbs | $379 | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5000 | clamshell | 15.6″ HD or touch IPS FHD | Core i5 w/ AMD R7 M270 (optional) | 2.38 kg / 5.24 lbs | $749 | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 7000 | clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD or UHD (optional touchscreen) | Core i5 and i7 w/ AMD R7 M270 (optional) | 2.06 kg / 4.53 lbs | $649 | |
| Dell Inspiron 17 7000 | clamshell | 17.3″ IPS FHD or UHD (optional touchscreen) | Core i5 and i7 w/ Nvidia 845M (optional) | 3.29 kg / 7.3 lbs | $999 | |
| HP EliteBook 750 G2 | clamshell | 15.6″ various models | Core i3 and i5 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.83 kg / 4.02 lbs | $1059 | |
| HP EliteBook 850 G2 | clamshell | 15.6″ various models | Core i5 and i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 1.83 kg / 4.02 lbs | $1049 | |
| HP ZBook 15u G2 | clamshell | 15.6″ FHD | Core i5 and i7 w/ AMD FirePro M4170 | 1.91 kg / 4.23 lbs | $1149 | |
| Lenovo Edge 550 |
clamshell | 15.6″ IPS touch FHD | Core i3, i5 and i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 (optional Nvidia 840M) | 2.27 kg/5 lbs | $569 | |
| Lenovo Flex 3 15 | convertible | 15.6″ IPS touch FHD | Core i3, i5 or i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | – | $579 | |
| Lenovo G50-80 | clamshell | 15.6″ HD or FHD | Core i3, i5 and i7 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 2.49 kg/5.51 lbs | $499 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 15 | convertible | 15.6″ IPS touch FHD | Core i5 and i7 w/ Nvidia 840M | 2.31 kg/5.1 lbs | $1199 | |
| Toshiba Satellite C55-B5142 | clamshell | 15.6″ TN HD | Core i5 w/ Intel HD 5500 | 2.20 kg/4.85 lbs | $499 | |
* Clicking on each price will show you up-to-date prices for those particular products, most of the time with applied discounts. The mentioned MSRP is usually what the manufacturers ask for the basic configurations, higher end models are more expensive.
A short glossary of the terms mentioned above:
- Types:
- clamshell: classic shaped computer whose screen closes on top of the keyboard and does not flip into any sort of tablet mode;
- convertible: 2-in-1 laptop whose screen rotates and converts to a tablet mode (or similar), but cannot be detached from the base;
- detachable: 2-in-1 laptop whose screen detaches from the base. These are mostly stand-alone tablets bundled with matching docking stations that most often include docking keyboards, ports, batteries and other features;
- slider: 2-in-1 laptop whose screen slides up and down on top of the body and usually reveals a keyboard hidden underneath.
- Resolutions: HD ( 1366 x 768 px), WXGA+ (1440 x 900 px), HD+ ( 1600 x 900 px), FHD (1920 x 1080 px), retina (2304 x 1440 px), QHD (2560 x 1440 px), WQXGA (2560 x 1600 px), QHD+ (3200 x 1800 px), UHD (3840 x 2160 px) – also see this post;
Alright, that’s about it for now. If you’re interested in my opinions on the laptops above, I’d suggest you also check out my curated lists available here on the site, listed below:
- my favorite 11 inch, 13 inch and 14,15 inch and above ultrabooks;
- the best gaming ultrabooks and ultraportables of the moment;
- my selection of 2-in-1 laptops;
- the best ultraportables you can get for under $800;
- my list of top Chromebooks, fast mini-laptops that sell for between $200 and $400.
And you should also check out my reviews, comparisons and the other posts on the site. If you’re after one of these Broadwell ultraportables, I believe you’ll find most of them helpful.
The comments section below is of course open and awaits your feedback, questions and suggestions. And if you spot any device that should be in here but I haven’t yet included, or any mistakes in the listings, please leave a reply, I’m doing my best to cover all the launches, but sometimes a few of them do slip out.
Groudie
September 6, 2014 at 6:25 pm
Do you know of any 13″ to 15″ sleek looking and well built ultra portable that carries a 1TB HDD? (anything that isn’t a Dell)
Andrei Girbea
September 6, 2014 at 8:14 pm
Most of the cheaper options can be equipped with HDDs of any size. Lenovo Yoga 13 2 , the Asus Vivobook lines, the Acer Aspire Lines, Lenovo Flex series are just some of them.
Tom Lansburg
July 3, 2015 at 7:17 pm
I would also stay away from the brand Lenovo. I worked for a large company that went from Dell & HP then to Lenovo laptops and they were a nightmare to say the least for our technicians. Also having spoken to several of my friends at other large companies that did the same, they all agreed with me that Lenovo truly makes inferior products. One of the major issues we had was if a colleague ran out of battery power on the laptop the laptop no matter what you did would not come back up until it went to our IT Repair who had to take the thing apart and do something to it before it would recharge and reboot.
Muradori
September 25, 2014 at 9:08 pm
Hi Andrei, how’s it going. Perhaps you’ll remember. Half a year ago I put a question concerning Broadwell system and if there will be ultrabook devices available in the near future that support both Windows and Android. What’s your state of knowledge in that? Thanks a lot. Cheers
Andrei Girbea
September 26, 2014 at 9:25 am
Hi. Broadwell Core-M ultrabooks will be released starting this October. Core-M is however a successor of the Haswell Core Y series, thus a low-powered platform. Successors for the current Cure U series will probably hit the stores in late Q4 and in the beginning of 2015.
Muradori
September 28, 2014 at 7:22 pm
Hi Andrei. Thanks for your answer. Do you have any affiliate links of platforms/brands if my friends & I’d buy stuff from Switzerland?
I was looking for the answer you gave me last time when I posted as you mentioned something else quite important, but couldn’t find it..
Andrei Girbea
September 30, 2014 at 10:18 am
Hmmm, I don’t have any affiliate links for Swiss stores, sry. And I’m not sure which reply you are thinking of, your latest comment is here: https://www.ultrabookreview.com/5165-broadwell-ultrabooks/#comment-36476, and my reply. If you have any other questions though, don’t hesitate to ask.
Guest
October 5, 2014 at 4:05 pm
Hi. I believe that the entry on the Asus Transformer Book T300FA is wrong. The specifications from IFA list that it has a 12.5″ screen with a 1366×768 HD resolution, and with the dock it weighs 1.6 kg.
From: techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/laptops/unannounced-asus-2-in-1-hybrid-laptop-debuts-at-ifa-1264044
Furthermore, the entry on the Transformer Book V could do with some updating. The 12.5″ IPS display runs at a HD resolution. Also, the phone weighs 140g while the tablet (without phone) weighs 800g, but the keyboard weight is unknown, so no total weight is known as yet.
From: engadget.com/2014/06/02/asus-transformer-book-v-phone/
Adam Li
October 18, 2014 at 3:58 am
Sadly, only the T300 chi looks promising. When is that coming out?
Andrei Girbea
October 18, 2014 at 8:41 am
I’d expect it in Late November or December
Johnny
October 28, 2014 at 10:28 pm
Will there be a QHD 17 inch laptop/2 in 1 /portable released based on broadwell?
Andrei Girbea
October 29, 2014 at 3:08 pm
17 inch 2-in-1? I don’t think so, but let’s just wait and see. 17 inch regular laptops in a thin/light form factor, those should be available, but imh not sooner than the end of Q1 2015.
Adam
October 29, 2014 at 7:55 am
liliputing.com/2014/10/nec-launches-lavie-u-2-1-tablet-intel-core-m-pen-support-japan.html
Andrei Girbea
October 29, 2014 at 3:01 pm
Thanks Adam
Adam
November 6, 2014 at 7:46 am
Core M seems so promising and thus I eagerly followed it but the three devices I know of currently available in Australia are, very very disappointing (see below). Although your articles are great (even though the devices aren’t) and I have bookmarked all your affiliate links.
thegoodguys.com.au/buyonline/Hewlett_Packard_Envy_13.3%22_Intel_Core_M_128GB_Touch_Notebook_K2P56PA
thegoodguys.com.au/buyonline/Hewlett_Packard_Envy_X2_Core_M_15.6%22_500GB_2_in_1_Silver_K2N97PA
shopap.lenovo.com/au/en/laptops/lenovo/yoga/yoga-3-pro/
Andrei Girbea
November 6, 2014 at 2:55 pm
Damn, those are so bloody expensive over there compared to Europe and the US. I for one would not pay that kind of money for the Yoga 3 Pro. As for the HP, it’s scheduled to sell for about 700 Euro over here. Might be worth that much , but at the same time that 5Y10 is imo not a lot faster than a Clovertrail Z platform, and those are a lot cheaper and more efficient. Or in other words, if you need something for light casual activities, A clovertrail config should do. If you need power, a Core M 5y10 is probably not enough. Tough call, but I’d at least wait for more devices to pop-out and more serious reviews to be posted online
Joakim
November 6, 2014 at 11:13 am
Hi Andrei!
I’m looking to buy a gaming ultrabook in mid desember. Have been looking on Gigabyte ultrablade P34gV2 and Zenbook UX303LN – But someone told me about this new processors, Broadwell. Can I expect something similar to these laptops with broadwell in mid desember/late desember or wouldn’t it be much difference?
Thanks
Andrei Girbea
November 6, 2014 at 2:57 pm
Hi Joakim.
Most Broadwell processors won’t be available till End of Q1, Q2 2015. So if you need to buy your device in December, you’ll have to stick to Haswell. Right now there are only these Broadwell Y (Core M) series available, but they are not made for gaming devices. See my reviews of the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro and Asus Transformer Book T300Fa here on the site for more details on performance.
Bradden
November 13, 2014 at 2:09 am
Andrei,
Intel produced a prototype for the Haswell chip that was named Northcape. It had an excellent feature called Smart Frame where the screen bezels disappeared when the convertible was in notebook mode. This allowed an ~11.5″ tablet to double as a more robust 13.3″ notebook. No one has ever picked up on this terrific feature since Northcape was announced. My opinion is Smart Frame would make these 2-in-1 ultrabooks the best a convertible could be. Have you heard anything about what happened to Smart Frame? I am so tired of all the thick bezel convertibles currently offered!
Andrei Girbea
November 13, 2014 at 1:28 pm
That was a prototype and the technology is probably not yet there for frameless laptops/tablets. But it’s moving in the right direction (mostly with tablets though, not yet with laptops). I’m with you though, I’d happily pay extra for a narrow bezel device, which would translate in more screen inside the same frame. But there’s no such thing yet…
Regular Guy
November 16, 2014 at 1:08 am
Rather than these toys for school boys I want to buy more traditional, but modern laptop in range up to 1000 EUR
With modern CPU, SSD drive, battery life and Ubuntu Linux system for smooth and traditional experience.
I am not going to control alien forces nor any mech squad.
I want to compute with style rather than play latest microsoft puzzle game called metro.
Chris
November 17, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Hello!
Broadwell seems very promising by the announcements but so far i think there is a disappointment among users, mainly due to the Yoga 3 pro. Is it possible that in other OEMS the performance will be better, without sound, fan etc? I, myself, am waiting for a good ultrabook like macbook air (asus UX305 seems very good till now and i’m considering it).
Charlie
November 19, 2014 at 7:11 pm
I’m looking for an ultrabook.
I’m coming from a 2010 Macbook Air 11″ maxed out and have started using OneNote. I really like the idea of inking on screenshots, word and excel docs, so it should have a digitizer. I don’t care about touch screen, but guess they go hand in hand.
I don’t need a powerhouse cpu; It seems that the new Core M chips are more than twice as fast as what I have now, at half the power. I do like the idea of no fan, but prefer cool to quiet.
Must have 256 SSD and 8+ GB RAM (preferably 16) to support demos on VMs. Most of this I’ve transitioned to Amazon EC2, but a local offline option would be nice.
I would prefer a matte screen, 12.5″ or less. Lighter is better, docking station support would be nice to have.
I spent about 45 minutes on a Surface Pro 3, and while the usability was better than the reviews I’ve read, the keyboard was the deal breaker for me. I couldn’t touch type on it as there was no distinction between keys and rows of keys. The action was ok, maybe it was the lack of contour on the keys themselves, or the lack of spacing between them.
Since Lenovo is offering the free returns, I’ve ordered a Thinkpad Helix 2, but I don’t need the tablet mode (don’t think I’ll use it) and disappointed that it doesn’t clam shell shut yet. (January for new keyboard option?) Do you have any other recommendations to examine?
Thanks!
Andrei Girbea
November 23, 2014 at 4:54 pm
Hi Charlie. Core M devices are still a rarity these days. I would advise you to wait till the end of January if possible and then make your pick. Right now only a few of these devices are selling and reviews are hard to come by, so I can’t say for sure which would be the best pick. I can however tell you that I personally would not buy the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro or the Asus T300FA, the two Core M devices that I already reviewed here on the site.
Charlie
December 3, 2014 at 10:40 pm
Thanks. I got the new Helix and don’t care for it. It’s plenty fast for me, but the tablet is very insecure in the keyboard and the tilt is not adjustable to move the reflections off the screen. It will probably be better with the new keyboard option, but is supposed to be heavier too. I’ll probably stick with a MB Air for now and supplement with an android tablet for OneNote. Hopefully we’ll have better options in a few months.
Jo
December 9, 2014 at 7:33 pm
Hi,Andrei. Kudos for the great job.
I use my laptop for surfing, writing, movies etc. The heaviest I can do with it is run AutoCAD sometimes. What processor do you think I will have to seek for my needs? Core i-3 will do any good? What about core M?
Also, when not running heavy programs (like cad, PhotoShop etc) the processors work the same or for example an i-7 opens the tabs more quickly than an i-3.
An answer would be really helpful, thanks a lot!
Jos
Andrei Girbea
December 10, 2014 at 1:49 pm
I’d get a Core I5, as Photoshop and CAD can be quite demanding with larger projects. Definitely not a Core M processor though. And yes, an i7 will be faster than an i5 which is faster than an i3.
Jim
December 11, 2014 at 9:33 pm
I am looking to get a new 2 in 1 laptop. My company currently purchases alot of Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga’s loaded with SSD and i7 and also has Active Digitizer ability. I really like to Dell Inspiron 7000 2 in 1 but currently its only offered in an i5 with no SSD. Not in a huge hurry (4-8 weeks). Will Dell be upgrading? Broadwell processor and SSD? Anything else i should consider? Thanks for your time.
Andrei Girbea
December 11, 2014 at 11:18 pm
Broadwell should be available in Q2 2015. You can upgrade the HDD on the Inspiron 13 yourself and put an SSD in place, or you can ask Dell if they’d replace it if you bring your own SSD. Should be possible if they have a local store where you live. They should do it for a small fee.
nob
December 16, 2014 at 8:57 pm
Kindly update this webpage please! The HP Envy x2 series has specs out.
Adam
December 20, 2014 at 9:13 am
tabtec.com/android/asus-transformerbook-t300-chi-t100-chi-launch-february/
February!!! Please tell me this is bs
Andrei Girbea
December 20, 2014 at 9:44 am
Last I’ve heard the CHI was scheduled for a Q1 2015 release. So February seems about right
Nathan Le
December 21, 2014 at 2:58 pm
Shall we add the Dell Venue 11 Pro 7140 Series to the list? :)
Andrei Girbea
December 23, 2014 at 1:16 pm
Done
Arun
December 22, 2014 at 8:59 pm
hi, i need a ultrabook for next year college.
I dont know if it would be worth the time to wait till july of 2015 or to get an ultrabook now in december. The Lenovo Yoga series are my first option but too pricey for me. Right now the Dell Inspiron 13 7000 seems to be a perfect fit for my budget and needs. Would the ultrabooks depreciate in value a lot over 6 months? if you have slight idea how much please let me know.
Andrei Girbea
December 23, 2014 at 1:25 pm
Well, if you plan on buying something today and then sell it in 6 months, I’d say you’d loose about 15 to 40%. Depends on where you’re living and whether there’s an established market for used computers or not. Also, some brand hold on to their value better than others. For instance, Apple.
Arun
December 23, 2014 at 5:28 pm
ok, i also want to know how much the Dell Inspiron 13 7000 8gb i5 500gb model would cost in Canada in upcoming sales, etc. Thanks!
Adam
January 3, 2015 at 9:41 pm
liliputing.com/2014/12/cube-i7-windows-tablet-intel-core-m-launches-january.html
Jim
January 5, 2015 at 4:50 pm
Nice article but which, if any, of the new broadwell tablets/2 in 1’s have active digitizer/handwriting recognition?
Carwyn
January 30, 2015 at 1:19 pm
There’s also the Lenovo Yoga 3 11″ shop.lenovo.com/gb/en/laptops/lenovo/yoga/yoga-3-11/
Mike McLachlan
February 5, 2015 at 12:56 am
You’re missing the 2015 Lenovo Carbon X1 which was out at the time of writing article :-)
Andrei Girbea
February 5, 2015 at 11:06 am
That’s not Core M though, that’s built on Broadwell U hardware. Will have a list of all the Broadwell U laptops published in a few days.
Hafheim
February 11, 2015 at 10:39 pm
Just curious, are all of these laptops available commercially yet? I’m having a hard time locating a few of them.
Andrei Girbea
February 13, 2015 at 9:23 pm
no, some of them are not yet available
Frank
February 16, 2015 at 2:55 am
Thanks for the lists. It would be nice if you specified which ones have a “touchscreen”.
Andrei Girbea
February 16, 2015 at 9:57 am
the ones that have a touchscreen have a “touch” mentioned in the screen section.
Charles
February 16, 2015 at 5:56 pm
Any news about a Broadwell update to Asus’ flagship UX301? Thanks!
Andrei Girbea
February 16, 2015 at 7:26 pm
I noticed some i5-5200U and i7-5500U models already listed on Asus’s website, but I don’t know for sure when will these become available in stores.
Michael
February 27, 2015 at 9:26 pm
Check this page out: bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1110010-REG/asus_ux301la_xs71t_i7_5557u_2_8g_8gb_512ssd_windows_8_1_13_3_t.html
Ivan
February 21, 2015 at 12:58 am
You missed the Lenovo yoga 3 pro with core m 5y71 released recently
Andrei Girbea
February 21, 2015 at 2:11 pm
Check again, it’s in the 13 inch Core M section
ivan
February 24, 2015 at 12:55 am
I stated clearly core M 5Y71 NOT 5Y70 as you have on your table!
Borge
February 24, 2015 at 11:12 pm
Do you have any insight on when models with the i7 5557U processor will be available?
Andrei Girbea
February 25, 2015 at 2:49 pm
Not really, but I’d reckon March-April.
zeshan
March 1, 2015 at 6:10 pm
Any news on the MacBook pro,15
Muradori
March 3, 2015 at 10:05 pm
How about one of your neat reviews of the Lenovo Lavie Z HZ750? Or don’t you think this one is worth to spend an article on?
Andrei Girbea
March 5, 2015 at 9:48 am
If I happen to get my hands on one, sure. But it won’t happen for a while, the laptop is scheduled for a Q2 release.
Denis
March 4, 2015 at 11:03 pm
one more model:
HP Pavilion 15-p220nr 15.6″ Touchscreen
USD669
Francesco
March 5, 2015 at 8:08 am
Great job, Andrei!
I am photographer with very intensive use of Ps Lightroom and I dreamed to get the Asus GX500, that from January news should change name in G501.
Considering the UHD display a plus, is very important for my purpose the color calibration, the 100% of sRGB, the optional external monitor with UHD resolution, at reasonable refresh rate for movies.
I dont need for gaming, but performance for Lightroom and Photoshop are very important for me, together portability.
Maybe i should consider the new Asus Zenbook UX303LN 13″ i7 QHD+ with HDMI for UHD?
A similar hardware but even convertible will maybe soon available in Lenovo Yoga Pro or other convertible?
Thanks, FHB
Andrei Girbea
March 5, 2015 at 9:59 am
Hi Francesco. The UX303LN has a problematic screen with skewed colors, so I’d stay away from it if you’re into photo work. The 2015 version of the UX303LN is identical to the 2014 version, but with BRoadwell hardware. Nothing else has changed.
That G501 looks like a great machine, IF they will actually bring it in stores in time.
I’d consider the Macbook Pro line (the BRoadwell update, if/when released) for your needs and the Asus Zenbook UX301LA with the Core i7-5557U processor, whenever it becomes available.
Francesco
March 5, 2015 at 5:23 pm
Thanks Andrei
As I wrote highest resolution is a priority for my purpose, together the highest colors reproduction (100% sRGB, at least) and opportunity to connect 2 external UHD monitors.
I prefer Windows, not MacOS.
It’s a pity that big colors issue of Asus UX303LN. Is the only 13″ QHD+ Broadwell engined with dedicated graphic card…
Then I am seriously considering to go back to photographer dream notebook 15,6″ Toshiba P50t i7-4710HQ RAM16GB SSD960GB WITH CALIBRATED UHD TOUCH DISPLAY. Is lacking of portability for the battery life around 3h and weight around 2,4Kg. But is already available in most of shops…
How to get more info on the Asus G501 that many dreamers wait from 14 months?
Andrei Girbea
March 5, 2015 at 6:14 pm
There aren’t many details on the G501, but stay close, if I get my hands on it I’ll write a post on the site.
Chris
March 7, 2015 at 8:17 pm
Hi Andrei
Are you going to do a review for the new HP spectre 360? It seems really nice (full aluminium body, convertible, very good price, like a macbook pro with windows) and i am starting to consider it instead of the XPS 13.
Andrei Girbea
March 11, 2015 at 6:32 pm
Can’t promise, HP laptops are hard to come by in this corner of the world. But I will do my best.
David
March 8, 2015 at 9:37 pm
Good article and all but you guys are missing A LOT. Do you have a thing against LG or something? Where is all the LG Gram 13/14/15s?
me
March 9, 2015 at 9:25 pm
It’s ironic how the many spelling errors make your articles hard to digest… You don’t have to approve this but please improve.
Mr Pengo
March 14, 2015 at 7:17 pm
All laptops that use the new 5th gen Intel Broadwell CPUs having memory slots for modules can now be upgraded to twice rhe amount of memory with brandnew 16GB SODIMMs from Intelligent memory (see Amazon)
Max 32GB is possible with two modules.
Read here: pcworld.com/article/2894509/want-32gb-of-ram-in-your-laptop-or-nuc-you-can-finally-do-it.html
But watch out: It only works with the new 5th gen CPUs, not with older ones!
Andrei Girbea
March 16, 2015 at 5:14 pm
Interesting. let’s hope this actually makes it into an actual retail product
Mr Pengo
March 16, 2015 at 5:51 pm
It is a retail product already.
The Intelligent Memory website (www.intelligentmemory.com) shows that the 16GB modules are available to purchase here : squareup.com/market/MemphisElectronicRetail
And I even see them on Amazon when searching for the part# IMM2G64D3LSOD8AG
Andrei Girbea
March 16, 2015 at 7:05 pm
Indeed, thanks. But $330… no way I’d pay that much for 16 GB of RAM. Still, it would be nice if someone could try this. Will dig more into this matter and maybe have a post in the next few days.
Mr Pengo
March 17, 2015 at 4:28 pm
They have been tested by a number of people already. In Intel NUC, Lenovo X250, T450s, W550 and also in new Dells. They should fit also into the new HP and Fujitsu laptops that use the same 5th generation CPU.
Some links I found:
thinkscopes.com/blog/2015/03/09/16gb-ram-modules-for-broadwell-thinkpads/
notebookcheck.net/Intelligent-Memory-16-GB-RAM-modules-for-Broadwell-notebooks.137492.0.html
Picture of module in T450s
thinkpad-forum.de/attachment.php?attachmentid=103527&d=1425656699
and the BIOS display: thinkpad-forum.de/attachment.php?attachmentid=103528&d=1425656723
Robert Whitfield
April 2, 2015 at 2:19 am
Great work! This a an excellent and super useful reference. It would be awesome if you could do a similar page for the upcoming x3, x5 and x7 Atom processors.
Andrei Girbea
April 2, 2015 at 7:56 am
I’ll look into that. Thanks for the suggestion
peter
April 4, 2015 at 5:35 am
Great article , it would be very useful if you could you could specify which products are fanless.
Andrei Girbea
April 5, 2015 at 6:44 pm
I’m currently working on a list of fanless laptops, thanks
Carolyn Diz
April 16, 2015 at 11:09 pm
Was this published before the HP Split x2 came out? Even though the surface keyboard detaches, that doesn’t mean it still functions. The great thing about the Split is that you can place the monitor at eye level while the keyboard is detached and at an ergonomically elbow level.
But I’ve read some questionable reviews of the Split. Do any other detachables function like this?
Andrei Girbea
April 17, 2015 at 8:24 am
The Transformer Pad CHIs work like you’re saying as well.
Uche
April 18, 2015 at 5:46 pm
Good day Andrei, I have taken a lot of time reading through your reviews on different ultra portable notebooks and I must say the I have enjoyed myself. I need an ultrabook within a budget range of $300 – $400. ( I am very particular about the thickness, I need a slim/Thin thickness without sacrificing the major ports available in a laptop). I just need a Clamshell without a touchscreen which should have the following features:
Screen Size: 14.0″or 15.6″ HD+ or FHD
Operating System: Windows 7 or 8 or 8.1
CPU: Intel Core i3 or i5 or i7
Memory: 6 – 8GB
Storage: 750 – 1TB HDD or 256 SSD
Speaker: Stereo Speakers
Ports: 3x USB 3.0, HDMI, Card Reader, Volume Rocker, Ethernet Port, I USB 2.0, W LAN, Gigabit bEthernet
Connectivity: Wi-Fi N, Bluetooth 4.0
Webcam: HD, dual Microphone
Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW or Blue Ray
KeyBoard: Backlit or not
Big track pad
I am from Nigeria and interested in buying this laptop from the United States because of product quality guarantee (most of what we buy over here are copy or inferirin quality). I wouldn’t mind if you can get me a fairly used ultraportable notebook (slim in thickness, weight is not much of a problem, cool laptop over performance because I want it to last long. Not a gaming freak, just for office work, design jobs on corel draw and Photoshop and database mangement) with the features that I listed above and within the price range. Thanks and have a nice day and hoping to receiving your reply.
Jerel
April 27, 2015 at 9:17 pm
Andrei,
I am waiting for any news concerning the Lenovo LaVie Z ultrabook(s). I see they are setting up the webpage. I look forward to hearing how this ultrabook stacks up against the rest.
Thanks Andrei.
-Jerel
Vlad
May 8, 2015 at 4:35 pm
It would have been really helpful to see hard drive speeds of each device.
Andrei Girbea
May 8, 2015 at 5:07 pm
Most models have SSDs and such details would be impossible to find, so no, that won’t be included in the list, at least for the time being
Muradori
May 14, 2015 at 5:01 pm
Hey Andrei. Any news on the Lenovo Lavie HZ750 or the HP Spectre X360? Both are best-in-class ultrabooks and there are no updates on them. Instead, a Dell Latitude 7250 is examined… Cheers
Andrei Girbea
May 14, 2015 at 8:11 pm
I’m trying my best to get them but neither are available in my country, so my hands are tied here, especially since I don’t have the resources other bigger magazines have at their disposal…
Muradori
May 15, 2015 at 11:23 am
Allright, that’s understandable. Probably I’ll buy the HP so my 3 years of waiting for such a device will be over. All the best for you and thanks for your efforts.
Andrei Girbea
May 15, 2015 at 3:59 pm
If you want to share you impressions on it once you get it. Please get in touch :)
Ed
May 17, 2015 at 11:52 pm
You would think that the clamshell laptops would be lighter, but seems to be on the heavy side still. I am just waiting for 15 inch and larger displays to start appearing with 32GB RAM, seems to be a slow start. Why laptops these days are geared more towards the general consumer.
Andrei Girbea
May 18, 2015 at 9:38 am
They are lighter than 2-in-1s.
As for the second aspect of your comment, well, general consumer buy most laptop. There are a few machines that can take 32 GB of RAM, but those are not ultraportables. This post might help: https://www.ultrabookreview.com/5729-gaming-laptops-nvidia-970m-980m/
Al
August 26, 2015 at 8:15 am
>Hi, I keep looking for reviews of Asus UX303LA-R4342H (i7-5500U, 8GB/256GB SSD) vs. Asus UX305LA-FC012H (same configuration as above: i7-5500U, 8GB/256GB SSD), but I can’t find any, I guess because they are both very new editions. Usually the UX305 is reviewed with the Core M or Core i5, but not the Core i7. Given that both can be bought at the same price (around 1099Eur, depending on the retailer; it’s also true that they can’t be easily found everywhere, but in Germany it’s possible to find both), which one would be the better option? Or there is no difference in their performance??
They have the same configuration, but somehow the more “sturdy” UX303 seems a class higher than the UX305 (which looks as to have been initially intended for lower-class processors). Is it just an impression that I have and they actually perform equally well at these characteristics (so then it would be just a question of preference in the design)? Any idea on this? Thanks a lot
(PS. I use the laptop for photo editing, thus the need for i7)
Andrei Girbea
August 26, 2015 at 10:14 am
My impressions of the UX305LA are gathered in this post: https://www.ultrabookreview.com/7395-asus-zenbook-ux305la/
Overall the UX305 is a more recent design, has a larger battery and is lighter and a bit slimmer. On the other hand, it lacks a backlit keyboard and it’s more difficult to upgrade, since the RAM is soldered and only uses M.2 storage.
Since you’re aiming for the higher end config, your potential concerns should only be the lack of that backlit keyboard and the potential overheating/throttling. Since I’ve yet to review a final model, I can’t comment on this latter aspect.
Al
August 28, 2015 at 8:53 am
Great! Thanks a lot, very useful comments as well as the UX305LA review. If ti’s just that, but the performance is equally good, then I’m ok with it.