If there’s one trend we’ve noticed among newly released tech products in recent weeks, it’s that slimness is once again being touted as a major selling point. First, the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S II only exasperated the ongoing feud regarding thinness between Samsung and Apple. When Samsung touted the Galaxy S II as the world’s narrowest smartphone, Apple quickly countered that claim in court, arguing that the Galaxy is wider than the iPhone 4 at its widest point even though it may be narrower overall. Then, more recently, Motorola Mobility released the Droid Razr, an updated version of its ultra-thin model from the past decade that is now being advertised as the thinnest smartphone in the world – thinner by any measure than the Galaxy S II or the iPhone 4.
Which brings us to the even more recent release of the Acer Aspire S3. The Aspire is one of the first of the “ultrabooks” – a term defined by Intel to describe laptops with certain specifications that mimic a MacBook Air, most notably in the areas of weight and thickness. Based on these criteria, the Aspire performs admirably well. It has the look, feel, size, and – most importantly – depth of a MacBook Air, and it does so at a greatly reduced price. The Aspire has a thickness that ranges between 0.51 and 0.69 inches, and its base model will retail for $899. Although laptop reviews note that the Aspire S3 pales next to the MacBook Air when it comes to processing and storage capabilities, it therefore succeeds in the areas that it cares about most: value, dependability, and portability. In many senses, the Aspire is a MacBook Air for the masses. It may not be your best choice for intensive gaming, but it delivers an affordable and thin product for the average user.
Other ultrabooks being launched alongside the Aspire S3 are the Asus Zenbook UX21, the Lenovo IdeaPad U300S, and Toshiba’s Portege Z830. All these laptops are less than 0.8 inches thick and weigh less than 3.1 pounds. They are also all reasonably priced (under $1000 for the base model), which means that very thin laptops are no longer restricted to those who can afford the MacBook Air.
Intel plans for ultrabooks to keep these specs and improve on performance over the next couple years. In the second phase of ultrabook development (2012), Intel will require improvements in both graphics and CPU performance. In the third phase (2013), features such as advanced power saving systems will be required for a product to be termed an ultrabook.
By controlling not just the name for thin non-Apple laptops but also the specifications over time, Intel is trying to both promote and guide the development of ultra-thin competitors to the MacBook Air. The cause is a worthy one. After all, we’re already seeing a greater emphasis on thinness in the smartphone market, and the average consumer cares more about portability than about having a high-powered processor. To that end, the launch of the Acer Aspire S3 is an important step forward.
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