ultraportables

Sony's newly revamped ultraportable laptop, the Vaio TT, is a well-needed reminder that not every tiny laptop needs to be a low-cost, low-power Netbook-style system.

In fact, the Vaio TT is about as far from the standard $500 Netbook as possible, given the relative physical similarities. The TT's highest-end configuration (named the TT190UBX), includes not only an Intel ULV (ultra-low voltage) processor, but a whopping 4GB of RAM, and even an internal Blu-ray recordable optical drive. The real star power, however, comes from an unprecedented 256GB solid state hard drive, which jacks the price up to an equally imposing $4,300. Naturally, less expensive versions are available, ditching the Blu-ray and giant SSD drive.

The Vaio's 11-inch screen follows the 16:9 aspect ratio trend we've seen in new 16- and 18-inch laptops (including, naturally, Sony's new multimedia laptops). The 1,366x768 resolution isn't too far removed from the 1,024x600 found on most Netbooks, but the extra RAM and Intel Core 2 Duo processor makes a difference, allowing it to run Windows Vista smoothly, instead of XP. … Read more

It looks like the leaks were pretty much dead-on, and Sony does indeed have a brand-new ultraportable laptop called the Vaio TT. It's a thin, lightweight 11-inch model, available in two different shades of black, plus red or gold.

We're especially interested in the Vaio TT because it's the successor to Sony's Vaio TZ line, one of our all-time favorite ultraportable laptops, and a reminder that even though they're similar in size, there's a big difference between what a $500 Netbook and a $2,000-plus fully featured ultraportable laptop can do.

Sony says the new system has a lightweight carbon-fiber chassis that weighs about 2.87 pounds and measures less than one inch thick. Unlike Netbooks, the Vaio TT (and other ultraportables such as the Toshiba R500) has room for an optical drive, and there's even a Blu-ray option. Yes, that seems rather pointless, but at least there's an HDMI output for sending the Blu-ray signal to a larger display. Solid state hard drives are also available, including dual 128GB drives (making for a sizable 256GB of SSD storage).

The basic Vaio TT runs about $2,000, while the Blu-ray version is $2,700. A version with a single 128GB SSD drive will cost $2,750. The system is available for order starting today, and should ship to retail stores sometime later this fall.… Read more

About a month ago, Lenovo refreshed the 13.3-inch ThinkPad X300 (a CNET Editors' Choice winner) by incorporating one of Intel's new ultra-low-voltage Core 2 Duo CPUs, adding a DisplayPort connection, and rechristening it the ThinkPad X301.

As the product name indicates, it's an evolutionary step. The ThinkPad X301's Centrino 2 components helped it post better performance scores than its predecessor without taking a huge toll on battery life.

Despite its high price ($2,920 for our review unit, which included a few upgrades) the ThinkPad X301 remains one of our favorite laptops for travelers, thanks to … Read more

At Thursday's Pepcom press event in New York, Lenovo showed off an updated ultraportable Tablet PC and an even lighter version of the ThinkPad X200.

The ThinkPad X200 Tablet finally brings the wide-screen format to Lenovo's tablet line, with a 12.1-inch display and up to WXGA resolution. Buyers can opt for an LED-backlit option that not only reduces the tablet's weight but should also make for better visibility outdoors. Lenovo also lets you choose between a passive touch-screen that lets you use your finger to navigate menus or an active digitizer that only accepts input from … Read more

Ever since Michael Dell was spotted toting a bright red ultraportable notebook around an industry conference earlier this year, there's been speculation about when Dell would unveil it as an official product.

That time is apparently this Thursday, September 4, according to Box.net, a company partnering with Dell on the ultraportable. Box.net makes OpenBox, an application for online file management that will be one of the preinstalled programs on the Dell Mini.

Box.net's inclusion on the PC indicates that Dell is targeting very mobile users. OpenBox is a hosted storage system, and it will allow … Read more

Intel has listed new low-power processors for upcoming ultra-portables from Hewlett-Packard, Dell, and Lenovo, among others.

The chipmaker also listed its first mobile quad-core processor, the QX9300, which runs at 2.53GHz and comes with 12MB of level-2 cache. The processor is priced at $1,038.

The 45-nanometer low-power processors will go into ultra-portable notebooks like the new ThinkPad X301 announced this week, and HP 2530p also rolled out on Monday. The next version of the MacBook Air is also rumored to be using one of these chips.

The SL9400 and SL9300 processors have a thermal envelope of 17 watts, … Read more

When the Centrino 2-equipped ThinkPad X200 waltzed into our Labs and demonstrated not only impressive performance but also jaw-dropping battery life, we wondered when our other favorite ThinkPad, the X300, would be spruced up with Intel's latest components.

Turns out, we didn't have to wait long. Today Lenovo announced the ThinkPad X301, a component refresh to its popular 13.3-inch laptop. The new version will incorporate an ultra-low-voltage Core 2 Duo processor that's expected to be unveiled at the Intel Developer Forum this week. The ThinkPad X301 will also come equipped with DDR3 RAM, which (combined … Read more

Hewlett-Packard on Monday announced three notebooks, one as light as 3 pounds, that will use upcoming Intel low-power chips and solid-state drives.

The EliteBook 2530p and 2730p replace the current 2510p and 2710p models. The biggest changes are a brushed, anodized aluminum exterior casing, new wireless broadband modules, the use of upcoming Intel 45-nanometer ultra-low-voltage (ULV) processors, and the option for an 80GB solid-state drive.

HP will replace current low-power Intel processors with upcoming 45nm processors, said Keith LeFebvre, vice president and general manager for business notebooks, HP PSG Americas. However, LeFebvre did not specify which low-power processor models it … Read more

It's nearly August, which means one thing: CNET Labs is drowning in back-to-school laptops. But, thanks to the launch of Intel's new Centrino 2 platform earlier this month, there are also a few new laptops for grown-ups to enjoy. One that we've had our hands on this week is Lenovo's new ultraportable, the ThinkPad X200. We took some time this afternoon to compare it with both its predecessor and the ThinkPad X300 introduced earlier this year.

We've completed performance and battery testing (battery life was especially impressive) and will post the full review of the ThinkPad X200 as soon as we can get final pricing for our configuration. Meanwhile, check out side-by-side pictures and comparisons of the ThinkPads X61s, X200, and X300 after the break.… Read more