Notebook, tablet prices getting closer

The average price of a notebook computer dropped to $507 in March 2012, just a shade more than the $499 price tag that many tablet computers go for, according to a study from the NPD Group.

Laptop Magazine, reporting on the study, notes that this is a slight dip from the $513 average notebook price from February 2012. However, it is not the lowest that notebook prices have reached in recent months. That mark was established in November 2011, when the average price dropped to $407.

The fact that notebook prices are nearing those of tablet computers may prove to be an interesting development. Lower price tags have been one of the main draws of the tablet, which has thrived in recent years while more traditional PCs have struggled. If manufacturers are able to continue driving down the costs of their notebook offerings, it may breathe some much-needed life into the PC market.

At the other end of the spectrum, the newly introduced Ultrabook™ is also doing its part to keep the PC market alive and well. Ultrabooks, which are much thinner and lighter than traditional laptops, are generating interest among consumers and enterprise users alike. Though cost is often cited as one of the obstacles to the technology's success, many see the Ultrabook as crucial to the PC market's rebound in the coming years.