Ultrabooks: What the fuss is about

The past several years have witnessed the introduction and dramatic rise of a number of different computing devices. First, it was the smartphone. Then in the spring of 2010, it was the tablet computer. Last year, Intel® launched the first Ultrabook™, an updated version of a laptop computer.

Since its introduction, the Ultrabook has reinvigorated the laptop PC market and given users a robust alternative to tablets and even traditional notebooks. But some may still be asking themselves what all the hype is about.

Ultrabooks take traditional computers to the next level. They are lightweight and compact, making them much more portable than notebooks.

The devices also feature solid-state drives, which provide several benefits. For example, boot times are much faster than what traditional users may be accustomed to as Ultrabooks can start up and be ready to go in mere moments. Fortunately, functionality isn't sacrificed because Ultrabooks provide the same computing performance and storage space as traditional laptops.

Cost has so far been the only roadblock impeding further gains for Ultrabooks, but it's important for users to understand the value they are getting with the high-performance devices.