There’s something happening in the computer world. Plenty of fine desktops and laptops aren’t selling as much as they once were. Various speculations exist as to why computer sales are down. Some blame this sales slump on the rise of the tablet. Others believe that consumers don’t want a bulky desktop system anymore. Whatever the reason may be, the newest trend in computers is the ultrabook.
The ultrabook is a sleek combination of a laptop and tablet that’s nothing like a desktop. Most ultrabooks are thin enough to carry around easily, but also offer all of the computing strength as a top laptop or other system. At the CES conference in Las Vegas this past week, ultrabooks were showing up in record numbers. In fact, those system manufacturers who didn’t step into the CES conference with a tablet often had ultrabooks in tow instead.
The Ultrabook Offer
If you’re in the market for a new computer, you might want to consider what ultrabooks have to offer. Intel is the company that’s behind the ultrabook, and every ultrabook comes packed with an Intel power chip. Intel is so sure that the next computer market will be focused on ultrabooks that the company had more than a dozen different ultrabooks on display at the CES conference. A number of manufacturers are getting into the ultrabook game including HP, LG, Lenovo, and Asus. While most ultrabooks retail for around $900, this is turning out to be a price that consumers are willing to pay for lighter than air laptops.
Where did the ultrabook craze come from? Why, Apple, of course. When Apple came out with the Air, companies scrambled to produce laptops that were comparable. In fact, some companies came out with laptops that are strikingly similar to the Air (too similar for some tastes). Add to Apple’s Air wrath the iPad 2, and you have two Apple devices that are very hard to compete with. Sure, Apple’s offering are on the pricey side, but nothing works as long, or as well, as an Apple computer, it seems.
Are Consumers Fed Up?
Speculatively, consumers are fed up of systems that don’t last more than three years. There are plenty of laptops and desktops on the market that are affordable, but these systems prove to be a waste of money. All too often, inexpensive laptops and desktops crash and burn after just a few years of use, and, seemingly, consumers are simply tired of these cheap options. A company like Apple has a solid track record of systems that work and keep on working years after an initial purchase. As consumers become wiser, fewer laptops and desktops made by other brands are selling.
Many consumers, it seems, would rather fork over a few hundred dollars for an iPad than be faced with another laptop that will need to be replaced in a few years. While the line-up of new ultrabooks is interesting, one has to wonder if consumers will go for these goods. Right now, the other option is to purchase an Apple device that comes with a proven track record.