Windows 8 Ultrabooks: The best of the bunch

Coverage of the CES show in Las Vegas this month has left us with a considerable amount of hardware lust, not least for the huge range of ultrabooks now hitting the shelves. While Apple weren’t at the show, their absence was barely noticed this year, as most people scrambled to see the new Windows 8 OS in action – Microsoft’s new piece of mobile software that looks set to dominate the market in the coming months.

We’ve seen some fantastic-looking new ultrabooks out there recently, so we’ve put together our own top three to give you an example of some of the great devices you can find with the new Windows 8 OS in the coming year – read on to find out what we chose!

Sony Vaio T Series 13

The Sony Vaio T13 (above) is a great clamshell ultrabook with a 13.3-inch touchscreen and fantastic performance specs, even boasting Intel’s 1.9GHz i7 processor. With 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SD card, it’s not lacking too much in the memory and storage department, either.

It’s a little heavy for the size, especially when you include the power adaptor, but it offers a perfect balance between performance and battery life, as well as a responsive interface.

It’s sturdy and reliable, even packing little feet at the bottom of the lid to keep it steady, and its simple, attractive design makes it a great option for business use as well as personal.

Toshiba Portege Z935-P390

Unusually for an ultrabook these days, this Toshiba Portege doesn’t pack a touchscreen, but makes up for it with a slimmer build and a vibrant 13.3-inch screen.

It’s light and potable, cleverly concealing its fairly heavyweight specs, including a 1.7GHz processor and 6GB of RAM – not as high as the Sony Vaio, but good for a machine of this size.

As well as WiFi, the Portege also includes Intel’s WiDi wireless display capabilities, so you can stream video from another device. Another feature is the excellent usability, from the touchpad (which does support swiping, to take advantage of the Windows 8 OS) to the comfortable keyboard, making it ideal for those who expect to do a lot of typing.

Dell XPS12

The Dell XPS12 is by far the most impressively-designed ultrabook on this list, with a hinge halfway down the 12.5-inch screen which allows you to flip it and turn it into a tablet in one swish move.

Depending on what you use it for, you might also appreciate the excellent keyboard, a spill-resistant miracle with concave keys for easy typing and even backlit keys which respond to the light around you.

The specs are similar to those of the Vaio, with an i7 processor and 8GB RAM, although the aluminium casing makes it a lot lighter to transport. A silky-smooth glass touchpad and beautifully sharp screen makes this a great option for those seeking a stylish option.

Take a look around online for some great deals on ultrabooks – Windows 8 is set to be the leading operating system this year, so you may soon find that the perfect device you’ve been waiting for reaches the stores sooner than you expect!