Ultrabook is the latest buzzword in the world of laptops. Essentially, ultrabook is a marketing label created by Intel to refer to extremely thin and light notebooks with high quality performance. Therefore, an ultrabook is basically a laptop with diminished size and weight but no compromise is made on the performance front. The best of ultrabooks come with an Intel i3, i5 or i7 processor, 4-8 GB memory storage and 3.0 USB connectivity.

MacBook Air is undoubtedly the pioneer of this niche. In fact, one can even go to the extent of saying that ultrabooks are modeled on the prototype established by MacBook Air. Over time, all major gadget companies have come up with state of the art ultrabooks making way for intense competition in the market. Rumor has it that Intel has invested $300m million in developing this category. The way things are going, ultrabooks might just replace laptops entirely in the near future.

At alaTest, we have put together a list of the best ultrabooks launched in the year 2012.

1. Acer Aspire S5- As of now, this ultrabook from Acer is one of the slimmest ultrabooks in the market. It is only 15mm thick and it weighs a mere 1.2 kgs. Simultaneously, it comes with several “ultra abilities” as well; it is powered by 1.9 GHz Intel Core i7 and 500 GB RAM, USB 3.O and HDMI. The CPU performance is great, the keyboard is comfortable to use and it is a treat for the eyes. On the flip side, physical durability of the Magic Flip feature is somewhat suspect.

2. Sony Vaio T13- Sony took quite a while to enter the ultrabook niche. Having said that, the wait was quite worth it since Sony Vaio T13 successfully packs performance with portability. At 1.6 kgs and 17.8 mm thickness, Vaio T13 is definitely not the slimmest or prettiest ultrabooks around. However, it is very competitive for its price. It comes with a 1.4-1.7 GHz Intel i3 or i5 processor and 4 GB memory storage. Even as the ultrabook is strong and durable, there are a few problem areas in the form of battery life and performance.

3. Samsung Series 9- Samsung Series 9 ultrabooks were some of the earliest to hit the market and therefore, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to state that they became the face of ultrabooks in the initial stages. The latest Samsung Series 9 900X3B weighs 1.2 kgs and thickness is just about 13.3 inches. On the technical front, the ultrabooks of this series boast of 1.4-1.7 GHz Intel Core i5 or i7 processor. The performance is not compromised due to the light weight of the ultrabooks. At the same time, these ultrabooks are physically resilient and durable.

4. Lenovo Idea Pad U510- If one were to go strictly by first appearances, Lenovo Idea Pad U510 might not even qualify as an ultrabook. At 2.2 kgs, it is almost a kilogram heavier than other ultrabooks and its thickness is also on the higher side(21mm). Lenovo has taken a different approach altogether as it is focusing on offering the positive features of a laptop even if this means a little more weight. On the bright side, you get better performance and higher battery life and it is still lighter than an average laptop. Additionally, you can also play DVD and Blu Rays, a feature usually absent in lighter ultrabooks.