Get a Samsung ATIV Book 2 or Acer Aspire V5 with a Smart Gadget Plus Plan

We already wrote about Smart's Gadget Plus plans last month. These plans would allow you to get an Alcatel Tab 7 HD tablet or Samsung Galaxy Note 8, bundled with a Smart WiFi router and 50 hours of internet. Smart has now expanded the plan to include laptops.

You have the choice of a 14-inch Samsung ATIV Book 2 or 11.6-inch Acer Aspire V5 122P touchscreen laptop. The tablet plan for the Samsung Galaxy Note 8  has also been revised with a cash out of Php2,000 being added.

Gadget Plan 999

- Php999 a month for 50 hours of internet plus your selected device.

- Hours used in excess of 50 will be charged at Php5 per 15 minutes (Php20/hour).

- Should you go past 80 hours you will be charged a total fee of Php1,599 for the month and you will be moved to an unlimited data connection for that month.

Cash out:

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 with a Pocket WiFi router - Php2,000

Samsung ATIV Book 2 with a USB dongle - Php1,500

Acer Aspire V5 122P with a USB dongle - Php2,500

Click on the image for a large size

Gadget Plan 699

- Php699 a month for 50 hours of internet plus an Alcatel T7 HD and a Pocket WiFi router

- Hours used in excess of 50 will be charged at Php5 per 15 minutes (Php20/hour).

- Should you go past 80 hours you will be charged a total fee of Php1,299 for the month and you will be moved to an unlimited data connection for that month.

Cash out: 

None. Tablet and router are free.

Click on the image for a large size

Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite NP915S3G - Touchscreen Ultraportable

The Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite is a low cost version of the company's high end Series 9 Ultrabook. The ATIV Book 9 Lite replaces the aircraft grade aluminum case with a plastic one. The case is nicely built and overall shares the premium feel. Instead of the Intel processor found in the high end Series 9 laptops, the ATIV Book Lite uses a custom built quad core processor based on AMD latest A6 processor. The result of these changes is to bring the price down to just Php33,990.

The ATIV Book 9 Lite is a 13.3-inch laptop with a HD (1366 x 768) display. For an operating system, the ATIV Book 9 comes with Windows 8, and like a proper Windows 8 laptop, is equipped with a touchscreen. Samsung includes its SideSync software for easy operation with Samsung Android smartphones. SideSync will even allow you to operate your smartphone from the laptop.

What I really love about the ATIV Book 9 Lite is that Samsung did not scrimp of the hard drive. The ATIV Book 9 Lite is equipped with a 128 GB SSD drive. This allows the laptop to boot in less than ten seconds. The quad core processor and SSD drive, combined with 4 GB of RAM and a AMD Radeon 8250 HD graphics makes this laptop zippy enough for the average user. Samsung promise 5.5 hours of battery life.

The ATIV Book 9 Lite is 0.69-inches thin and weighs in a just under 3.5 pounds. Right now the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite looks like the best mid-priced ultraportable on the market.

Lenovo IdeaPad S210 and S215 - Low cost 11.6-inch touchscreen laptops

Lenovo has updated its low cost S-series IdeaPad laptop with three new touchscreen models. The laptops are all small portable 11.6-inch models and Lenovo promises up to 6-hours of battery life. The least expensive model has an AMD E1-2100 APU, 2 GB of RAM and a 500 GB hard drive. The IdeaPad S215 is priced at Php17,990. As far as I know, this is the cheapest Windows 8 touchscreen laptop in the market. I would probably pass on this one though.

The Intel Celeron 1017u equipped IdeaPad S210 costs a fair bit more, at Php21,990. The Intel Celeron processor is almost three times as powerful as the AMD E1-2100. The IdeaPad S210's comes with 4 GB of RAM.

The IdeaPad S210 also comes in a Intel Pentium 987-equipped model at Php23,990. I am not sure if the Intel Pentium 987 will give better real world performance though. The Intel Celeron 1017u seems to perform just as fast, and the Intel Pentium 987 actually benches lower.

Acer Aspire V5-473P-34014G50A - Haswell goes mainstream

So far we have seen very few Haswell powered laptops in the Philippines. So far we have the MacBook Air and Sony Vaio Pro models. Acer just released a Haswell equipped Acer Aspire V5 (473P-34014G50A), and it has a new Intel Core i3-4019u processor inside. With the new processor, Acer is promising 8 hours of battery life from its 4-cell battery.

The new Acer offering is priced at Php30,900 and comes with a 14-inch HD touchscreen, 4 GB of RAM, a 500 GB hard drive and weighs in at 4.4 pounds. This laptop does not come with an optical drive. If you are looking to buy a mid-priced laptop right now. This is the one to get.

Lenovo Thinkpad Helix - A rant

Lenovo just released its Thinkpad Helix in the country, or, well, it is available on a retailer's shelves. It is a very interesting device. It is a nice portable 11.6-inch ultrabook, with a display which is actually a detachable tablet. I know this is nothing new, but it is very nicely done. It has a Full HD (1920 x 1080) display, an Intel Core i5 processor and a 180 GB solid state drive. Nothing which I can complain about. So I asked about the price. Php92,100, and my first reaction was, is Lenovo crazy?

Okay, I love Thinkpads and their keyboards, so let's give this one a good look. I did get a MacBook Air three years ago, which cost almost this much.

So, re-opening my mind, I took a better look at the new Lenovo offering. I picked up the tablet portion of the Helix, and man, it was heavy. Later looking up the specifications, it is apparently 1.8 pounds. Then I came to the dock, which felt was a little heavier than the tablet. Later, I would find out it was 2 pounds. Slotting the tablet into the dock, and closing the lid, I said to myself that is no Ultrabook.

Okay, lets go back to the price. A 13-inch MacBook Air with a 128 GB SSD cost just a little over 50K these days. Getting one with a 256 GB SSD will cost you just over 60K. That is 20K less than the first release of the current generation MacBook Air less than three years ago. The 11.6-inch models are even cheaper. Basically, prices have gone down, and the Lenovo, in pricing ThinkPad Helix, seems oblivious of that fact.

Basically, if I wanted an 11.6-inch laptop, I could get a 11-inch MacBook Air and an iPad or iPad mini (with LTE) for less than the cost of the Lenovo Thinkpad Helix. These two separate devices would weigh just about as much as the Helix. In a bad, they would occupy just about as much space.

The Lenovo Thinkpad Helix is a nice concept. I really like it, but I am waiting for Version 2, or the price of Version 1 to go down.

Acer Aspire P3-171-5333Y4G12AS - The laptop evolved

Acer has released the Core i5 version of is Aspire P3 in the Philippines. Acer release a lower cost Core i3 version last May.

The Acer Aspire P3 is a hybrid device. It basically is a 11.6-inch Windows 8  tablet with a detacheable kryoard which also serves as a protective case. Priced at Php38,900 you get a a HD display, Core i5-3339Y processor, 4 GB of RAM and a 120 GB SSD,

What makes this package interesting is its portability. The entire package weighs in at a light 1.74 pounds. That is three-fourth of a pound less than a 11-inch MacBook Air. It is also incredibly thin at 0.4-inchers. Battery life is also rated up to 6-hours, which does fall behind the latest 11-inch MacBook Air.

The Acer Aspire P3 has no touchpad, so you are really left with just the touchscreen. This type of design which really showcase what Windows 8 is all about. But this is also a bit worrisome. Without the touchpad, it won't be the best option for using it with traditional Windows apps. Software designed for mice and touch pads are not necessarily finger friendly. Things like the Microsoft Surface Pro seem like a better transitional device, with touch for "Metro" and a touchpad for your good old Windows desktop apps.

The other area you should look at is timing. Intel Haswell is out. A Haswell powered P3 should give this device a 10 hour battery life. So as nice as the Acer Aspire P3 is, it is tempting to wait, or at least wait for some steep discounts.

Acer V5-122P-42154G50nbb - Budget Priced 11.6-inch Touchscreen Laptop

Two weeks ago Acer has released in the Philippines a touchscreen version of its 11.6-inch Aspire V5 in laptop. The laptop has came with HD (768 x 1366) display, a quad core AMD A6-1450 processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 500 GB hard drive and Windows 8. Acer has released a lower cost variant of its 11-inch touchscreen V5, this one powered by a dual core AMD A4-1250. All the other specifications remain he same. The price difference between the two models is Php4,000, with the quad core variant being priced at Php24,900 and the dual core version priced at Php20,900. 

The quad core model scores 1851 points on the passmark benchmarks, which is close to the performance on an Intel Core i3 processor. So far, I have not found benchmarks test for the lower powered A4-1250 processor so I am not sure how much power you loose for your Php4,000 savings.

Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50nbb - 11.6-inch Touchscreen Laptop

Acer has released a touchscreen version of its 11.6-inch V5 in laptop in the Philippines. The laptop comes with a 11.6-inch HD (768 x 1366) display, a quad core AMD A6-1450 processor, 4 GB of RAM and a 500 GB hard drive. Acer promises 5 hours of battery life from the supplied 3-cell battery pack, For an operating system you get Windows 8. This laptop has all the usual trimmings, including USB 3.0, HDMI out and a card reader. Like most 11-inch laptops, it does not come with an optical drive.

Surprisingly, this only the second 11-inch touchscreen laptop released in the country, the other being the Asus Vivibook X202E. Priced at Php24,900 the Acer Aspire V5-122P is priced correctly being more powerful than the entry level Intel Celeron model of the Asus Vivobook X202E, and substantially cheaper than the more powerful Intel Core i3 version of the Asus Vivobook X202E. Weighing at a bit over 3 pounds, the Acer Aspire V5 also feels a bit lighter. Like most new laptops the Acer Aspire V5 is thing, being just 0.83-inches thick at the thickest point.

Acer Aspire P3-171-3322Y2G12ass - Fast forward

The Acer Aspire P3 is a 11.6-inch Windows 8 Ultrabook. Well at least that is what Acer calls it. At Php33,900 with a HD display, Core i3-3229Y processor, 2 GB of RAM and a 120 GB SSD, it seems to be a reasonably equipped laptop for the money. What really merits discussion though it the form factor. 

The good. In use design is similar to a slider, but when closed, keyboard really serves as a protective case. What makes this package interesting is its portability. The entire package weighs in at a light 1.74 pounds. That is three-fourth of a pound less than a 11-inch MacBook Air. It is also incredibly thin at 0.4-inchers. Battery life is also rated up to 6-hours. This is pretty much as good as it gets for ultralight 11-inchers.

The bad. For the laptop fan, well the Acer Aspire P3 has no touchpad, so you are really left with just the touchscreen. This type of design which really showcase what Windows 8 is all about. But this is also a bit worrisome. Without the touchpad, it won't be the best option for using it with traditional Windows apps. Software designed for mice and touch pads are not necessarily finger friendly. Things like the Microsoft Surface Pro seem like a better transitional device, with touch for "Metro" and a touchpad for your good old Windows desktop apps.

Two more HP Touchscreen Laptops: HP Pavillion Sleekbook Touchsmart 14-B132TX and 14-B133TX

HP has released two more Windows 8 touchscreen laptops in the Philippines, the HP Pavillion Sleekbook Touchsmart 14-B132TX and 14-B133TX. The two new offerings are more powerful higher end models of the HP Pavillion Sleekbook Touchsmart 14-B164TU we took a look at earlier.

The HP Pavillion Sleekbook Touchsmart 14-B132TX is priced at Php29,990, which is 4K more than the lower end HP Pavillion Sleekbook Touchsmart 14-B164TU. The additional 4K is well worth the money.

Comparing the two, the Sandy Bridge i3 on the lower end model, was upgraded to an Ivy Bridge Intel Core i3-3227U. This means you also get an upgrade from Intel HD 3000 graphics to Intel HD 4000 graphics. In addition the 14-B132TX also gets a discrete graphics card, a Nvidia GT 630M with a 1GB of dedicated RAM. You also get double the RAM at 4 GB, and 50% more storage at 750 GB.

If you can spare the additional 4K, I would recommend the 14-B132TX over the 14-B164TU. 

The third model is the HP Pavillion Sleekbook Touchsmart 14-B132TX which is priced at Php33,990. The only upgrade the 14-B133TX has over the 14-B133TX is the processor, which is a Intel Core i5-3337U. Best advice I can give you on whether it is work the additional 4K is to check the PassMark benchmarks.

• Intel Core i3-2375M - 1943 PassMark points
• Intel Core i3-3227U - 2690 PassMark points
• Intel Core i5-3337U - 3213 PassMark points

At Php29,990, the HP Pavillion Sleekbook Touchsmart 14-B132TX looks like the best bang for the buck model. The substantial hardware upgrades are worth the 4K price premium over the 14-B164TU.  The 14-B133TX with its Core i5 processor would also be worth the additional money for those needing more power.

HP Pavilion Sleekbook Touchsmart 14-B164TU

While there are many touch enabled Windows laptops in the Philippines, the majority of them are fairly expensive. I do not have any data, but from what I see in the wild, and what smaller stores carry, it looks like laptops priced under Php30,000 are what most consumers are willing to pay for. At below Php30,000 you don't have all the many choices. At the 11-inch form factor you have two versions of the Asus Vivobook x202e. For 14-inch laptops you have a pair of  Acer's 14-inch V5-431P's, and one of the Asus Vivobook S400 laptop comes in at just 30K.

Well, now there are six. HP now has a low cost touchscreen offering, the Pavillion Sleekbook Touchsmart 14. The HP  Pavillion Sleekbook Touchsmart 14-B164TU is priced at Php25,990 but its specifications are not too impressive. Out of the box, it comes with a meager 2GB of RAM and it is powered by an older generation Sandy Bridge, Intel Core i3-2375M processor. It does comes with a pair of USB 3.0 port. The other specifications are what you expect, with a HD (768 x 1366) display, a 500 GB hard drive webcam,  the usual wired and wireless connectivity options and weighing in a just under 4.5 pounds.

All-in-all it is priced well enough against the other touchscreen Windows 8 laptops.

Asus Vivobook S400CA-CA038H - Low cost 14-inch Windows 8 touchscreen laptop

Buyers looking for a low cost Windows 8 touchscreen laptop don't have all that many choices. At under Php30,000, you have Asus 11.6-inch Vivobook x202e series and Acer's 14-inch V5-431P series. One more option is now available.

Asus has released a lower cost version of is Asus Vivobook S400 touchscreen laptop. The first Asus Vivobook S400 released was powered by an Intel Core i5 processor, had a hard drive which had a 24 GB SSD cache drive and was priced at Php35,990. The lower cost version, the Asus Vivobook S400CA-CA038H, is priced at Php29,990. It used a lower power Intel Core i3-3217U processor and drops the SSD cache drive. 

Overall, it is a better deal in my opinion. Unless you really value instant wake from sleep more, the loss of cache drive really does not really affect you. The Intel Core i3-3217U is fact enough for the typical user, with only gamers missing the faster Core i5. But gamers would likely pick a different model all-together.

For the low Php29,990 you still to get Windows 8 (64-bit), 4 GB of RAM and a 500 GB hard drive in a package weighing in at about 4 pounds. 

You will find two Acer 14-inch V5 touchscreen laptops at at Php23,490 and Php26,990, powered by Intel Celeron and Pentium processors. The Asus S400's are over half a pound lighter than the Acer V5-431P's. If you want an optical drive though, the Acer V5-431P's is the way to go. The Asus S400's do not come with optical drives. 

Microsoft's best play in the Tablet Wars - Sell keyboards

When I look at all the Windows 8 touch "hybrid" designs that have hit the market, I really only like one: Microsoft's own Surface Tablet. The keyboard cover allows you to carry the keyboard with you all day without the penalty of lugging around more weight. Basically, it weighs as much as your typical tablet protective case. The simple kickstand incorporated into the Surface tablet allows for a light keyboard since it does not have to anchor the tablet in place. It is an ingenuous design.

Sales have not been great so far, with about 1.5 million Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets sold to date. 

• This is not too hard to understand. Windows RT was a mistake. It look good when it came out, but Intel quickly proved its low powered Atom processors could run Windows 8 fine. This kind of made Windows RT redundant in Microsoft's operating system line-up, with Windows RT being the less attractive sibling. The Surface Pro, well it is too expensive to be a volume seller. 
• Microsoft Surface Pro, is more configurations might make a substantial impact on the market, with versions with HD displays (1366 x 768) and lower powered processors (Atom's and Core i3's) bringing options at more price points. More sizes (8 to 12 inches) could also attract more buyers. 

Microsoft could get into the hardware business seriously and make a whole range of Surface tablets, but that would not sit well with their OEM partners. 

What Microsoft could do to offer a wide selection of Surface type tablets, without causing a rebellion in the ranks of its OEM partners, is to sell keyboards. Basically, have it OEM partners build their own surface type tablet compatible with Microsoft branded keyboards and similar designs under license from Microsoft. The connector between the tablet and the keyboard should be standardized so that you can select any "Surface" type tablet from one company and a keyboard from any other company.

With this simple stroke and viola... Microsoft could become a serious player in the tablet game. 

Well... its Saturday morning and I have not had my coffee yet. 

Samsung Series 7 NP740U3E-S01PH - Touch Ultrabook

Intel has mandated that all Ultrabooks with the next generation Haswell processors be touchscreen devices. While Haswell is still a few months away, several manufacturers are already releasing touchscreen Ivy Bridge Ultrabooks. The latest Samsung Series 7 released in the Philippines is one such model. 

The new Samsung Series 7 NP740U3E-S01PH ushers in the era of next generation Ultrabooks with a 13.3-inch, Full HD touch panel. That's a sharp 1920 x 1080p display. Powering the device is a Intel Core i7-3537UM processor with a AMD Radeon 8570M graphics and 1 GB of dedicated video RAM. The device has 4 GB of system RAM and storage via a 128 GB SSD. Battery life is a good 7+ hours. All this is encased in a 0.74-inch thick shell which which weighs in at about 3.6 pounds. 

The Samsung Series 7 NP740U3E-S01PH will set you back all of Php69,900. This is a good choice for those who want a high end touch Ultrabook.  The price puts it in direct competition with the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display. It also makes it much more expensive their my current favorite portable, the Samsung Series 9 NP900X3D.

Samsung XE700T1C-H02PH ATIV Smart PC with HSPA+

A few weeks ago I took a look at Samsung's new line of ATIV Smart Tablet PC's. The latest model, the Samsung XE7001C-H02PH ATIV Smart PC puts all the elements of what could define the next generation personal computer.

The Samsung XE7001C-H02PH ATIV Smart PC is composed of three elements:

The Tablet. The core of the Samsung XE7001C-H02PH ATIV Smart PC is a 11.6-inch Full HD (1080 x 1920 pixel resolution) tablet powered by an Intel Core i5 processor with 4 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD drive for storage. You get USB 3.0, HDMI out via a Micro HDMI port and a SDCard reader. For an operating system, you have the same Windows 8 operating system you have on a desktop. Basically, it is a fairly powerful PC in a tablet form factor.

At the same time, you get all the tablet hardware like a accelerometer, gyro, ambient light sensor, GPS and most notably, this tablet is a 3G tablet with HSPA+ connectivity.  

The Dock. An 11.6-inch tablet is a bit on the large size for a tablet, and weighing in at about 1.9 pounds is not the most comfortable thing to use in hand. But when it is mated to its dock, the large size all makes sense. A larger tablet, means that it mates nicely to a full sized keyboard dock. With the dock, it becomes a reasonably light 11.6-inch 3G capable laptop.

S-Pen. Most Windows 8 apps are designed to be used with a touchpad, and with the dock in place you will likely manipulate this device with the keyboard and touchpad. You may want to use your traditional Windows apps in tablet mode. The buttons and menu's on most Windows PC software are not designed to be manipulated by your finger. To facilitate the use of tradition Windows PC software a stylus, or S-Pen, is included. 

The S-Pen is also useful in graphic manipulation and drawing applications, adding productivity to your traditional Windows PC.

Cost. All this will set you back a hefty Php59,900. A 11.6-inch MacBook Air with a 128 GB SSD will cost you less at Php50,990. Still, the additional 9K could be easily justified by the higher resolution display (Full HD vesus HD), the stand alone tablet functionality, the S-Pen and built in 3G. 

Microsoft Surface PRO 128GB Now Available

The Microsoft Surface PRO, the full Windows 8 version of Microsoft's Surface Tablet has hit local shelves at Php59,999 sans keyboard. The Php59,999 price does include a pen to manipulate the touchscreen, but getting the nicer Microsoft Surface Type Cover Keyboard will set you back another Php6,999. So the entire package of tablet, pen and keyboard will set Php66,998. 

At that price you get a 10.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display, a Core i5 processor, 4 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD. The 128 GB of storage can be expanded via a microSDXC card. This makes it the most powerful, but also the most expensive tablet in the market. But it will run all of your old Windows Vista and 7 apps. 

At this price, I do not expect to see many Surface PRO's to be sold in the Philippines. Still, high end Touchscreen Windows 8 devices are expensive, and this one seems to make more sense than a Acer Aspire S7, Asus Taichi or Sony Vaio 11 Duo. You may want to take a look at the MSI S20 Slider, which at Php49,900 is much cheaper, still the Microsoft Surface PRO is a much more portable device.

Guide to the Current Crop of Low Cost Processors

As the new Windows 8 laptops come in, we are treated to new, somewhat confusing, series of processor names. To help gauge relative performance, I have listed the PassMark CPU Benchmark scores of the processors which you are likely to find on laptops priced at about Php30,000 of less. For comparison, I have included the last generation Intel Atom N2800, AMD C-70 and AMD E-450 for comparison. Notably, on this list the Intel Atom N2800 has poor HD video performance relative to its Passmark scores. Everything else plays HD content pretty well.

PassMark Benchmarks Scores (Higher is better)

• AMD C-70  -  676
• Intel Atom N2800  -  723
• AMD E1-1200 - 705
• AMD E-450  -  738   
• AMD E2-1800  -  774
• Intel Celeron 847 - 1048
• AMD A4-4355M - 1209      
• Intel Celeron 877  -  1470       
• Intel Celeron B820 - 1485
• Intel Pentium 997 -1548
• Intel Celeron 1007U - 1591
• AMD A6-4455M  -  1931
• Intel Core i3-3217U - 2294
• AMD A8-4555M - 2540
• Intel Core i3-23238M - 2663

*Older generation processors highlighted in bold
      
Source: PassMark Software

While not a comprehensive list of laptops available, here is a sampling of what you find in the market today.

Most processing power for the money, but on outdated platforms.

Acer Aspire One 756-877B

Looking at some of the laptops with these low cost processors, a decent place to start is the Acer Aspire One 756-877B with Windows 8 (SL) installed at Php18,900. It is a decent choice choicebut the absence of USB 3.0 port is really starting to make it feel old despite the new operating system. The Intel HD graphics on the the Intel Celeron 877 also does not support DirectX 11.

Acer Aspire E-1

The 14-inch Acer Aspire E1-471 built on an older Intel Sandy Bridge is another bang for the buck choice. Priced at Php19,999 with Windows 8 and an Intel Core i3-23238M, this is the winner in terms of performance per Peso. The main drawback with the Acer Aspire E1 is it an older and thicker design weighing in a almost 5 pounds. It also does not come with a USB 3.0 port.

The magic of touch

I can imagine the Windows 8 powered Asus VivoBook 202e is probably one of the more popular low cost offerings today. The Asus VivoBook 202e comes in two flavors. One is powered by the Intel Celeron 847 processor, priced at Php20,990. The higher end version comes with an Intel Core-i3 3217U, priced at Php26,990. The Asus Vivobook 202e would satisfy 90% of the buyers looking for a 11.6-inch Windows 8 notebook. It is thin, light, is solidly built with a nice aluminum finish, has a USB 3.0 port, a decently large 4400 mAh battery and has a touchscreen. The Intel Celeron 847 version is cheap enough to  Intel Core i3 version has more than enough power to do anything you are likely to do on a small laptop. 

I am not sold on touchscreen on the laptop myself, but I think most of those looking for a new laptop these days want one. The Acer V5-431P gives you a Windows 8 laptop with a 14-inch touchscreen at a low price. For Php24,990 you get one with a Intel Celeron 887 processor. For a bit more at Php27,990, you get one with a Intel Pentium 997 processor. These laptops are thin, at less than an inch thick, they are still fairly hefty at a tad bit over 4.6 pounds, and that is with a small 2500 mAh battery inside.

Asus Taichi21-CW001H

Asus Taichi21 is a Php85,990 Windows 8 11.6-inch laptop. At that price these is little reason to focus on the specifications. For that price you get a Core i7 processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 256 GB SSD drive and a Full HD (1080 x 1920) display. But none of those specifications will make you decide to buy the Asus Taichi. This draw of this laptop is all about the dual screen. See, the Asus Taichi comes with two Full HD displays on its lid.

Close the lid and you can use it like a tablet. Open the lid, and you can use it like a laptop. The second display could also be used to show other people what you are working on, which could be useful for small group presentations. But the most amazing thing, is both screens can function independently. You can be typing a report on one side, while some plays angry birds on the other.

In terms of design and construction, what is even more amazing is that Asus manage to place to screens and keep thickness down to just 0.68-inches and weight to just 2.75 pounds.

Given the high price, the Asus Taichi is not going to be a big seller in the Philippines. For 86K, you can buy a tablet and a decent laptop, and have cash to spare. Still, if you are looking for a device that will turn heads, this is it.

Asus Zenbook Touch UX31A-C4027H - Touch Ultrabook

The 13.3-inch Asus Zenbook Touch UX31A-C4027H is a fairly expensive option at Php76,990. The high price is mainly because of the 256 GB SSD drive and Core i7 processor. At Php77K, is cost as much as a 13-inch Macbook Air with a 256 GB SSD and Core i7 processor. But the Asus Zenbook Touch UX31A-C4027H does come with two tricks up its sleeve to woo potential MacBook Air buyers. It comes with a Full HD (1920 x 1080) display, which has a much higher resolution than the 1440 x 900 display you find on 13-inch Macbook Air's. The other trick? Well, its a true Windows 8 device, so it comes with a touchscreen.

Whether you like them or not, it is just a matter of a few weeks when pretty much all Windows PC's, except the lowest cost models, will be touchscreen devices. Go shopping for a laptop now and you will  find excellent deal on mid-level and high end non touchscreen laptops. Asus low cost VivoBook touchscreen series of laptops covers the entry level portables. For hose looking for something with higher specifications, Asus has the Zenbook line, with all new models now coming with touchscreen.

The Asus Zenbook Touch UX31A-C4027H is an ultrabook, so as expected it is a thin 0.7 inches, weighs in at just about 3 pounds. A 6840 mAh battery promises long battery life. It comes with all the bells and whistles you expect from an Ultrabook at this price, including a 4 GB of RAM, USB 3.0 and HDMI out.  

Lenovo Ideapad Yuga 13

A second Lenovo Ideapad Yoga Window laptop is now available in the Philippines, the 13-inch Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 13 joining its little brother. 

The Yoga is Lenovo's line of laptops which feature a lid that can fold all the way over to the back, allowing it to be used as a tablet. Exactly who would want a 13-inch, 3.4 pound, tablet I do now know.  Most people looking a a Yoga 13 will probably look at it more as a touchscreen Ultrabook.

The Lenovo Ideapad Yuga 13 being just 0.67-inches thin, weighing in at just over 3 pounds, with a 128 GB of SSD storage, and up to 8 hours of battery life, qualifies as an Ultrabook.  Priced at Php60,990,  The Yuga 13 comes with Windows 8, an Intel Core i5 3317U processor and 4 GB of RAM. The price is a bit on the steep side for the Philippine marker, but that is the typical price for laptops with these kind of specifications. The SSD drive is what drives up the price, but is well worth it.  You can get it at 12-months deferred payment at this price, and can negotiate a lower price if you pay cash or straight payment on your credit card.

The Lenovo Ideapad Yuga 13 is well worth the asking price, but an alternative option would be Asus VivoBook S400CA which is priced at a lower Php35,990. The Asus VivoBook S400CA is cheaper, but is both thicker, heavier and comes with a hybrid storage rather than SSD storage.