Most of the top PC makers have already hopped on the ultrabook bandwagon, introducing thin and light laptops with the latest Intel processors, quick boot technology, and other newfangled features. But while Intel has trademarked the word “ultrabook” it certainly doesn’t have the monopoly on ultraportable laptops.
Chip maker AMD is hoping that computer makers will slap some of its latest chips in thin and light laptops in the coming year as well. The folks at Engadget got to check out a reference design this week.
What we’re looking at is a notebook computer that measures 0.7 inches thick. It’s designed to use a low voltage AMD Trinity multi-core processor which will have a TDP of 25 Watts or less.
This particular model was produced by Taiwanese manufacturer Compal and will probably never actually make it to market — but it gives us an idea of what ultrathin notebooks from AMD could look like… and not surprisingly they look a lot like ultrabooks.
The key difference is that AMD imagines that PC makers could sell notebooks like this for $500 and up, while ultrabooks tend to cost $900 or more (although from time to time they go on sale for as little as $799).
Was hoping for a 10″ screen. With a 25W TDP, that doesn’t seem likely.
 Unless you don’t mind it being extra thick and expensive, like the Panasonic J10, then don’t expect a high end 10″ until they can get the normal max TDP down to 10W at least.
Right now they only got it down to about 17W for what they have planned to compete in the Ultrabook range.
I’m hoping AMD does well with this, since it’s important for Intel to continue to have competition in the x86 CPU market.
So plasticky. Yuck.
Do we need more lame attempts at making x86 stuff portable?
 Lame, no, but actual good attempts, yes!