PC makers are charging anywhere from $800 to $1900Â for ultrabooks, the new class of thin and light laptops featuring Intel processors. But prices for the current crop of ultrabooks could fall soon, in order to make room for next-generation models.
Every ultrabook available right now features an Intel Sandy Bridge processor, with most featuring Intel Core i5 or Core i7 chips. DigiTimes reports that Intel will introduce its next-generation Ivy Bridge platform in April — and that could lead to price cuts of 20 to 30 percent for Ivy Bridge ultrabooks in March or April.
DigiTimes suggests that two of today’s cheapest ultrabooks, the HP Folio 13 and Acer Aspire S3, could get even cheaper soon.
While DigiTimes rumors are a bit hit or miss, the news site gets much of its information directly from Taiwanese manufacturers — and in this case there’s good reason to believe the hype. Have you ever known current-generation technology not to get cheaper when next-generation tech arrives on the scene?
In this case, it’s likely that PC makers will either introduce new ultrabooks with Ivy Bridge processors, or simply upgrade current models with the new processors. But it makes a lot of sense for the companies to try to clear out existing inventory first.
Or you could just opt for a thin and light computer that’s not technically considered an ultrabook and save a lot of cash. The HP Pavilion DM1z, ASUS Eee PC 1215B
