Intel Formally Updates Ultrabook Specification

Following in the footsteps of the launch of Intel’s 4th Generation Core processors is an updated specification for Intel Ultrabook devices that will require manufacturers to include a touchscreen display (as was rumored in April) and meet a variety of performance and battery life benchmarks to receive subsidies and supply chain assistance.

The baseline requirements include six hours of HD video playback, nine hours of idle time in Windows 8, under three seconds wake time, and a thinness of up to 23 mm.  Intel has also recommended that this generation of Ultrabooks offer up to 11 percent better CPU performance at 25 percent lower power, have up to 40 percent better graphics performance than its predecessors, as well as integrate additional features such as facial recognition and voice control.

  • whyso
    Intel's ultrabook specifications are kind of anal-retentive. Touchscreen really?
    Reply
  • donovands
    Very meh. I want a notebook with Ultrabook dimensions, a proper quad-core processor and a 650m gddr5 version minimum for less than $1,500. Medium gaming, grat everything else. You can keep the touch screen, thanks.
    Reply
  • ingtar33
    so in short- they could have simply said "you need a Haswell CPU for it to be an ultrabook."
    Reply
  • Afrospinach
    10918039 said:
    Intel's ultrabook specifications are kind of anal-retentive. Touchscreen really?

    Hey, they gotta "raise the bar". Gotta admit though, touch screen is slightly less annoying than a track pad if you really don't have space for a mouse and it is not like ultra books were ever a budget item.
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    I would ditch the touch-screen and voice-command.
    Fingerprints on a display I use for work or reading bug the heck out of me and speaking to a computer is nowhere near as fast and accurate as keyboard+mouse... but it may be slightly better than on-screen keyboards for tablets - at least for people who do not feel icky about talking to computers.
    Reply
  • hannibal
    Hello computer!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9kTVZiJ3Uc
    Reply
  • Jeff Krogue
    Uhm, why doesn't intel just spell it out and say you have to use Haswell? Its all arbitrary anyways, its just a small laptop.
    Reply
  • shafe88
    10918301 said:
    I would ditch the touch-screen and voice-command.
    Fingerprints on a display I use for work or reading bug the heck out of me and speaking to a computer is nowhere near as fast and accurate as keyboard+mouse... but it may be slightly better than on-screen keyboards for tablets - at least for people who do not feel icky about talking to computers.
    I bet Microsoft had something to do with the touch screen requirements, thinking that more touch screens means more metro use.

    Reply