Intel’s Secret for Cheaper Ultrabooks: Plastic

Regular laptops are still in demand but many major PC manufacturers have taken to creating and releasing the more premium ultrabook instead. With its thin form and lighter weight, even more of them are expected to be released this year. Although they are thinner and lighter than typical notebooks and a lot more powerful than a little netbook, the obstacle which customers think twice about overcoming when it comes to the ultrabook is price.

Currently, you are able to find ultrabooks in a wide price range. Unfortunately although that range is wide, its lowest point is at $799 with most manufacturers pegging the starting price of their ultrabooks closer to $1000. The pioneer of the ultrabook, Intel would like nothing more than to see the base price drop a further $100 to $699 and the main weapon they have selected from their arsenal of goodies to help them accomplish this task is plastic.

Most ultrabooks that can be found on the market are usually cocooned in a tough and durable metal casing. The reason as to why ultrabooks need metal casings is because the laptop manufacturers have to use a very sturdy material if they want to make laptops with cases that are less than 0.7-inches thick or it will just snap. Intel has stated that the reason why plastic is a cheaper material to use than metal is because the latter is 7 to 10 times stiffer.

However, now it seems that Intel has developed a new way to optimize the structure of the plastic which will allow laptop manufacturers the luxury of making a thin and cheap laptop casing that is on par where sturdiness is concerned with metals for the second reason as to why companies prefer metal, it’s because they just look nice. Ultrabooks are the premium edition to all companies’ range of laptops. And if it looked just like the cheapest netbook available, it wouldn’t look very ‘premium’.

Again, Intel has come to the rescue with their idea for “stamped hybrid cases” which are essentially an ultrabook with a cheaper but just as sturdy plastic casing on top which there is a very thing aluminum sheet which gives the ultrabook its sleek premium finish. Some might argue that for those who know what is underneath the aluminum sheet, it would lose its premium appeal but then again, the point of an ultrabook is for a light, thin, beautiful and ultimately powerful device that is easily carried about, strong and easy on the eyes.

Pradeep Chandrasekaran
Categories: Computers, Design
Tags: Intel