Notebook Hunter

If you’d prefer a more typical stylish metallic finish rather than the more feminine metallic salmon pink, the 13.3in ASUS Zenbook UX31E-RY009V for $1,291’s a well-priced option. This ultrabook’s all-metal finish gives it a very premium feel, and at 1.3kg the weight hasn’t been compromised in the slightest. In addition to a set of respectable mid-range specs, the UX31E has one trump card: the high-res screen. Where most opt for 1,366 x 768 pixels, the UX31E has 1,600 x 900 pixels. Only the HP Envy 14 Spectre comes close, with the same resolution on a slightly larger 14in screen.

This isn't advertised as a special as such, but it is still an attractively low price for such a high quality ultrabook.

See the product page online here.

Processor
The UX31E features a 2nd Gen Intel Core i5-2557M (1.7GHz), which is one of the better mid-range low-voltage processors that can run productivity applications and some intensive software. It can burst up to 2.7GHz using Turbo Boost 2.0 Technology if a particularly demanding program is running.

Graphics
It comes with an integrated graphics solution called Intel HD Graphics 3000. It’s on par with a low-end dedicated graphics card, and is sufficient for modern games at the lowest settings.

RAM
4GB of RAM is enough to run several programs at once smoothly. It’s more than enough to ensure fluid overall system performance with Windows 7 Home Premium.

Storage
A 128GB solid state drive is small compared to a hard disk drive, but by SSD standards it’s about middle of the road. It does have very rapid response for both reading and writing data.

Screen
It sports a 13.3in (1,600 x 900 resolution) gloss screen. This is a much higher resolution than what’s typical for an ultrabook (1,366 x 768).

Portability
The UX31E has exceptional portability, because it weighs 1.3kg and is 17mm thick.  It’s more than light enough to be taken anywhere without any problems whatsoever.