registration
WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR OF COMPUTER HARDWARE AND CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
MAIN

Ultrabook vendors may have difficulty lowering price to US$799

digitimes Though Intel has been actively promoting second-generation ultrabooks, it is still difficult for vendors to launch such models at prices below US$799 as targeted by Intel in third-quarter 2012 because of the high production cost, according to sources from Taiwan's notebook supply chain.

Intel has recommended cost-decreasing solutions and is optimistic about reduction in prices for second-generation ultrabooks, the sources said. However, most vendors or ODM makers have not yet adopted such solutions because costs of key components, including processors, SSDs, screen panels, chassis and batteries, have not dropped and are expected to stay at similar levels in the second half of 2012, the sources indicated.

Based on the current costs of components, retail prices for second-generation ultrabooks will exceed US$859 and mainstream models will range between US$999-1,299, the sources analyzed.

The launch of Windows 8 in October 2012 is expected to stimulate demand for ultrabooks in the fourth quarter, but additional cost due to touch panels will push up retail prices for Windows 8 ultrabooks, the sources indicated.

Intel on June 26 invited nine vendors, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Dell, Acer, Asustek Computer, Toshiba, Gigabyte Technology, Lenovo, Samsung Electronics and Sony, to jointly announce marketing plans for second-generation ultrabooks in Taiwan. There will be 110 models of ultrabooks to be launched globally in the second half of 2012, including models priced at US$699, according to Intel Taiwan country manager Jason Chen.

Taiwan market: Second-generation ultrabooks launched by nine vendors

Vendor

Processor

Screen size (inch)

Recommended retail price(NT$)

Acer

Corei5-3317U, Corei7-3517U

13.3, 14,15.6

35,900-53,900 (US$1,199-1,800)

Asustek

Corei5-3317U, Corei7-3517U

13.3

38,900-53,900

Dell

Corei5-3317U, Corei7-3517U

14

58,900-69,900

Gigabyte

Corei5-3317U, Corei7-3517U

11.6, 14

39,900-37,900

HP

Corei5-3317U, Corei7-3517U, Corei7-3667U

13.3, 14, 15.6

39,900-64,900

Lenovo

Corei3-2367U, Corei5-3317U

13.3, 14

26,900-28,900

Samsung

Corei5-3317U

14

Not available

Sony

Corei5-3317U, Corei7-3517U

13.3

26,800-32,800

Toshiba

Corei5-3317U

13.3, 14

39,800-43,800

Source: Companies, compiled by Digitimes, June 2012

ub launch in Taiwan
Ultrabook launch in Taiwan
Photo: Monica Chen, Digitimes, June 2012


Source:    DigiTimes

28 июня 2012