PC vendors are expected to offer many entry-level ultrabook or ultra-like models for sale at up to US$699 to generate large shipment volumes, and high-end ultrabook models for sale at above US$1,000 in a bid to maintain profitability in 2013, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.
High-end ultrabooks will feature aluminum unibody or carbon-fiber chassis, SSDs, Li polymer batteries and Windows 8 touch screens, the sources indicated. In order to minimize production costs to keep retail prices at or below US$699, fiberglass-reinforced plastic or metal-plastic hybrid chassis, slim HDDs or HDD/SSD hybrid drives, conventional batteries and non-touch screens will be adopted for entry-level ultrabook or ultra-like models, the sources pointed out.
According to Taiwan-based Topology Research Institute, there will be 16.7 million ultrabooks sold globally in 2012, accounting for 8% of all notebooks sold, and the sales volume will increase to 31.6 million units in 2013, accounting for 14.6% of total notebook sales.
Source: DigiTimes
