By Ethan Simmons for Windows Talk
While 2011 was the year when touchscreen tablet computers finally exploded onto the scene, 2012 will be the year when tablets and laptops go head to head for the hearts of consumers. Already, much talk and practice has been had with tablets as a business tool to replace laptops while the normal consumer like a student or a family may easily consider a tablet before a laptop. The following tablets and laptops will be the models to watch in 2012 as they may be the final straw to tip the scales or at least offer users a good time trying it out.
Laptops to watch in 2012
As the more mature market, the Laptop market is understandably saturated and has less innovation as compared to the tablet market. As such the list of laptops to watch in 2012 is rather small. These include the:
15” MacBook Air – Ultimate ultrabook
While the new smaller screen MacBook Air has already been released, the 15” MacBook Air laptops are going to take over the Ultrabook laptop market. This is because, on top of being as slim as ever and packing in some powerful Intel Sandy Bridge processors, the 15” screen will offer more screen real estate without being too bulky. Like the other Apple product above, release dates point to the first quarter of 2012 with 17-inch models also being considered for the upcoming roll-out. Specifications-wise the 15” MacBook will probably feature:
Intel 2nd Generation Core i5 and i7 processors
Intel Thunderbolt technology
SSD internal storage
Multi-touch trackpad
long-lasting battery life
ultra-thin design
Lenovo Yoga – Bend Backwards Convertible
Convertible Laptops that convert into touch screen tablets are not new but what makes this laptop different is that it will bend over backwards to please. Previous convertibles have used a swivel hinge that have almost always broken off or got damaged very quickly. The Lenovo Yoga uses special hinges that allow you to flip the touchscreen over backwards. When in this mode the physical keyboard is automatically turned off, so you can lay this convertible down without worrying about pressing the keys. Since it is going to run on Windows 8 it isn’t available just yet, however, other possible specifications for the Lenovo Yoga include:
17mm thick
13.3” IPS panel touchscreen display
Windows 8
Intel Ivy Bridge processors
Samsung SSD
HP Envy Spectre – Classy and Glassy
This 14” screen laptop may be on the edge in terms of Ultrabook size range with its 13.3” chassis but it brings to the table a design almost entirely devoted to glass. This includes an awesome ultra-thin design with tough, scratch-resistant glass used for both the casing, screen, bezels and trackpad. While this also means that it is also the ultimate smudge magnet, it offers looks that you won’t find on any other laptop in the market. It isn’t a slouch performance-wise either as it will pack in Intel 2nd Generation Core i5 and i7 ULV processors, up to 256GB SSD, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, USB 3.0 support and beats audio. Full specifications for the HP Envy Spectre include:
12.88″Wx8.7″Dx0.79″H
under 4 lbs weight
up to 9.5 hours battery life
14″ diagonal HD+ Radiance LED backlit display
13.3″ chassis
128GB or 256GB mSATA solid-state drive
Intel Core i5 and i7 ULV Processors
4GB or 8GB of DDR3
Mini DisplayPort
1 USB 3.0 port
Beats Audio system (2 speakers and subwoofer)
External jogger dial
Integrated HP Wireless Audio
This excerpt is shared with permission from Windows Talk.
