Ultrabook Cost-Reduction Meeting Scheduled for July

Another week, another report about alleged efforts to reduce ultrabook prices, but this time we have something more palpable, figuratively speaking, to think about.

Digitimes is, once again, playing the role of rumor propagation channel, citing sources from the laptop hardware supply chain.

According to it, Intel will meet with Taiwan-based component makers in July, in order to finally establish what it will take for ultrabooks to reach the $699 price point.

Exchange rates say $699 is a sum that corresponds to 553 Euro, but we all know, by now, that European prices seldom reflect them.

If we were to guess, we'd say that ultrabooks will go for the full 699 Euro, or maybe 600 if we're lucky.

The dual-core 22nm Ivy Bridge processors set to launch on June 24 will undoubtedly be the core of Intel's solution (Core i3).

They won't be enough on their own, though. Ultrabook makers and component suppliers alike will have to chip in with cheaper case designs, internal hardware and anything else that can help.

Hopefully all the concessions won't completely turn ultrabooks into laptops with nothing “ultra” about them.

Having a thin case is all well and good, but there isn't much point in buying a system if it can't perform at least mildly well.

Admittedly, Intel's CPUs with HD 4000 graphics have this area covered, but prices still end up high because of the storage (SSDs) and extra costs associated with making unique, thin components.

That said, fiberglass-reinforced plastic cases are a certainty at this point, as are 16650 cylinder-shaped batteries or prismatic lithium-ion batteries in place of Li-polymer batteries. Furthermore, hybrid HDDs (HDDs with some NAND cache) will replace pure solid-state drives.

Intel hopes that ultrabook shipments will reach 20-30 million this year, or 40% of the whole notebook segment. Success rests upon this July conference.

Via: Ultrabook Cost-Reduction Meeting Scheduled for July