The release of portable personal computers — ultrabooks, which concept was developed by company Intel, constantly increases. What does the prefix «ultra» mean, and how

do such devices differ from other versions of "..books"?  So what is a Ultrabook? It is a portable personal computer in the metal case with accumulators. The "hardware" stuffing does not endow productivity to please compactness, providing functionality of the high-grade personal computer. The sizes of the screen vary approximately from 11 up to 13 inches, and weight of the device 1—1,5 kgs, and thickness — do not exceed 20 millimeters. Instead of a hard disk, ultrabooks are equipped with a solid-state store (SSD) based on the flash memory, providing fast loading and economy of energy of the battery. The first wave of a novelty will be issued with the use of chips Intel Core of current generation (Sandy Bridge). 

Ultrabooks are increasingly incorporating dedicated neural processing units (NPUs) for AI tasks, aligning with Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC initiative. This trend, kicked off in 2024 with chips like Intel’s Lunar Lake and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series, is expanding in 2025. These NPUs (delivering 40+ TOPS) enable features like real-time language translation, enhanced video effects, and AI-driven productivity tools directly on-device. For instance, the Asus Zenbook S 14 (with Intel Core Ultra 200V) and Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i (Lunar Lake) showcase these capabilities, offering smoother multitasking and creative workflows without relying heavily on cloud processing. It matters because professionals and creators benefit from faster, offline AI performance, while power efficiency improves battery life—a core ultrabook trait.

OLED screens are becoming ubiquitous in premium ultrabooks, replacing traditional LCDs. These displays offer superior contrast, vibrant colors (100% DCI-P3), and deeper blacks, enhancing both productivity and media consumption. The HP Pavilion Plus 14 (3K OLED) and Dell XPS 13 (OLED option) highlight this shift. Even budget-friendly models like the Asus Vivobook S 14 are adopting OLED.  Thinner panels and better energy efficiency (especially in dark modes) align with Ultrabook design goals, while the visual upgrade appeals to designers and entertainment-focused users.

Beyond Intel and AMD dominance, Arm-based chips like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and are powering more ultrabooks. These offer exceptional battery life (up to 20+ hours) and fanless designs for silent operation. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 (Snapdragon) showcase Arm’s growing foothold, competing with Apple’s M-series MacBooks. Arm chips bring MacBook-like efficiency to Windows ultrabooks, though software compatibility (e.g., for niche apps) is still catching up.

Ultrabooks are adopting 16:10 or 3:2 aspect ratios over the older 16:9, paired with near-bezel-less designs. This maximizes screen real estate in a compact chassis. The LG Gram Pro 17 (16:10) and Microsoft Surface Laptop (3:2) illustrate this trend, with innovations like Lenovo’s Yoga Slim 9i hiding webcams under displays for even slimmer bezels. More vertical space boosts productivity (e.g., coding, document editing), while maintaining the ultrabook’s sleek, portable ethos.

Wi-Fi 7 and Thunderbolt 5 are trickling into 2025 ultrabooks, offering faster wireless speeds and versatile port options. USB-C ports are standard, but some models retain USB-A or HDMI for practicality. The Asus Zenbook S 16 includes an SD card reader and HDMI-out alongside USB-C, while Framework’s updates support Wi-Fi 7.

New chips like Intel’s Arrow Lake H, AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, and Apple’s M4 (rumored for late 2025) push Ultrabook performance closer to desktop levels, especially for integrated graphics. Yet, power draw remains low (15-28W TDP) to preserve battery life. The Asus Zenbook S 16 (Ryzen AI 9) rivals portable gaming PCs in GPU performance, while the MacBook Air M3 stays fanless yet powerful. Users get workstation-grade capabilities in a sub-3-pound package, broadening ultrabooks’ use cases from office work to light gaming or 4K editing.

High-end models (e.g., Dell XPS 13,  about $1,500) still command premiums, but mid-tier options (e.g., Asus Vivobook 14, about  $700) bring these trends to wider audiences.