First-Generation Ultrabook Prices May Drop as Much as 25 Percent

Good news for people who want a good deal on a super-thin laptop: Acer, Lenovo, and HP are reportedly dropping their Ultrabook prices by as much as 25 percent in preparation for the second-generation models that will soon launch with Intel's upcoming Ivy Bridge processors.

According to DigiTimes, the average price of first-generation Ultrabooks will quickly drop in the second quarter of 2012 to between $699 and $799--a few hundred below the current $1000+ price tags.

It's basically a clearance sale on early Ultrabooks such as the Acer S3, Lenovo U300s, and HP Folio 13 to make way for the second wave of Ultrabooks, such as the HP Envy 14 Spectre. (You can see a chart of the first-wave Ultrabooks prices and features here and decide whether to buy a discounted early model or wait for a newer Ultrabook.)

The second-generation Ultrabooks will no doubt cost more. For example, the Envy 14 Spectre, which will be strikingly designed with glass and have an impressive 1600 by 900 pixel display, is expected to arrive February 8 with a starting price of $1400.

And, of course, in addition to other spec upgrades, the next-generation Ultrabooks will sport Ivy Bridge processors with better graphics performance and battery life.

If you don't need the latest chips and want to save a few hundred bucks, now might be the time to start looking at Ultrabooks.

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