LG has hopped on the Ultrabook bandwagon with its introduction of the super-thin XNote Z330 laptop. It looks strikingly similar to the Apple MacBook Air, and unfortunately also comes with a similar premium price tag.
Like other Ultrabooks, the XNote Z330 is a 13.3 inch laptop featuring a second-generation Intel Core processor and a solid state drive. Two models will be available: The Z330-GE55K will offer a Core i7 processor and 256GB of storage, while the Z330-GE30K will have the Core i5 processor and 120GB SSD.
LG has highlighted a few standout features of its Ultrabook: a boot up time under 10 seconds, thanks to “Rapid Start Technology,” and a narrow bezel for maximum display size of 12 inches.
Thin and light are the name of the Ultrabook game, and the Z330 doesn’t disappoint there, with a thickness of just 14.7mm (0.58 inches) and weight of 1.82kg (2.65 pounds). This makes the Z330 the thinnest Ultrabook to date, but not by much: the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s is also razor-thin, measuring 0.59 inches at its tapered edge.
Importantly, the Z330 is thinner and lighter than the ultraportable it’s a clone of: The MacBook Air is 0.68 inches thick and weighs 2.96 pounds.
Announced in Korea, the Z330’s prices in Korean currency are even higher than what Apple is asking for the MacBook Air, according to Engadget: ₩1,700,000 (US$1,500) for the Core i5 model, and ₩2,600,000 (US$2,300) if you want the Core i7 processor and larger drive.
Ultrabooks have been criticized for the US$1000 pricing strategy, let alone some Ultrabooks like the Asus Zenbook UX31E not even meeting that target price. Unless LG lowers the price of the Z330 when it arrives in the US, it won’t likely be able to withstand the Ultrabook competition, which is heating up every day.