The Best Ultrabook Systems Under $800

If you’ve been eyeballing an Ultrabook™ but think your budget won’t accommodate one, fear not: There are plenty of ultra-thin, ultra-light, ultra-speedy systems that won’t break the bank. In fact, for $800 or less, you can replace your aging, under-powered laptop with one of these state-of-the-art machines. Why opt for an Ultrabook? They’re ideal for business travelers, offering not only slim, lightweight designs, but also lightning-fast boot speeds and enough battery life to survive a coast-to-coast flight. Here’s a look at four of the best models you can get for under $800.

A dual-personality Ultrabook: half laptop, half tablet

Lenovo ThinkPad Twist

Can’t decide between a laptop and a tablet? Who says you have to? True to its name, the business-friendly ThinkPad Twist can alternate between the two: The screen pivots and folds down atop the keyboard when you’re ready to stop typing and start tapping. In meeting parlance, that means you can sit at a conference table or stand on the factory floor and still have easy access to your documents. Plus, you get 500GB of storage along with extra gigabytes of solid-state space to improve performance. If there’s a downside here, it’s that the 12.5-inch touchscreen is a little smaller than ideal laptop size, while the entire system feels a little heavy when used as a tablet.

A midsize Ultrabook with a downsize price tag

Asus Vivobook

Want to use Windows 8 the way Microsoft intended? Choose an Ultrabook that has a touchscreen so you can tap, pinch, and swipe your way through apps and operations. The Asus VivoBook features a 14-inch multi-touch display and a 500GB hybrid drive: ample storage for your stuff, plus a 24GB solid-state drive to help Windows boot faster. However, if you use a lot of peripherals, you may be disappointed to learn that only one of the system’s three USB ports supports USB 3.0.

Style, speed, and portability in one streamlined package

Acer Aspire S5

Acer’s dazzling matte-black Aspire S5 is without a doubt one of the most travel-friendly Ultrabook systems in the group, weighing just 2.6 pounds and measuring a scant 0.6 inches thick. What’s more, it comes with a 128GB solid-state drive, meaning Windows 8 boots, runs, and shuts down even faster than laptops with hybrid drives. The 13.3-inch screen lacks touch capabilities, though, so you’ll have to rely on the roomy touchpad if you want gesture-powered interaction with Windows 8.

Big screen, fast storage, small price

Vizio CT15-A4

Ultrabook systems are designed for easy portability, but some users need a bigger workspace than the typical 13- or 14-inch screen affords. The Vizio CT15-A4 raises the bar to 15.6 inches, at the same time bumping screen resolution to 1,920 x 1,080—same as you’d get from a big desktop monitor. Translation: more words, windows, and spreadsheet cells on the screen at a time, and sharper-looking movies. The system also packs a 128GB SSD for blazing performance. Just keep in mind that at around five pounds, this outweighs some smaller systems. It might make your carry-on a little harder to carry on.