LG takes on Ultrabooks with the Xnote P330 :Review

LG has declared its independence from Intel's Ultrabook effort with the launch of the Xnote P330 13.3in slim-and-light laptop in its native Korea.

The Korean company's take on the current trend for razor-thin portable computing devices measures a scant 32mm at its thickest point and, the company claims, takes up the same footprint as a 12-inch laptop, thanks to an ultra-slim bezel surrounding the 13.3-inch 1366x768 LED-backlit display.

Under the island-style keyboard lurks the buyer's choice of second-generation Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor, 4GB or 8GB of RAM, a mechanical hard drive with a small SSD for caching, an Nvidia GeForce GT 555M dedicated graphics card, and a six-cell battery that should be good for between six and eight hours.

Connectivity-wise, there's an embarrassment of riches on offer: LG's P330 includes 802.11g/b/n Wi-Fi - missing only the 802.11a standard - a wired gigabit Ethernet port, USB 3.0, and an HDMI output for connection to a big screen.

The dual-storage capability - which uses a traditional mechanical hard drive for mass storage, combined with a smaller drive for caching frequently-accessed files, an increasingly common technique that helps to boost both performance and battery life - will be available in a 40GB/640GB or 64GB/750GB configuration, LG has confirmed.

But while LG's Xnote P330 is certainly impressive, it's a long way from being an Ultrabook. According to Intel's official specs, an Ultrabook needs to squeeze its components into an overall thickness of no greater than 20mm, a target LG's offering misses by a country mile.

By not ceding to Intel's demands on what an Ultrabook must be, LG has the opportunity to cut costs considerably - but, sadly, appears to have failed to do so. While international pricing has not yet been announced, the company's Korean pricing sits at £831 for the entry-level product, rising to £1,228 at the higher-end model.

With pricing pretty much equal to that of significantly slimmer rivals like the Asus UX series, it remains to be seen what sort of reception LG's latest Xnote will get when - or if - it gets a UK release.

LG has unveiled a new 13.3-inch ultra-thin laptop in Korea, the LG P330. The laptop is provides thin and light brushed aluminum and magnesium casing, and weights no more than 1.7kg (3.6-pound).

The LG P330 laptop has features a high-quality IPS-panel display, a 2.4GHz Intel Core i5-2435M processor, a 40GB solid state drive and a 640GB HDD with support for Intel’s Smart Response technology, and NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M dedicated graphics card. Dimensions of LG P330 are 313.4 x 213 x 21.1 / 23.6 / 27.4 mm (depending on configuration) and weight 1.65kg.

The price of LG P330 ultra-thin laptop at ₩1,364,000 (about $1,220).

Well, look what we have here. It's the LG P220's big brother, the P330, and, as you can tell, good looks run in the family. Glancing at the spec sheet (after the break) it's pretty clear this guy has been hitting the gym -- there's plenty of muscle inside in the form of an NVIDIA GT 555m. This 13.3-inch laptop isn't just some meathead though, it's got brains to spare thanks to a Sandy Bridge class Core i7. But, that's not all -- it's also a sharp dresser that looks quite fetching in its magnesium and aluminum suit, and just try not to get lost staring into that beautiful IPS screen. We don't know how much you'll have to shell out to spend time with this svelte 3.6-pound beauty, but it should be making the retail rounds this September.

Continue reading New LG P330 laptop has it all: brains, brawn, and beauty

Remember that LG P330 13.3-incher we covered back when it was warm? The one that had everything going for it except precise release info? Well, it's finally dragged itself out of the factory and onto the shelves of a Korean retailer. Unfortunately, the Core i7 processor has been replaced by an i5-2435M running at 2.4GHz, but that's hardly a deal breaker -- and it's possible a higher specced variant will eventually see daylight too. The other key credentials are all intact: an NVIDIA GeForce GT555M taking care of the visuals, a 40GB / 640GB SSD and HDD combo for snappier performance, and an IPS display built into an all-metal 1.7kg (3.6-pound) chassis. The price is listed as ₩1,364,000, which converts to a hefty $1,220 -- but we wouldn't be surprised if LG takes that down to below the MBP threshold when the product comes stateside.