Sony boldly entered the ultrabook market last year, releasing its moderately priced Vaio T13. A solid entry into the ultrabook space, the T13 received generally positive reviews but failed to reignite corporate interest in Sony laptops, contributing to yet another lull in sales for the Japanese giant. Not willing to give up, Sony's retargeted the space, unveiling its top end Pro 13, claiming the device is the lightest touchscreen ultrabook ever made.

Design and build
Visually, as is the case with most Sony devices, the Pro is very slick. The model we had some time with featured a brushed black finish, that combined with its hardline, slim dimensions and design gave it a very swish, corporate feel similar to that seen on Lenovo's X1 Carbon ultrabook. The Pro 13 was also very light for its size, measuring in at 322x216x17.2mm and weighing just 1.06kg, similar to the 1.08kg MacBook Air. The low weight is seriously impressive considering some of the hardcore components and ports housed in the Pro's carbon fibre chassis, with it boasting USB 3.0, USB 3.0 with charge, SD memory card, HDMI out, Bluetooth, NFC and WiFi connectivity options. Opening impressions also suggest the Pro is fairly well built, with it having as solid feel that left us sure it could survive a few odd bumps and scrapes.

Screen
Display-wise the Pro 13 comes with a 13.3in Full HD 1920x1080 Triluminos touchscreen. As we found on the similarly specced Vaio Duo 13 Sony convertible, the display is pleasant to use when viewed directly, but suffered from glare issues, regularly catching any stray light and featured surprisingly poor viewing angles, quickly becoming illegible when viewed at even a slight angle. However, to be fair to the Pro 13, the lighting conditions on the press-expo floor were particularly punishing, being strewn with ridiculously bright lights that made every device we had at hand difficult to use.

Operating system and software
The Pro 13 will be released with Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro options. Windows 8 is yet to massively take off in the corporate space with many firms preferring to avoid the costly experience of a general upgrade and sticking to their older Windows 7, Vista or even XP systems. Our experience using Windows 8 on the Pro 13 was positive, with its nippy, responsive touchscreen making it a doddle to navigate, a fact aided by the fact Sony hasn't overloaded the device with too many custom applications.

Performance
In terms of power, the out of the box Pro 13 will feature an Intel Core i7-4500U with Turbo boost Technology, that will be backed up by 8GB of RAM and a hybrid solid state drive. While we didn't get a chance to properly put the Pro 13 though its paces or benchmark it, the on-paper specs mean it should be more than powerful enough for most business purposes and during our hands on we didn't notice any software bugs or glitches hampering its performance.

Chances
Our opening tests suggest the Pro 13 is a decent ultrabook, offering business users a solidly built, yet surprisingly light power-house Windows 8 experience. However, there's currently no word on how much the Pro 13 will cost when it's released later this month, meaning it's difficult to tell how much businesses will have to pay for the premium experience. Check back with V3 later for a full review of the Sony Vaio Pro 13.

By Alastair Stevenson. Follow him on Twitter: @MonkeyGuru

Sony entered the convertible device space in 2012 with the launch of its Duo 11 Windows 8 tablet-come-laptop. While the original Duo did have some positive points, offering decent performance and a reasonable screen, it was let down by a few niggling issues. Chief among these were its poor five-hour battery life and delicate feeling hinge.

Clearly aware of this, Sony has moved to address these problems with its follow-up model, the Duo 13, radically redesigning the hinge mechanism and loading it with a more robust battery that it claims will last at least one day's use off of one charge.

Design and build
Unlike most convertibles, the Duo 13 isn't a dockable tablet. Instead users can turn the device into a laptop by sliding out an actual physical keyboard. This means that the Duo is significantly larger and heavier than most other Windows 8 tablets, measuring in at 330x210x19.5mm and weighing 1.35kg. The Microsoft Surface Pro by comparison measures in at 275x173x13mm and weighs 907g, although this doesn't a keyboard.

While Sony's promised the hinge is far more robust than the one seen on the Duo 11 - the firm went so far as to show us videos of engineers dropping it on the floor to prove its point - during our hands on we found the hinge still felt a little rickety with it shaking and bending whenever we slid out the keyboard. Our concerns were compounded when Sony declined our request to try the drop test we saw in the video.

Outside of this though the build quality was good, with the keyboard feeling significantly larger than the slightly squished one seen on the Duo 11 and featuring a small track pad at its bottom - something the original Duo didn't.

Display
The Pro comes loaded with a 13.3in 1920x1080 Triluminos touch screen. While this is nowhere near as good as the displays seen on most top-end Android and iOS tablets, like the 9.7in Retina LED-backlit widescreen display, 2048x1536 pixels seen on Apple's latest iPad, it is on a par with most other Windows 8 tablets. During our tests when viewing directly we found the screen was reasonable, having fairly vibrant colours. It did suffer some glare issues and didn't boast great viewing angles - however this could be down to the very bright lighting conditions on the press-expo floor.

Software
The Duo 13 is available in Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro options. This is great as Windows 8 is far superior to Microsoft's tablet-focused RT operating system, featuring legacy application support. This means Windows 8 is compatible with applications for older versions of Windows and makes it far easier to integrate into an office environment.

We also noticed a few nice software additions designed to help users get the most out of the Duo 13's attached active stylus, with it letting you do things like set an application to automatically open when the stylus is held close to the screen. Another nice service was the preinstalled CamScanner app. The app will suit business users, letting them use the rear 8MP camera to scan written documents to turn into text files. We didn't get a chance to test the feature during our hands on, but if it works this will definitely be a selling point for business users.

Performance
Sony claims the Duo 13 will offer users ultrabook-level performance, featuring an Intel Core i7 chip and 8GB of RAM. During our hands-on we didn't get a chance to properly benchmark the device or run any demanding applications on it. However, for general purposes we found it was quite fast, loading webpages instantly and navigating between menus seamlessly.

We also found that the stylus felt slightly more sensitive than others we've tested, with it picking up even the most rapid of movements and even minor changes in pressure. Come our full review we're really excited to see how the stylus and Duo perform when running hardcore graphics programmes.

Prospects
Having had a go with Sony's Duo 13 we have to say our opening impressions are positive and our brief encounter with the convertible left us wanting more. However, with there being no current word on price it remains unclear how premium a price businesses will have to pay for the super powered device. The Duo is set for release later this year, make sure to check back with V3 then for our full review.

By V3's Alastair Stevenson. Follow him on Twitter @MonkeyGuru

With Windows 8 out of the bag, touch computing has become 2013's hardware hot topic.

Looking to capitalise on the wave of interest, PC makers across the world are rushing out a new business-focused Microsoft-powered tablets.

This has seen the likes of Lenovo add touch capabilities to its ThinkPad series of devices and now HP follow suit, unveiling a fresh batch of touch entries into its Elite-series of devices.

However, of HP's new batch the most interesting is without a doubt its ElitePad 900 Windows 8 Pro tablet, which aims to use add-on covers to target pretty much every professional group and industry under the sun.

Eager to see how the ElitePad 900 handles, V3 visited HP at its London Showcase event to grab some hands on time with the tablet.

Design and build
As a standalone tablet the ElitePad 900 looks like most other Windows 8 tablets. The ElitePad has the same slightly curved look as many other devices currently on offer, featuring rounded edges and a grey aluminium chassis.

Also, like most other Windows 8 Pro tablets, it's a lot heavier than similarly sized Android and iOS tablets, weighing a hefty 680g despite measuring in at a reasonable 178x261x9.2mm.

This is especially true considering the tablet sections modest cost. With prices starting at £484 (including VAT) the tablet is just £80 more than Microsoft's Surface RT. Yet despite the minor price fluctuation the tablet offers businesses a host of benefits, the largest of which is the use of Windows 8 Pro.

Check back with V3 later for a full review of the HP ElitePad 900.

LAS VEGAS: Samsung unveiled its Windows 8-powered Series 7 Chronos alongside its new Ultra ultrabook at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) on Sunday.

Running Windows 8 standard and featuring a touchscreen, Samsung touted the Chronos as proof it was capable of making laptops oozing with business appeal.

Design and build
The Chronos' most striking feature is its bare metal chassis and ample dimensions, with it measuring in at 376x249x20.9mm.

This meant that while the Chronos feels very sturdy, with its aluminium chassis giving the impression it could withstand the odd heavy whack, it's also fairly heavy, even when compared to other devices in its size bracket. For this reason, the Chronos is more a desktop replacement than portable device and won't be suitable for execs expecting to rack up the air miles.

Its large backlit keyboard does have advantages though. Testing the Chronos, we were pleased with the keyboard, with it proving very responsive and pleasant to type on.

Additionally, the Chronos' size has let Samsung load it with a slew of ports. These include two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0, and individual HDMI and VGA ports. On its top, the Chronos also features a 720p integrated camera for video calling.

Screen
Samsung's loaded the Chronos with a 15.6in Full HD display. Boasting the increasingly common 10-point touch functionality, we found the display suitably eye-pleasing and responsive, recognising and enacting our touch inputs instantaneously.

The only issue we noticed with the Chronos' screen was that it could be prone to glare when it caught the light at a certain angle - though this could be more to do with the insanely bright lights Samsung had on its show floor and might not be an issue when using the Chronos in normal conditions.

Performance
Power-wise the Chronos sits in the middle of Samsung's laptop range, packing an AMD Radeon HD 8870M Graphics chip with 2GB GDDR5 Graphic Memory on board that is complemented by an Intel Core i7 processor.

While we didn't get the chance to fully run the Chronos through its paces during our hands on, we were pleasantly surprised by how smoothly it ran. Testing the Chronos using the slew of pre-installed apps on it we found the device could easily handle multi-tasking and most general tasks.

We're looking forward to seeing how the Chronos performs when challenged with more intensive tasks come our full review.

Battery
Samsung claims the Chronos will boast an eight-hour battery life off one charge. We didn't get the chance to test Samsung's claim during our hands on, but if true this should mean the Chronos will last a full working day off one charge.

However, given the device's large size, we're not sure how often users will find themselves using the Chronos on the go, away from a power station.

Chances
There's currently no official word on the Chronos price or release date. However given its middling specifications, we're guessing the Chronos will come with a similarly middling price tag. If our guess is right, then while its large size and weight make it unsuitable for prolonged mobile use the Chronos could be a solid choice for users looking for a desktop replacement.

Check back with V3 later in the year for a full review of the Samsung Series 7 Chronos.

LAS VEGAS: The Helix is one of many new ThinkPads to be unveiled by Lenovo at the 2013, Consumer Electronics (CES) show. However, being the company's first tablet-come-laptop hybrid it is debatably the most interesting.

Taking on the likes of the Microsoft Surface and Samsung Ativ-series of hybrids, the Helix seeks to offer businesses an all-in-one tablet that also acts as an ultrabook.

Having beaten the rush to get our hands on the tablet, if our opening impressions are anything to go by, Lenovo may have actually managed to achieve its goal.

Design and build
At first glance the Helix has a lot more in common with its ThinkPad predecessors than other convertible laptops.

The Helix design is unashamedly barebones, featuring the same minimalist black, hard edged plastic design synonymous with all ThinkPad devices.

It's only when you open it up and look up close that you realise the Helix is actually a convertible, spotting the rather unsubtle left hand switch that when popped separates the 21mm tablet section from its dock.

Playing with the Helix we were fairly impressed by the hinge mechanism's builds quality. Despite being made of plastic the connecting section felt sturdy.

Popping the tablet in and out of the dock a few times we felt suitably reassured the section wouldn't break after prolonged use. The same was true of the Helix main tablet section, with it feeling fairly robust.

Our only qualm with the device is that it feels slightly heavier than many other convertible devices weighing a hefty 835g.

Screen
The Helix comes loaded with an 11.6in Full HD 1920x1080 pixels, 10-point multi-touch screen. During our opening tests we found that looks very nice, boasting great viewing angles, colour and brightness levels.

Testing the screen we found the Helix was pleasantly responsive, with it easily picking up and responding to every swipe and poke we threw at it.

Another added boon for artistic users, is the inclusion of a Wacom stylus, that sits neatly in the Helix's top edge.

While we didn't have time to do anything but use the stylus to make a few quick doodles, we were impressed with how well it worked.

Using Photoshop Elements, we found the Helix was able to pick up on even minor variations in pressure and angle and are fairly certain it could be used for digital painting and design purposes.

Performance and price
The Helix is designed to offer users ultrabook-level performance with the top-end version coming loaded with an Intel Core i7 processor 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. However, for this, users will have to shell out a massive $1,500.

For those shopping on a budget Lenovo's also confirmed the Helix will be available in Intel i3 and i5 versions, though there is still no official word on how much these lower specced versions will cost.

Chances
Overall our opening impressions of the Helix are positive. However, costing over $700 more than other cheaper convertible laptop-tablet hybrids, we're unsure whether the Helix will be able to attract anyone but the wealthiest of users.

LAS VEGAS: Samsung initially announced its plans to use Windows 8 to increase its presence in the enterprise space in October 2012, when it unveiled its Ativ series of convertible tablet-laptop hybrids.

Following up its opening salvo, Samsung unveiled its Series 7 Ultra ultrabook at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas on Monday.

Eager to get a look at the device, V3 wrestled past the crowds at Samsung's CES booth and took a hands on look at the Ultra to see how it measures up to its more established Lenovo, HP and Dell-built competition.

Design and build
The first thing that strikes you about the Ultra is its unashamedly ultrabook design, featuring the telltale polished aluminium chassis that has become synonymous with with the title.

With its familiar brushed metal finish, the Samsung Series 7 Ultra looks sleek and stylish and feels fairly solidly built.

It also looks to be extremely travel friendly, measuring just 18.9mm thick and weighing a modest 1.65kg.

Underneath its shiny metal exterior, the Ultra packs a surprisingly large backlit keyboard. But during our tests we found the keyboard, though usable and responsive, did feel slightly less well built than the rest of the device. The keys had a disconcerting spongy feel when pressed.

The Ultra sports a surprising number of ports, despite its diminutive size, packing a single USB 3.0 port, a pair of USB 2.0 connectors, HDMI, mini VGA and HP/MIC options.

Another added boon for business users is the inclusion of a 720p HD camera, which when tested was more than adequate for video calling.

Screen
The Samsung Series 7 Ultra packs a 13.3in Full HD 1920 x 1080, 1080p, 10-point multi-touch screen.

Using the device we found the screen was suitably responsive, recognising our pinch, zoom and swipe commands instantly, making navigating its Windows 8 Pro operating system an absolute joy.

Ultrabook performance
The Ultra we tested was powered by an Intel Core i7 processor though there is also an Intel Core i5 model is to launch too.

Testing the i7 version we were pleased how well Ultra handled, with programmes loading blazingly fast. We're looking forward to pushing the Ultra further and seeing how it handles more intensive tasks come our full review.

Samsung claims the Ultra will boast an eight-hour battery life. If true this will be another strong selling point for the Ultra, adding to its "use on the go" travel friendly appeal.

Overall
The Samsung Series 7 Ultra offers great performance - although a critical point, as ever will be price, a key bit of information Samsung's chosen to keep quiet about.

Check back with V3 later for a full review of the Samsung Series 7 Ultra.

FRANKFURT: HP's "one more thing" moment at its annual Discover event on Wednesday turned out to be the unveiling of another Windows 8 device, this time the tablet/laptop hybrid EliteBook Revolve.

The device, as the name suggests, features a swivel screen that can be laid down on top of the laptop's keyboard to turn it into a standard tablet device, akin to the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga. HP is betting that users' need for the functionality of a keyboard and the ease of use of a touchscreen is set to grow.

The firm's vice president of design Stacy Wolff had shown off the device on stage, touting the importance of visually alluring products and a thin design. Certainly in our brief hands on with the device - locked to a display stand - it had both those elements.

It was light enough to seem that you'd be happy to carry it around all day in a bag and use as and when necessary while it had a nice simple but clean design, not that dissimilar to an Apple MacBook.

The swivel function seemed easy to use, making it quick and efficient to turn the device into a tablet at a moment's notice, and remaining thin enough to be functional and portable.

Annoyingly, for an unknown reason, the device on display was not touch-enabled, despite the device being set to have his capability when it launches in March next year, in the US at least.

The driver appeared to be missing when we did some quick spec checks via the control panel, so we weren't able to test out Windows 8 in all its touch-enabled glory which was a shame. But we used the mouse pad when in laptop mode, and it all seemed to run smoothly.

The device we were playing with had an Intel Core i3 1.8GHz processor and so was fast to use, switching between apps effortlessly, while it also had 8GB of RAM and was running a 64-bit version of Windows 8.

Clearly these are some decent specs and HP is no doubt hoping it can lure enterprise customers plumping for Windows 8, as it seeks to regain its position as the number one PC vendor, at least in the enterprise market, despite competition from the iPad and other rivals.

We didn't have enough time to form a definitive opinion on the device but certainly the crowds standing around were keen to have a play and the ease everyone seemed to have turning it from a laptop to a tablet and back again that we saw suggested it could prove popular.

We'll aim to have a full review presently.

With Windows 8 now available, PC manufacturers will be hoping to see improved sales in the coming months after disappointing figures over recent quarters, mostly as firms and consumers awaited the launch of Microsoft's new platform.

Another firm that has plenty riding on this is Intel, which has thrown its weight behind the ultrabook category of devices now entering the market as it aims to boost sales of Windows device, and Windows 8 gives it another opportunity to do just that.

So it was no surprise that the firm held an event in central London on Tuesday showing off a raft of products from its partners such as Lenovo, Dell and Acer running the platform.

V3 popped along to have a look to try out some of the devices on show.

Certainly all the devices had something to recommend them, whether the novel combinations of display options such as the Lenovo Yoga (below) with four different viewing stances: laptop, tablet, ‘tent' or as a single screen, with the keyboard used as the stand at the back.

The device itself was nice to use, with a good quality keyboard and the system responsive to both touch and mouse-based inputs.

We also had a chance to see the new Windows 8 version of the Acer Aspire S7 ultrabook (below). The device has been on the market for a while running Windows 7 and secured a four-star review when we looked at it last year.

Now it's been updated with a touchscreen system so it can run Windows 8 in full and is certainly one of the nicest looking devices on display, with a compact 13.3in screen and weighing a lightweight 1.35kg.

However, if we're talking lightweight then we should probably mention the NEC Lavie Z Ultrabook (pictured below).

Although this isn't available in the UK at present and doesn't run Windows 8 either, the device is hugely popular in Japan for one key reason; its weight. It's just 875g.

The weight of devices is always something touted by manufacturers and usually it worth nothing more than a "yes it's quite light" comment but the NEC device was probably the lightest laptop device we've ever seen; there are paperback books that are heavier.

While it's not set to come to the UK - a shame - it's a good indication of how light laptops could still become. With the portability of tablets often touted as a selling point over laptops devices like this undermine that argument to some degree.

Lastly, no product showcase would be complete without something from Dell, so Intel had brought along the Dell XPS 12 which has a rather nifty rotating screen that can be swivelled within its casing to work as either a tablet or a laptop.

This mean it can also be propped up in the "tent" style akin to the Lenovo Yoga, as pictured below.

Overall, then, it's clear there's no lack of interesting, novel and quality devices from numerous manufacturers on offer for Windows 8, with Intel's technology an integral part of that.

Whether consumers take to the new system and this helps boost flagging sales, though, is another matter.