The vast majority of ultraportable laptops available in the last years have been built on Intel Core U hardware-platforms, with options for dual-core processors with or without HyperThreading.
And while the Kaby Lake hardware generation provides solid performance for everyday tasks like browsing and editing texts and watching movies, especially when paired with the right amount of RAM and the fast SSDs available these days, there’s still only that much a dual-core CPU can do in terms of multitasking and intense multi-core loads.
This changes as of Q3 2017 with the introduction of the Intel KabyLake-R (Refresh) line which includes Intel’s first low-voltage quad-core processors. These are part of Intel’s 8th generation of chips, thus their denomination gets an 8 after the dash, but they are in fact a revised version of the Kaby Lake architecture and not the Coffee Lake or the Cannon Lake platforms, which are scheduled for the future (2018) and we’ll address in different articles when available.
Update: As of the second part of 2018 Intel offers an updated Core U platform, Whiskey Lake-U, and you can find all about it from this detailed article.
We’re not going to get in depth on the performance of these quad-core Core U notebook-processors in this post, will save that for other articles (here’s the one that covers the Core i5-8250U, with more updates to come). We will however mention below the CPUs that are part of the Intel KabyLake-R 8th gen series and their particularities, and then jump to the main topic of the article, the list of Core U quad-core ultraportable laptops you will be able to find in stores in the months to come.
First of all, these are the Core U Kaby Lake-R processors available at the time of this post (to be updated)”
- Core i5-8250U – 1.6 GHz base clock with up to 3.4 GHz Turbo, HyperThreading, 6MB L3 cache – $297;
- Core i5-8350U – 1.7 GHz base clock with up to 3.6 GHz Turbo, HyperThreading, 6MB L3 cache – $297;
- Core i7-8550U – 1.8 GHz base clock with up to 4 GHz Turbo, HyperThreading, 8MB L3 cache – $409;
- Core i7-8650U – 1.9 GHz base clock with up to 4.2 GHz Turbo, HyperThreading, 8MB L3 cache – $409.
They share a few common traits, like the 15 W TDP, 14 nm lithography, support for up to 32 GB of DDR4 memory and the Intel UHD 620 graphics chip integrated within the die. The increased number of cores is the strong selling point here, while the graphics inside is similar to the HD 620 solution on the standard KabyLake dual-core options, just capable of running a little faster.
You will however notice that the base clocks of these quad-core CPUs are much lower than those of the existing dual-core Kaby Lake processors, but that’s compensated by the high Turbo speeds, so performance per core is pretty much on par with the Core i5-7200U or i7-7500U, which means multi-core performance gets a major boost with these new lines. We already spent some time with laptops built on this platform and can confirm the fact that the quad-cores show 30 to 60% gains in benchmarks and certain demanding loads, and you’ll find more details in our reviews.
Price wise the quad-core 8th generation KabyLake-R CPUs are only marginally more expensive than the 7th gen KabyLake dual-cores ($281 for i5-7200U vs $297 for i5-8250U; $393 for i7-7500U vs $403 for i7-8550U), so the newer configurations won’t cost an arm and a leg. There are however two important questions that remain to be answered in future reviews, and that’s how will these quad-cores perform thermally and acoustically in thin-and-light laptops that were already running pretty hot with dual-core builds, as well as whether they’ll be able to consistently maintain their high Turbo Speeds in continuous loads. Stay around for details in our future tests.
Knowing all these about the 8th gen KabyLake-R platform, let’s jump to the actual list of laptops built on these quad-core ULVs, available below. Details are still scarce for now, but the list is a continuous work in progress and we’re constantly updating it. If you spot anything that’s not in here and should be, please tell us about it in the comments section at the end.
The selection is split in two sections, one of the ultraportable options with 14-inch or smaller screens, and another of full-size 15-inch or larger laptops.
Sub 14-inch thin-and-light laptops
|
|||||||
| Model | Type | Screen | Hardware | Battery | Weight | Price | |
| Acer Spin 5 SP513-52N | convertible | 13.3″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 54 Wh | 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs | $899 | |
| Acer Swift 3 SF314-52 | clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD glossy | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 48 Wh | 1.7 kg / 3.75 lbs | $799 | |
| Asus VivoBook S410UN | clamshell | 14.0″ IPS matte | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 42 Wh | 1.45 kg / 3.2 lbs | – | |
| Asus VivoBook Flip TP410UA | convertible | 14.0″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 42 Wh | 1.61 kg / 3.55 lbs | $799 | |
| Asus VivoBook S406UA | clamshell | 14.0″ IPS matte | Core U w/ Intel HD 620 | 39 Wh | 1.2 kg / 2.7 lbs | – | |
| Asus Zenbook UX330UA | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS matte | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 57 Wh | 1.2 kg / 2.75 lbs | $749 | |
| Asus Zenbook 13 UX331UN | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS mattte / touch | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 50 Wh | 1.13 kg / 2.5 lbs | – | |
| Asus Zenbook UX430UA | clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD matte | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 50 Wh | 1.25 kg / 2.75 lbs | $1099 | |
| Asus Zenbook UX430UN | clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD matte | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 50 Wh | 1.25 kg / 2.75 lbs | $1199 | |
| Asus Zenbook UX490UA | clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD glossy | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 46 Wh | 1.1 kg / 2.4 lbs | $1699 | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip S UX370 | convertible | 13.3″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 39 Wh | 1.1 kg / 2.42 lbs | – | |
| Dell Inspiron 13 5000 2-in-1 (5379) | convertible | 13.3″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 42 Wh | 1.7 kg / 3.71 lbs | $749 | |
| Dell Inspiron 13 7000 (7370) | convertible | 13.3″ IPS FHD matte/touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 38 Wh | 1.40 kg / 3.1 lbs | $799 | |
| Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 | convertible | 13.3″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 42 Wh | 1.75 kg / 3.86 lbs | $879 | |
| Dell XPS 13 | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD matte or QHD+ touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 60 Wh | 1.3 kg / 2.7 lbs | $799 | |
| HP Envy 13 | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD matte or QHD+ touch | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 57.8 Wh | 1.42 kg / 3.15 lbs | $1049 | |
| HP Spectre Pavilion x360 14t | convertible | 14.0″ IPS touch | Core U w/ Nvidia 940MX | 41 Wh | 1.72 kg / 3.8 lbs | – | |
| HP ProBook 440 | clamshell | 14.0″ HD/FHD matte | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 48 Wh | 1.65 kg / 3.6 lbs | – | |
| HP Spectre x360 13 | convertible | 13.3″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 57.8 Wh | 1.29 kg / 2.85 lbs | – | |
| HP Spectre Pro | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 38 Wh | 1.2 kg / 2.65 lbs | – | |
| Lenovo Flex 5 14-inch | convertible | 14.0″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 52.5 Wh | 1.70 kg / 3.75 lbs | $849 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 520s | clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD | Core U w/ Nvidia 940MX | 52 Wh | 1.70 kg / 3.75 lbs | – | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 720s | clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD glossy | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 56 Wh | 1.48 kg / 3.3 lbs | $899 | |
| Lenovo Miix 520 | tablet + folio | 12.2″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 39 Wh | ~2.25 kg / 2.77 lbs | $999 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 720 | convertible | 13.3″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 48 Wh | ~1.28 kg / 2.8 lbs | $799 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 920 | convertible | 13.9″ IPS FHD/UHD touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 70 Wh | ~1.3 kg / 3.0 lbs | $1299 | |
| Lenovo V730 | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD matte | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 46 Wh | ~1.2 kg / 2.6 lbs | – | |
| Microsoft Surface Book 2 | detachable | 13.5″ IPS touch | Core U w/ Nvidia 1050 | 75 Wh | ~1.6 kg / 3.5 lbs | $1999 | |
| MSI Prestige PS42 | clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD matte | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 50 Wh | 1.2 kg / 2.6 lbs | $1199 | |
| Razer Blade Stealth | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS QHD+ touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 54 Wh | 1.35 kg / 2.95 lbs | $1449 | |
And here’s the second part that includes full-size laptops. These are mostly budget options that mix solid everyday performance with efficiency, so for most users should make for excellent allround notebooks.
Full-size 15-inch notebooks or larger |
|||||||
| Model | Type | Screen | Hardware | Battery | Weight | Price | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515 | clamshell | 15.6″ TN HD / IPS FHD matte | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 48 Wh | 2.1 kg / 4.6 lbs | $599 | |
| Acer Aspire E 15 E5-576G | clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD matte | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 62 Wh (?) | 2.4 kg / 5.3 lbs | $599 | |
| Acer Nitro 5 | clamshell | 15.6″ TN HD / IPS FHD matte | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 48 Wh | 2.48 kg / 5.46 lbs | $799 | |
| Acer Spin 5 SP515-51N | convertible | 15.6″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Nvidia 1050 | 54 Wh | 2.2 kg / 4.9 lbs | $999 | |
| Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G | clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD glossy | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 48 Wh | 2.1 kg / 4.6 lbs | $699 | |
| Asus VivoBook F510UA / S510UA | clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD matte | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 42 Wh | 1.67 kg / 3.7 lbs | $499 | |
| Asus VivoBook Slim S15 | clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD matte | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 42 Wh | 1.67 kg / 3.7 lbs | $999 | |
| Asus VivoBook Flip TP510UA | convertible | 14.0″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 42 Wh | 2.25 kg / 4.95 lbs | $949 | |
| Asus VivoBook Pro N705UN | clamshell | 17.3″ IPS-like FHD matte | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 42 Wh | 2.1 kg / 4.6 lbs | $900 | |
| Asus VivoBook Pro N705UD | clamshell | 17.3″ IPS-like FHD matte | Core U w/ Nvidia 1050 | 42 Wh | 2.1 kg / 4.6 lbs | $1100 | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX561UN | convertible | 15.6″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 52 Wh | 1.9 kg / 4.2 lbs | – | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX561UD | convertible | 15.6″ IPS FHD / UHD touch | Core U w/ Nvidia 1050 | 52 Wh | 2.1 kg / 4.65 lbs | – | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5000 2-in-1 (5579) | clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 42Wh | 2.2 kg / 4.85 lbs | $749 | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (7570) | clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD/UHD touch/matte | Core U w/ Nvidia 940MX | 42 or 56 Wh | 1.99 kg / 4.4 lbs | $799 | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1 (7579) | convertible | 15.6″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Nvidia 940MX | 42 Wh | 2.65 kg / 5.84 lbs | $849 | |
| Dell Inspiron 17 7000 2-in-1 (7773) | convertible | 17.3″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 56 Wh | 3.0 kg / 6.6 lbs | $999 | |
| HP Envy 15 | clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 52 Wh | 2.05 kg / 4.5 lbs | – | |
| HP Envy 17 | clamshell | 17.6″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 55.8 Wh | 3.05 kg / 6.7 lbs | $1299 | |
| HP Envy x360 15t | convertbile | 15.6″ IPS FHD touch | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 55.8 Wh | 2.17 kg / 4.8 lbs | $949 | |
| HP Pavilion 15 | clamshell | 15.6″ HD/FHD matte | Core U w/ Intel UHD 620 | 41 Wh | 1.90 kg / 4.2 lbs | ~$600 | |
| HP Spectre x360 15 | convertible | 15.6″ IPS UHD touch | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 79 Wh | 2.00 kg / 4.42 lbs | $1279 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 320s 15-inch | clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD | Core U w/ Nvidia 1040 (?) | 52 Wh | 1.90 kg / 4.2 lbs | $699 | |
| Lenovo Legion Y720 | clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD glossy | Core U w/ Radeon MX550 / MX560 | 60 Wh | 3.2 kg / 7.1 lbs | – | |
| Microsoft Surface Book 2 | detachable | 15″ IPS touch | Core U w/ Nvidia 1060 | 90 Wh | ~1.9 kg / 4.2 lbs | $2499 | |
| Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro | clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD glossy | Core U w/ Nvidia MX150 | 60 Wh | 1.95 kg / 4.3 lbs | $1199 | |
Here’s a short glossary of the terms mentioned above:
- Types:
- clamshell: traditional laptops and ultrabooks (definition) whose screen closes on top of the keyboard and does not flip into any sort of tablet mode;
- convertible: 2-in-1 laptop whose screen rotates or converts to a tablet mode (or similar), but cannot be detached from the base;
- detachable: 2-in-1 laptop whose screen detaches from a solid base and can be used independently as a tablet;
- tablet + folio: stand-alone tablet paired with matching keyboad-folio;
- slider: 2-in-1 laptop whose screen slides up and down on top of the body and reveals a keyboard hidden underneath.
- Resolutions: HD ( 1366 x 768 px), WXGA+ (1440 x 900 px), HD+ (1600 x 900 px), FHD (1920 x 1080 px), WUXGA (1920 x 1200 px) FHD+ (2160 x 1440 px), retina (2304 x 1440 px), QHD (2560 x 1440 px), WQXGA (2560 x 1600 px), QHD+ (3200 x 1800 px), UHD (3840 x 2160 px) – also see this post;
That’s about it for now with this list of Intel 8th gen laptops, but like I said earlier, we’re constantly updating this list and adding new ultraportble laptops built on Intel KabyLake-R / Coffee Lake quad-core Core U processors. The comments section below is also open for any suggestions and questions, and we’re around to help out if we can.
A.
August 19, 2017 at 7:06 am
This article is so confusing that I feel that I don't understand a thing, anymore!
First, you list 4 processors with their prices, but the list is weird: the more powerful i7 models with 8 Mb L3 cache are cheaper (297 USD) than the weaker i5 models with only 6 Mb of L3 cache (409 USD). Are you sure it's not the opposite?
Next, the table of laptops that you have compiled contains two links to reviews of already existing laptops with Kaby Lake (not Coffee Lake) processors. Also, the Dell XPS 13 9360 is almost one year old and, in general, most of the laptops in that table are NOT based on Coffee Lake, but on Kaby Lake, and are NOT quad-core but double-core – so what exactly is this article trying to say? I'm totally lost!
Andrei Girbea
August 19, 2017 at 7:57 am
1. The prices were obviously interchanged, the i5s are cheaper than the i7
2. About the links,they point towards older articles because most of those were available with dual-core processors in the past (Dell XPS 9360, Asus Zenbook UX430, Hp Specte x360, etc), when we reviewed them, and versions with the quad-cores at some point in the future. However, except for the hardware, those versions linked are identical tot he ones with the newer hardware. Still, I'll remove the links to not cause any more confusion.
Hope this makes sense.
mystiq
August 19, 2017 at 11:04 am
okay that for the low TDP, so how about the high TDP like HQ processor coffe lake ? any news about that ?
Andrei Girbea
August 19, 2017 at 3:42 pm
We should know more next week, but as far as I understand right now, KabyLake-R will only get 15 W TDP CPUs and the higher W quad-cores are to be updated with Cannonlake towards the end of the year or early into 2018.
db
August 19, 2017 at 11:42 pm
The Acer Swift 3 with a i5-8250u and MX150 is already on Amazon (not shipping) but doesn't appear on your list.
amazon.com/Acer-i5-8250U-NVIDIA-GeForce-SF315-51G-51CE/dp/B0746NV7XG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503200240&sr=8-3&keywords=laptop+mx150
* SF315-51G-51CE
* SF314-52G-55WQ
Andrei Girbea
August 20, 2017 at 7:08 am
thanks, listed
DDD
August 20, 2017 at 3:58 pm
How fast is HP normally with refreshing their line up with the newest Intel releases? I'm asking because I just got a Spectre X360 13.3" 4k (which was released in February 2017 I believe)? If a Quad Core model if this laptop is to be expected within a few weeks I might be better off returning it and waiting for the new release.
Andrei Girbea
August 21, 2017 at 2:55 am
Honestly, I can't tell and it's going to differ from country to country. KabyLake-R is expected to ship in Q4 in most regions, so I'd reckon beginning of October.
Ron Bright
August 26, 2017 at 6:37 am
Where do you get your information for example that the HP Spectre x360 13 will be upgraded with the new quad core chips? Such info seems unavailable anywhere else but on your list.
Andrei Girbea
August 26, 2017 at 12:49 pm
Here: browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/3242820
Ron Bright
August 27, 2017 at 4:52 am
Hi and thanks. I'd seen that. Yet the only HP Spectre test with 8th-generation quad core on that list was way back in June, which seems like quite an anomaly. Maybe someone tested it and found it wanting? Maybe it didn't cool sufficiently? Anyway I hope you're right. http://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/3242820
Akshat
August 21, 2017 at 5:04 am
How much performance difference we can expect between kaby lake and coffee lake processors. Also is there any difference in the power consumption department too?
Andrei Girbea
August 21, 2017 at 8:37 am
I'll have a post about that in a day or two
Siddhant Agarwal
August 22, 2017 at 12:22 pm
Hi the HP Envy x360 Convertible has also been updated with i5-8250u and mx150
store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-envy-x360-convertible-laptop-15t-1za23av-1
johndoe
August 22, 2017 at 10:37 pm
There is also an ASUS VivoBook S406UA, currently available in Australia/Germany pricelists. It's a thin-bezel, 1.2kg ultrabook, with Core i5-8250U or i7-8550U, no Thunderbolt, but with Windows Pro onboard. Available, probably, since late-October or so, with localized keyboard layouts only :(
Since in my country we ONLY NOW started to receive UX430UA (ugly glossy blue, which is a certain deal breaker), I hardly imagine S406UA can appear here with non-blue case and US-keyboard somewhere nearby this year. Besides, DELL can delay shipping XPS13-9370 for inifinity, as usual, so I just don't see any rivals to present X1 gen5 i7-7500u.
Andrei Girbea
August 26, 2017 at 4:39 am
Thanks, there's also just a 39 Wh battery on that laptop, that's really small for this day and age, I doubt you'll get more than 4 hours of real-life multitasking with it.
Not a big fan of the NIL-coated blue UX430 either.
Still, the i5-8250 is very interesting, I've been playing with two different laptops built on it and personally. I wouldn't recommend an i7-7500U over this, especially if you actually need the multitasking abilities of a quad-core. with daily tasks you're not going to feel the difference, but with demanding loads even the i5-8250U is a serious bump over the i7-7500U.
johndoe
August 26, 2017 at 6:48 am
Thank you for your reply.
Could you please tell me at least your opinion, is it worth waiting for KabyLake Refresh, in terms of heat/noise (in comparison with x1c 7500u)? How long TurboBoost can maintain top frequencies in KBR ultrabooks? Does the fan spin all the time, or stops in idle? And about Zenbook UX331, since you have it for review, does it have the same look and feel as UX330, or any differences (e.g. worse materials, odd noise, coil whine maybe)?
Waiting desperately for your reviews, hopefully before IFA 2017 ? :)
Andrei Girbea
August 26, 2017 at 12:51 pm
I'd say yes. The two laptops I have with the i5-8250U don't run any hotter then the dual-core similar builds. Fan spins all the time with the two laptops I have, but that might differ from device to device. No coil whining, but again that's going to differ.
Dinesh
August 24, 2017 at 9:39 am
You might want to add the following laptops to your list:-
Asus Zenbook Flip UX561UN (MX150) – asus.com/2-in-1-PCs/ASUS-ZenBook-Flip-UX561UN/
Asus Zenbook Flip UX561UD (GTX 1050) – asus.com/Laptops/ASUS-ZenBook-Flip-UX561UD/
Andrei Girbea
August 26, 2017 at 4:39 am
Thanks much
Dan
August 24, 2017 at 11:34 am
HP is listing a 15" Spectre x360 with the 8550U shipping sep 9 if ordered today.
Andrei Girbea
August 26, 2017 at 4:44 am
Thanks, that's a nice addition, one of the most interesting offers on the list with that big battery and very nice build. I would have preferred a FHD screen configuration, the UHD has its benefits, but it's also expensive and power hungry.
Jarecki
August 25, 2017 at 10:42 pm
Hi, any links to UX331 and 430UAR?
Cheers
Andrei Girbea
August 26, 2017 at 4:20 am
I don't know where I've read about the 430 model, and the UX331 is something I'm working on right now. Expect an impressions article in a week or so.
Andrei Girbea
August 26, 2017 at 4:43 am
Thanks everyone. I've updated the list, if you spot anything else that's missing, please get in touch.
James
August 26, 2017 at 11:30 pm
I wanted to buy xps 9560 for photo and 4k video editing, but now I wonder if I should wait.
Andrei Girbea
August 27, 2017 at 2:42 am
I don't think they'll update the XPS 15 with the existing 15 W quad-cores, but an update will happen once the 45W Coffee Lake CPUs are released.
Po-wei
August 27, 2017 at 5:06 am
Since KabyLake U series CPUs cannot TurboBoost at the highest frequency for a long time with TDP lock, I wonder whether the KabyLake-R U-series CPUs would have much better performance when you usu it for a long time.
There are 4 core for incoming CPUs are the TDP are still 15TDP, would it be large differnece between benchmark and real life experience?
If it would increase 30-60% performace in both single-core and multi-core, i have better wait for a while to buy new laptop!
Wei
August 27, 2017 at 9:46 pm
Asus UX331UN listed on Geekbench.
Most likely an MX150 given the UN nomenclature.
Andrei Girbea
August 28, 2017 at 6:57 am
That's the unit I'm testing right now :)
El
August 27, 2017 at 10:14 pm
No 17" UHD laptops in the list yet, which is what I want for a gaming laptop. How about some indication of which video card will do best? Can we game with the GPU built into the chip?
Andrei Girbea
August 28, 2017 at 6:56 am
Not really, the GPU built=in is the Intel HD 620. I'd go for at least an Nvidia MX150 for fhd gaming, preferably even a GTX 1050.
Dieter
August 28, 2017 at 10:49 am
Dell's entire 5000 and 7000 lineups will be refreshed with Kaby lake-r according to notebookcheck.
Thanks for this topic btw. Insanely useful.
Vlad
August 28, 2017 at 7:26 pm
What about spectre 13"?
Eddie
August 30, 2017 at 9:24 am
Nothing to see here phones having been getting quad core chips for ages lol.
Kyle
August 31, 2017 at 2:02 pm
Will any of these have increased TDP? I understand that some Lenovo Thinkpads currently ship laptops with raised 25 watt ULV processors.
Andrei Girbea
August 31, 2017 at 2:41 pm
I've heard the XPS 13 will get 20W versions and I'd reckon others will too. Can't tell for sure for now though
dieter
August 31, 2017 at 6:30 pm
Do you think the UHD screen on the ux561ud is PenTile? Also, would battery life of 52Whr be decent with a 1050 in regular use? Thanks!
Andrei Girbea
September 2, 2017 at 12:48 pm
Probably yes. For battery life, expect about 10-14W per hour of daily use, more with heavier multitasking.
Anon
September 3, 2017 at 2:37 pm
Do you know the release date for any of the Asus laptops?
Andrei Girbea
September 4, 2017 at 3:54 am
Most of the laptops in this list should be available from mid-September, early October.
Be
September 4, 2017 at 10:59 am
Samsung has announced they'll be updating their Notebook convertible in September, but haven't released any more details yet. I'm hoping they put a Thunderbolt 3 port on it.
mikro
September 5, 2017 at 3:34 am
You probably forgot Asus Zenbook UX331UN which will have MX150 and Kaby Lake R processors.
Dieter
September 11, 2017 at 3:30 am
Hi Andrei,
seems Xiaomi just announced their new 15.6" Mi Notebook Pro with i7-8550U processor and Nvidia MX150.
Andrei Girbea
September 14, 2017 at 5:02 am
Thanks, updated
Jacob Delis
September 12, 2017 at 11:37 am
Costco also has an HP Pavilion that is not listed. It is not on their website, but it is in the store. I5-8250U, 12GB of ram, 1TB HD. Priced at $550. If I had the money I would buy it. I have some pictures of it, so feel free to email me!
Andrei Girbea
September 14, 2017 at 5:04 am
HI Jacob, any info on the model name? I can't even access costo.com in my country, somehow they seem to have banned traffic from my ISP.
Update: i'd reckon it's this one? slickdeals.net/f/10556548-hp-pavilion-15-cc123cl-touchscreen-laptop-intel-core-i5-8th-gen-for-550 . Careful on that screen, it's TN and really bad for this day and age.
Kris
September 14, 2017 at 5:03 pm
I've seen a 17" Envy floating around with similar specs.
amazon.com/HP-17-u220nr-Laptop-i7-8550U-Windows/dp/B074VBGWV4
Andrei Girbea
September 15, 2017 at 3:48 am
Thanks
Jacob Delis
September 18, 2017 at 12:47 am
Yes! It is on their website now. Sorry for just replying back.
Jacob
October 6, 2017 at 5:43 pm
I've just got to gush a bit and say the work you do is purely phenomenal. Not only are your reviews digestible, they are extremely comprehensive. I appreciate the time you put into each review to notice all the quirks and features of a laptop. For instance, you catch details about the metal chassis not lieing flush with the edges of the body. Wow! Furthermore, I see your opinion embedded in the reviews too.
Thank you so much for the warning about the screen. Not many people would do that, helping out some random Joe Smoe for no monetary benefit. I will always recommend your website.
At the costco waerhouse it said it was an SVGA screen or something like that. I thought that landed in the middlegrounds of a TN and an IPS. Anyway, I still think that laptop for $550 is the best bang for the buck when I am not looking at ultrabooks. Recently I have begun to consider the $600-$800 dollar price range however, so I am beginning to look for ultrabooks with 8th gen i5. I cannot wait for black Friday deals! From my understanding, I should wait until then to buy a laptop.
Keep doing what you doing bro.
Andrei Girbea
October 7, 2017 at 5:04 am
Thanks for the kind words.
Ivan Lai
September 20, 2017 at 11:26 am
Lenovo seems to be offering their Ideapad 520s with Kaby Lake R.
See here : lenovo.com/my/en/laptops/ideapad/ideapad-500s-series/Lenovo-IdeaPad-520S-14IKB/p/88IP50S0825?menu-id=IdeaPad_520s_(14%22)
Andrei Girbea
September 27, 2017 at 4:32 am
Thanks, updated
Kris
September 27, 2017 at 12:12 pm
Newegg has the HP ENVY 13-ad120nr with an i7-8550U and UHD 620 graphics for USD $1040.27
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA24G6C51369&cm_re=8550u-_-9SIA24G6C51369-_-Product
Newegg and Amazon both have Clevo N240WU variants sporting an i7-8550U as well.
Kris
October 3, 2017 at 4:46 pm
The 15.6" Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-51CE with the MX150 popped up at Newegg today for $799. They're selling the iGPU version for more, for some reason though.
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834316251&cm_re=8250u-_-34-316-251-_-Product#close
Dan
October 4, 2017 at 8:04 pm
The ASUS Zenbook UX430UN is available at Costco.com for $1200. Includes i7-8550U Processor 1.8GHz.
Ignatiu Ralea
October 5, 2017 at 5:01 am
That is brilliant news, almost can’t believe it. I mean UX430UN with i7-8550U! The official Asus website only shows 430UN with i7-7500U. I was actually hoping that Asus will introduce this version in the last minute. Hope Costco is right.
Jacob D.
October 25, 2017 at 4:34 pm
It's now only $999 until 11/22! Here is a picture of the advert, if you'd like: docs.google.com/document/d/1r88l87PHm0zjKW0sxIqgPkeVyEh_Iaog7sZpi0hwYLU/edit?usp=sharing
Do you think I should wait for Black Friday deals on 11/24?
Kris
October 5, 2017 at 8:25 am
asus.com/Laptops/ASUS-ZenBook-UX430UN/ASUS-software-and-technology/
It's on the Asus Global site as well.
Ignatiu Ralea
October 8, 2017 at 5:32 pm
there is definitely no intel 8th Gen on this model as presented on Asus global website.
Kris
October 9, 2017 at 6:08 am
You're not looking in the right place. Do a Google search for specific models such as the UX331UN, UX461UN, and so forth. They're there.
I found them on Asus Global before I found them anywhere else, including Asus US.
Ignatiu Ralea
October 9, 2017 at 8:26 am
I wish you were right, but you're not, my friend. asus.com/Laptops/ASUS-ZenBook-UX430UN/Tech-Specs/
Andrei Girbea
October 9, 2017 at 8:37 am
I can't find the KabyLake-R quads listed for the UX331UN on Asus's website either. Care to provide a link if you found one?
Ignatiu Ralea
October 9, 2017 at 8:42 am
the UX331UN has the 8th gen on Asus global, onlz the UX430UN doesn't:
asus.com/Laptops/ASUS-ZenBook-13-UX331UN/specifications/
Andrei Girbea
October 9, 2017 at 9:01 am
Right, the UX430UN, that's what I actually meant
Kris
October 9, 2017 at 8:57 am
Right here.
asus.com/Laptops/ASUS-ZenBook-13-UX331UN/
Doing a Google search Asus UX331UN gives me Asus Global for the very first link with the 8th gen version.
UX461UN: asus.com/2-in-1-PCs/ASUS-ZenBook-Flip-14-UX461UN/Tech-Specs/
Vivobook S14: asus.com/Laptops/ASUS-VivoBook-S14-S410UN/specifications/
They've been there since August 30th.
Andrei Girbea
October 9, 2017 at 9:00 am
Thanks, sry, I actually meant the UX430UN, that's the one that's only listed with dual-cores right now.
Ignatiu Ralea
October 15, 2017 at 6:29 am
so, although Asus is still listing UX430UN with i7 7th gen, we have a second source, beside Costco, from Hungary, confirming the 8th gen CPU: notebook.hu/asus-ux430un-ux430un-gv034t-szurke
Jacob D.
October 25, 2017 at 4:32 pm
Great to hear! Thanks for letting me know!
Tóth István
October 5, 2017 at 4:52 pm
The Acer Nitro is available with the i7-8550U as well
laptop-notebook-netbook.hu/acer-laptop-termekek/acer-laptop/acer-nitro-5-an515-31-86eh-fekete-matt-kijelzo-mar-2-ev-garanciaval-nhq2xeu011/8318/
Unfortunately, I could not find an english language page for it
Andrei Girbea
October 8, 2017 at 3:57 am
Thanks
Kris
October 9, 2017 at 9:15 am
The UX430UN's webpage is screwed up somehow. Clicking on the specs in your link pulls up specs for the UX390UA. Not sure why.
Most of the KBR Zenbooks I've seen have model numbers ending in 1. Not sure if that's a change from least year or not.
Kris
October 10, 2017 at 10:01 am
Ok guys, here's a mystery to figure out. I found the link when doing my daily search for the 8250u at Micro Center, one of my local big box PC stores.
microcenter.com/product/483158/MH51T_8250U-8G-256-14
Not sure what this as it's not listed in stock, and it just popped up yesterday. All we can tell is that it has a 14" with an 8250u, 256 GB SSD, and 8 GB RAM. Not sure if it's an already announced model or something new.
Andrei Girbea
October 10, 2017 at 10:57 am
I'm pretty sure that's a Vivobook Flip TP410UA ( asus.com/2-in-1-PCs/ASUS-VivoBook-Flip-14-TP410UA ). Found this listing with a similar manufacturing part number and picture: amazon.de/90NB0FS1-M05370-TP410UA-EC242T-Notebook-i5-7200U-Festplatte/dp/B074RJZLFK
Kris
October 11, 2017 at 9:24 am
You are correct, sir. The full product info is now up.
microcenter.com/product/483158/TP410UA-MH51T_14_Laptop_Computer_-_Black
Jacob D.
October 25, 2017 at 4:30 pm
Any idea how big the battery is? It's weight seems nice. Looks nice too.
Kris
October 11, 2017 at 9:33 am
Also, Acer's 15.6" Spin 5 with an 8550u, 8GB and Nvidia 1050 – but not SSD – is now at Amazon for $999.
amazon.com/Acer-Intel-i7-8550U-Windows-SP515-51GN-807G/dp/B0756TSZCT/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1507728702&sr=8-24&keywords=8550u
Adele
October 12, 2017 at 10:11 pm
Do you know if this model is compatible with windows ink & stylus pens?
Kris
October 11, 2017 at 9:50 am
Newegg is showing the 15.6" Asus Vivobook S510 with an 8550u, MX150, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SATA SSD (not sure if it's NVMe capable or not – all options on Asus.com are SATA only) and a 1 TB HD coming up for $899.
<p>
Release date is set for 10/20, so we may start officially seeing other new Asus ultrabooks pop up (outside of Costco).
This could be a pretty nice package at .7" and less than 4 lbs – especially if the RAM and SSD are upgradeable later.
newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834234838&cm_re=8550u-_-34-234-838-_-Product
Andrei Girbea
October 11, 2017 at 3:12 pm
Yeah, but the S510 only get a 42 Wh battery, that's small for my liking
Kris
October 11, 2017 at 3:28 pm
Yeah maybe for a 15". My current one has a 45Wh for a 13", so it's not that much different.
Considering my beast is lucky to last about 2 hours, anything over 5-6 hours will work for me.
Busy day – more models are popping up over at Newegg, with some KBL-R UQ Zenbooks popping up for mid-November and Black Friday here in the US (11/24).
Jacob D.
October 25, 2017 at 4:26 pm
You might as well spend the extra $100 and get this with double the ram, double the SSD, and 8th gen i7. I think it is lighter too!
Unless you REALLY need that $50 hard drive and 15.6 inch screen over a 14 inch…
Here's the link of the Costco add! docs.google.com/document/d/1r88l87PHm0zjKW0sxIqgPkeVyEh_Iaog7sZpi0hwYLU/edit?usp=sharing
Kris
October 12, 2017 at 9:57 am
14" Lenovo Flex 5 with an 8250u, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB PCIe SSD, and iGPU popped up at Micro Center this morning for $849.
microcenter.com/product/484954/Flex_5_14_2-in-1_Laptop_Computer_-_Black
anon
October 13, 2017 at 2:31 am
Is this product page accurate? costco.com/ASUS-ZenBook-UX430UN-Laptop—Intel-Core-i7—2GB-NVIDIA-Graphics–1080p-.product.100375043.html it shows that the coffee lake UX430UN comes with an MX150, I haven't seen anything like this on Asus' official website.
Jacob D.
October 25, 2017 at 4:22 pm
Well, Costco put it in their add too. I firmly believe it is, for Costco had the hp pavilion 8th gen before hp listed it. According to the add, the deal on the laptop goes from 10/26 to 11/22. It's only $999.99, what a bargain! I think I will buy it. I wonder if I should just wait until Black Friday though…anyone have any advice?
Here is the link for a picture of the add, I took it with my phone: docs.google.com/document/d/1r88l87PHm0zjKW0sxIqgPkeVyEh_Iaog7sZpi0hwYLU/edit?usp=sharing
Mo The Tech Guy
January 29, 2018 at 2:43 pm
Hey guys,
Love this page – just wish they'd update it to include newer models like the new Lenovo x1 Carbon.
I ordered this UX430UN machine from Costco. While Costco is selling it as a UX430UN, mine reports as a UX430UNR – not sure what the difference is.
It is the i7-8550U, 16gb RAM, 500GB SATA SSD (not NVMe, for cost reasons I guess), an excellent 14" 1080p IPS display with the nVidia MX150. All for $999US.
The Passmark scores I got were better than expected. CPU is 9549, 3D Mark (GPU) is 1807. That makes it about 50% faster than last years 15w i7 CPU and double the performance of an Intel HD620 iGPU.
As to gaming on it – I'm playing Forza demo on it – not an xbox One X, but pretty amazing for a 2.7lb laptop.
First impressions – some minor issues, so not perfect, but pretty amazing.
I'm thinking of doing a YouTube review of it. Anyone interested in seeing that?
Jacob Delis
January 30, 2018 at 4:46 pm
I totally am! I one the one from Costco as well.
TH
October 23, 2017 at 7:36 am
Hi. Great review on Asus Ux331. I'm actually pondering between asus ux331 and hp envy 13 (both with almost the same configuration: i7-8550, mx150 and 16 Gb ram and 512gb SSD). What is your take as I have difficulty choosing which one to buy.
PS ignore their price…
Andrei Girbea
October 23, 2017 at 9:24 am
Haven't got my hands on the Envy and probably never will, as these are not available in this part of the world. You should try to find some proper reviews that speak about its performance. The CPU runs well on the UX331, but the MX150 is down-clocked MX150 and slower than you'd normally expect from an MX150. Not sure how the Envy compares, but if gaming matters to you, I'd look closely into this matter.
TH
October 25, 2017 at 1:27 am
What a pity that you are unable to get your hands on the Envy and to do a comprehensive review on it. I am not a heavy gamer however I would like to have a laptop with discrete graphics card just in case I might need it in the future. In general, which brand will be a better choice in terms of build quality as I hope the laptop will be able to last as long as possible.
Kris
October 23, 2017 at 9:59 am
I'd dare say that if serious gaming truly matters, that an ultrabook probably isn't the right choice. There are some thinner gaming notebooks out there with real graphics cards, such as the MSI GS series and I know Auros and Razer make some as well.
An MX150 will be ok for casual gaming and older titles, but will choke on newer games and eye candy. It will, however, be better than any Intel iGPU. :)
I'm really curious to see what MSI does with the GS series once CFL-H procs ship.
Cosmin
October 23, 2017 at 10:35 am
This one has 8th gen as well: ASUS ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX490UA-XH74-BL
amazon.com/ASUS-ZenBook-Deluxe-UX490UA-XH74-BL-Laptop/dp/B076CSS471
What is your opinion about this one?
Andrei Girbea
October 23, 2017 at 2:17 pm
Personally, I'm not a big fan of the UX490. This article gathers my impressions of a previous configuration, but everything in there stands for that newer variant as well: https://www.ultrabookreview.com/14982-asus-zenbook-ux490ua-review/
Kris
October 26, 2017 at 12:53 pm
14" Lenovo IdeaPad 720S with 8250u, MX150, 8 GB, 256 GB PCIe, IPS screen, and Thunderbolt 3 port popped up at Micro Center earlier this week, starting at $799. RAM appears to be upgradeable based on reviews of the KBL version.
For the price range, this one's looking like the one to beat.
microcenter.com/product/487724/IdeaPad_720S_14_Laptop_Computer_-_Silver
Jacob D.
October 30, 2017 at 2:00 pm
Did you get this one: amazon.com/dp/B0762S8PYM/ref=psdc_13896615011_t1_B075N1YHVK
For $500, sure it's 3.7 lbs, but the screen has thin bezels and if someone could check if the hard drive could be replaced…
It even seems to beat out Asus's "value ultrabook" for $750, if someone doesn't mind an extra pound.
Anyway, I think it should be listed here. Many people might want it.
Andrei Girbea
October 30, 2017 at 5:44 pm
It's in the list. Keep in mind you'd also have to accept the TN screen. For $500, this is a pretty solid laptop, but if you're willing to spend $600 you can get the Aspire 5 instead .
Viktor
November 14, 2017 at 3:01 pm
How come the 14” Asus Zenbook (ux430) has been renewed with Intel 8th gen cores and nVidia mx150, but the larger 15.6” model of the same Asus Zenbook (ux530) has not gotten them (yet?). I see that the 14” and 15.6” of the Vivobook S both have gotten the new chips, so why cant both of the zenboooks?
Andrei Girbea
November 15, 2017 at 4:25 am
Asus's decisions never fail to baffle me either :p
Dieter
November 15, 2017 at 10:06 am
I don't understand either. I've been waiting for them to announce this device but they keep not doing it, even though it seems only logical. I can't wait to buy the UD version, with 8th gen i7 and a GTX 1050, but it seems it'll never come. If it's not announced by the new year I'm getting the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro I guess.
Dieter
November 15, 2017 at 10:08 am
Hi Andrei. I just saw that Asus announced a UX410UF with 8th gen i5/i7 It's not really clear on the what a GPU is, they just say it has 2GB DDR5. Since the MX150 is called the UN it seems that it will either be another version of the MX150, or another GPU altogether.
Andrei Girbea
November 15, 2017 at 11:55 am
I'd reckon an MX130. UFs in the past came with 930M, so a successor for that, which would be the MX130.
Herman
March 18, 2018 at 10:09 pm
Don't buy any Asus UX4*** their fans make a lot of annoying noise all the time!!!
I had one of them and returned to Bestbuy.
Jeffrey Perren
November 15, 2017 at 5:39 pm
This site continues to be among the most informative. Thanks for all your efforts. Any news on what's coming up for 2018, particularly in the Lenovo Thinkpad X Carbon?
Andrei Girbea
November 15, 2017 at 6:15 pm
Not for the moment. Lenovo usually launch their new series at CES in early January, but we should know more by then.
al luring
November 17, 2017 at 2:55 pm
13" Yoga 720 has 8th gen
al luring
November 17, 2017 at 2:58 pm
Surface Book 2 has 8th gen on $2000+ models
Al luring
November 18, 2017 at 9:40 am
There are HP business laptops with 8th gen, like the 440 and 430 models