LG took a more direct shot at the ultrabook category Monday with a new addition to the Xnote line. The Z330 carries a 13-inch screen and a tapered, silver and black design reminiscent of a cross between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. LG claims the system is lighter, at under 2.7 pounds, and slightly thinner, at 0.6 inches.
According with its focus, it gets a low-voltage 1.6GHz Core i5 or 1.8GHz Core i7 and ships with a minimum of a 120GB or 256GB solid-state drive. Optimizations help Windows 7 start up in 9.9 seconds, the company claims. LG’s real feature advantages are support for direct HDMI video out, USB 3.0, as well as WiDi wireless video with an adapter on the TV’s side.
Price may be the system’s liability and supports notions that Windows PC builders are having trouble competing on price with Apple. While Korean pricing can be higher as a matter of course, the base Z330 costs the equivalent of $1,508, while a high-end version costs about $2,307.
LG hasn’t said if the new Xnote will reach North America. Some of its PCs reach Canada, but they typically don’t sell in the US.
