Let's get straight to it: The new Zenbook Prime Ultrabooks have the best displays of any Ultrabooks introduced so far. The Zenbook Prime 11-inch UX21A and 13-inch UX31A and UX32VD all offer optional full HD 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixel) displays. This is a big update from the last year's screen resolutions -- 1366 by 768 pixels on the 11-inch UX21, and 1600 by 900 pixels on the 13-inch UX31. More pixels means you'll see sharper text and images, and you won't have to scroll as often.
Most Ultrabooks today only offer 1366 by 768 pixel resolution displays. Resolution-wise, the Zenbook Prime's closest Ultrabook competitors are the , and , all of which have 1600 by 900 pixel resolution on their 13.3- to 15.6-inch screens.
None of the other Ultrabooks use the offered on the Zenbook Prime full HD displays. Screens with IPS have brilliant color and better viewing angles.
In his , PCWorld editor Jason Cross notes the laptop's superior display compared to other Ultrabooks, and assures us the text isn't too small on the high-resolution screen.
The Zenbook Prime Ultrabooks will debut next month with third-generation Intel Ivy Bridge processors. This gives the Asus Ultrabooks a leg up on the first wave of Ultrabooks, including the and , which have yet to announce Ivy Bridge updates.
However, there's little doubt that, , PC makers will refresh their laptops' processors -- so the Zenbooks' Ivy Bridge refresh isn't that important unless you're buying a new laptop in the next month. HP, Sony, and Lenovo have already announced that their latest Ultrabooks will use Ivy Bridge processors.
Like most Ultrabooks, the Asus Zenbook Prime laptops use integrated Intel graphics: specifically, the Intel HD 4000. A few Ultrabooks, especially early ones like the , use older Intel HD 3000 graphics.
One Zenbook Prime model, the UX32VD, comes with an optional Nvidia GeForce graphics card. This discrete graphics option might put the Zenbook Prime ahead of the rest if you're a gamer or you need excellent graphics performance for another reason. There are few other Ultrabooks with discrete graphics options, including the 14-inch and large 15-inch (which really pushes the Ultrabook form factor with its 5-pound weight).
However, HP offers an Ultrabook alternative, the 15.6-inch , with an AMD Trinity APU that than Intel's Ivy Bridge with integrated graphics. And the Sleekbook does all that at nearly half the cost of the Zenbook Prime UX21A or UX31A.
The Zenbook Prime Ultrabooks are priced at a little over $1,000--even with the full HD IPS display options, which makes the competitively priced against other Ultrabooks and the MacBook Air.
The exception is HP's , and its stylish line of Ultrabooks. The Sleekbook starts at just $599.99, while HP's 14-inch Envy Ultrabook starts at $749.99.
The exception is HP's very aggressively priced , starting at $599.99 for the Sleekbook and $749.99 for the 14-inch HP Envy Ultrabook.
Don't get me wrong -- the are great, and include a brilliant display, backlit keyboard, and improved audio, making the Prime a top Ultrabook contender. That said, we expect a , so get ready for a difficult decision if you're on the market for an ultra-light, wafer-thin laptop.
Follow (@melaniepinola) and on Twitter