ASUS Said to Be Planning New Intel Ultra-Thin Laptops

ASUSTeK, one of the world's leading vendors of ultraportable netbook computer systems, is said to be planning the launch of new ultra-thin notebooks, using the latest Intel processors, the 45nm Celeron 743 and SU2300. The outfit plans to launch the new models next week, on September 7, according to recent details that have been made available on the Internet. With the launch of the new laptops, the company will further expand its presence in the growing market of ultra-thin and ultraportable laptops, where leading companies such as Dell, Acer and MSI have also made important steps.

According to industry sources, cited in a recent news-article on Digitimes, the new models are expected to come out on September the 7th and are said to initially ship in areas including Taiwan, China and Europe. The new processors, Intel's Celeron 743 and SU2300 are priced at US$107 and US$134 (in 1000-unit tray quantities), respectively. According to the aforementioned sources, both models have been designed for the entry-level market.

ASUS' president and CEO, Mr. Jerry Shen, has recently talked about the company's plans to make ultra-thin laptops a significant part of its total notebook shipments. According to him, ASUS' ultra-thin models will account for 10-20% of the company's total notebook shipments for the third quarter of 2009. This should provide an interesting perspective on the current market trend, with more companies shifting their focus from netbooks to ultra-thin laptops.

In related news, fellow Taiwanese manufacturers MSI and Acer are also expected to follow suit with their new ultra-thin notebooks, according to the same sources. Unfortunately, we have no specific details on the release date of these new models, but the two are expected to announce the new products soon after ASUS officially takes the wraps off its latest Intel-powered ultrathin laptops.