BenQ Gets into the CULV Game with the Joybook S43 and S35

Following in the footsteps of the netbook market, the ULV segment continues to gain ground, as more system makers are rolling out their latest solutions on the market. The latest to join the increasing crowd is BenQ, which has just announced an update to its line of Joybook portable PCs, by introducing the new 13.3-inch Joybook S35 and the 14-inch Joybook S43, both of which have been designed to take advantage of Intel's latest ULV processors. As with Acer's Timeline and MSI's X-Slim series, the new laptops have been built as ultraportable alternatives to fully fledged laptops, boasting a lightweight and slim design.

“Our new Joybooks employing ULV components are tailored to enhance the digital lifestyle enjoyment of a very specific consumer: one that desires the portability and affordability of a netbook, but requires the higher functionality of a notebook. The S35/S43 is the clear, distinct solution between these two categories of laptops,” explained Peter Chen, general manager of BenQ Technology Product Center.

The new laptops will be available with a choice of Intel's latest ULV processors, including the Core 2 Duo SU7300, Core 2 Solo SU3500 or Celeron 723/743, coupled with a native resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, for a rich multimedia, office and Internet computing experience. According to BenQ, the S43 has been featured with the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 GPU, while the S35 comes with the familiar Intel GMA4500M iGPU. Both systems are expected to provide users with options for 500GB hard drives, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, Gigabit Ethernet, 4-in-1 card reader, three USB 2.0 ports and HDMI port.

With a standard battery pack, the new Joybook laptops are said to provide users with about 5 hours of runtime, while an optional 8-cell battery pack will push that to 11 hours, according to BenQ. No word on pricing, but the two laptops are expected to make a debut in the near future, although they are already available in Asia.