Toshiba is hoping to make waves in the high-end laptop market with its new Kira range, starting with the 13.3-inch Kirabook featuring a high-resolution 2,560 x 1,440 PixelPure display.
This resolution gives the Kirabook 221 pixels per inch (ppi), far above the definition offered by standard HD displays and placing Toshiba’s latest up there with Google’s new Chromebook Pixel and Apple’s MacBook Pro editions with Retina display.
The Chromebook Pixel packs 4.3m pixels into a slightly smaller 12.8-inch display, giving it 239ppi starting at US$1,299. The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display packs in 220ppi while the 13-inch has 227ppi. Apple recently dropped the prices of this range but buyers are still looking at upwards of €1,500.
The Kirabook’s price range falls between the two, starting at US$1,599 for the basic non-touchscreen Intel Core i5 edition and stretching to US$1,999 for a touchscreen model and a Core i7 processor.
Constructed in magnesium with durability in mind, the Kirabook weighs just under 1.2kg, making it even lighter than the MacBook Air. The whole thing is less than an inch thick and features a backlit keyboard, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD, and software for Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 and Premiere Elements 11 comes pre-loaded.
The key point to note here is that Toshiba’s high-resolution, lightweight ultrabook operates on an entirely different platform to the Chromebook Pixel and the MacBook Pros, offering users a high-spec, high-definition alternative running Windows 8.
The Kirabook will be available for pre-order in the US on 3 May, hitting retailers on 12 May.
