Toshiba KIRAbook, a Windows 8 ultrabook with retina display, available in May

kirabook-toshiba-_780_wide

Finally a PC manufacture is about to start shipping an ultrabook that features a high-resolution display, similar to the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro and the Chromebook Pixel. Today we hear that Toshiba has announced KIRAbook, a new 13.3-inch ultrabook featuring a 10-point multitouch display with 2560 x 1440 pixels, 8GB of RAM, a healthy 256GB Solid State Drive, and of course pre-installed with Windows 8.

Toshiba plans to ship three models of KIRAbook, but the information available now only mentions two of the models, both touch-enabled retina displays with a 221 PPI, which is a bit lower than the 227 PPI in Apple’s MacBook and the 239 PPI in Google’s new Pixel. One houses a Core i5-3337U and the other higher-end model features a Core i7-357U, and both features an ultra-low-voltage Intel processor.

The company says that KIRAbook is built from “A291 pressed magnesium alloy and a honeycomb-base”, which according to Toshiba, is stronger than aluminum. The casing material is also very lightweight that helps to keep the device under 3 pounds and at only 0.7-inch thick.

Gallery

Toshiba doesn’t specify exactly how long the battery will last, but the company says “a high-capacity Li-Polymer battery is incorporated to let users work unplugged throughout the day with a long battery life rating” — Something tells me that in real-life we’ll be seeing an average of 4-6 hours, just because of the retina display.

But it doesn’t come cheap, the Core i7 model will cost a steep $1,999, while the Core i5 KIRAbook will cost $1,799 and the low-end (tech specs not yet revealed) will be priced at $1,599.

KIRAbook will be available for pre-order in the US on May 3rd and it will be for sale on May 12th at different outlets (Best Buy, Microsoft Store, Amazon, B&H and Adorama).

Source Toshiba via The Verge (and images)

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.