The UX32A-R3021H from Asus is an interesting machine. Somehow, the Taiwanese consumer electronics company has managed to pack an Ivy-Bridge-based Core i7 3517U CPU (clocked at 1.9GHz and turbo-chargeable to 3GHz, with 4MB cache) into a chassis that is only 17mm thick.

Weighing just 1.45Kg and featuring the latest Microsoft OS, Windows 8, this Ultrabook sports a striking design reminiscent of the Eee Pad Transformer tablet series. Currently listed for pre-order with availability set for 26 October, the new Asus Windows 8 device is certainly one for consumers with deep pockets, being listed for £900 via Currys. But overall, it's fair to say that we have been disappointed by the general specification of the product.

It comes with only 4GB of RAM (part of it being shared with the Intel HD 4000 graphics sub-system), has a 24GB SSD system disk and a 500GB hard disk drive – a setup that’s more common at the lower end of the Ultrabook spectrum. It also features a 13.3in LED display at just 1,366 x 768 pixels (probably the biggest disappointment), three USB 3.0 ports, HDMI and VGA, a webcam, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and a microSD card reader. Asus has also included a pair of Bang & Olufsen ICE power speakers and a slipcase.

Expect the price of this Ultrabook to fall significantly over the next three months as Asus adjusts its pricing to fall in line with the competition.