HP has added a new premium-looking Ultrabook to its portfolio ahead of the launch of Windows 8 on Friday - one that features an all metal chassis. The Spectre XT 13-2100EA costs £900 at Currys and comes with an Intel Core i5-3317U processor clocked at 1.7GHz with a 2.6GHz Turbo Boost and 3MB L3 cache.

Like so many Ultrabooks on the market, it has 4GB of RAM and a 13.3in display with a 1,366 x 768 resolution plus an Intel HD Graphics 4000 subsystem. Other features include Wi-Fi, a 128GB SSD drive, GbE, a card reader, HDMI port (no VGA), Beats Audio technology, two USB ports (with sleep and charge capabilities), a 4-cell Li-Ion battery that can power the laptop for up to eight hours, a full size backlit UV painted keyboard and the HP Imagepad touchpad.

The Spectre XT 13-2100EA Ultrabook weighs only 1.39kg, is a mere 17mm thick and comes with a HP protective sleeve. Other than Windows 8, other applications bundled include a two year subscription to Norton Internet Security 2013, Adobe Photoshop and Premier Elements, Cyberlink Youcam, Absolute Data Protect (one year subscription) and HP Connected Music trial.