CES 2013: 10 Sleek Devices Running Windows 8

Front And Center With Windows 8

Admittedly, it's the first CES without Microsoft, but one would have expected to see a significantly larger amount of Windows 8 devices making their way to the show floor. Yet even though the overall PC announcements were scarce, those companies that did make some moves had some pretty compelling offerings to talk about. Here are some key Windows 8 products from CES 2013.

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S

Lenovo's fold-tastic, 13.3-inch Ultrabook from last year was the critical darling of the Windows 8 launch. The 11.6-inch model languished with Windows RT, however, eliminating it from the shopping lists of most consumers. This week, Lenovo rectified things: The new Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S now comes equipped with Intel Core processors (i3 and i5.) The screen steps up its game as well, moving from 1,366 x 769 to 1,600 x 900. The wait is long, but the price is sweet. The 11S will be available in June for $799.

Vizio Tablet PC

Vizio trotted out a bit of a surprise. Its new tablet, an 11.6-inch device, packs a 1,080p screen. The Vizio tablet, like its laptop and all-in-one brethren from last year, is an exceedingly attractive machine. Interestingly though, it runs on AMD (Z60) hardware, the first Windows 8 tablet to do so. Pricing and availability have been withheld, but expect the competition in the tablet market to heat up among the chip makers sometime this year.

NEC LaVie X

Japanese manufacturer NEC showed off this half-inch-thick Ultrabook during Intel's press conference. The LaVie X has a 15.6-inch screen that clocks in with a 1,080p screen supported by IPS technology. On the processor side, there is an Intel i7, along with 4 GB of RAM, a 256-GB SSD and and a pair of USB 3.0 ports. In Japan, likely the only place the PC will see the light of day, the LaVie X will launch for the U.S. equivalent of $2,000.

Toshiba Satellite U845t

In March, Toshiba will be updating its entry-level Ultrabook for Touch. It has a palatable starting price of $799 but scales into higher-end features such as backlit keys and an i5 processor. The Satellite also has a classy brushed aluminum chassis that belies its midrange price. Look for it in March.

Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon

Coining the term "table-top" computer, Lenovo introduced a 27-inch all-in-one computer that will lie totally flat on a table. The clear intent is for families to get together and play Monopoly, Parcheesi or whatever the kids play these days. The touchable, 1,080p monitor is powered by an i7 processor and Nvidia graphics. It will launch this summer for $1,699.

HP Pavilion TouchSmart Sleekbook

HP invented the term "Sleekbook" for when it put AMD hardware in an Ultrabook chassis. For the first time, the Sleekbook is moving down HP's product line to the mainstream Pavilion series. Here, the price is $699 for a 1,366 x 768, 15.6-inch screen that users can poke and prod to tehir heart's delight. The CPU starts at a formidable A8 APU and is paired with a respectable 6 GB of RAM and a 750-GB HDD. The Pavilion TouchSmart Sleekbook will launch in February.

Asus Transformer AiO

Even though Asus failed to bring any new Ultrabooks to CES, it did bring one of the most interesting all-in-one PCs. The Transformer AiO has an 18.4-inch, 1,080p detachable screen. Yes, detachable. The base station includes a Core i5 processor and Windows 8. The monitor, effectively a monstrous tablet, includes a Tegra 3 and will run Android Jelly Bean. Interestingly, through Splashtop, the detached monitor can remain in Windows 8 as long as it stays within Wi-Fi range of the base station. While availability has yet to revealed, the Transformer AiO will start at $1,299.

Toshiba Qosmio X875

The Qosmio is no Ultrabook. It's a 17-inch, multimedia and gaming powerhouse. The Qosmio also plays to one of Toshiba's traditional strengths, feature scalability. While the X875 starts at an eye-watering $1,479, it can reach dizzying heights because of configuration options such as a 3-D screen, 32 GB of RAM (seriously,) and Blu-ray. The starting model delivers too, packing an i7 processor and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 670M with 3 GB of dedicated video memory. The beast launches Feb. 3.

Samsung Series 7 Chronos

Samsung's new laptop, while not as extravagant as Toshiba's Qosmio, fills a similar slot in the Korean behemoth's lineup. The 15.6-inch Chronos has an attractive metal chassis that feels like a cross between Apple and HP's high-end machines. The Chronos is another machine for those that need some horsepower. An i7 processor makes the cut, as does an AMD Radeon HD 8870M. The battery life is rated at an impressive 11 hours. Pricing and availability aren't yet available.

Lenovo ThinkPad Helix

Lenovo's Helix is another modular design from the Chinese OEM. The 11.6-inch, 1,080p Helix is an incredibly thin Ultrabook that sports the understated and gorgeous ThinkPad look. The trick is in the detachable lid. The Helix can reattach to the dock in the traditional laptop sense, or backward, effectively turning the machine into a thick tablet with laudable battery life. In traditional laptop and tablet mode, the Helix makes a great impression. The Helix will launch for $1,499 in late February.