ASUS Zenbook Prime UX21A Touch Hands-On

ASUS' Computex 2012 range may have err'd on the odd side so far, but the new Zenbook Prime UX21A Touch is an ultrabook with far more mass-market appeal despite delivering finger-friendly Windows 8. Taking the original Zenbook Prime from earlier this year, and slotting in a capacitive touchscreen on top of the Full HD display, it eschews crazy hinges and odd form-factors for a more straightforward boost in functionality.

The display itself uses an IPS LCD panel with 178-degree viewing angles, and ASUS believes the UX21A should last for up to 150 days in standby mode and yet still load up in just 2 seconds from sleep. Graphics are courtesy of Intel's HD 4000 chipset, paired with a third-gen Ivy Bridge Core processor.

ASUS Zenbook Prime Touch demo:

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There's also 4GB of DDR3 memory, up to 256GB of SSD storage, and a multitouch trackpad for those times you're not in the mood to peck at the display. The keyboard is backlit, and feels pretty darn responsive despite the fact that the ultrabook is a mere 17.5mm at its thickest.

No news on pricing or availability, but as with so many of the other devices we've seen this past week it's all contingent on when Windows 8 itself hits the market. Considering the non-touch UX21A has an RRP of $1,199, we'd expect the Touch version to be in excess of that.