Intel to power as many as 40 Windows 8 ultrabooks in Q4 starting as low as $699

Intel (INTC) has big plans for Microsoft’s (MSFT) upcoming Windows 8 operating system, according to Netbook News. The chipmaker and its partners are planning to release at leash 40 ultrabooks with touchscreen displays as early as the fourth quarter of 2012. The problem with the current-generation of ultrabooks is the hefty price tags associated with the ultra-slim computers. This will not be the case moving forward, however. Previous-generation Sandy Bridge ultrabooks have already seen reduced pricing, but within the coming months entry-level ultrabooks will be offered for as little as $699 to further compete against Apple’s (AAPL) MacBook Air. Intel also hinted at the company’s next-generation processor, Haswell. Along with increased speeds and reduced power consumption, the processor will be the first System on a Chip for PC, and will use 20 times less power than the current Ivy Bridge processor family.

Read