2015 Samsung ATIV Book 9 Vs. Apple Macbook Air: Battle of the Lightweights

Ultrabooks are all about thin and light design, and high-end performance. The trend began in 2008, with the release of the Macbook Air, which started a revolution in lightweight laptops, yet, the ratio between performance, weight and size of the Macbook has remained largely unmatched.

This year at CES, none other than Samsung, has decided to step the game up with the 2015 Ativ Book 9, which will be released in the first quarter. This brand new and incredibly light ultrabook has drawn attention, and already gaining popularity as a Macbook Air worthy challenger, with corroborating specs.

In respect to the smallest, 2010 Macbook Air, the Ativ Book 9 is 31 percent thinner and 12 percent lighter, being at its thickest point, 0.46 inches, and weighing 2.09lb. When holding it, the weight difference with previous versions is noticeable, placing this laptop right into tablet’s territory, with a construction that reminds of the iPad Air 2 or Samsung Galaxy Tab S. While the body might give out the appearance of plastic, at least from a distance, it’s actually made of aluminum, taking a page or two from the Macbook Air.

The Ativ Book 9 doesn’t feature a touch screen, but it does offer an impressive WQXGA resolution, with 247 pixels per inch over a 12.2 inches display. Colors appear rich, with sharp text and great contrast. The touchpad is quite large and one of the most accurate on the market, for a Windows device.

The Ativ Book 9 is set to ship in the first quarter of this year, starting at $1200, for the 128GB SSD version with 4GB of RAM. A $1400 version will also be available, with 256GB SSD, and 8GB of RAM.

As far as its operating system, it’s very unlikely that the laptop will ship with the yet to be seen Windows 10, even if Microsoft does release Windows 10 early enough.

Samsung ATIV 9 Specs: