Asus UX51VZ with 2880×1620 Display; Asus Quietly Joins the Retina Club with an Ultrabook Alternative

Posted on 17 May 2013, Last updated on 17 March 2023 by

asus ux51vz retina display

Back in June of 2012, Apple revealed their MacBook Pro with ‘retina’ display — a super high resolution panel. Since then we haven’t an answer in the Ultrabook or Ultrabook-alternative world by anything higher than 1920×1080 (likely due to Windows’ poor scaling support). It looks like Asus will be the first to make a comparable offering. A new variant of the UX51 popped up quietly on Amazon.de sporting a 15.6 inch 2880 x 1620 panel.

Credit goes to Notebook Italia who spotted the UX51VZ-DH115H variant on Amazon.de. As far as we can tell, there’s been no formal announcement from Asus… perhaps they accidentally listed it early?

Priced at €1999 (~$2562), it’s the same 15.6 inch UX51 that we’ve seen before — not quite an Ultrabook thanks to a more power-hungry QM processor — but with high density 2880×1620 IPS display, which puts it at 211.82 PPI. For comparison, the 15.4 inch MacBook Pro with retina display is 220 PPI (and it starts at  $2199).

Given the price, we’re not surprised to find this UX51 packed to the brim with premium components:

  • Windows 8
  • 15.6 inch IPS display 2880×1620
  • Intel Core i7-3632QM
  • 8GB of RAM
  • 2x 256GB SSD in high performance RAID 0 configuration
  • Nvidia GeForce GT 650M discrete GPU
  • Ports: 3x USB 3.0, full HDMI, full SD, full ethernet (RJ45/LAN), mini-VGA, 3.5mm headphone/mic combo
  • 2.16kg, 19.7mm thick
  • 90Wh battery
  • Included: external DVD drive and USB subwoofer

It doesn’t look like the UX51VZ-DH115H is shipping just yet. The Amazon.de page currently says “usually ships in 1 to 2 months,” but we’ll keep our eye on it and continue to hope that this display makes it’s way into Asus’ Ultrabooks!

7 Comments For This Post

  1. Don says:

    You must be living in a cave if you haven’t heard of the Toshiba Kirabook which has been out for weeks and is 2560×1440 on a 13.3 form.

  2. Seb says:

    You get off on being rude and ignorant Don?

    He posted about the Kirabook on this very site on April 19th.

    The 13in netbook doesn’t exactly compare with the 15in Macbook Pro Retina now does it??

    Also, 2880 x 1620 > 2560×1440. More importantly, this new model is indeed the first 15+in notebook to compete with the 15in MB Pro

    And I want one!

  3. Ben Lang says:

    Sorry for any confusion folks. I changed the article to clarify that I was talking about the Ultrabook and tangential devices (Ultrabook alternatives).

  4. Chintan Trivedi says:

    After seeing my friend’s retina macbook running windows8 with textsize at 150%, I can say that anyone would be better off with a slightly lower res than with retina like resolution untill microsoft gets its act right and makes windows(and wp8 as well) play nicely with high ppi screens

  5. Don says:

    No, but to say there has been nothing higher than 1920×1080 is flat wrong and if it was already posted then it is even more than wrong.

  6. Skaertus says:

    This laptops is listed on Amazon.de as having been first available in April 19, almost a month ago. How could nobody notice it before?

  7. MACIEJ says:

    More less the same specified DELL XPS-14 costs in Asia Pacific less then 1300USD!

    2500USD for such configuration is mandness! Anyway who buy at Amazon.de / only higher could be manufacturer’s store!

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