Toshiba teases high-end KIRAbook

Toshiba is teasing a new high-end ultrabook computer which it plans to launch next month. Curiously, although there is plenty of official information regarding specs, pictures of the device have yet to go live. 

Dubbed KIRAbook, the ultrabook features a 13.3-inch display with a rather impressive resolution of 2560 x 1440.

The device also features a 256 GB SSD for storage, 8 GB of RAM and runs Microsoft Windows 8. As noted above, the resolution is quite impressive, promising 221 pixels per inch. Now while 221 pixels per inch is not quite MacBook retina display level, it is still quite close.

Toshiba has promised three models at launch, while offering up some details about two of the more expensive iterations. Both will feature touchscreens, with one ultrabook equipped with a Core i5-3337U processor and the other weighing in with a Core i7-3537U ultra-low voltage processor.

As expected, Toshiba also talks up the looks and premium nature of its KIRAbook, boasting that it was deisgned with a chassis made from A291 pressed magnesium alloy, along with a honeycomb base. The material is supposed to be 100% stronger than aluminum alloy, yet the ultrabook is still quite light at 2.6 pounds, measuring some 0.7-inches thick.

The cheapest KIRAbook starts at $1599.99, the mid-range model at $1799.99, while the top-of-the-line version is slated to hit the streets $1,999.

As noted above, the machines are aptly described as high-end, with the base model starting at $100 more than a retina screen MacBook. The official date for availability at Best Buy is May 12, and yes, the KIRAbook will also be available online as well.