Asus intros 13.3-inch VivoBook S300 with touchscreen, Windows 8

Asus has expanded its VivoBook line with a new model that offers an in-between alternative to the existing 11.6 and 14-inch models. As with its siblings, the 13.3-inch VivoBook S300 has an ultrabook-like body, weighing between three and four pounds and measuring less than an inch thick. However, unlike some versions of the S400, it doesn't offer a flash storage option, so it technically doesn't belong to Intel's exclusive club.

The 13.3-incher will be offered in a variety of configurations, with processors ranging from the Sandy Bridge-based ULV Celeron 847 up to the Ivy Bridge-based quad-thread Core i7-3517U. Naturally, the integrated graphics will vary accordingly, while units will also come with 2GB or 4GB of RAM and 320GB or 500GB of mechanical storage.

Most of the remaining specifications will be shared across the different models, including a 1366x768 glass-covered touchscreen, an HD webcam, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, gigabit Ethernet, HDMI and VGA outputs, one USB 3.0 port and two USB 2.0 ports, a combo audio jack, a card reader, and a 44Whr battery (no word on run time).

Given the touchscreen and all, units will ship with either Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro. Pricing and availability remains a mystery currently, but it's worth mentioning that the 11.6-inch S200 starts at about $499 and the 14-inch S400 is $699 or so at its weakest configuration, so it stands to reason that the S300 will go for $599ish and up.