It’s a winning package for channel pros: New ultrabook technology, a growing market, and benefits likely to counterbalance objections based on price.

By Elaine J. Hom

At CES earlier this month, ultrabooks garnered the biggest buzz. Consumer interest aside, however, these ultra lightweight, ultra portable, yet pricey PCs are poised to make a splash with SMBs too. In fact, according to a recent study by global IT SMB market research company TechAisle, 1 in 5 PCs shipped to SMBs in the next year will be ultrabooks. That’s at least 3.6 million ultrabooks shipping to SMBs in 2012. Market conditions—such as decreasing prices and increased marketing from Intel and its OEM partners—may push that figure as high as 7 million over the next 12 months.

Intel developed the processor technology to enable these sleek new PCs, reportedly spurred on by Apple’s MacBook Air. But in this PC-Mac race, ultrabooks would appear the clear early favorite, with 70 percent of survey respondents selecting ultrabooks over their Apple competitor. Respondents cite the Windows platform and lower price points of current ultrabooks as the top factors in their choice.

Pat Taylor, channel advocate and executive director of channel reseller organization NASBA, concurs with respondents and says ultrabooks will be stiff competition for the MacBook Air in business settings. "[Customers are] going to see them as a lower-cost version of the Mac with a whole lot more flexibility," he says. "[Apple] loves to talk about the apps they have available, but when it comes down to running business applications, it's just not there. You need a PC platform, and the ultrabook gives you that."

Before ultrabooks find their way into business settings in numbers, however, those businesses must know about and understand the benefits of the technology. In the TechAisle survey, for example, only 23 percent of SMBs are aware of ultrabooks. But of those familiar with the technology, 65 percent have indicated intent to purchase, says Anurag Agrawal, CEO of TechAisle.

While ultrabooks may be stylish and cool compared with other form factors, SMBs have to be willing to pay for them.  Agrawal thinks ultrabooks have created enough excitement among SMBs to overcome the price barrier, especially considering the advent of Windows 8 and the mobile nature of today’s workforce.

"Ultrabooks are extremely light and thin, which is well suited for the increasingly mobile world of the SMB," says Agrawal. "Telecommuting and work from anywhere have jumped in the last three years not only because of smartphones and tablets, but also because executives have realized that having workers travel and work from anywhere increases productivity."

Says Taylor, “People want lighter [weight], but they don't want to trade on functionality. Channel guys need to sell the form factor, the speed and quality of performance, and the great graphics."