Toshiba Debuts a Windows 8 Laptop for the Filthy Rich

1. The 'Luxury' Ultrabook

   The Toshiba KIRAbook is a high-end Ultrabook laptop that kicks off Toshiba's KIRA line of "luxury" products. It starts at $1,599.99 and can go as high as $1,999.99 with a touchscreen ultra-high-res display and an Intel Core i7 processor. Every KIRAbook comes with premium service, including 24/7 access to tech support based in the U.S.

   

2. Keyboard

   The keys of the KIRAbook are sloped slightly for the best possible tactile experience. The keyboard is backlit, too.

   

3. Many, Many Pixels

   The KIRAbook has a 13.3-inch, 2,560 x 1,440-pixel display, for a pixel density of 221 pixels per inch (PPI), which is very close to the 13-inch MacBook Air With Retina Display. Here it's shown scaled for normal viewing.

   

4. Maximized Viewing

   If you don't mind squinting, you can scale the display to render everything "normally."

   

5. Left Side

   All the USB ports on the KIRAbook are 3.0.

   

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9. Magnesium Casing

   The KIRAbook's enclosure is made of magnesium alloy, which cuts down on weight (compared with aluminum) while remaining rigid.

   

10. Honeycomb Construction

    The honeycomb pattern, sometimes seen in aerospace design, helps the KIRAbook's sturdy construction.

    

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While cheap netbooks slowly die off, Toshiba is going for the complete opposite end of the market with its new KIRAbook, a high-end Windows 8 laptop that kicks off the company's KIRA line of luxury products.

As the top consumer Ultrabook made by Toshiba, the KIRAbook has some bells and whistles you won't find in other laptops. First and foremost is the 13.3-inch screen, an ultra-high-res (AKA "retina") display with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. Not only is it protected by Corning Concore Glass, but it's also a touchscreen, giving users the full Windows 8 experience (a non-touch option is available too).

The weight is a remarkably light 2.6 pounds, which is about six ounces lighter than the same size MacBook Air. The magnesium alloy chassis helps keep the weight down, which is lighter than aluminum but also more rigid. (Toshiba claims the KIRAbook's construction is 90% stronger than the MacBook Air.) The laptop measures 0.7 inch deep at its thickest point.

I got a little hands-on time with the KIRAbook, and I came away impressed by the build of the laptop (it feels very solid) as well as the keyboard, which has very gently sloped keys that make your fingertips feel pampered. The screen is definitely the star though, displaying crispness in photos and videos on par with Apple's retina-display MacBooks.

The KIRAbook packs either an Intel Core i7 or i5 processor with 8GB of RAM. For storage, there's a 256GB solid-state drive (SSD). The keyboard is backlit, and the "high-quality" stereo speakers were built by Harman Kardon.

Toshiba throws in some bonuses for being a luxury item: Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 and Premiere Elements 11 are included as well as a two-year subscription to Symantec security products. The KIRAbook also gets premium service and support, which includes dedicated tech support staff that are based in the U.S.

The KIRAbook will cost you:

• $1,599.99: Core i5, non-touch

• $1,799.99: Core i5, touch

• $1,999.99: Core i7, touch

Toshiba didn't reveal what the next products might be in the KIRA line, but the KIRAbook is a first step in a move to go after the high end.

Are you impressed with the Toshiba KIRAbook? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Images by Mashable, Pete Pachal