Samsung and Apple have been competing largely through their smartphones. Nonetheless, as both companies continue to broaden their tech reach, competition in the laptop arena has also become inevitable. Samsung started venturing into the ultrabook market releasing an updated version of the Series 9 through Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus. Apple, on other hand, has also just released their latest version of MacBook Pro Retina. Which should consumers go for?

Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus

Samsung released its Series 9 initially in 2011. The laptop series became one of the market's favorites. Once the Korean tech giant decided Intel will be a great support to their notebooks, Samsung Series 9 became of the top contenders for ultrabook supremacy. The new chipset and laptop upgrades offered an excellent combination of functionality, portability and design. With the ATIV Book 9 Plus, Samsung was able to prove finally that they can make ultrabooks.

The new series removed the matte finish from the first generation and provided a touch screen instead. Likewise, Samsung also improved the resolution. The first generation packed on a 1,600 x 900 panel display whereas the current generation packs on 3,200 x 1,800. When Samsung decided to go for Haswell, users got the guarantee that the Series 9 will run faster and longer.

It falls just right under the ultrabook category.

Samsung stuck to its simple but highly commended design for the Series 9. The blueprint on the first generation was chic and received positively. Samsung carried it over to the ATIV Book 9 Plus series though it is thicker at 0.54 inch. The first generation was only 0.5 inch thick. The new series has a similar shape to the first generation although it widens just before the hinge for added ports. Samsung included the following ports: micro HDMI, two USB 3.0, hidden SD slot and a headphone jack.

Samsung also included an Ethernet adapter. The design allows people to hold and carry around the laptop without hurting their hands. Even if users press their palms onto the device, the sharp looking edges will not do any harm. The ATIV Book 9 Plus features smooth aluminum. The overall construction of the laptop gives off an "expensive" feel.

As mentioned, the resolution is a giant leap from the previous generation. The accuracy in colors and sharpness of resolution makes it compatible with a number of desktop apps. The resolution is also right just right for the Windows Start Screen.

The ATIV Book 9 Plus offers only one configuration: a dual-core, Haswell-series Intel Core i5-4200U processor clocked at 1.6GHz, 4GB of RAM with 128GB SSD. According to benchmark tests, the device performs just as fast and competently as other ultrabooks like Acer Aspire S7 and Sony Vaio Pro 13. Samsung may have to work on the I/O speeds because it still does not promise much. The machine remains fast overall and should satisfy a user looking for great ultrabook experience.

2013 Haswell MacBook Pro with Retina

Apple released two MacBook Pros recently: a 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina and a 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina. The 13-inch Macbook will be the reference against the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display offers three configurations: the standard model runs on a 2.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-4258U Haswell processor plus 3 MB of shared L3 cache, the higher upgrade packs on a 2.6 GHz Core i5-4288U version whereas the high end model runs on a a 2.8 GHz dual-core Intel Core i7-4558U with 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

All configurations come with an integrated Intel Iris 5100 Graphics with DDR3L SDRAM with shared primary memory. The previous generation came with a default 8GB RAM and without upgrade options. The latest generation offers a series of options from 4GB to 16GB.

All setups run with latest OS X Mavericks with free iWork and iLife suites.

Apple tweaked the design of their MacBook Pro Line. The newest models are thinner and lighter. The previous generation measured 0.75-inch thick and weighed 3.57 pounds. The latest MacBook Pro Retina is at 0.71-inch thick and 3.46 pounds. Other design features include an island-style backlit keys, Retina display and glass trackpad. The display offers 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution with pixel density at 227ppi.

The display received the IPS technology assuring excellent viewing angles and low-glare display.

Because the latest MacBook Pro Retina received Intel's Haswell chipset, the latest line offers better performance and higher power efficiency. Haswell chips also means faster performance, lower clock speed and longer battery life. The laptop can last almost the whole day with surfing, media playback and similar activities. Apple also used Intel's HD graphics resulting to "ultra low" and "ultra low extreme" variants. This proves Apple's continued foray into the ultrabook market.

Users who demand more power and need functionality from a discrete GPU may need to upgrade to the 15-inch model. Overall, Apple managed to produce a better line than before. The Haswell chip alone increased its functionality offering longer working hours with just a single plug. The thinner and lighter design is also better.

People will have to consider pricing and configurations they require to decide which ultrabook they need. Apple's MacBook Pro is more flexible in terms of processor and RAM configurations. Samsung may need to work on their settings but the ATIV Book 9 Plus is not far behind.