Ultrabooks are still quite the rage, even with tablets taking all of the press of late. GBI Research is making the claim that Ultrabook sales will compose nearly half of all notebook sales in the world by 2016, mainly due to dropping costs and increased reliance on cloud computing offerings like Google Drive.

Ultrabooks are a specific marketing name for a class of notebooks which meet strict size, weight, boot speed, and other requirements set forth by Intel. Intel has set aside more than $300 million to advertise Ultrabooks and to help smaller computer manufacturers develop their own versions of the pint-sized powerhouse.

In 2016, GBI Research expects Ultrabook sales to reach an incredible 148.1 million, up from just 1.3 million last year. For this year, the Americas are expected to buy 1.55 million alone, which will make up 42 percent of the global market. Are Ultrabooks your cup of tea? Or do you prefer a tablet? Let us know in the comments!