Alternative to MacBook Air?

[daigo]

Since the new Macbook Air was released earlier this week, I've been checking out the hardware specs and the Air seems to beat out every single ultrabook on the current market.

Samsung Series 9 vs. MBA:
Series 9: http://www.samsung.com/us/computer/laptops/NP900X3A-A03US-specs
MBA: http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MD232LL/A

The MBA can be upgraded to 2 GHz i7, the MBA has better graphics (for my Physics/computational applications that run on GPU power I guess?) while everything else seems to be pretty much equal.

One upside to the ultrabooks is that I can upgade the RAM while on the Air, the RAM is soldered onto the board so you have to purchase their over-priced upgrade from the get-go.

I guess I will wait for the Zenbook Prime UX32A and UX32VD as well as the ThinkPad X1 Carbon to be released...

 

[alkemyst]

you can get the ram for around $180 discounted at time of purchase. the parts plus 'labor' on this is reasonable. the pricing is also not much different from their peers upgrade pricing.

it is a premium laptop most aren't looking to crack open their unit at time of purchase, most will find 8GB overkill already.

 

[Zap]

Since the new Macbook Air was released earlier this week, I've been checking out the hardware specs and the Air seems to beat out every single ultrabook on the current market.

Samsung Series 9 vs. MBA:
Series 9: http://www.samsung.com/us/computer/laptops/NP900X3A-A03US-specs
MBA: http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MD232LL/A

The MBA can be upgraded to 2 GHz i7, the MBA has better graphics (for my Physics/computational applications that run on GPU power I guess?) while everything else seems to be pretty much equal.

That's because you are comparing the updated MBA with Ivy Bridge to previous generation Ultrabooks with Sandy Bridge.

Samsung Series 9 with Ivy Bridge is available

 

[dagamer34]

Link to Samsung Series 9

Core i5-3317U 1.7GHz 2.6GHz turbo ULV dual core Ivy Bridge
4GB DDR3-1600 (single channel? IDK)
128GB SSD (my guess - it uses a Samsung controller )
quoted 9 hour battery life with 6-cell 3610 mAh
0.50" thick, 2.55 pounds
13.3" 1600x900 matte screen (no mention of panel tech so probably TN)

Looks pretty nice for $1300.

Zenbook Prime will have a 1080p IPS panel. That's hard to argue with.

 

[daigo]

Okay, so I am unsure how to look up the newer models and stuff.

So the upcoming ultrabooks so far (that haven't been released yet) are the Asus Zenbook Prime and the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, right? The Samsung 9 doesn't have any new ones coming out this summer since the new one already came out?

 

[gus6464]

Too bad that no one can seem to replicate the excellent mac touchpads on anything. Didn't think it would be that hard.

 

[Zap]

Okay, so I am unsure how to look up the newer models and stuff.

Just look for an Ivy Bridge CPU. Those are the CPU models starting with a 3, while older Sandy Bridge start with a 2. For instance:

Core i5 2537M
Core i5 3427U

Both are low voltage 17W dual core mobile CPUs. The 2 in 2537M indicates Sandy Bridge. The 3 in 3427U indicates Ivy Bridge.

Since the Ivy Bridge dual cores were just released, if a notebook has it, then it is by default a new model.

 

[Waymaker]

The sleekness and thinness of the MBA is definitely the strongest point for me, but the problem is that I never use OS X. I always end up installing Windows to run my applications, and OS X just takes up valuable SSD space, so I am looking for just a normal laptop that's as sleek and thin as the MBA.

I don't know if the MBA in the class of laptops that it's in is the most powerful. I don't expect laptops these thin to be as powerful as their fully-featured, thicker laptops, but if there's something faster and better than the MBA, then I'd definitely take it.

Another thing which isn't a big deal is that I don't like the aluminum colour. I prefer black, but colour isn't really a deal-breaker unless it's got some really odd, dodgy, unremovable designs on it or something.

But anyway, is there anything as sleek and thin as the MacBook Air, but about the same power or more powerful than it?

I'm seriously looking at the HP Folio. Check it out.

 

[Franz316]

Vizio(yes the TV company) has some very nice ultrabooks now. http://www.vizio.com/thin-light/overview

 

[daigo]

I believe these are the latest models, but I can't tell because they have these trailing codes that follow the model name (i.e. NP900X3A-B02US and UX31A-DB72) that differ slightly from model to model and I don't know how to read them. They also make no mention of "Ivy Bridge" so I can't tell if these have them or not. Can someone confirm these are the latest models?

Samsung Series 9: http://www.samsung.com/us/computer/laptops/NP900X3A-B02US-specs

ASUS Zenbook Prime: http://www.amazon.com/Zenbook-Prime-...ata/B00863L3KY

There's also an ASUS Zenbook model UX32, but on the ASUS website it's not classified as a 'Prime' model, but review websites say it is a Zenbook Prime. Confused about that.

 

[daigo]

Actually, I think I will cross out the Samsung Series 9 from the list. I asked Samsung customer support what type of external batteries they have to offer for this model, and they told me they don't sell anything, and they referred me to another company called "SamsungParts.com"

I input the model number "NP900X3A-B02US" for the model search and it found nothing. I even typed in "series 9" for the keyword search, and still nothing...which means I guess they do not even sell spare batteries.

I need at least 12+ hours worth of battery life, since we are not allowed to use corded chargers in school due to an apparent safety hazard. So I need to charge all my stuff at home and bring them to school (since I spend ~12+ hours in school every day).

 

[Zap]

They also make no mention of "Ivy Bridge" so I can't tell if these have them or not. Can someone confirm these are the latest models?

Samsung Series 9: http://www.samsung.com/us/computer/laptops/NP900X3A-B02US-specs

ASUS Zenbook Prime: http://www.amazon.com/Zenbook-Prime-...ata/B00863L3KY

The Samsung in that link is older model, the Asus is newer with Ivy Bridge. You can tell through the CPU model number. Samsung has "Intel® Core™ i5 Processor 2467M" while Asus has "Intel Core i7-3517UM." The four digit number starting with a 2 means Sandy Bridge (2nd generation Core series) while the starting 3 means Ivy Bridge (3rd generation).

 

[vailr]

Samsung Series 9 review (13-inch, mid-2012)
http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/06/samsung-series-9-review-13-inch-mid-2012/

Aren't there generic brands of battery powered portable power supplies, that operate similar to a wall-plugged power supply? Designed to supplement a laptop's internal battery until exhausted, then you disconnect the external and use the internal battery for another 7 hours or so. Smaller sized units are available for iPhones as well, for example.

 

[daigo]

vailr our school rents out "universal" battery packs with a variety of tips that you need to look up to see which one will fit your device, but that goes into the AC adapter jack. Plus the time limit on those is 2 hours, and nobody spends as much time as I do in school so I guess it's not a problem for anyone else except me.

With Lenovo, many of their laptops have "slices" which you dock with your laptop and it's like a ubiquitous second battery that combines the battery life of two batteries so you can use it continuously without having to replace the battery.

So your description sort of sounds like a mix between the two different power sources I mentioned above.

I just left an e-mail for ASUS in regards to this similar issue, and am waiting to hear back from them, or I'll just give them a call tomorrow on a business day. So I guess it's between the Zenbook/Prime and the X1 Carbon.

 

[daigo]

I am now considering a VAIO Z. It's not classified as an Ultrabook, but upon looking at video reviews, it looks pretty darn thin. It has i7 Quad Cores unlike Ultrabook processors, and RAID SSD (which I don't really need, but there's no other option). Also has a battery slice which can allow me to use the thing for 12 hours without having to recharge, which is very important to me.

 

[vailr]

Insert Coin: POP portable battery comes with 25,000 mAh of power, charges multiple devices

http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/19/insert-coin-pop-portable-battery-comes-with-25-000-mah-of-power/