Need advice on an ultraportable

[d0ugmelvin]

Alas, my trusty Thinkpad T60 is probably nearing the end of its life, and I was looking to replace it. I loved the fact that it had a great keyboard and was built to last, but I hated how much it weighed (5.25 lbs), and the dim, washed out screen.

I have about $1000 to spend. I primarily use the laptop to crunch numbers, and argue about presentations while holding it in one arm in brightly lit places (like the big blue room). Accordingly, I was looking for something which has a Core ix (just no ultramobile versions- I need the horsepower, and I'm not wanting for battery life most of the time), a bright screen, a solid keyboard, and solid build. I also need it to weigh demonstrably less than 5.25 lbs- it's been nice getting the extra exercise from holding it in one arm for an hour, but it would also be useful to have blood flowing to my arms at a normal rate all the time. I don't need an optical drive, and I don't game. Everything I could find by looking around the web this weekend looked like it had some downside to it:

- The X201 has the horsepower I need, is light enough, and has the keyboard and build I like, but has a dim screen by all accounts.
- The Sony Z series costs way too much money. The Y series has an ultramobile chip in it.
- The HP 2540p has a dim screen. The Envy 13 never came with a Core ix chip. The Envy 14 is >5 lbs.
- I'm skeptical about the build and keyboard on the Asus U35Jc. My wife has an Asus K61Ic, and I hate the keyboard with a passion.
- The Dell Vostro 3300 has a poorer build than the X201, and no better a screen.
- The Toshiba 235D doesn't have a good screen.

Have I overlooked a manufacturer/ model? Am I mischaracterizing one of the laptops above? Should I just deal with the screen on the X201, or do a bunch of curls and deal with the weight of the Envy 14?

 

[Hacp]

Apple

 

[d0ugmelvin]

It looked like neither the air nor the 13" MBP come with a core ix processor, and the 15" weighs > 5 lbs.

 

[CurseTheSky]

The U30/U35Jc are decent choices. If they're anything like the UL30A that I had (and from reviews, it seems like they are) then you can expect them to be very light, have great battery life, good specs, and a mediocre (at best) screen and keyboard.

The Envy 14 is awesome in all regards except weight, as you mentioned. If you can put up with the weight, the build quality is unparalleled by anything except perhaps a Thinkpad, Macbook Pro, on Vaio Z. Even out of all of those, the Macbook Pro is the only one that gets a nod above from me.

 

[ther00kie16]

Suck it up and get the z series. it's gorgeous and maybe u can score a deal from microsoft store

 

[zerogear]

I love my Z.

http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/749647/1/Sony%20Vaio Z?h=d81526

 

[Inspector Jihad]

acer timeline series!

 

[vbuggy]

Arrg duep

 

[vbuggy]

I have the X201(T) and the Z and am preparing to buy a regular 201 as an Ubuntu mule, but I'd definitely get the Z given the choice of the tabletless 201 and the Sony as an everyday machine. More versatile, sufficiently roadable for everyday use, just flat-out handy.

However, the Lenovo is built more obviously tough than the Sony (i.e. it won't look quite as bad after living at the bottom of a non-laptop bag for a while, partly because it looks like a breeze block already) and e.g. has no screen flex, I assume even in the standard version. The keyboard is of the legendary status, although I don't necessarily find it an amazing advantage of the Sony's, although one of my Z's did have a warrantied sticky keyboard. It also has some cool features I like - such as the ability to turn on the machine by giving it the finger, and Lenovo has to be one of the few companies out there with actually worthwhile bloatware. The LV processor isn't totally weak-sauce (the tablets come with the i7-620LM), and the Intel graphics, while not capable of any heavy lifting, hasn't been an issue in low-impact use. However I can't stress to you how spectacularly ugly this thing is.

I can't comment on the screen of the X201, as the T comes with a different panel - which is one of the few non-TN (and No, Apples do not have IPS) screens out there. The Sony has a very vivid, bright screen which is a few steps above the 'lipstick on a pig' glass-fronted screens such as on the Macbook and the Envy in a balance of usability and quality.

If it wasn't for the Ubuntu requirement I wouldn't be looking at the regular X201. And the T only gets a look in as it is a tablet. To me the Z is a superior everyday travelling machine.

Apple have apparent build quality - it's all out there for show. You're supposed to think 'whee, metal!' and by all accounts most do. There's nothing to back it up though - the machines are pretty fragile in real-life use, although most new owners do tend to treat them like glass slippers - once again, because you're supposed to, by making the case easy to mark. I know all three Apple Stores within 15 miles of where I live like the back of my hand and it's not because I love going there.

However for a thousand, I'd look at the Acer Timelines as suggested for the maximum bang for the buck. I think you also have to ask yourself if the apparently dim screen of the X201 will be a major issue, given that you'll be using power saving profiles if out.

I also have an Envy 14, and that's basically my giant iPod at home. It never goes out - way too heavy for what I consider everyday portage, the >4lb X201T being borderline as it is. I'd also find the screen unusable (as with the 13-inch MBP) outside, which is also part of the reason why my travelling Apple is the Sony-like plastic-fronted Air. To date there's been only one glass-fronted machine I've been able to take outside and that was extreme borderline (and only because it features some light scattering on the glass layer unlike other consumer notebooks I've seen), the Dell M6500 Covet. I would personally not be able to stand a glass layer on an ultraportable.

 

[ed21x]

the TimelineX series (1830T or 3820TG) seem to fit what you're looking for as both are under 4 lbs and of decent build (certainly a step up from past acer computers). The two asus systems listed above are also exceptional. My experience with Asus (mainly through netbooks) is that they are always built rock solid, even harder to dent than those thin skinned macbooks pros.

 

[Emulex]

macbook air slow - but damn it looks good - and gets the job done. runs unix out of the box - no problem with win7 - but man the trackpad smokes anything anyone else has by miles (in osx of course, win7 different story).

$700 for older sata model (rev.b) with 2 years applecare left. 1200 for newer faster(?) 128gb ssd model with 2.5 years is about the going price.

you can buy features but they all look butt-fugly compared - and which of the above have a store open on sunday to service your laptop?

it still remains the most dope looking laptop and yes office 2011 and CS5 load fast on it.

 

[ecom]

- The X201 has the horsepower I need, is light enough, and has the keyboard and build I like, but has a dim screen by all accounts.
- The Sony Z series costs way too much money. The Y series has an ultramobile chip in it.
- The HP 2540p has a dim screen. The Envy 13 never came with a Core ix chip. The Envy 14 is >5 lbs.
- I'm skeptical about the build and keyboard on the Asus U35Jc. My wife has an Asus K61Ic, and I hate the keyboard with a passion.
- The Dell Vostro 3300 has a poorer build than the X201, and no better a screen.
- The Toshiba 235D doesn't have a good screen.

Have I overlooked a manufacturer/ model? Am I mischaracterizing one of the laptops above? Should I just deal with the screen on the X201, or do a bunch of curls and deal with the weight of the Envy 14?

You are coming from a Lenovo T60...why did you choose Dell Vostro. Dell Latitude is more comparable to your T-series in build quality. Dell E4300 or E4310 may be suitable for your requirements. They weigh about 4 lbs with a 13" screen and extended battery.

Check out the Dell Oulet, you should be able find one for around $1000. These machines are refurbs, but come with the same 3 year warranty as the new ones. When I bought my E4300, core2duo, I couldn't tell it was used unless I saw the refurbished sticker on the bottom. There are 10 to 20 percent off coupons every month or three for Latitudes if you are not in a hurry.

I bought about 10 machines from Dell Outlet over a period of 2 years and only issue was a noisy PSU fan on a desktop after 1 week. Dell sent a tech out to replace it the next day.

 

[vbuggy]

macbook air slow - but damn it looks good - and gets the job done. runs unix out of the box - no problem with win7 - but man the trackpad smokes anything anyone else has by miles (in osx of course, win7 different story).

$700 for older sata model (rev.b) with 2 years applecare left. 1200 for newer faster(?) 128gb ssd model with 2.5 years is about the going price.

you can buy features but they all look butt-fugly compared - and which of the above have a store open on sunday to service your laptop?

it still remains the most dope looking laptop and yes office 2011 and CS5 load fast on it.

A fricking toy is what it is in comparison with virtually all of the machines mentioned so far. The only reason I have them is because I need a supported platform for OS X which isn't the boat anchor of the mainstream Apple range. It wastes a huge amount of its mass on a case that's neither strong nor rigid. Sure it looks great, but that's about the only plus about it in comparison to something like the Sony Z, or indeed even the spectacularly ugly X201. I should also mention the 3.5-hour runtime, which is also well off the other machines listed. And thats with considerable power saving measures in OS X. As I said, a toy.

 

[Emulex]

It is exactly that it runs all mainstream apps now - just fine - and supported unix (osx) and win7 if you must. but not for everyone. kinda like the older lotus elise it is more exotic than anything.

You do not see many MBA's around here.

 

[d0ugmelvin]

I ended up taking the plunge with a refurb Dell E4310 for around $750, including CompleteCare (I know it's a ripoff, but I'm pretty rough with my laptop). I can't thank you enough, ecom, for the suggestion, as I out-and-out missed it when I was taking a gander last week.