Why is it so hard to find a good laptop?

[Kroze]

Using the MacBook Pro as a benchmark, I can't find a single laptop PC that can compare without costing the same as or more than the MacBook Pro 13.3" ($1300).

My requirements are:

1. High resolution IPS display.
2. Exceptional REAL-WORLD battery life. IBM/Lenovo and their bullshit advertised battery life really jaded me. Looking at all the reviews, the macbook pro really does get 9 hours of usage.
3. Strong and sturdy build quality that's also thin and light. I don't think anything come close to the macbook one piece aluminum body.
4. A CPU that's not a low performing ultrabook type.

Am I asking for too much?

 

[smackababy]

No, you can't. I've tried. There are a few that aren't junk, but they either don't have a decent screen or they are only available with 4GB of RAM (which is far less than I require for my job).

Yes, you are asking for too much. People want to crap on Apple for making "inferior" products, yet all these superior laptops are not to be found. At least, not by me.

 

[88keys]

For a high resolution display, you are going to have to look at a business end laptop like the Dell Latitude series which are very well built laptops.

IDK about battery life on the current Dell Latitudes, but the last one I had could do close to 4 hours, but that was about 3 or 4 years ago.

If you want a laptop with a high res screen and gaming capabilities, you'll probably be spending more than $1300.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

All I want is a 17" laptop with 1920x1200 resolution. the hardware can suck. that's fine.

Why doesn't this exist? I am a 1%. And guess what, so are you. What sucks is that Dell could literally make one laptop model like this and it would sell to us 1% and probably a chunk of other consumers.

last time I looked (it's been a while) it seemed like my only option was alienware.

 

[Tweak155]

Bootcamp?

 

[Gibsons]

Using the MacBook Pro as a benchmark, I can't find a single laptop PC that can compare without costing the same as or more than the MacBook Pro 13.3" ($1300).

My requirements are:

1. High resolution IPS display.
2. Exceptional REAL-WORLD battery life. IBM/Lenovo and their bullshit advertised battery life really jaded me. Looking at all the reviews, the macbook pro really does get 9 hours of usage.
3. Strong and sturdy build quality that's also thin and light. I don't think anything come close to the macbook one piece aluminum body.
4. A CPU that's not a low performing ultrabook type.

Am I asking for too much?

#1 was about all I wanted, in a 15.4.

Could not find it except in really high end units, which largely would have been a waste of money for what I do.

 

[Ns1]

define exceptional?

surface pro 2 meets most that.

 

[Midwayman]

'cause you're trying to use 'laptop' and 'good' in the same sentence.

 

[Savij]

I'm happy with my Dell Inspiron 7537.

 

[smackababy]

define exceptional?

surface pro 2 meets most that.

Does that run an actual OS? I didn't think it did.

 

[Arkaign]

Those are sub-3ghz dual-cores, so "i5 or i7" in name only. Slower than a desktop i3.

So yes, you're asking too much even of Apple. I can't imagine using a slower than i3 processor and paying north of a grand. That's just pathetic performance.

The one worth buying is the 2.6Ghz i7 Quad, but I didn't see it on their site. Closest I could find was the 2.3Ghz i7 Quad for $2600. It's nearly 5lbs though.

When 14nm and 10nm really 'arrive', you'll see a lot more of what you want.

 

[ElFenix]

apple tightly controls their hardware and can tailor the drivers a lot tighter than windows hardware vendors can, so apple gets more battery life out of the same hardware than pc vendors can.

at least, it was that way several years ago. i know MS has been trying to make improvements with windows' power consumption by taking better advantage of intel's hurry up and wait power optimization, so maybe some of that gap has closed.

Does that run an actual OS? I didn't think it did.

full on windows 8.1. set to boot to desktop and pin your most used programs to the taskbar (or use quicklaunch or just leave them cluttered around on the desktop) and you barely ever need to see metro.

MS didn't do themselves any favors with the surface rt/pro confusion.

 

[smackababy]

full on windows 8.1. set to boot to desktop and pin your most used programs to the taskbar (or use quicklaunch or just leave them cluttered around on the desktop) and you barely ever need to see metro.

MS didn't do themselves any favors with the surface rt/pro confusion.

Yeah, I was thinking of the Surface, not the Surface Pro. What kind of moron came up with that naming scheme? "Hey! Let's name to completely different products so similar people get confused and write them both off as iPad wanna-bes!"

I actually looked it up after posting and it isn't that bad of a tablet / pc thing. A tad bit expensive, but not terrible.

 

[Ns1]

Does that run an actual OS? I didn't think it did.

sp2 runs full windows 8.1
surface2 runs Windows Gimp 3.1

 

[ElFenix]

Yeah, I was thinking of the Surface, not the Surface Pro. What kind of moron came up with that naming scheme? "Hey! Let's name to completely different products so similar people get confused and write them both off as iPad wanna-bes!"

I actually looked it up after posting and it isn't that bad of a tablet / pc thing. A tad bit expensive, but not terrible.

dell did the same crap with the venue tablet line. every time the pro comes up on slickdeals there's people talking about how it's a terrible price and get a nexus 7 for less; and every time the android one comes out people freak out how how cheaply they're getting a desktop windows 8 tablet.

 

[uhohs]

first gen surface pros have been going for $450refurb, $500new recently. been quite tempting.

 

[Blackjack200]

I realized this 3 years ago and bought a MBA, you simply cannot find comparable PC machines at any price.

 

[TwiceOver]

The HP folio I'm typing this on has been my longest held laptop to date. My only issue is the screen resolution.

The moment there is a "Retina" MacBook Air, I will have my perfect laptop. I've decided the next laptop I buy I will not compromise on anything that I want. So less than .75" thick, 13" >= 1680x1050, backlit keyboard, 256gb SSD+, 8gb Ram+, 7+ hours real world battery. Dedicated graphics would be asking a little too much. I also want it to be silent, but I realized that the thinner they get, the less possible that really is.

 

[manly]

My ancient MBP is due for an upgrade, and it sounds like I won't be able to go with a Hackintosh laptop.

 

[Ns1]

I realized this 3 years ago and bought a MBA, you simply cannot find comparable PC machines at any price.

but but but...according to AT all apple products are overpriced???

 

[88keys]

All I want is a 17" laptop with 1920x1200 resolution. the hardware can suck. that's fine.

Why doesn't this exist? I am a 1%. And guess what, so are you. What sucks is that Dell could literally make one laptop model like this and it would sell to us 1% and probably a chunk of other consumers.

last time I looked (it's been a while) it seemed like my only option was alienware.

#1 was about all I wanted, in a 15.4.

Could not find it except in really high end units, which largely would have been a waste of money for what I do.

Which is one of the biggest reasons that I've held on to my current laptop for so long...

(see sig)

With a C2D and a SSD, it can still keep up with the big dogs.

 

[mikeford]

Where do you go to find a bad laptop, they are portable limited function, deal with it.

 

[halik]

Using the MacBook Pro as a benchmark, I can't find a single laptop PC that can compare without costing the same as or more than the MacBook Pro 13.3" ($1300).

My requirements are:

1. High resolution IPS display.
2. Exceptional REAL-WORLD battery life. IBM/Lenovo and their bullshit advertised battery life really jaded me. Looking at all the reviews, the macbook pro really does get 9 hours of usage.
3. Strong and sturdy build quality that's also thin and light. I don't think anything come close to the macbook one piece aluminum body.
4. A CPU that's not a low performing ultrabook type.

Am I asking for too much?

Err why not get the macbook pro ?

 

[mmntech]

Apple does have some of the best laptops with exceptional battery life and build quality. You've gotta check their refurb store. Here's exactly what the OP is looking for for $1099
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FE...retina-display

Refurbished Macs direct from Apple come with the same warranty as the new ones, and are usually just as good.

Don't forget you can also run Windows on them natively using Bootcamp.

 

[HeXen]

Because all the major OEM's that use Windows just keep throwing a myriad of products at a wall each year and see's which one sticks. I don't think they even try to use them, they just pass it around the table and find a contractor that bids the cheapest to build parts for it to meet price target per marketing segment and start production.

The OP's findings are why I purchased the MB Pro, plus it has an OS with a normal UI and awesome trackpad. It's almost like they actually used it in testing and kept tweaking it until everything felt right. With other OEM's, no one touches Windows other than to make drivers and custom crapware to slow it all down for you.