WTB: High-quality mid-range, to upper-mid-range laptop ... which one?

[Fun Guy]

It looks like part of my laptop will be funded, so I can get out of the bargain basement. I have to admit, I was not looking forward to dealing with a low-quality machine, and am pretty happy with the idea that I can move up a little.

Requirements - This is for school, so heavy data modeling, heavy statistical work, very good display, very good battery life, and semi-rugged, with the likelihood it will last 3-5 years of lugging it back and forth to school very high. :biggrin:

If you do not have a specific machine or product line you can recommend, I would appreciate any input. For example, I understand there are SCORES of low-quality 1366 x 768 screens out there, and I should stay away. I will need a higher-resolution than that anyway).

I have been out of the laptop market for over 10 years and really don't know what I am doing, so any and all help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Trombe]

Sounds like quad core is the way to go based on your workload (someone correct me on this if that's not the case).

Retina Macbook Pro 15" or if you need/prefer Windows, some kind of workstation model. Lenovo has a 30% off promo right now (more details here: http://slickdeals.net/f/7778801-lenovo-sale-extra-30-off-thinkpads-laptops-series), I'd look at the W541 and take the 2880x1620 screen upgrade with color sensor (says $270 but the 30% applies to final price so it effectively discounts any upgrades anyway), and the bigger battery. Whether any other factors upgrades are worth it vs buying the parts and putting them in yourself depends on how much funding you're getting that has to be applied directly to the laptop.

Other considerations are Dell XPS15/M6800 and I'm sure HP Zbook but these tend to cost significantly more. I dunno if they have discounts/coupons available for those models.

If the workload is not THAT heavy and a dual core is acceptable your options open up a lot more to both prosumer and business lines of all shapes and sizes; for the majority of them build quality should be plenty good to get through a 4 year degree.

 

[Commodus]

There's two main questions I have to ask: what's the total cost of the laptop that you expect, and does the software you use have to run on a certain platform?

If you're looking for a good display, battery life and longevity, I'd go for a MacBook Pro. They look great, last a long time on a charge, tout amazing trackpads and tend to age gracefully. Both the 13- and 15-inch models are fine, though the 15-inch is more powerful. However, you'd have to check if there were Mac apps you can use for your data modelling and stats. You could boot into Windows if you had to, but you don't get a Mac only to run Windows on it.

I'd be tempted to point you to the new Dell XPS 13 (with the extremely thin bezels), but it depends on how big a screen you want and whether or not a dual-core system is fine for your needs.

 

[Fun Guy]

I'm expecting to spend between $1K and $2K, and the main work for this workhorse will be SPSS, which runs on Windows better than anything else. So, the OS will be Win7 (if at all possible) or Win8 (not if I can help it) machine.

 

[midwestfisherman]

2015 Dell XPS 13

 

[Kaido]

I would get the new HP Omen Pro:

http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/13/hp-omen-pro/

$2,199
Unibody aluminum case

Core i7
NVIDIA Quadro K1100M
256gb PCIe SSD (optional 512gb)
Up to 16gb RAM

15.6" 1080p HD touchscreen
0.78-inch thick
4.68-pound weight

What this means for you:

1. Pricey but good, and not astronomical like a pimped-out Sager could be

2. Strong metal case, but less than 1" thick and under 5 pounds - that's huge if you want to keep it for 3-5 years & lug it around school

3. Great specs (i7 + CAD card + speedy solid-state drive)

 

[Commodus]

I'd be fine with pointing you toward either the XPS 13 or the Omen Pro, although the latter's pricing probably puts it out of range. If you do get the XPS 13, get the best non-touch model you can and custom configure it with a 256GB solid-state drive. The touch model isn't as good with battery life, and Windows doesn't scale well with super high-res displays.

 

[sm625]

I wouldnt buy the Quadro K1100M unless you know for sure what the performance benefit would be vs a more typical GPU for your application. My CAD software doesnt give two poops about quadro.

 

[saratoga172]

If you need a workstation class system but want something mobile (I would for school and moving about), I use a Dell M3800 for work. Absolutely one of the best laptops I've used. i7, 16gb mem and a 256gb SSD and this thing flies. I'm a SysAdmin so I needed mobility as well as power. Battery life is good for the power of the machine. I was logged in remote all day yesterday and got about 5 hours of battery with some to spare.

If you want something more mobile the new XPS 13 is a fantastic machine. We just got one for one of our execs and I got to configure it. The machine is amazing and gets about 8 hours of battery (high DPI screen with touch). I would recommend the non high DPI screen since Windows still doesn't scale well. The laptop is very well built and if I were buying one for myself it is probably what I would get. Slightly less specs with 8gb of memory. So if you need 16 you'll want to look at another system. Good price on these as well.

Of course the other option you could look at is the rMBP. 13 or 15 depending what suits your needs. Can run Windows on them with bootcamp if OSX doesn't work. We've got a couple at work and they are really nice. I've been really impressed with the Dell systems though.

If you need portability over all: XPS 13
If power is most important with mobility: M3800