SirChained
Banned
I think you should save up and get Retina MBP. It's worth it.
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Looking for a solid laptop around 600$. Suggestions?
- Thread starter Izick
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I wasn't arguing. I am seriously buying a laptop and price is a serious consideration. And screen size is not really a consideration (I actually prefer 11, I had a Acer 1410 that size and it was great).
BamYouHaveAids
Member
Why does he need a retina? I mean do people even read the OP or just see laptop and recommend whatever they own. Why does he need a retina if all he wants to do is watch HD movies, I mean seriously? So overkill.
Souless_PJ
Banned
Yeah a 13" Air is already almost double the original budget and more than enough laptop for 95% of people. There is no need to want to blow it by $1600
Mainly because op, when given laptops in his price range then said, I think maybe I should just save up and get a MBP.
I hope that was sarcasm...
OP, I recommend you stick to your original price range. There are some great devices around 600$ that do everything you need them to. In your case I think I'd go with 15" or more. At home you just don't need portability and battery life.
Features like a great trackpad don't matter for home-use, either. A mouse is just better. If you want gestures you can simply add a peripheral later. E.g. there's Apple Magic Trackpad, there are some nice Microsoft mice with touch, and I've also heard good things about the Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch.
When you buy a Windows pc now, you also have the option to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for just 15$.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
No way the Retina is worth it for people who don't have a stupid amount of money to blow. It sounds like it comes with a lot more headaches than is worth it right now, too. Seems better to wait a year or two for the problems to get worked out and the price to come down.
MacBook Air 13" is the best laptop for the money on the market right now as far as I'm concerned.
In Windows 7 it sure is. Not so much in OSX on a smaller screen.
You've got to take in the software and screen size into consideration. I've hated trackpads all my life and always carried a portable USB mouse whenever I had a laptop. That was until I met the MacBook Air and the gestures on Lion. It's such a pleasure to use and you can do a lot of things much more quickly and comfortably with gestures than by using an external mouse.
MacBook Air 13" is the best laptop for the money on the market right now as far as I'm concerned.
In Windows 7 it sure is. Not so much in OSX on a smaller screen.
You've got to take in the software and screen size into consideration. I've hated trackpads all my life and always carried a portable USB mouse whenever I had a laptop. That was until I met the MacBook Air and the gestures on Lion. It's such a pleasure to use and you can do a lot of things much more quickly and comfortably with gestures than by using an external mouse.
Souless_PJ
Banned
If the OP is going to be chained to a desk with a brick laptop and a mouse then he might as well get a cheap desktop.
I'm not saying it's not great, but at 1200$ list price it's a lot more expensive than the targed price range and that additional cost doesn't get you any more performance but just a smaller device with good battery life. The ULV cpu might even be slower than than some of the CPUs in cheaper devices.
For watching videos things like a bigger screen may be desirable, too.
EDIT: also with the MacBooks there's still this annoying port situation where you need some overpriced adapter cables to connect the pc ton anything. Something to consider if you want to connect it to your tv.
I'm currently using a 13" macbook and while the multi-touch trackpad is great for things like scrolling and really usable on the go, at home I still mostly use my mouse.
Off the top of my head, the Vizio. I'm on my iPad so I don't feel like doing much research right now.
Yup, the new Ivy i3s do. I want an ultraportable with one myself.
Also, the res on those new Retina MBPs is sexy. You HAVE to see it in person. But I still wouldn't pay what they're asking for it. Then again, I'm running 1440x900 and 1366x768 monitors on my primary rig so...
Unknown Soldier
Banned
"Reality has a liberal bias"
Then there's the middle ground, people who can rationalize and look at the offerings without leaning towards another because it's shiny and has a popular brand name on it then base their decision off of that.
Slick Deals Dell Latitude Deal
Specced a DELL E5520 with an i5 for $687 but base with an i3 is around $500. Free shipping and a $200 gift card for future purchases, so essentially it was $487.
It can also be combined with a $75 off coupon listed in the thread but it has to be purchased through the small business side. On top of that, if you use Amex you get $100 off? Crazy deal.
Specced a DELL E5520 with an i5 for $687 but base with an i3 is around $500. Free shipping and a $200 gift card for future purchases, so essentially it was $487.
It can also be combined with a $75 off coupon listed in the thread but it has to be purchased through the small business side. On top of that, if you use Amex you get $100 off? Crazy deal.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
Seriously?
I just noticed that that came off very anti Apple (I'm not anti-Apple, I'm actually posting this from my effin awesome iPad) but the same can be applied towards Dell fanboys, HP fanboys and so forth. Just find what suits you.
You know I initially dismissed those Vizios (too big) but I took a second look and they look pretty great for what they are. Still, it's not out yet, it's not small enough, and there are no reviews. Also at $950 for the Air processor, not really cheaper either.
Yeah they're not for everyone. I'm really interested in them since 14" is the sweet spot on a laptop for me, but I don't mind having an i3 (I love my 2100 on my desktop.).
Canis lupus
Member
For 600 you can buy yourself a really good HP or Atlus laptops.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Damn... sounds like their hype for the keyboard and trackpad was overblown. Maybe Apple deserves even more credit than they're already getting for their laptops. Why do they seem to be the only company that can get the trackpad right?
That's incredibly disappointing to hear. At the price they're asking for these, they were expected to deliver.
Souless_PJ
Banned
Yep as expected a Air copy in looks only without focusing on the areas of actual usability of an ultra book. Like being away from a power supply and the input methods.
There are many clones but I have yet to see a review of any Windows laptop that bests Apples keyboard and trackpad combo.
From Verge -
Uncomfortable, oft-unresponsive keyboard
Laggy touchpad
Three-hour battery life
There are many clones but I have yet to see a review of any Windows laptop that bests Apples keyboard and trackpad combo.
From Verge -
Uncomfortable, oft-unresponsive keyboard
Laggy touchpad
Three-hour battery life
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Well, I was hoping this would be different after viewing that video tour of the Vizio offices earlier on the Verge. They certainly talked the talk at least. They knew that current laptops were mostly shit and they were looking to change that. I guess they just couldn't follow through with these models.
Also, three-hour battery life with heavy use? It's not like the Air has amazing battery life under heavy use conditions, either.
Yep. Jtwo won, and we're all eating crow
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The Everyman
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