Choosing an Ultra-Thin Computer

laststopforme · 11-27-2008, 12:36 AM

So let's say price is not going to be a problem for me when choosing a new laptop (big if, I know)

What do I want in a laptop? Portability, light-weight, thin, reasonably good power

I have narrowed down my search to three categories:

1) Sony Vaio TT Series - Looks clean and sleek. Specs look reasonable.

2) Samsung X360 Series - A bit less cool-looking than the Vaios - more similar to the Thinkpads. But really really thin. Whoa...10 hours of battery life?

3) Macbooks - Gorgeous. Enough said. But I'm wary of Mac OSX. I'm not going to go into graphic design; I will be using my computer probably only for work (Microsoft Office suite + misc programs). Um, and I have no need for most of the iLife apps. I will most likely do bootcamp with Vista if I get a Mac (so is it worth that much $$?)

Thoughts? Advice? Which would you suggest?

SBR · 11-27-2008, 11:37 AM

Just out of curiosity, why thin? I can understand portability and light-weight, but the ultra-thin requirement is a little puzzling. There are many portable computers that are very light but not necessarily designed for thinness.

laststopforme · 11-27-2008, 06:14 PM

^ True tho I haven't seen many computers that are ultraportable and light-weight while not also being thin. I guess "thin" is a relative term

Any thoughts on Sony vs. Samsung vs Apple?

FCYTravis99 · 11-27-2008, 06:19 PM

Why are you "wary" of Mac OS X? It's not only for "graphic design." It's a powerful, flexible and stable operating system for daily use in any environment. There's nothing which says you can't do "work" on Mac OS X. I do it all the time. They make Microsoft Office for Mac, you know

In fact, it's Windows that I use for "fun" - if I want to play games such as Team Fortress 2 or Call of Duty: World at War, I just reboot into XP and fire up Steam. Voila.

I'm typing this on a June 2007-refresh 15" MacBook Pro, and I'm upgrading to a brand-new 15" MacBook Pro next week. Now that Apple's gone Intel, I would never consider buying a computer that didn't have the Apple logo on it.

Yes, they're a little more expensive (though the price/performance gap has narrowed.) But I can count on my fingers the number of times I've had a system crash in 18 months of heavy, road-warrior-and-student daily use. The industrial design is unparalleled in the industry. I've worked with Apples my entire life, from the IIgs in kindergarten to the latest-and-greatest Xeon Mac Pros in a public relations office. Macs don't bite - give them a try

laststopforme · 11-27-2008, 06:38 PM

^ Thanks for the response.

I should have prefaced my Mac comment with a little personal background. I am not one of those PC-types who complain and whine about Macs without ever having tried them. I have - like you - had to use Macs in school for quite some time now. I use a PC exclusively at home and use a Mac exclusively at school. So far, that awkward marriage has worked decently - no complaints.

But the fact of the matter is, I still prefer Windows by a large margin. As for iLife, sure it's great, but I have no need for Garage Band, iMovie, iWeb or iDVD. If I get a Mac, which sure its a possibility, I will most likely Bootcamp it. Is that really a practical use of my money tho? If I am not even going to be using the Mac OS that much to justify the cost?

And while I like how the new Sony Vaios look, I really hate all of that crap they preset in the laptops. And $50 for Fresh Start (because you need to buy Windows Vista Business to qualify) is annoying

FCYTravis99 · 11-27-2008, 06:43 PM

Well, if you're never going to use the Mac OS X side of things, I'd say paying the "Apple tax" probably isn't worth it.

I don't use GarageBand or iMovie, et al. much either. iTunes, Office 2004, Safari, Mail, Notebook 2.0, Twitteriffic and Ircle are my daily apps. Windows is probably about 15% of total usage.

josh5sox · 11-27-2008, 06:46 PM

Macs are definitely worth the money if you have no budget. You are obviously looking for an ultra-portable computer so go with the Macbook Air or look at Windows based mini notebooks like the HP Mini-Note or the Acer Aspire One, the HP has Vista as you go into the higher price range and the Acer has Windows XP no matter what. Both have plenty of storage and power and are even more portable than the ones you mentioned.

laststopforme · 11-27-2008, 06:58 PM

It seems lots of people still have reservations about the Macbook Air tho...

Any Sony Vaio or Samsung users out here?

toxic_waste · 11-27-2008, 08:18 PM

the new macbook air is a much better buy compared to the last generation...but i still don't think it's worth the money as a primary computer.

have you familiarized yourself with the productivity features of OSX? expose, keyboard shortcuts for everything, quicklook? non-maximizing windows, apps that don't close when you click "x"? if you have and still don't like OSX, then unless you have a copy of XP or Vista lying around, rule out the macbook. my point is OSX is useful for more than just iLife, which i don't use either.

i'd be wary of buying a Samsung computer, simply because just about no one has one or has even seen one before. but look around for reviews. find out what stores might carry them and go and see one.

laststopforme · 11-28-2008, 10:24 AM

^ Thanks toxic_waste. Yeah, even finding reviews of Samsung laptops are on the hard side.

I do have both XP and Vista though. Do you think it would be worth it to Boot camp windows onto a Macbook? And should I choose the Macbook or the Air?

Chipmoney · 11-28-2008, 12:28 PM

I would definitely go with the macbook over the MBAir if I was choosing between ose two.

The air has 1 USB port and no built in CD/DVD drive. Only having 1 USB port would get annoying real fast.

jaimeastorga2000 · 11-28-2008, 01:38 PM

^Not to mention, it lacks an ethernet port. The MacBook Air is a pretentious and expensive computer for people who are more interested in style than in getting work done.

ModernChem · 11-28-2008, 02:45 PM

if price is not an issue, thinkpad x301 wins hands down.

If its just for college stuff, I would look at the 13.3 inch and 14.1 inch thinkpads because for a lot cheaper, you get A LOT more power. Ultraportables are not near the performance of small laptops

also look at the dell xps m1330

toxic_waste · 11-28-2008, 04:56 PM

Quote:

I do have both XP and Vista though. Do you think it would be worth it to Boot camp windows onto a Macbook? And should I choose the Macbook or the Air?

i don't think its worth it to primarily use Windows on a Macbook. you pay the extra for OSX, and then by booting in Windows you lose battery life (~60-90 minutes on a MBP, i dunno about MB) and have to deal with using a Mac keyboard on Windows. the latter isn't too inconvenient, but you do lose something. and maybe it's because i haven't booted in Windows enough, but i haven't been able to control the speed of two-finger scrolling, either. but if you still like the Macbook a lot, then go for it.

and i would always choose the Macbook (plastic or aluminum) over the Air for a primary computer.

FCYTravis99 · 11-28-2008, 06:45 PM

"^Not to mention, it lacks an ethernet port. The MacBook Air is a pretentious and expensive computer for people who are more interested in style than in getting work done."

No, it's a specialized computer for those who are more interested in reducing battery life, size and weight to the absolute minimum than about having a whole bunch of ports that they'd never plug anything into anyway.

Just because you don't like something's particular market niche and wouldn't buy it, doesn't make it utterly useless and "pretentious."