Ultra slim laptop?
Discussion
Thinking of getting a new laptop.
It would be for a bit of websurfing in rooms around the house (so reasonably portable), some work (but occassional), take it on holiday / travel (so not something that is a huge brick), watch the occassional dvd/Blu-ray disc. Would probably also drive the editing of the family pictures/videos (but not store them long term - I'd get a 1TB external HD for those).
I'm a lifelong Windows user but willing to look at Apples if it makes sense (they seem quite cool but no BR yet).
Could be something with a solid state hard drive and external BR player or a fully integrated machine.
Any recommendations from the PH gadget lovers?
It would be for a bit of websurfing in rooms around the house (so reasonably portable), some work (but occassional), take it on holiday / travel (so not something that is a huge brick), watch the occassional dvd/Blu-ray disc. Would probably also drive the editing of the family pictures/videos (but not store them long term - I'd get a 1TB external HD for those).
I'm a lifelong Windows user but willing to look at Apples if it makes sense (they seem quite cool but no BR yet).
Could be something with a solid state hard drive and external BR player or a fully integrated machine.
Any recommendations from the PH gadget lovers?
Nothing as slim as a Macbook Air will have a built in optical drive.
Macbook Air is available with 128 GB SSD, I've got a mk2 model and it's very good. The screen is LED-lit, utterly gorgeous to work with. It's also extremely robust due to the solid aluminium casing, doesn't feel flimsy in the slightest (can pick it up by one corner without any flex).
Battery life is pretty good but not as good as the latest Macbook Pros, which have much bigger batteries. None of them have removable batteries - this may be a dealbreaker for you.
I've just updated my Macbook Air to Snow Leopard and given it to my girlfriend to replace her aging Titanium Powerbook - she is in love with it. It's a gorgeous bit of hardware.
It runs Windows if you need to. I only have Windows confined to virtual machines on my Macs, but with VMware Fusion 3, Windows runs almost at full speed if you allocate all the hardware resources to the VM. The latest version of Parallels is meant to be very fast too. Of course you can natively boot into Windows, but if you're going to do that then you're wasting money buying a Mac. Lenovo's Thinkpad X300 is probably a better bet (but more expensive than the Macbook Air - but better specified).
Note that the Macbook Air has ONE USB PORT. And that's it. It expects you to do everything over wireless (802.11n/g/b, BT 2.1 etc.). For any normal use, you'll want a decent USB hub - unpowered ones can be *incredibly* slow and make USB-based networking (the Apple USB->ethernet adapter, or a Huawei USB UMTS modem) very slow. A powered hub is best, but means you've got more cables.
Due to the lack of optical drive, if you want to watch movies on the move then the Macbook Air isn't really ideal, unless you've got a portable (car / aircraft) power adapter and a huge external hard drive (the SSD in the top-line MBA is very quick but only 128 GB, not enough for lots of media - and the machine itself uses 1.8" drives so there isn't the facility to pull it apart and install a 500 GB laptop drive).
The Thinkpad X300 may be better for that. But the MBA is a brilliant machine if you need ultra-slim. I've had two and they've been faultless.
Macbook Air is available with 128 GB SSD, I've got a mk2 model and it's very good. The screen is LED-lit, utterly gorgeous to work with. It's also extremely robust due to the solid aluminium casing, doesn't feel flimsy in the slightest (can pick it up by one corner without any flex).
Battery life is pretty good but not as good as the latest Macbook Pros, which have much bigger batteries. None of them have removable batteries - this may be a dealbreaker for you.
I've just updated my Macbook Air to Snow Leopard and given it to my girlfriend to replace her aging Titanium Powerbook - she is in love with it. It's a gorgeous bit of hardware.
It runs Windows if you need to. I only have Windows confined to virtual machines on my Macs, but with VMware Fusion 3, Windows runs almost at full speed if you allocate all the hardware resources to the VM. The latest version of Parallels is meant to be very fast too. Of course you can natively boot into Windows, but if you're going to do that then you're wasting money buying a Mac. Lenovo's Thinkpad X300 is probably a better bet (but more expensive than the Macbook Air - but better specified).
Note that the Macbook Air has ONE USB PORT. And that's it. It expects you to do everything over wireless (802.11n/g/b, BT 2.1 etc.). For any normal use, you'll want a decent USB hub - unpowered ones can be *incredibly* slow and make USB-based networking (the Apple USB->ethernet adapter, or a Huawei USB UMTS modem) very slow. A powered hub is best, but means you've got more cables.
Due to the lack of optical drive, if you want to watch movies on the move then the Macbook Air isn't really ideal, unless you've got a portable (car / aircraft) power adapter and a huge external hard drive (the SSD in the top-line MBA is very quick but only 128 GB, not enough for lots of media - and the machine itself uses 1.8" drives so there isn't the facility to pull it apart and install a 500 GB laptop drive).
The Thinkpad X300 may be better for that. But the MBA is a brilliant machine if you need ultra-slim. I've had two and they've been faultless.
AstonZagato said:
Does the MBAir have enough horsepower to do things like editing video (nothing too fancy - holiday stuff and some of my wife's medical work)? Or would I be better off going MBPro?
If your editing video it would either be a MBP or Windows laptop everytime.The air is wonderful looking machine but the technology doesn't match the price for me and that goes for the windows machines too.
I'm typing this on a Dell Studio that is very powerful but reasonably thin and light.
The compromise of ultra thin laptops is just too great for the price vs technology for me. In a few years it will make a lot more sense but not right now.
Dell Adamo and Sony X series seem to be the "Windows" equivalents (I suspect Windows will run OK on an MBA).
As mentioned, check out a Macbook Pro next to an MBA (go into an Apple Store). I was intent on buying an MBA for "portability", but the MBP's not really *that* much bulkier in real world use.
For portability it needs to be a combination of thinness, lightness and also form factor IMO. The latter being dictated by screen size. What I'd really like is something like the MBA in thickness, but half the weight and with a 7" or maybe 8" screen.
As mentioned, check out a Macbook Pro next to an MBA (go into an Apple Store). I was intent on buying an MBA for "portability", but the MBP's not really *that* much bulkier in real world use.
For portability it needs to be a combination of thinness, lightness and also form factor IMO. The latter being dictated by screen size. What I'd really like is something like the MBA in thickness, but half the weight and with a 7" or maybe 8" screen.
Ordinary_Chap said:
AstonZagato said:
Does the MBAir have enough horsepower to do things like editing video (nothing too fancy - holiday stuff and some of my wife's medical work)? Or would I be better off going MBPro?
If your editing video it would either be a MBP or Windows laptop everytime.The air is wonderful looking machine but the technology doesn't match the price for me and that goes for the windows machines too.
I'm typing this on a Dell Studio that is very powerful but reasonably thin and light.
The compromise of ultra thin laptops is just too great for the price vs technology for me. In a few years it will make a lot more sense but not right now.
AstonZagato said:
Ordinary_Chap said:
AstonZagato said:
Does the MBAir have enough horsepower to do things like editing video (nothing too fancy - holiday stuff and some of my wife's medical work)? Or would I be better off going MBPro?
If your editing video it would either be a MBP or Windows laptop everytime.The air is wonderful looking machine but the technology doesn't match the price for me and that goes for the windows machines too.
I'm typing this on a Dell Studio that is very powerful but reasonably thin and light.
The compromise of ultra thin laptops is just too great for the price vs technology for me. In a few years it will make a lot more sense but not right now.
any tech is a compromise of availability and price, you need to just get the best you can for the price you want to spend when you want it.
1 vote for the MBA here - (typing this down the gym whilst having a coffee and putting off actually going into the gym
)Ordinary_Chap said:
The compromise of ultra thin laptops is just too great for the price vs technology for me. In a few years it will make a lot more sense but not right now.
That.I bought a 13" MBP and that's perfect for me, the lack of ports on the MBA would have annoyed me...
The MBP is still pretty slim, and certainly a portable machine.
AstonZagato said:
So... To open another can of worms...
I am a pretty proficient Windows user - I have used one MS operating system or another for the last 25 years.
Would I get on with a Mac or should I stick to a Windows machine?
Anyone else made the switch? No right click...
The truth is, no OS is better.I am a pretty proficient Windows user - I have used one MS operating system or another for the last 25 years.
Would I get on with a Mac or should I stick to a Windows machine?
Anyone else made the switch? No right click...
They are different and I can say this as a OSX/Windows 7 and Linux user.
My personal preference is Windows 7 which in my view is by far the best OS MS have ever released but saying that I think OSX is mighty fine too.
I prefer Windows 7 just because it does more and I like the interface. OSX is also a fine OS and once you get used to the way it does things is great too. I think before Windows 7 was launched OSX had a clear advantage and I think the gap has disappeared now.
I think you'll just have to try it and see what works for you!
AstonZagato said:
Anyone else made the switch? No right click...
Yeah, I have both; oh and there is a right click! 
I prefer OSX for 'normal' use, I love having the PC but the Mac seems to have less OS problems for me and is much shinier and more pleasant to use. IMO obviously...
I have no experience of 7 though!
AstonZagato said:
So... To open another can of worms...
I am a pretty proficient Windows user - I have used one MS operating system or another for the last 25 years.
Would I get on with a Mac or should I stick to a Windows machine?
Anyone else made the switch? No right click...
There *is* a right click, and a middle click, and the trackpad has one, two, three and four fingered gestures, and pinch zoom, and rotate... nobody in their right mind can accuse Apple of not having flexible user input and ergonomics.I am a pretty proficient Windows user - I have used one MS operating system or another for the last 25 years.
Would I get on with a Mac or should I stick to a Windows machine?
Anyone else made the switch? No right click...
If you prefer a hardware right button then plug in a USB mouse (the Microsoft ones work well) or a Bluetooth one.
How quickly you adjust to OS X depends largely on whether you're a 'power user' or developer on the Windows platform (this is the worst-case scenario)... and how much Linux experience you've got (OS X is Unix underneath, and plenty of the same Linux apps run just fine on OS X).
AstonZagato said:
So... To open another can of worms...
I am a pretty proficient Windows user - I have used one MS operating system or another for the last 25 years.
Would I get on with a Mac or should I stick to a Windows machine?
Anyone else made the switch? No right click...
Last week I had to buy a replacement for my ageing Sony S4, and have always worked with Windows. I was completely against getting a Mac, but my business partner agreed with the salesman that I should give Mac a try, as it could run Windows. So I left the shop with a MBA (and a lot of doubt), and now have it running both OSX and Win7 (using bootcamp). I also have the Magic Mouse (right & left clicks and touch-sensitive scroll), which is an excellent piece of kit. The result is that I'm really impressed - The package is faster, stronger and has much better battery life than the Sony, and perfect for using on the train and meetings. It's basically a Windows laptop in a much nicer and lighter shell.I am a pretty proficient Windows user - I have used one MS operating system or another for the last 25 years.
Would I get on with a Mac or should I stick to a Windows machine?
Anyone else made the switch? No right click...
Not that the Sony was bad - it was very good and reliable, and I'd be happy to have another one. But this takes it to another level.
I'm unlikely to use the OSX partition, but I know it's there just in case I suddenly become an itunes/photoshop geek.
Anyone have any experience of the Sony X type?? I like the look of them to repalce my current Sony TT - but a fined says the X type has a poor processor of the type normlaly used on smartphones and for that reason he fear it may be slow and struggle to run Windows 7 and Office 07 ??...plus only 2Gb of RAM?
Anyone tried one?
Anyone tried one?
Edited by dealmaker on Monday 22 February 09:48
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