New small laptop required (having strange temptations!)

GSXRMovistar

GSXRMovistar

GSXRMovistar

Soldato
Joined
6 Nov 2002
Posts
9,880
Location
London UK
Firstly apologies if this is the wrong forum but I'm after both Windows and Mac info (hence the strange temptations, ie Apple!)

Okay I’ve been thinking about a new laptop, something very portable but still fairly powerful (which rules out the eee pc types, which I was considering). Now my requirements are:-

  • £600 (ish ;) ) budget
  • Small size, 13-14” screen max
  • Wifi, Bluetooth, microphone (and possibly webcam) built in
  • Half decent battery life
  • 2Ghz Core2Duo CPU minimum
  • Internal HSDPA/3G built in or slot for (PCIMCA/PCI express) a bonus but not a deal breaker (can live with a USB dongle, or use phone via Bluetooth)

Will be used for general web browsing, comms, office apps, movies, and photo management whilst on the mo (and maybe a little bit of editing). Not looking to play games on it.

Now several of the guys I work with are recommending a Macbook, I’ve always been tempted by these but I’m a Wintel guy (both home and job) and the idea of learning a whole new O/S is a little off putting, but now that the new Macs seem to happily run Vista I’m thinking if all else fails I can fall back on that.

Looking at the various laptops on sale I was actually quite surprised with the hardware spec of the MacBook and how it compares to other laptops, I was expecting a huge premium from apple and a lesser spec.

So questions I have are:-

  1. Considering my requirements, what other non Apple laptops would you recommend?
  2. Those that have MacBooks, do you use Vista on them much and if so how do you find it?
  3. Those that have MacBooks, do you integrate them with other Windows PCs at home (a few here for me including an MS Home Server)?
  4. Why shouldn’t I get a Mac Book (Serious reasons please)?

Thanks for the help
Andy
 
1. Lifebooks
2. I bought mine with the intention of running XP under parallels and quickly realised I had no need for it, I'm not sure I even have the VM anymore.
3. Never tried, sorry.
4. You should get one, it meets all your needs stated above and more. I even got rid of my desktop and use my macbook in closed lid mode with a ram upgrade, external HD and 22" screen as my main PC.
 
Post a "Why get a MacBook" in the Apple Hardware forum section and you'll get plenty of reasons... the price gets 14% cheaper if you're a student :)
 
The Dell XPS M1330 is worth a look. They've got a 10% off voucher code doing the rounds at the moment, so you'd be able to get a system with a better overall spec than a MacBook, for less money. The 1330 also has the option of an HSDPA card (albeit it for £88), and it's got the SIM car slot in the rear already so it's all integrated.

I've got a 1330 myself and it's a really nice machine. Did look at getting a MacBook instead, but I couldn't bear to pay more money for a lesser system.
 
The build quality is horrible compared to something decent from the Wintel side of things, and you'll probably find yourself wanting to shoot the mouse/ OS in very short order ;) (Not necessarily true, but still)
Have a look around the Thinkpad range, I'd always reccomend these over anything else. They're built like tanks, and they actually have usable mice.

Cheers

-Leezer-
 
TheVoice said:
The Dell XPS M1330 is worth a look.
Click to expand...
I looked at those, for the extact same hardware spec as the Mac the deal came in at £647, I can get a the Mac for £630. The dells are nice, if not a little ugly.


leezer3 said:
The build quality is horrible compared to something decent from the Wintel side of things.
...
Have a look around the Thinkpad range, I'd always reccomend these over anything else. They're built like tanks, and they actually have usable mice.
Click to expand...
Really, from what I've seen so far they look a lot more solid then most Wintel laptops I've looked out, with the exception of the Thinkpads, which I agree are built like a tank (I have an old T23), but these are in a different price bracket.
 
No comment on personal experiences :)
I admit I'm looking from a business grade slant (There's no way I'd touch most of the cheaper Dell/ Acer etc. machines with a 50ft bargepole), but I used a MBP for about 8 months- The screen felt awful with no support and definite flex, the keyboard was nasty, and generally the whole machine just didn't feel good at all. I've also had go with other peoples Macbooks, again the feel just isn't there.
Admittedly also, I have a preference for 'solid' laptops, a bit of extra weight really doesn't bother me.
FWIW, this would be my personal brand preference list (All the business grade stuff though, not the general consumer machines, which tend to be far worse):
IBM
Toshiba
HP


These are the main laptops I've been through over the years, probably shows my POV best-
IBM Thinkpad 560- Nice, but very low specced and just a little small. (P100!)
Toshiba Tecra S1- Not a bad machine at all, but had very nasty motherboard issues (Heat related I think). Went through three before a newer revision sorted things.
Macbook Pro 15"- Far too flimsy for my liking, flex was evident in the screen, keyboard was nowhere near as good as the Toshiba or IBM variants.
IBM Thinkpad Z61M- The current machine. Heavy as heck yes, but indestructible ;) Love it to bits, no-one else seems to like it because of the weight though.

Cheers

-Leezer-
 
Last edited:
The build quality on the Macbook is second to none, I can't speak for the MBP's but the OS and the unit itself are great.
 
skiba said:
The build quality on the Macbook is second to none, I can't speak for the MBP's but the OS and the unit itself are great.
Click to expand...

Rofl :)
At least please be objective! I'm not saying the build quality is rock bottom, but neither is it particularly good in the grand scheme of things.

To the OP, something you'll notice with a lot of the Mac bunch round this forum is that no matter what a Mac & OSX are the best thing since sliced bread. If there's a problem/ missing function, then it 'must' be the way it was designed. Ultimately you'll have to make your own decisions on the pros and cons of both the Mac hardware & OSX itself, but please don't make that decision based upon fanboys opinions. If you're anywhere near an Apple store, try playing with the display machines (Pick them up if at all possible, and try flexing) and see how they feel to you.

Cheers

-Leezer-
 
leezer3 said:
Rofl :)
At least please be objective! I'm not saying the build quality is rock bottom, but neither is it particularly good in the grand scheme of things.

To the OP, something you'll notice with a lot of the Mac bunch round this forum is that no matter what a Mac & OSX are the best thing since sliced bread. If there's a problem/ missing function, then it 'must' be the way it was designed. Ultimately you'll have to make your own decisions on the pros and cons of both the Mac hardware & OSX itself, but please don't make that decision based upon fanboys opinions. If you're anywhere near an Apple store, try playing with the display machines (Pick them up if at all possible, and try flexing) and see how they feel to you.

Cheers

-Leezer-
Click to expand...

Sorry, I have to agree with him, apple build quality (Macbook pro in my case) is absolutely fantastic. I've had no problems at all in quality terms, I came from using a IBM x41 and it's on a par with that, not as obviously robust but just as durable long term.

It's far better than sony and probably better than HP (I'm talking about business laptops here, which are generally more solid than consumer models).

Say what you like about fanboys, I was a very solid windows user (I have a messaging MCSE and design systems for a living) but I wouldn't go back for home use. Windows does some things well but I found a Mac is a far better home computer for me.
 
bigredshark said:
Sorry, I have to agree with him, apple build quality (Macbook pro in my case) is absolutely fantastic. I've had no problems at all in quality terms, I came from using a IBM x41 and it's on a par with that, not as obviously robust but just as durable long term.

It's far better than sony and probably better than HP (I'm talking about business laptops here, which are generally more solid than consumer models).

Say what you like about fanboys, I was a very solid windows user (I have a messaging MCSE and design systems for a living) but I wouldn't go back for home use. Windows does some things well but I found a Mac is a far better home computer for me.
Click to expand...

At no point is the OP talking about the MBP,

The macbook plastic shell makes it look like a kids toy (imho)

The plastic will soon discolour due to resting palms on it when typing.

although i'm biased as i have a xps m1330

I would suggest the OP try the macbooks first, they have excellent specs for the money.

sid
 
GSXRMovistar said:
I looked at those, for the extact same hardware spec as the Mac the deal came in at £647, I can get a the Mac for £630. The dells are nice, if not a little ugly.
Click to expand...

Is that for the base-spec MacBook? If so, the XPS will have double the RAM (it's a cheap upgrade, but still) and a DVD Writer. Also comes with a media remote, which is a £15(!) extra on the MacBooks now.
 
sid said:
At no point is the OP talking about the MBP,

The macbook plastic shell makes it look like a kids toy (imho)

The plastic will soon discolour due to resting palms on it when typing.

although i'm biased as i have a xps m1330

I would suggest the OP try the macbooks first, they have excellent specs for the money.

sid
Click to expand...

No, I didn't suggest he was, I was merely commenting on apple build quality in general and backing up the previous poster that it's very good.

Depends what you like, xps m1330 looks like some teenagers fantasy to me, like all the cases you see with cathodes and led fans and whatever. Maybe you like that but it's just tacky to me. I'm a fan of nice simple industrial design.

Depends what you want in the end?
 
The 1330 isn't tacky, not by a long shot. The 1730, sure, but the 1330 is very sleek. And at least it's not made entirely of plastic, either.
 
bigredshark said:
It's all opinion in the end, I don't like the design, it's too flashy and gamer influenced. Up to you though...
Click to expand...

Well its about opinion but your justification for it is totally wrong

1330 is very sleek in brushed aluminium compared to the macbook and not flash gamer style.

thats a plain stupid thing to say

sid
 
sid said:
Well its about opinion but your justification for it is totally wrong

1330 is very sleek in brushed aluminium compared to the macbook and not flash gamer style.

thats a plain stupid thing to say

sid
Click to expand...

in your opinion. it's available in lots of flashy colours and is covered in brushed aluminium for no good reason (it's not an aluminium chassis as far as I know). It just looks like a cheap attempt at design, like the sony sz but worse. Maybe you like it but I think it's lazy rubbish design myself. Anyway, hardly the topic at hand.
 
bigredshark said:
in your opinion. it's available in lots of flashy colours and is covered in brushed aluminium for no good reason (it's not an aluminium chassis as far as I know). It just looks like a cheap attempt at design, like the sony sz but worse. Maybe you like it but I think it's lazy rubbish design myself. Anyway, hardly the topic at hand.
Click to expand...

Flashy colours? Dark blue, red, white and black? Two of those are MacBook colours too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom