Ultraportables

gropingmantis · 22 Aug 2011 at 12:53

I am currently in the market for an ultraportable notebook. Not interested in netbooks as I find the keyboard and screen just too small. So I have been looking at 13" thin light notebooks but I am totally lost and confused.

Ultimate power is not necessary as it will be used for doing work and using the internet whilst away from home so being able to watch HD video would be nice and a decent battery life is very important. Also 3g would be an major added bonus.

So far the only one I have found that fits my specifications is the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 but at £1000 it is a touch out of my budget. Ideally I want to be around the £600-800 mark. I guess I could save a little longer for the X1 but I am not sure what is on the horizon that may be out before Christmas.

gropingmantis · 22 Aug 2011 at 22:22

Ah thanks mrk1@1. What is the build quality like on the HPs and Vaios? I need something a bit rugged as I am hardly the most careful person when it comes to my technology.

gropingmantis · 22 Aug 2011 at 22:44

whitecrook said:
you could go for an older thinkpad - X61 or does it have to be new?

Doesn't have to be a new model but I would be hesitant about buying a notebook secondhand unless it was BNIB.

gropingmantis · 23 Aug 2011 at 22:38

iDroid84 said:
MBA?

Yes I think I will save up and that leaves me between the MBA and the X1. I will be running Linux as the OS on whatever I get so it comes down to toughness and battery life really.

gropingmantis · 25 Aug 2011 at 11:24

Rapier said:
From experience I've found that any mac's not running OSX, admittedly I've not had that much exposure to the air, run well below their quoted battery life.

even running Linux which is even more lightweight than OSX??

iDroid84 said:
How long are you wanting it to not charge it for? As battery life on the MBA isn't huge.

Something like 8 hours of office/notepad use is the ideal level.