Hi, I am starting my freshman year soon and am getting a laptop. I am trying to decide between the cheaper end of the ultrabook range (i.e. not one with a large SSD) and for $800 both Sony and HP have good looking 3rd gen i5 computers (Vaio: SVT13114GXS, Envy: nv4-1038nr).
Does anyone have experience with either of these or is there a reason to go with a Sony or HP on build quality/reliability/life? Thanks.
The best Ultrabook that started the whole trend: MacBook Air for $1,000.
Sorry, not trying to be a smartass (well, maybe a little bit), but there seems to be a consensus that the Air is the best Ultrabook available. But if you're really not into Apple or OS X, here are a bunch of Ultrabook reviews.
@deadly_polo: I'd say the best Ultrabooks are still the 11" or 13" Macbook Air.
The 11" with 4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD is $1049 with education pricing, the 13" with the same specs is $1149.
I'd look at either of those, unless you really don't need much storage space, then the 11" with 64GB SSD is $949 from the Apple education store.
I'm personally not a big fan of Sony laptops because I had one and the drivers were a pain in the ass for certain things and were hardly updated. I have an HP laptop currently and it gets real hot (I've had a few over the years, it's a common theme with HP).
Pay the extra for a Mac, even if you have to go second hand I would do that. (though avoid the 11" 2011 Air because the battery sucks)
Windows laptops are a huge compromise still, you just can't seem to find Windows ultrabooks that have the holy trinity: good keyboard, great trackpad and a good display.
I like Windows on desktops but OEMs really need to step up when it comes to laptops, glass trackpads should be standard for laptops above $800, no excuse.
13.3 inch, 128GB SSD, 4GB RAM, 1080p IPS Display, and ASUS. I would pick that over all of the Macs.
Maybe I would if the trackpad wasn't so bad, once you use a glass trackpad combined with all the great gesture support in OS X you can't go back.
I know the trackpad on that one was supposed to be bad, but wasn't there an issue with the keyboard too? Something to do with responsiveness or something? I might be mixing it up though. Those ultrabooks are so easy to mix up being that they are all almost identical.
OP, just get a Macbook Air, the slightly higher price is well worth it. You get a solid machine with the best laptop keyboard, best trackpad, and from a company with well regarded customer service. Even if you don't like Apple, give one a go. I used to dislike Apple but after using my Mac I won't go back to other PC companies. The laptops are just that much better than all the competition.
I am pretty happy with it. My main reason for the switch was my previous laptop weighed far too much and was hurting my back/shoulders to carry around all day and the battery sucked. So I always had to stay near an outlet. The ultrabook can last me 6 or 7 hours easy, and it is extremely thin and light. I was looking for a windows machine with a decent keyboard and trackpad that wouldn't break my back, so it works for me.
It's by no means perfect, the screen is matte but only 1366 x 768. Other ultrabooks do have much nicer panels. The fan is also a potential problem. When you're doing anything particularly taxing, the fan will kick in and it isn't usually too loud... but it's kinda buzzy. If you'll be working a lot in quiet rooms, maybe skip it.
Also, to echo what others have said, if you can afford to go with the Mac and have no particular reason not to... give one a go. They're great machines.
I still don't think that getting a MBA is a great idea. He did not mention that he wanted it in the original post.
I use a mac every day and it is stressful using it. Especially after Anandtech reviewed the ux21A, which is an amazing computer. 1080p with IPS panel makes it an amazing computer.
Hi, I am starting my freshman year soon and am getting a laptop. I am trying to decide between the cheaper end of the ultrabook range (i.e. not one with a large SSD) and for $800 both Sony and HP have good looking 3rd gen i5 computers (Vaio: SVT13114GXS, Envy: nv4-1038nr).
Does anyone have experience with either of these or is there a reason to go with a Sony or HP on build quality/reliability/life? Thanks.
The best Ultrabook that started the whole trend: MacBook Air for $1,000.
Sorry, not trying to be a smartass (well, maybe a little bit), but there seems to be a consensus that the Air is the best Ultrabook available. But if you're really not into Apple or OS X, here are a bunch of Ultrabook reviews.
@deadly_polo: I'd say the best Ultrabooks are still the 11" or 13" Macbook Air.
The 11" with 4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD is $1049 with education pricing, the 13" with the same specs is $1149.
I'd look at either of those, unless you really don't need much storage space, then the 11" with 64GB SSD is $949 from the Apple education store.
I'm personally not a big fan of Sony laptops because I had one and the drivers were a pain in the ass for certain things and were hardly updated. I have an HP laptop currently and it gets real hot (I've had a few over the years, it's a common theme with HP).
Pay the extra for a Mac, even if you have to go second hand I would do that. (though avoid the 11" 2011 Air because the battery sucks)
Windows laptops are a huge compromise still, you just can't seem to find Windows ultrabooks that have the holy trinity: good keyboard, great trackpad and a good display.
I like Windows on desktops but OEMs really need to step up when it comes to laptops, glass trackpads should be standard for laptops above $800, no excuse.
The Sony you selected is pretty sexy.
However, I would argue that for the same price as the 11 inch MBA you can get the ASUS UX31-A
http://www.amazon.com/Zenbook-Prime-UX31A-DB51-13-3-Inch-Ultrabook/dp/B00863L2PK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344001198&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+ux31a
13.3 inch, 128GB SSD, 4GB RAM, 1080p IPS Display, and ASUS. I would pick that over all of the Macs.
@Bloody_El said:
Maybe I would if the trackpad wasn't so bad, once you use a glass trackpad combined with all the great gesture support in OS X you can't go back.
@Sooty said:
I know the trackpad on that one was supposed to be bad, but wasn't there an issue with the keyboard too? Something to do with responsiveness or something? I might be mixing it up though. Those ultrabooks are so easy to mix up being that they are all almost identical.
OP, just get a Macbook Air, the slightly higher price is well worth it. You get a solid machine with the best laptop keyboard, best trackpad, and from a company with well regarded customer service. Even if you don't like Apple, give one a go. I used to dislike Apple but after using my Mac I won't go back to other PC companies. The laptops are just that much better than all the competition.
I got an ultrabook earlier this year for Uni. I got a Toshiba, the i5/6Gb RAM variant of this:
http://www.toshiba.ca/web/product.grp?section=1&group=821&product=12110&part=13033
I am pretty happy with it. My main reason for the switch was my previous laptop weighed far too much and was hurting my back/shoulders to carry around all day and the battery sucked. So I always had to stay near an outlet. The ultrabook can last me 6 or 7 hours easy, and it is extremely thin and light. I was looking for a windows machine with a decent keyboard and trackpad that wouldn't break my back, so it works for me.
It's by no means perfect, the screen is matte but only 1366 x 768. Other ultrabooks do have much nicer panels. The fan is also a potential problem. When you're doing anything particularly taxing, the fan will kick in and it isn't usually too loud... but it's kinda buzzy. If you'll be working a lot in quiet rooms, maybe skip it.
Also, to echo what others have said, if you can afford to go with the Mac and have no particular reason not to... give one a go. They're great machines.
I still don't think that getting a MBA is a great idea. He did not mention that he wanted it in the original post.
I use a mac every day and it is stressful using it. Especially after Anandtech reviewed the ux21A, which is an amazing computer. 1080p with IPS panel makes it an amazing computer.
Thanks for the help everyone
@deadly_polo:
Whatever you buy, buy it REFURB'd, most have same guarantees/warranties and ALL have been inspected more than new units!
Apple, Dell, HP,etc, they all have REFURB's...save LOT$, why pay more?