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MacBook Air competitors coming to market

I

iphonsteve4ajob

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 6, 2011
186
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Read some interesting articles today about MacBook Air competitors. Toshiba and Lenovo are debuting their ultrabooks. Not bad looking machines...if I had to choose between the two I'd pick up the Toshiba. Looks like everyone wants their piece of the ultra book laptop market.

http://venturebeat.com/2011/09/01/toshiba-unveils-its-first-ultrabook-another-macbook-air-killer/

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2392228,00.asp

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscent...s_new_ultrabook_thinner_than_macbook_air.html
 
This might be a thread for people with bigger screen needs :D

Now show me something really portable and wow factor like MBA 11.

There's only Samsung 900X1B now and it is basically more expensive and worse in terms of speed.
 
One of the great things that is brought to light by this is just how competitive the Air is based on it's price (in the "ultrabook/ultraportable" segment of the market). It used to be that Apple was priced quite a bit higher than the competition, but now the competition is pricing right were Apple is.
 
jdechko said:
One of the great things that is brought to light by this is just how competitive the Air is based on it's price (in the "ultrabook/ultraportable" segment of the market). It used to be that Apple was priced quite a bit higher than the competition, but now the competition is pricing right were Apple is.
Click to expand...

I agree. At what we're able to pick up MBA's for, it really makes for a compelling argument to go Mac.
 
jdechko said:
One of the great things that is brought to light by this is just how competitive the Air is based on it's price (in the "ultrabook/ultraportable" segment of the market). It used to be that Apple was priced quite a bit higher than the competition, but now the competition is pricing right were Apple is.
Click to expand...
I've had Toshiba's and Thinkpads (back in the IBM days) and both were high quality with decent performance for their time. As good as the Lenovo and Tosh ultrabooks sound I think they are going to have an uphill struggle against the MBA, at least in the consumer market. The pricing on the Air and the iPad is a brilliant move on Apples part. They're ability to capitalize on their supply chain means they can sell the MBA and iPad at healthy profit margin while their competition struggles to match their price. The consumer expectation that Apple's sells at a premium puts even more price pressure on the competition.
 
My only peeve are the terrible trackpads used in most other mfgs laptops. Apple has the only trackpad that I can use without frustration. However, even in Windows 7, on both of my Apple laptops, I find the trackpad drivers to be lacking. Other than that, good luck to the other mfgs making MBA competitors.
 
rezenclowd3 said:
My only peeve are the terrible trackpads used in most other mfgs laptops. Apple has the only trackpad that I can use without frustration. However, even in Windows 7, on both of my Apple laptops, I find the trackpad drivers to be lacking. Other than that, good luck to the other mfgs making MBA competitors.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. Almost need to use a mouse with Windows 7. I'm super glad I don't need to be in there a lot. :D
 
Ultrabooks are only competitors for the customer base who doesn't care about the Mac user experience, the Apple Store experience, the App store experience, build quality, resale value, iDevice integration, iOS development, and/or whatever most of the fashionista's (or fashionista wannabe's) are carrying to class or using in coffee shops, etc.

All those factors are probably more important than most of the competing vendors think.

There is a market of people who care more about GHz and price, buts it's not a very profitable market, as those people try to pay as little as possible. Which leaves less money for R&D, design, manufacturing quality, customer support, and etc., for new Ultrabook products.
 
Competition is a good thing. Even if it's simply a clone of a MBA, it will keep Apple on their toes to innovate.
 
The simple and differentiating factor will be - they are running Window. :eek: :apple:
 
weespeed said:
I like this one. I wish my Air had a 14" screen with that small bezel and all in a 13" form factor..
It's not an AIR competitor more a MBP, but just want that bezel and screen size..


http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/30/samsung-unveils-series-7-laptops-we-go-hands-on/
Click to expand...

That's a nice one, i'll have to check it out. I looked at Samsung's 9 series and was far less impressed than I thought it would be.

Between the Lenovo and Toshiba i think I'd go with Lenovo. I've always liked their quality vs always being disappointed with Toshiba.

As far as the ultra book market is concerned, as someone already mentioned, other manufacturers are having a hard time undercutting the MBA. Surprising really, the MBA is apparently one machine where the "Apple Tax" is not applicable, at least not yet.
 
The new ASUS ultraportables look pretty sleek too.

I think the Lenova U series look fabulous. It'll be great for the Windows market, and good to spur competition for Apple. It'll motivate them to innovate and keep pushing forward. Everybody wins.
 
komoornik said:
Ye, ye.

Asus and they're timing - announcing product and it will not be on the market after 6 months :p

Besides, latest rumors says 899$ but for a lame Core i3 version. And I guess it would be with 2/64 GB.
Click to expand...

Full version of the i3 cpu :( The only Lenovo worth getting is their Thinkpad tablet with the pen support. Also to note the 12.5in version of that Lenovo was matte screen, but this is a horrid glossy screen, which could be forgiven if it wasn't using an Intel cpu, or Wind'ohs.
 
2IS said:
That's a nice one, i'll have to check it out. I looked at Samsung's 9 series and was far less impressed than I thought it would be.

Between the Lenovo and Toshiba i think I'd go with Lenovo. I've always liked their quality vs always being disappointed with Toshiba.

As far as the ultra book market is concerned, as someone already mentioned, other manufacturers are having a hard time undercutting the MBA. Surprising really, the MBA is apparently one machine where the "Apple Tax" is not applicable, at least not yet.
Click to expand...

The samsung 9 series with the same cpu/gpu as the 17" MBP for 1300$ is not impressive at all? :eek:

But yeah no true competitor to the MBA just yet.
 
EJ8 said:
The simple and differentiating factor will be - they are running Window. :eek: :apple:
Click to expand...

While I prefer Macs (have 4 of them) and OS X, I use Windows 7 on my work laptop and it really isn't bad - in fact, it's been pretty solid for me.
 
jsolares said:
The samsung 9 series with the same cpu/gpu as the 17" MBP for 1300$ is not impressive at all? :eek:

But yeah no true competitor to the MBA just yet.
Click to expand...

The 9 series just recently got a price drop. It was $1600 when I looked at it, or was it $1700? And no, I wasn't impressed by it, I actually thought I would be, but came away disappointed. I WANT a PC alternative to the MBA.
 
weespeed said:
I like this one. I wish my Air had a 14" screen with that small bezel and all in a 13" form factor..
It's not an AIR competitor more a MBP, but just want that bezel and screen size..


http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/30/samsung-unveils-series-7-laptops-we-go-hands-on/
Click to expand...

Boy, that does look nice. Even though, for me, nothing beats os x, windows 7 is not too bad. Also, some of these are pretty good.

I've never had a Samsung. However, I've had several Lenovo Thinkpads, and they're top notch pcs.

These will only make the macs, especially the airs, better.
 
To be honest, as someone who is regularly using both Mac OS X and W7 I do not see why anyone would go to PC machine, especially now that the prices are so close...

Macs are simply delightful to work with, on either of OSs.

However, I do have to say that I like that other companies are trying to match up to Apple... It is good for us, consumers... Quietly however, I think others have a long way to go...

Mac remains the only machine for the Mac OS X... and the best machine for Windows...

Happy times I reckon...
 
tried out the toshiba at the store and almost let my wallet make the decision....which, i could still live with had i not really wanted an 2011 MBA after selling my 2010 MBP. the portege is a nice machine...for the price/specs, it will sell pretty good, i think.
 
The weights of these new ultra books are giving the edge over the MBA. However, I don't have much regards for PC laptops' battery life this thin, at least my past experience tells me. I'd rather take thick laptop like Lenovo X220 with IPS screen/better battery life/standard voltage mobile sandy bridge that weights just a little more than MBA.

Apart from the great trackpad, MBA's instant on is to die for. This is a godsend for users like me who do a little something, close lid, do something again after 30mins, close lid again, when I'm on battery. Standby on PC laptops can suck a hell lots of battery power. I've had experiences like standby during lunch time and comeback just to see 2~3% batter lost due to RAM hosting as well as starting up - the standby/startup procedure is actually taking quite a bit of battery considering that it's The end of the day ~10% of battery life lost just because of standby.
 
this is great. I hope every pc manufacturer enters this ultra book market and commits to it. would be wonderful in pushing good tech further. I don't care about who is copying who and don't know why people get so offended when companies do either. They ALL (yes, including :apple:) copy each other all the time and has been doing so forever. that's how tech works, that's how its supposed to work.


still gonna get me an air though :D

Typswif2fingers said:
To be honest, as someone who is regularly using both Mac OS X and W7 I do not see why anyone would go to PC machine, especially now that the prices are so close...

Macs are simply delightful to work with, on either of OSs.

However, I do have to say that I like that other companies are trying to match up to Apple... It is good for us, consumers... Quietly however, I think others have a long way to go...

Mac remains the only machine for the Mac OS X... and the best machine for Windows...

Happy times I reckon...
Click to expand...

actually no, that would be the thinkpad
 
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