I love the Lenovo ThinkPad line. Very reliable, great support, and quality parts! They do not have the Apple aesthetics but the usability is fantastic!
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What is closest to MBA on the evil side!
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I love the Lenovo ThinkPad line. Very reliable, great support, and quality parts! They do not have the Apple aesthetics but the usability is fantastic!
I've heard a couple of you being fond of the Yoga 2 Pro. Is this more about the multi-mode nature of the machine, (tablet mode/touch screen) or do you see it as a strong value even if used mostly as a laptop? If a person was more interested in using it as a laptop and workstation, and not so into multimode ultra book, would a T440 Thinkpad be better? i5 128 SSD, 4G memory about the same price configured as the Yoga 2 pro i7, 128 SSD 8G memory.
What do you think of the Best Buy "Blue Label" version, is it the same i7, 128 SSD, 8G memory components as leveno offers on its website.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-...5404810&skuId=1817254&st=yoga 2 pro&cp=1&lp=3
This has been incredibly helpful and appreciated...still holding slight hope for macbook pro retina or MBA with bootcamp...should know tomorrow.
When it comes to build quality, ASUS Zenbook UX32 is probably the only one that can somewhat match it.
Of course there are number of other more or less great ultrabooks which look great on the pictures. But when you touch them with your own hands after using MBA, you quickly realize that the whole case/chasis is flexing like crazy, they just feel like toys.
Of course there are number of other more or less great ultrabooks which look great on the pictures. But when you touch them with your own hands after using MBA, you quickly realize that the whole case/chasis is flexing like crazy, they just feel like toys.
Have you tried any of the business class ultrabooks?
Apple makes prosumers notebooks which means they are between business class and consumer class. That Asus you pointed out is more of a consumer class laptop.
Just because someone markets some ultrabook as "business class" it doesn't mean that it's build quality will be top notch.
Sony's most expensive ultrabook (the one made from carbon, can't recall the exact model name) is surely "business class", but have you actually seen how thin and fragile his case is? It looks like a joke when there is MBA close to it. Good notebook chassis should feel like a rock, not like a pillow.
Now what is seperating Apple between "mixed class" and isolated business class is nothing more than successful marketing. They could easily be exclusive business class company with current product line (and current build quality), but it would mean less income and less profit. Now if they seperate "business class laptops" from "consumer class laptops", it would just hurt the brand name, as currently all their laptops are practically business class quality.
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Beyond my fondness for the convertible nature of the Yoga Pro 2, I also think it has one of the best builds for a Win8 machine. To me, the Windows section at a Best Buy is a sea of cheapo plastic machines. The Yoga 2, yes, while plastic too, has the rubberized coating that makes the thing seem solid. I put the Speck cases on my Macbooks anyway, so this thing basically has one built in!
I got a no on the MacBook using Bootcamp (not unexpected)
It appears spending $750 is going to be tops I can do...
Looks like I'll be getting a
Leveno Thinkpad Edge E531
Matte screen, no touch screen
Windows Professional 7
Intel Core i3 3110M 2.4GHz Dual Core Processor with Hyperthreading
Upgrade to 180G SSD
Upgrade to 8G Memory
No $ left to upgrade the processor (figured better to do SSD and Memory)
I can live without windows 8 and touchscreen.
I know this is all previous generation stuff, but anything current with comparable specs will be $1,000 or more. Also thanks for the "sea of cheapo plastic" at BB comment, that is right on. I know I could probably get out of there with a windows 8 touch screen, probably i5, 4G of memory and a HDD for the $750 range, but I think the older version upgraded Thinkpad is a better value.
Anybody got a better way for me to spend $750, or should I just go ahead and shoot myself in the head?
Seriously, thanks for all the thoughts and feedback. It's been a valuable learning experience (at least for the part of my brain that can find time to care about windows machines).
I'll probably just keep using my personal MBA when I'm away from the office.
It appears spending $750 is going to be tops I can do...
Looks like I'll be getting a
Leveno Thinkpad Edge E531
Matte screen, no touch screen
Windows Professional 7
Intel Core i3 3110M 2.4GHz Dual Core Processor with Hyperthreading
Upgrade to 180G SSD
Upgrade to 8G Memory
No $ left to upgrade the processor (figured better to do SSD and Memory)
I can live without windows 8 and touchscreen.
I know this is all previous generation stuff, but anything current with comparable specs will be $1,000 or more. Also thanks for the "sea of cheapo plastic" at BB comment, that is right on. I know I could probably get out of there with a windows 8 touch screen, probably i5, 4G of memory and a HDD for the $750 range, but I think the older version upgraded Thinkpad is a better value.
Anybody got a better way for me to spend $750, or should I just go ahead and shoot myself in the head?
Seriously, thanks for all the thoughts and feedback. It's been a valuable learning experience (at least for the part of my brain that can find time to care about windows machines).
I'll probably just keep using my personal MBA when I'm away from the office.