Which is the best ultraportable to run Windows? Is it a Mac?

[skaertus]

Some people, usually Mac enthusiasts, sustain that Apple computers are better than PCs even to run Windows. Do you agree with this, especially with the new lines of ultrabooks which are being pushed by Intel?

Which is the best ultraportable to run Windows? Is it a MacBook?

 

[jrs22]

What about the Microsoft surface pro? Cnet seems to think that a touchscreen is really important to appreciating the new features in w8.

 

[monkeybagel]

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon (non-touch) is a wonderful device. I would highly recommend it.

 

[skaertus]

What about the Microsoft surface pro? Cnet seems to think that a touchscreen is really important to appreciating the new features in w8.

I did not include the Surface Pro on the poll because it is first a tablet, and then a laptop. I have not yet seen one in person, but looks like a nice little piece of hardware.

As for the touch, there are plenty of options out there.

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The ThinkPad X1 Carbon (non-touch) is a wonderful device. I would highly recommend it.

It looks good, but is there any problem with the touch screen?

If I am not mistaken, it has a TN screen, right?

 

[monkeybagel]

I did not include the Surface Pro on the poll because it is first a tablet, and then a laptop. I have not yet seen one in person, but looks like a nice little piece of hardware.

As for the touch, there are plenty of options out there.

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It looks good, but is there any problem with the touch screen?

If I am not mistaken, it has a TN screen, right?

I have never used the touch screen version, and honestly have no interest in it. The standard X1 is an excellent machine. Excellent build quality, battery life, weight, feel, etc.

 

[skaertus]

I have never used the touch screen version, and honestly have no interest in it. The standard X1 is an excellent machine. Excellent build quality, battery life, weight, feel, etc.

Good to know that. In your perspective, how does it compare to the retina MacBook Pro, including in terms of feel and build quality?

 

[monkeybagel]

Good to know that. In your perspective, how does it compare to the retina MacBook Pro, including in terms of feel and build quality?

The build quality is excellent. It is a notebook that you can toss in the seat of your car and not worry about it getting scratched up, etc.

It does not have Thunderbolt. I think the keyboard feels better, and the Trackpad is actually almost on par with Apple's (although the Windows implementation of it is not quite there yet). I would recommend getting a non-touch version with Windows 7. The screen is 1600x900 good for a notebook that size.

The MacBook Pro is built great in its own right, but seems easier to scratch, etc.

 

[ErikvanD]

MBP + W8 = best of two worlds

As a Microsoft SQL/BI developer I have been using a 2009 MBP for years as my development machine. I just run Windows 7 without OSX (since december Windows Server 2012) and this works just fine.

Recently I decided to replace my trusty MBP with something a bit more powerfull while it still had some value on the secondhand market. I did extensive research as I had rather specific demands:

- i5 of i7 processor, would prefer the non energysaving type
- at least 8GB memory, but more would be better
- at least 256 GB SSD
- good screen, preferably a HD
- 13 inch
- not too heavy
- good looks (so no (black) plasic!)

As I only run Windows I focussed on non Macs. After looking for a long time I had no luck finding a suitable Windows laptop. Although lots of ultrabooks look perfect, they are just not upgradable enough. At least not the 13" versions. Most have 4 GB memory soldered on the MB and a small, expensive non-sata SSD.

So after a lot of thinking I ended up buying..... yet another MBP 13. Not the Retina as this is too expensive and hard to upgrade. My new MBP now has 16 GB memory and two SSD's and is running Windows Server 2012. The non HD screen is the only drawback but at home is is connected to two full HD 24" Samsungs and at work I also have a large external display to work with.

So for me this setup is the best of two worlds: Apples exquisite form factor and build quality and the very good Windows Server 2012 OS!

Cheers,
Erik

 

[printz]

Nice to know that the high price of MacBooks still holds some merit. Then again, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon mentioned here is similarly priced.

 

[skaertus]

The build quality is excellent. It is a notebook that you can toss in the seat of your car and not worry about it getting scratched up, etc.

It does not have Thunderbolt. I think the keyboard feels better, and the Trackpad is actually almost on par with Apple's (although the Windows implementation of it is not quite there yet). I would recommend getting a non-touch version with Windows 7. The screen is 1600x900 good for a notebook that size.

The MacBook Pro is built great in its own right, but seems easier to scratch, etc.

I have never seen a Think Pad X1 Carbon before.

The MacBook Pro with a retina display, however, feels fantastic. In my last visit to a computer store, it just looked and felt much better than everything else. The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga was probably the best Windows laptop around, followed by Samsung Series 9 and Asus TaiChi. The rest was pure crap. But, even being the best around the Windows bunch, the Yoga did not hold a candle to the retina MacBook.

I wonder whether the Carbon is so much better than the Yoga that would justify a comparison to the retina MacBook Pro.

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As a Microsoft SQL/BI developer I have been using a 2009 MBP for years as my development machine. I just run Windows 7 without OSX (since december Windows Server 2012) and this works just fine.

Recently I decided to replace my trusty MBP with something a bit more powerfull while it still had some value on the secondhand market. I did extensive research as I had rather specific demands:

- i5 of i7 processor, would prefer the non energysaving type
- at least 8GB memory, but more would be better
- at least 256 GB SSD
- good screen, preferably a HD
- 13 inch
- not too heavy
- good looks (so no (black) plasic!)

As I only run Windows I focussed on non Macs. After looking for a long time I had no luck finding a suitable Windows laptop. Although lots of ultrabooks look perfect, they are just not upgradable enough. At least not the 13" versions. Most have 4 GB memory soldered on the MB and a small, expensive non-sata SSD.

So after a lot of thinking I ended up buying..... yet another MBP 13. Not the Retina as this is too expensive and hard to upgrade. My new MBP now has 16 GB memory and two SSD's and is running Windows Server 2012. The non HD screen is the only drawback but at home is is connected to two full HD 24" Samsungs and at work I also have a large external display to work with.

So for me this setup is the best of two worlds: Apples exquisite form factor and build quality and the very good Windows Server 2012 OS!

Cheers,
Erik

Well, the Sony S and Z series perhaps could fit your requirements too. But they are not good looking as the MacBook Pro and they feel somewhat fragile.

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Nice to know that the high price of MacBooks still holds some merit. Then again, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon mentioned here is similarly priced.

The MacBook Pro is an expensive laptop given that it has an HD and a low resolution TN display. It has fantastic build quality, though, and I guess in that lies its merits.

As I have said, I have never seen a Carbon before, and I wonder whether it has Apple-quality build.

 

[roadbloc]

Another vote for the ThinkPad X1 for me. Fantastic machine.

 

[ErikvanD]

Well, the Sony S and Z series perhaps could fit your requirements too. But they are not good looking as the MacBook Pro and they feel somewhat fragile.

In fact the Sony was the only other machine on my shortlist...

 

[skaertus]

Another vote for the ThinkPad X1 for me. Fantastic machine.

Is it so great?

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In fact the Sony was the only other machine on my shortlist...

Which one? And why did you prefer the Mac over it?

 

[ErikvanD]

Which one? And why did you prefer the Mac over it?

Good question. I know it was a built to order Sony... I tried to recreate it just now on the Sony website but could not find the config I had clicked together back then.... I knew the config I picked out was priced around 1500 euro.

These were the main reasons for sticking with a MBP

- The Sony was quite a bit more expensive to begin with compared to a i5 MBP 13 (but did have a HD screen!)
- I could buy a two week old MBP with over 350 euro discount from a guy that could not get used to OSX... The machine only had 2 load cycles, all receipts and was fully legit
- Both my home office as the one at work is fully equiped for Apple hardware with stands, extra adapters etc. Changing to a Windows laptop would mean I had to buy new ones...

And last but not least I had become quite attached to my old MBP... So despite running Windows on a Mac decently takes a bit more tweaking than on a Windows laptop, I decided to stick with Mac for a while.

And the reason for upgrading now is that the current MBP range might well be the last not Retina range that still is easily customer upgradable. Which is the main reason I choose a normal MBP over a rMBP.

 

[roadbloc]

Is it so great?

Yep. I don't have the touch version, but it is a solid little machine with a great display and some solid hardware. Feels indestructible, as ThinkPads should.

 

[skaertus]

Yep. I don't have the touch version, but it is a solid little machine with a great display and some solid hardware. Feels indestructible, as ThinkPads should.

What is so good about the display? I thought it had a 14-inch TN display capable of a 1600x900 resolution, which is not great, especially considering its screen size.