Peformance UltraBooks

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  ProspectiveDarkness on 15/01/2013 - 04:00

  +2

  A high end ultrabook is going to set you back quite a bit. Even then, the very best ultrabook wouldn't compare to a high end laptop - they use Ultra Low Voltage processors, so performance will be greatly reduced. Most of them don't have discrete graphics cards, so you wouldn't be able to take advantage of CUDA cores on compatible programs. Add to that: upgrading RAM in an ultrabook is no easy task. Personally, I think you'd be better off just going for a relatively high end notebook.
  Edit: I skipped over where you recognised a notebook would be better, but I'm not letting all this typing go to waste ;-) /edit.

  However, I get what you mean - most ultrabooks seem to stand head and shoulders over the run-of-the-mill notebook in aesthetic appeal, build construction and general usage (thanks to SSD's and higher res screens). To be able to appropriately answer your question, you should provide a budget.

  Here's a couple that seem appropriate:
  Samsung NP900X4C-A05AU - Flingshot. 15" screen (one of the largest ultrabooks, IIRC), i7, 256GB SSD, 16GB RAM $1688. The large amount of RAM in this would be particularly helpful, I think. I also find the Series 9 to be one of the best looking ultrabooks at the moment, but that's subjective. The same model is $2000 at JB Hi Fi - they have relatively abysmal regular pricing on high end notebooks / ultrabooks.

  Asus UX31A-R5008H - Flingshot. 13.3" screen, i7, 256GB SSD, 4GB of RAM (not great compared to the Samsung, but this is cheaper), $1497.

  As for the Apple laptops… they don't seem worth it to me. The Air's top out (non-customised, since I can't be bothered ;-) at a 13" screen, 4GB of RAM and an i5 for only ~$150 less than the above Samsung. IIRC, MBP/A's also have lower screen resolutions (1440 x 900 and 1280 x 800). The equivalent MacBook Pro seems to be astronomically expensive, so I can't recommend that on a bargain website, sorry :-)
  The only thing I can see going in the MBP's favour is the dedicated graphics - but at the expense of everything else.

• 

  Ramrunner on 15/01/2013 - 08:43

  +1 for the Asus UX31A. Own one. Brilliant.

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  JackFrost on 15/01/2013 - 09:31

  Thanks for your replies! (The longer the better as there more detailed haha!)

  Yeah I probably should of provided a budget!
  It's probably going to be a max of $1500ish I guess,
  And I still haven't really considered notebooks much cos of the fact that they are much thicker. Does anyone no of any notebooks that don't qualify as an UltraBook but still are relatively thin, light, powerful and don't look like a heap of plastic junk?! :P

  I do like the Samsung Series 9s and that Asus you talked about above. Both look good too, however the Asus screens seem to let them down a little

  • 

    Ramrunner on 15/01/2013 - 11:07

    Sorry can you please elaborate on the quality of the Asus screen? It's full HD in a 13.3" shell, the reviewers specifically mention how good it looks, and it's one of the best screens I've ever owned on a portable PC (and I've owned heaps).

    OK, it's not retina, but probably the best one directly after that?

    • 

      JackFrost on 16/01/2013 - 01:19

      I was under the impression that they all came with 1366x786 res screens which I found quite poor. I like the sound of a Full HD screen. I've seen the Samsung Series 9 Screens (1600x900) and there bloody good.

• 

  Noblejoker on 15/01/2013 - 10:24

  Ultrabooks do look cool but to be honest I don't get it
  A nice sold laptop/notebook comes in at well under $1,000 without an ssd
  buy a 256gb for ~$250 and still under $1,000
  Battery life enough to run all day (if lucky) and no compromises on power, graphics etc

  Ultrabooks seem to be predominantly about reduced size and weight
  I don't want too small and can you really tell the difference between 1.5kg and 2.5kg when it's on your knee or in your backpack?
  I can't

  I bought a Lenovo T520 with magnesium case - a bit ugly but tough
  Drop in ssd and it gets 4-5 hours on full power and weighs <3kg
  No dedicated graphics in mine but whole package (inc 512gb ssd) was around $900 after cashback

  Anyway to summarise - smaller and shinier often means less powerful and def means more expensive
  And IMO for most practical uses it is no better

  PS - my one regret is screen resolution - make sure you get a screen that does better than the "standard" 1366x768.
  I use mine plugged in to monitor most of the day but when it's on my knee at night it's too restrictive

  • 

    _Bruce_ on 15/01/2013 - 10:30

    +1

    For many people weight and size may not matter, but that is really what it is all about and it does make a difference. I rarely travel with a laptop any more, so it doens't matter but if you do travel a lot 1Kg is a big deal.

    • 

      Noblejoker on 15/01/2013 - 10:41

      I think most people are fooled by marketing hype on this
      Manufacturers want to justify higher prices and use this excuse
      Most uni or HS students bag would be 6-8kg or more anyway

      I respect that Bruce or others have a different opinion but unless you are hiking miles or something I would choose a higher weight with better performance and a much lower price
      Sitting with your laptop bag on the bus you won't notice the difference IMO

      • 

        tonyjzx on 15/01/2013 - 11:11

        it actually makes a huge difference

        i have a 15" 2.5kg 1,080p laptop and 13" 1.5kg 900p portable

        it makes a huge differnce, especially if you're a female or a kid

        1.5kg isnt even noticeable, 2.5kg is

        like you I am also cynical of ultrabooks, especially how a dead battery is likely to terminate the unit until repair but it does suit some people

        eg. my kid loves the 1.5kg laptops

        the 2.5kg units are really DTRs

      • 

        Ramrunner on 15/01/2013 - 11:13

        Battery life is noticeably longer on my Asus - longer than anything I've ever owned. Yes, the i7 ULV is not as powerful as Ivy Bridge i7 mobile chips.

        So, if you want to run Crysis etc., or encode lots of HD content get a notebook with dedicated graphics. Anything else really you will not notice the difference. Seriously. I speak from experience.

        A high specced (i7) Ultrabook with a decent SSD in it is more than enough for day-to-day use. My Asus is MUCH faster than the Dell XPS I had only last year.

        The SSD makes a huge difference. I cannot recommend enough, that whatever you get, get an SSD in it, you will not regret it!

      • 

        Noblejoker on 16/01/2013 - 16:37

        Better battery life is important but largely a factor of using an ssd
        SSD in a lappie gets battery times near ultra if you are careful

      • 

        hangdog on 17/01/2013 - 04:21

        I agree. I've spent a fair bit of time hauling a laptop in a loaded messenger bag, through airports and to/from railway stations. Light and thin laptops do a lot to make this bearable – light for obvious reasons (as well as not having the laptop comprise half your carry-on allowance); thin because it's so much easier to deal with a bag that isn't straining at the seams. Besides, how else am I going to make room for the iPad? ;)

  • 

    scotty on 15/01/2013 - 10:44

    Lenovo T520 with magnesium case

    Note that ThinkPad T520 actually comes with magnesium roll cage (like all T, X and W series), but with:

    • Display Cover: Carbon-fi ber / Glass-fi ber hybrid
    • Bottom: Glass-fi ber reinforced plastic without paint

    Source

    • 

      Noblejoker on 15/01/2013 - 11:13

      Correct - mine was the shorthand version ;)

• 

  scotty on 15/01/2013 - 10:39

  +1

  You want it fast, lightweight and under $1500…

  I bought a ThinkPad EDGE S430 recently — $899 delivered with:

  • Core i7-3540M Turbo boost to 3.70GHz
  • 8GB RAM
  • 128GB SSD
  • NVIDIA GT620m
  • 14" 1600x900
  • Thunderbolt port
  • 1.8kg

  Lightweight enough to be on-par with other 14" Ultrabooks, except it's not thin enough as it also comes with an optical drive that can be replaced with a spinning-rust hard drive if you need more storage. It's not as upgradable as other ThinkPad (T, X and W series) — has to take the whole bottom panel off to upgrade RAM + non-swappable battery (although user replaceable).

  • 

    Noblejoker on 15/01/2013 - 11:12

    Yep - best of both worlds right there

  • 

    jwh on 15/01/2013 - 23:38

    How's the speakers on this model? I have an Asus UX31A, and the sound is great, wheras my old Dell Latitude is soft and tinny (useless really). Manufacturers often neglect this point.

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  suewsuew on 16/01/2013 - 14:03

  Hope you don't mind me crashing this but the specs are very close to what I'm looking for but with a couple of other items…
  ssd (larger the better)
  usb3
  hdmi
  weight (lighter the better)
  speakers (good quality)
  touch screen
  backlit keypad

  Rationale. My husband is disabled and we spend a lot of time watching movies. We also travel a lot and some places do not have newer style TV's, in which case we watch on laptop.

  I would like a big ssd so I don't have to cart portable drive.
  USB3 for obvious reasons
  HDMI if we DO stay at a more modern place
  With weight restriction getting lower and lower and also the fact that we obviouslyhave to laptop/ultrabook in carry on, th elighter the better.
  Good quality speakers for obvious reasons
  Touch screen not a deal breaker but would be nice considering what I am probably going to have to pay.
  Backlit so I can use it at night without a light when hubby sleeping.
  Do not need optical drive.

  Not a computer savvy person so any advice appreciated.

  • 

    JackFrost on 16/01/2013 - 16:07

    Yeah very similar to what I was after, HDMI, USB3, SSD preferable and a high res screen. Don't need a touch screen tho

• 

  matthewperk on 17/01/2013 - 07:59

  I can also offer up two alternative options:

  1. Alienware M11X r3 - In Australia these cost an arm and a leg to buy, but I bought my r2 on ebay direct from a US seller brand new (warranty easily got transferred). I've seen these fully speced for sub $1400 and are easily upgradable, note whilst they are compact they do still weigh a bit, but the keyboard is unmatched and have dedicated graphics, but the processor is still quite slow being a ULV and the screen on it leaves much to be desired. But my R2 hasn't missed a beat yet, and I do a lot of CAD, photoshop and massive spreadsheet documents, not to mention gaming and usually run dual 26" HD monitors.

  2. Some of the Lenovo thinkpads have hook up an external graphics card (http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/X-Series-ThinkPad-Laptops/x220-E…) when docked (all your intensive work I'd assume would still be done at home). These things are not bad with weight, tough and have great keyboards, get great battery life, and use full power processers. They aren't quite as glam as as ultrabook, but then again you have a beast of a laptop as well.