MBA, v13, or something else?

Which should I get?

  • Dell v13 base model

    Votes: 5 35.7%

  • Original Macbook Air

    Votes: 4 28.6%

  • Gateway EC1400

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • ???

    Votes: 5 35.7%
  • Total voters
    14
V

versii

Weaksauce
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
88
So I am looking for something that has more oomph than a netbook, but has a screen 11"-13", and weighs under 3.5lbs. I am pointing a keen eye towards the Dell v13, which is pretty much what I need, but still on the slow side, and its a Dell. (1.3Ghz celeron, 2gb ram, x4500MHD, 250gb hdd, 13.3" screen, 3.5lbs) http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/vostro-v13?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04
At the same time, I am looking at a macbook air, simply because it has much higher build quality. With that in mind, I can't afford the $800 they go for. I am not concerned with how they look, as long as it works. So if anybody knows of an MBA that includes the charger, for less than 600, let me know.
I also looked at those Gateway sorta-netbook things, 11.6" screen, 1.3Ghz pentium(?) http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529668325.php but that is more expensive than the dell, with the same amount of pretty much everything, but with a smaller screen, thicker body, and crappy cheap plastic case.
Anyways, age is over little concern to me, just need something that could run l4d in a pinch(If I get REALLY bored), is lightweight, and is in the 450-600 range. I have a copy of 7pro ready for it as well. Anybody have any ideas?
Thanks!
 
personally. the 11.6" acer timeline is very high build quality, if you can stomach the glare-screen, but that applies to all your choices so its moot.

if the MBA you're getting has a 9400 in it, that should seal the deal for l4d because the x4500 BARELY runs it. (read: choppy on low)
 
Lenovo. Go look at some of theirs, lots of thin quality machines.
 
The MBA is expensive but your not going to find anything lighter for what you get, or like you said, better build quality. They are amazing. I would have a MBA in a heartbeat just to mess around on.

Of course you may need/want a PC. I personally don't like the design of that Dell. Possibly a Lenovo as Grentz says? Lenovo > Dell
 
FMX said:
The MBA is expensive but your not going to find anything lighter for what you get, or like you said, better build quality. They are amazing. I would have a MBA in a heartbeat just to mess around on.

Of course you may need/want a PC. I personally don't like the design of that Dell. Possibly a Lenovo as Grentz says? Lenovo > Dell
Click to expand...

Lenovo X300/X301 smacks the MBA IMO.

It is smaller, almost the same weight, many more features (better equipped), user swappable battery, included optical drive, lower price (especially if you look for lenovo sales and such which are frequent), plus it is built like a tank.
 
Grentz said:
Lenovo X300/X301 smacks the MBA IMO.

It is smaller, almost the same weight, many more features (better equipped), user swappable battery, included optical drive, lower price (especially if you look for lenovo sales and such which are frequent), plus it is built like a tank.
Click to expand...

They sell on ebay for at least $900, and I already have a nice laptop, VAIO Z. 2.6ghz C2D, 9300GS/4500MHD(hybrid graphics, beastly!) 4gb ram, 500gb harddrive. I need something that is worth less because I don't like walking around campus with a $2500 laptop with $6000 worth of software on it. But I need something that will do a few things more than a netbook would.
 
I take my MBP around everywhere I go... which is not a cheap laptop... but I still see your need and desire for hauling something around everywhere without having to worry about it all the time.

Those Lenovos are like $1900 new... so yeah I would hope they would perform better than the MBA. Not by much though. They are about equal. Buying a used MBA or a used Lenovo is probably going to be equally over $700-800.

You can't have what you want. Anything that has more power than a netbook but is as light and as small as one comes at a premium price. Because of this, these units hold their value. So far the Dell sounds like the best bet. Of course you can get better computers with more oomph than a netbook for much cheaper than a MBA or one of those Lenovos, but they are going to be heavier and uglier. You really need to set a budget and if you can't find what you want, I would just wait until I got what I wanted.
 
FMX said:
Those Lenovos are like $1900 new... so yeah I would hope they would perform better than the MBA. Not by much though. They are about equal. Buying a used MBA or a used Lenovo is probably going to be equally over $700-800.
Click to expand...

and if you watch, you can get them for less than the MBA. My point was less about the OP (sorry OP) and more that the MBA is a overpriced POS for an ultraportable unless you have to have OSX.


OP, if you want something like a netbook price, but not a netbook, I think something like those Dells are going to be your best bet. Size, Price, Quality, Pick 2 ;)
 
What? Where are you getting that the MBA is an "overpriced POS"

Base MBA, $1499

1.86GHz
Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 1066MHz frontside bus
2GB Memory
120GB SATA hard drive1
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics
3 lbs

Base Lenovo, $1899

Intel® Core™2 Duo ULV SU9400 processor (1.40GHz)
64GB hard drive
13.3" widescreen
Starting at 2.93 lbs.
Mobile Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD

I don't care if you DESPISE Apple, the MBA is a 10x better deal.
 
I am not gonna start a flame war, I will say that you can pickup Lenovo's easily under their listed prices with a tiny bit of research into deals on them...they are frequent and numerous if you wait a little while (Friends and Family being one of them).

The X301 and X200s are the competition as well, the X301 uses ULV while the X200s uses LV, so the X200s is probably a better comparison at this point (and starts at $1k).

OP, you might also look into the Samsung ultra portables. Some good machines in their lineup.
 
I really want an MBA. Its thin, backlit keyboard, has ample power(though I would be getting the first generation with the intel x3100 graphics, blehh) but all the ones I see have all this extra software crap that I don't need, I will be deleting it all and installing 7. I am not a storage junky either so thats no problem. I bought a VAIO P, but it is wayyy to underpowered. Willing to trade if anybody has an MBA......
 
I was simply saying the MBA is not an overpriced POS, Grentz... Again, you can't go above integrated graphics on those Lenovo's... on the MBA, you can, and it's a pretty decent card. You're rather limited on space, 120GB, but this should be enough for a computer of this size.
 
I'd wait, bite the bullet and buy a Sony Z - the refresh that's coming, it looks like even the lower-end models will have pretty potent switchable graphics. 1.5Kgs, decent runtime, full i5 processor, what's not to like (except for the price - which won't be a million miles away from an Air for an entry model)?

The Air looks nice undoubtedly, but the only reason I have them is that they're the lightest way I can run OS X, which I'm tied to. Those who go on about build quality are either brainwashed Mactards, really easy to please "Metal! Oooooo!!!!":rolleyes: or never owned one. They bend at the drop of a hat, and generally have to be treated like glass slippers in transit. Runtime is pathetic and I've had to purchase a $200 external battery (which also takes the all-up weight to well beyond Sony Z levels, but less than the 13-inch MBP) to get useful work out of them.
 
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I like how everybody is saying to get a vaio Z........I already have one. hahaha. Yeah, I wish somebody made something similar in size to the MBA, but without the price. Something with a 1.5ghz CULV, 80gb drive, 12" screen, .65" thick, 4500MHD or better for about $600. Oh wait.....dell does that!, but at what expense of quality?
Ugg......I wish this was a more popular form factor!
 
the asus UL series are very nice and fairly light, much better battery life, switchable graphics and a ULV CPU...

the only thing that is missing to make it a perfect Ultra Portable Notebook is a large capacity SSD.

the HP DM3T is also nice and as per the add above us..... it starts at $599... I own one and it is very nice...

the MBP has a much better touchpad....
 
Adidas4275 said:
the asus UL series are very nice and fairly light, much better battery life, switchable graphics and a ULV CPU...

the only thing that is missing to make it a perfect Ultra Portable Notebook is a large capacity SSD.

the HP DM3T is also nice and as per the add above us..... it starts at $599... I own one and it is very nice...

the MBP has a much better touchpad....
Click to expand...
Just looked at the dm3, and it is a bit more than I want to spend, and quiet chunky compared to the competition.
 
Asus EEE PC 1201n, 12" Netbook with desktop dual core atom 330 and nvidia 9400m/ion graphics, Windows 7, 2gb ramn, 250gb HD. 482 bucks at Amazon, just bought one myself was contemplating the macbook air, then decided macbook pro was better then decided it was all too big and I would always leave it at home until I ran accross the 1201n. This is a crazy good 12" laptop for a crazy good price.

If you want something small, light and portable nothing else compares to it:

http://hothardware.com/Articles/Asus-IonPowered-Eee-PC-1201N-Review/

Look on youtube for videos of gameplay on it, haven't played L4D yet but from what i've read L4D work great on it L4D2 might be a little laggy. I have played COD 4, HL2, Burnout Paradise and Arkham Asylum on it all work great had to lower settings on Arkham Asylum some to get smooth gameplay but overall I am just kind of amazed at this little thing...nothing else compares as far as size to gaming ratio goes it's kind of in a league of it's own.
 
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I have a couple of Lenovo's in my apt, s10e/s10 and a T400, overall great build quality (I have a newer T400), I have only heard good things about the x300, x200 and now they have the x100 for a very reasonable price.
 
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