Hi, all. I am in the midst of a search for a new laptop. Actually, this device will be my main PC, as I plan on connecting it to a docking station and monitor.
My criteria;
Thin and light. And of course, lappable.
Long battery life. Not claimed battery life, but actual battery life for someone who lives in Tweetdeck (and Notepad)
13-inch screen preferred. No pen or touch needed. But an excellent trackpad is a must.
Preferred to be running Windows 10. No i-Devices considered (I am not an Apple fan, to put it mildly). But Chromebook might be OK. My first choice is definitely Windows.
What do you think I should buy? I need to get something before the end of this year, as Win 7 free support ends in Jan. 2020.
Dell XPS 13. Should be high on the MJF Lapability Index for a lightweight laptop, battery life is good (don’t know if you will hit their claimed battery life but should be good nonetheless). Trackpad is decent.
EDIT: And the 2019 version puts the webcam back above the display, so that sole oddity is fixed.
I use a few other limited programs. Some MS productivity apps and such. But I mostly use web apps for the things I need for work. And Notepad is my go-to text editor, but I could switch out to something else comparable if need be…
First, MaryJo, upgrade to Notepad++, it will totally rock your notepad world
I think maybe the best laptop form factor is the new Google laptop coming in a few days. It probably won’t be running Windows thou, and thus no native Notepad.
I don’t have one, but I’ve been seriously tempted by the Huawei Matebook series of laptops. They are running older 8th Gen Intel chips at this stage but the value for specs is there and I’m really keen on the 3:2 aspect ratio screens.
I’m going to check out the Surface Laptop 3 when it’s released but they are a bit pricey for my tastes.
@MaryJo Criteria 3 and 4 are at odds with each other. If you want an excellent trackpad, you need to go for a Macbook.
With that being said and knowing you will never give in to Apple, I would go for Lenovo ThinkPads. They are the next best trackpads in my opinion. I prefer the X series for lightweight profiles. The X1 line probably fit your criteria best.
I’m currently testing the Thinkpad X1 Carbon Gen7. 13’’. I can’t feel it on my lap. I’m also a sucker for the Lenovo Thinkpad keyboard. LOVE IT. This i7 is fast enough. Battery has been good. No I didn’t get the 18hrs it touts, but i went about 8hrs without doing any video rendering and VERY LIGHT photo editing here and there. Hope that helps, Miss Mary.
What is your budget? Dell XPS, Lenovo ThinPad X1 Carbon. As you are using it for business and out and about a lot, I’d definitely go for the more robust build quality of a business laptop, even if they are not as svelte as some ultrabooks.
The ThinkPad T is a slightly cheaper alternative, but it isn’t as thin and light as the X1. I use the T at work and I am very happy with it, but I only take it out of the office maybe twice a month.
My budget is roughly $2K. This is my daily driver, so I am not trying to skimp. I know I could pay a lot more, but I feel like that’s the good “upper end” of the ultrabook/laptop market.
