Ultrabook to beet Macbook Air?

[ZaZ]

I would say the Air is the best Ultrabook right now if that's what your after, but the X220 is a better notebook.

If you want a cheap notebook to tide you over until next year something like the X120e might be worth a look. There's been some good deals on it of late. The IdeaPad Yoga with 13" IPS screen is coming this fall and may merit your attention.

[User Retired 2]

If you want a cheap notebook to tide you over until next year something like the X120e might be worth a look.

I'd suggest grab a 12.5" Dell E6220 from the outlet using the 25% off coupon available now as a tide over machine: Dell Outlet Winter Savings Event | Dell . Ends up costing in the low 500s for a 3.5lbs/0.97" thin business grade unit with full power i5 CPU, matte LCD, high capacity 6-cell battery and a stack of accessories.

[falieson]

I'd suggest grab a 12.5" Dell E6220 from the outlet using the 25% off coupon available now as a tide over machine: Dell Outlet Winter Savings Event | Dell . Ends up costing in the low 500s for a 3.5lbs/0.97" thin business grade unit with full power i5 CPU, matte LCD, high capacity 6-cell battery and a stack of accessories.

Looks cool but no inventory

[ZaZ]

I been seeing the X120e going for around three hundred or so. Take a look in the Lenovo Outlet too. While I'm sure the E6220 is more durable with a better warranty, for a notebook that's going to be used for a year, then discarded, the X120e might a better fit.

[falieson]

Which brings us full circle. I never expect to use a laptop for more than 18months so ... to last 18 months I should just go with the MBA.

Especially because in the silicon valley, and the client's I'm meeting with. The macbook air will vibe well with them. It's dumb but yeah... I'm pretty sure that's what I will end up going with.

Thanks for the great discussion!

[ZaZ]

The Air is a fine machine, but I like the X220 better. You can click the link in my signature to read the comparison.

[Ryan]

The Air is a fine machine, but I like the X220 better. You can click the link in my signature to read the comparison.

Hi Zaz,

Any comparison on the Air 11 vs. X220?

I'm torn if I should try and get a X220 for school's portable needs, the 13" Air should be good but I do agree that the 11" may be fit if I have 1 workstation in my room and 1 to carry around..

[JonCordova]

/\ I feel like the X220 is the better school laptop, with the classic-style Thinkpad keyboard, Trackpoint, and full-voltage CPU. If you go for it, get the i3 for battery life, the IPS display of course, and drop in a small SSD [7mm] sometime down the line--the hard drive bay is just a door and one screw.

If you already have a big workstation machine, I'd suggest taking a hard look at the 11-inch Air, although keep in mind it has less battery life than the 13.

To the OP, I think the whole thing comes down to impressing clients. If you need that style and elegance, nothing beats the MacBook Airs yet. There will be upgraded Airs soon...I think by August at the very latest. That gives you six months at most to amortize whatever you get to tide you over.

In the $600 range that's available now...yes, Thinkpad x120e is going for $300 here and there, I actually like the silver plastic look of the HP dm1, same goes for the Samsung Princeton 11.6, and wasn't there a refurb MacBook Air 11.6 for like $800?

You could just buy the current Air for $1200. I gather from the reviews that performance is already excellent for regular tasks; the biggest gains in from the forthcoming Ivy Bridge processors will be battery life and graphics. Battery life on the 13 Air is already fine, so you could probably be quite happy buying the current Air.

I think getting a hold-over laptop would make the most sense at $300-$500, and right now, that's the AMD Thinkpad x120e or the i3 Samsung Princeton 11.6.

[ZaZ]

I unfortunately don't have a 11" Air to compare. It'll be about a pound lighter. I think that's big enough difference it may be significant for some users. Battery life isn't as good on the 11". I think most of the other attributes for the 13" Air should apply.

[Mitlov]

The Air 13 is already so portable that I'd be really hesitant to give up the screen real estate and screen resolution just for a little bit extra lightness in the Air 11. I would pick the Air 13 over the Air 11 every time. Just my $0.02.