Anything comparable to the Apple MacBook 13"

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C

cheesehead

Lifer
Aug 11, 2000
10,079
0
0
I'm thinking of buying a new laptop, but was wondering if anyone had any recommendations. Also, does anyone think I should wait until the next chipset upgrade?

Need:
-LONG battery life
-Decent level of build quality (not a Toughbook...but not a Dell, either)
-13" widescreen form factor (may be willing to compromise)
-Good keyboard
-Linux compatibility. No obscure Atlantean chipsets, please.
-Decent soundcard.
-Pricetag of under $1,200 after student discounts and 3-year warranty

Don't Need:
-Speed. A dual-core 1.6 is fine with me.
-A really big hard drive. I have one on my desktop.
-Fancy screen
-Blu-Ray
-Webcam

Don't Want:
-Glossy screen

Current laptop:
IBM Thinkpad X61S:
Likes:
-Durability
-Good screen
-Size
-Ubuntu compatibility

Dislikes:
-Keyboard now too small for my stubby fingers
-Battery life SUCKS
-No internal optical drive now getting on my nerves.

Prospective Laptop:
Macbook Pro 13"

Likes:
-Size
-Keyboard (good but not amazing)
-Battery life
-Linux compatibility
-I don't have to run Windows (eww) OR Linux (battery hog) for surfing the internet on the go.

Dislikes:
-Glossy screen
-Internally mounted battery
-Price ($1200 - $100 student discount - $100 "hock the free iPod Touch" discount + $200 student-priced Applecare = $1200)


 
A

armstrda

Senior member
Sep 15, 2006
426
0
0
Originally posted by: Cheesehead
I'm thinking of buying a new laptop, but was wondering if anyone had any recommendations. Also, does anyone think I should wait until the next chipset upgrade?

Need:
-LONG battery life
-Decent level of build quality (not a Toughbook...but not a Dell, either)
-13" widescreen form factor (may be willing to compromise)
-Good keyboard
-Linux compatibility. No obscure Atlantean chipsets, please.
-Decent soundcard.
-Pricetag of under $1,200 after student discounts and 3-year warranty

Don't Need:
-Speed. A dual-core 1.6 is fine with me.
-A really big hard drive. I have one on my desktop.
-Fancy screen
-Blu-Ray
-Webcam

Don't Want:
-Glossy screen

Current laptop:
IBM Thinkpad X61S:
Likes:
-Durability
-Good screen
-Size
-Ubuntu compatibility

Dislikes:
-Keyboard now too small for my stubby fingers
-Battery life SUCKS
-No internal optical drive now getting on my nerves.

Prospective Laptop:
Macbook Pro 13"

Likes:
-Size
-Keyboard (good but not amazing)
-Battery life
-Linux compatibility
-I don't have to run Windows (eww) OR Linux (battery hog) for surfing the internet on the go.

Dislikes:
-Glossy screen
-Internally mounted battery
-Price ($1200 - $100 student discount - $100 "hock the free iPod Touch" discount + $200 student-priced Applecare = $1200)
Click to expand...

Doesn't the MBP have a glossy screen?
 
C

cheesehead

Lifer
Aug 11, 2000
10,079
0
0
Originally posted by: armstrda

Doesn't the MBP have a glossy screen?
Click to expand...

Yah, but armstrda linked me to a de-glossifying high-grade screen protector that makes the issue a moot point.

Originally posted by: Parasitic
Originally posted by: Kazaam
E6400 from the dell outlet
Click to expand...

The Latitude E6400 is probably the best alternative after the 13" Macbook.
Click to expand...

No way. I put my laptops through the wringer, and Dell tech support is simply impossible. I also make money fixing the blasted things, and Dell build quality ranges from "corners cut" to "your engineers need to lay off the sauce at work".
 
H

hans007

Lifer
Feb 1, 2000
20,212
17
81
you could just buy an external optical drive and the optional 9 cell battery for the x61s... just saying.

an external blu-ray drive usb powered on ebay is like $80. and a dvdrw one is probably $60.
 
F

Fox5

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2005
5,957
7
81
HP Dv3 or DV4 perhaps?
Take a look at gateway?
A new thinkpad?

Also, the latest versions of ubuntu don't have battery life any worse than XP. Which is still inferior to OSX, but it's not vista bad.
 
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