Notebook recommendations - does such a notebook exist?

[cesto]

hello everyone. i'm in the market for a new laptop. the netbook i purchased was a horrible decision (talk about sloooooowww).

i'm looking for a notebook to be used primarily for business which will be a PC replacement for when i'm traveling. i'm not sure if what i'm looking for exists since you compromise certain benefits for increase benefit elsewhere. that said, i'm looking for a laptop that would be a good match for the following requirements i have. i'll list them in order of preference, any recommendations are welcome.

-screen size 17" (i have a lot of windows open at once)
-fast reliable performance notebook (i do a lot of multi tasking and can't have slow responses when talking to a live client)
-regular (or close to it) size keyboard (i have big hands)
-battery life
-portability

i'd like to know any recommendations you guys have that would closely match these requirements.

thanks in advance!

 

[fralexandr]

i'd recommend getting a business notebook, something like a thinkpad, probook, or latitude. The business notebooks tend to be built better, and have faster warranty resolution.
they regularly come in sizes from 13-15" because they provide a good compromise between function and portability
they don't come in 17" though (17" + portable = ???)

performance wise, you should be fine with any core i
get a screen with >1366x768 (i.e 1600x900, 1920x1080)
get a 9-cell battery

if you must have a regular size keyboard, buy a keyboard to bring around with you

please include a budget when asking for suggestions

 

[chubbyfatazn]

i'd recommend getting a business notebook, something like a thinkpad, probook, or latitude. The business notebooks tend to be built better, and have faster warranty resolution.
they regularly come in sizes from 13-15" because they provide a good compromise between function and portability
they don't come in 17" though (17" + portable = ???)

performance wise, you should be fine with any core i
get a screen with >1366x768 (i.e 1600x900, 1920x1080)
get a 9-cell battery

if you must have a regular size keyboard, buy a keyboard to bring around with you

please include a budget when asking for suggestions

+1

Listing 'battery life' as a requirement is pretty uninformative. How long do you need, on average, it to last?

As mentioned, if you're going to be travelling a lot and throwing the laptop here and there you might want to look for a more sturdily-built one. I can only speak for Thinkpads in that regard... I'd go look at a 15" T430 or W530. The latter offers FHD, not sure about the former. I'd consider 17" to be outside the realm of comfort and convenience when travelling, but to each his own.

 

[Zap]

-screen size 17" (i have a lot of windows open at once)
-fast reliable performance notebook (i do a lot of multi tasking and can't have slow responses when talking to a live client)
-regular (or close to it) size keyboard (i have big hands)
-battery life
-portability

You won't get a 17" notebook that is super portable. You will want, however, a higher resolution screen like fralexandr said.

I was going to suggest the Dell XPS 15z, but they've discontinued the 1080p screen option.

You'll probably want a Core i5 CPU (dual core with Hyperthreading and Turbo) for performance and battery life.

Get an SSD for performance.

How about the upcoming Asus UX31A? It has at least 5 hour battery life, weighs 1.3kg, has a 13.3" screen with 1920x1080 resolution, uses a dual core Ivy Bridge CPU and starts at $1100 for one with a 128GB SSD, or $1500 for 256GB SSD.

 

[ther00kie16]

Wait for the Sony's refresh of their 4.4lb 15" with 1080p screen?

Never mind, they are already out. Odd I haven't heard anything about them.
http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/st...categoryId=8198552921644768015#specifications

5.77lb (normal weight for 15" laptops) with sheet battery.

 

[Zap]

Wow, those Sony notebooks actually have some juicy specs! The 15.6" has an IPS 1080P LCD. Too bad the 13.3" 1600x900 doesn't specify, which very likely means TN. They are available with GeForce GT 640M LE (384 core Kepler? with DDR3) and the 15.6" comes with an optical drive at 4.42 pounds, a mere .32 pounds more than my 13.3" Dell Vostro V131. The 15.6" model even is available with a quad core Ivy Bridge and dual 256GB SSD in RAID0!!!

 

[cesto]

thanks for the replies guys. the sony looks interesting.

as far as battery life, i basically would like at least 6 hours if possible. 2 hours isn't enough.

the sony look interesting. after posting this i found two laptops that are pretty good fits.

i think the closest to the specs i mentioned is the Razor: http://www.razerzone.com/blade

thin, big screen, and powerful. only problem is that its dedicated for game (hence the keyboard) and more so expensive.

i think the dell M6600 seems to be super close as well.

 

[crab0]

Wasn't going to say it but you mentioned the Razer Blade so... Macbook Pro? A retina'd 15/17 inch model should fit most of your requirements.

 

[ther00kie16]

Dell M6600 is almost 8lb so I don't see how that's portable. You don't need the extra gpu power in a 17" for business needs as the Sony 15.5" comes with a quad core CPU and dedicated GPU. Both screens have the same resolution at 1080p. So if you feel that's not enough or 15.5" is just too small for your liking, the upcoming Macbook Pro with a retina display is the only choice. It's heavier than the Sony though.
Razor is expensive, older tech and I wouldn't trust it as it's their first attempt at a laptop.

 

[Zap]

as far as battery life, i basically would like at least 6 hours if possible. 2 hours isn't enough.

Pretty much any new notebook that uses Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge (Intel 2nd or 3rd generation Core processors) will have reasonable battery life of 5+ hours idling. :whiste:

 

[cesto]

Wow, those Sony notebooks actually have some juicy specs! The 15.6" has an IPS 1080P LCD. Too bad the 13.3" 1600x900 doesn't specify, which very likely means TN. They are available with GeForce GT 640M LE (384 core Kepler? with DDR3) and the 15.6" comes with an optical drive at 4.42 pounds, a mere .32 pounds more than my 13.3" Dell Vostro V131. The 15.6" model even is available with a quad core Ivy Bridge and dual 256GB SSD in RAID0!!!

are you guys referring to the s series or z series?

 

[thescreensavers]

Wait for the Sony's refresh of their 4.4lb 15" with 1080p screen?

Never mind, they are already out. Odd I haven't heard anything about them.
http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/st...categoryId=8198552921644768015#specifications

5.77lb (normal weight for 15" laptops) with sheet battery.

the sheet battery is 4400 mah while the much smaller battery in my phone is 2100mah wow. I did not realize how much enegery smartphone use and how compact their batteries are.

OP a 15" with 1080 res should do it with a nice CPU.

 

[Zap]

are you guys referring to the s series or z series?

The S series. Z series is a 13.1" screen size. S series is 15.5" (among others).

I do wonder about the drive configuration in the S series. It is capable of a 2.5" HDD as well as "two SSD in RAID." I wonder... is it one SSD using an mSATA-style and one 2.5" SSD?

 

[ther00kie16]

the sheet battery is 4400 mah while the much smaller battery in my phone is 2100mah wow. I did not realize how much enegery smartphone use and how compact their batteries are.

OP a 15" with 1080 res should do it with a nice CPU.

Voltages are way different.
15" is what everyone has been saying considering portability as a requirement.

The S series. Z series is a 13.1" screen size. S series is 15.5" (among others).

I do wonder about the drive configuration in the S series. It is capable of a 2.5" HDD as well as "two SSD in RAID." I wonder... is it one SSD using an mSATA-style and one 2.5" SSD?

I've wondered this about many newer laptops. Seems nearly impossible to find the info from manufacturer's specs, manuals, etc. Only way appears to be forums like notebookreview.