what happened to the 14.1" notebooks?

[Traveler]

After the new year, 14.1" notebooks seem to be fading away.
All advertised notebooks are 15" and 17". And 14.1" is getting as expensive as what a 12" used to be. Some manufacturers even cut off the 14.1" line.
It seems manufacturers are trying to push consumers to use bigger and heavier notebooks.
Are cellphone/PDA going to replace notebooks? and notebooks going to replace desktops? It just seems strange.

Needlessly shouting, I want my 14.1" notebook.

 

[Oil]

People either want the larger screen size of a 15" or the portability of a 13" or less laptop. 14.1" laptops are larger like a 15" but still not that portable, therefore less people are buying them IMO

 

[jjmIII]

CC has four. I like the 3rd one (pricewise).

 

[Brainonska511]

I know for Asus, the W3 line has ended and is being replaced by the A8 line (value, graphically powerful) and the V2 line (business like notebooks, better battery power, higher build quality).

Personally, I find 13-14" notebooks the best size in terms of screen size for a laptop and keyboard size. I wish they could be lighter, but I'll take the tradeoff. My next notebook might be a 12" of some kind, preferably with some kind of docking station to make it easier to just get up and go (and utilize a larger monitor).

 

[MercenaryForHire]

I concur with this rant. It's getting harder and harder to find a good 14.1" wide-format.

Work is using the HP nc6400s, which kick all kinds of ass, but also have a base cost around "left nut"

- M4H

 

[Megatomic]

A light yet powerful 14.1" laptop is exactly what I'm in the market for. Something with a dedicated GPU capable of playing Spore when it comes out. As far as I can tell, Asus is the only vendor making something like that, but I'm seeing all kinds of bad feedback about Asus laptop build quality.

Are there any other laptops I should look at aside from the Asus line?

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
A light yet powerful 14.1" laptop is exactly what I'm in the market for. Something with a dedicated GPU capable of playing Spore when it comes out. As far as I can tell, Asus is the only vendor making something like that, but I'm seeing all kinds of bad feedback about Asus laptop build quality.

Are there any other laptops I should look at aside from the Asus line?

Where are you getting this feedback about bad Asus build quality? As far as I've seen, particular on NotebookReview.com and from my own experience with my W3J, the build quality is top notch. Obviously, if you go with the A or F series, you sacrifice some of the build quality (more plastics used) for a cheaper machine, but the W and V series are excellently constructed.

You could see if there is something from Lenovo. I believe the T60p comes in a 14" wide screen version, but it will have the FireGL v5200 (Professional version of the MR X1600), so it will perform a little worse than a consumer grade graphics card for gaming.

 

[mbaldi]

i have a 17 inch and i kind of chuckle when ppl talk about it or even 15s not being very portable. i mean how much stuff are you lugging around?

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: mbaldi
i have a 17 inch and i kind of chuckle when ppl talk about it or even 15s not being very portable. i mean how much stuff are you lugging around?

Well, in my laptop bag (which was made for a 15" WS) I have my MacBook (13.3" WS), digital camera, Logitech Revolution VX, sync cable for my camera, spare batteries for camera and mouse, charging cable for my cell phone, 3 mini-dvi adapters for my laptop, the power brick to my laptop, external 2.5" hard drive, cable for the external hard drive, a 4' retractable ethernet cable, my CS book, whatever book my Humanities class is reading at the time, a folder containing all my papers to date for the semester, graphing calculator, 6' composite video cable, 6' 1/8" -> RCA audio cable, apple remote, and a 2GB jumpdrive.

So, I am lugging around quite a bit of stuff. My friend has a 17" laptop... he practically never takes it out of our lab except when he goes home. It is so large and gets such crummy battery life (now admittedly he has a gaming machine with dual graphics cards) that he doesnt even bother.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
A light yet powerful 14.1" laptop is exactly what I'm in the market for. Something with a dedicated GPU capable of playing Spore when it comes out. As far as I can tell, Asus is the only vendor making something like that, but I'm seeing all kinds of bad feedback about Asus laptop build quality.

Are there any other laptops I should look at aside from the Asus line?

Toshiba has one, but you have to order it straight from them. I am, infact, typing on one right now (has a radeon x600).

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: Megatomic
A light yet powerful 14.1" laptop is exactly what I'm in the market for. Something with a dedicated GPU capable of playing Spore when it comes out. As far as I can tell, Asus is the only vendor making something like that, but I'm seeing all kinds of bad feedback about Asus laptop build quality.

Are there any other laptops I should look at aside from the Asus line?

Where are you getting this feedback about bad Asus build quality? As far as I've seen, particular on NotebookReview.com and from my own experience with my W3J, the build quality is top notch. Obviously, if you go with the A or F series, you sacrifice some of the build quality (more plastics used) for a cheaper machine, but the W and V series are excellently constructed.

I see it all the time here in the AT forums. I was looking at the G1, but it's not a 14.1" model. I'll check out the W and V series.

Originally posted by: Gibson486
Toshiba has one, but you have to order it straight from them. I am, infact, typing on one right now (has a radeon x600).

I'll look at Toshiba, but my wife will be unhappy with me buying from them. Many of her extended family members were employed at a TV factory in upstate NY. One day they all show up to work and the factory is closed - no warnings to the workers so they could find other work. Now she's got a grudge against them...

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
I see it all the time here in the AT forums. I was looking at the G1, but it's not a 14.1" model. I'll check out the W and V series.

As far as graphically powered machines go, your only real choices for thin/light notebooks are the W3J (Discontinued), V1J (15.4", very thin), and the A8J (with either the X1700 or 7700Go).

Any of the other available W- and V- series are excellent choices though if you don't need a midrange graphics card.

 

[Megatomic]

I won't need a true GPU until Spore comes out, but I guess I'll need enough juice to run Aero and/or Beryl right off the cuff.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: mbaldi
i have a 17 inch and i kind of chuckle when ppl talk about it or even 15s not being very portable. i mean how much stuff are you lugging around?

Sounds like a homebody. When I travel by air, I have the laptop w/a/c Adapter, PCMCIA card, media reader, Cat 5 cable, phone cable, plug adapters, etc. all in a brief case in my left hand. In a backpack, I have my digital SLR and about 4 lenses, spare batteries, and and a point and shoot camera. Then I drag my main suitcase on wheels with my right hand. So - it all goes - and every bit of lightness is appreciated.

BTW - my laptop is a nice 14.1 incher with 2 GB of RAM and a 160 GB HDD. It works for me. It replaced a 9 lb. 17-incher!

 

[alimoalem]

Originally posted by: mbaldi
i have a 17 inch and i kind of chuckle when ppl talk about it or even 15s not being very portable. i mean how much stuff are you lugging around?

i'm a student. i don't need to take my laptop to school but at times it is beneficial to take to school. i put it in my backpack, something a 17" will not fit in. the only way i know of taking a 17" around is using a one-strap backpack, which i'm not a huge fan of. so for students, it's easy to see why students go for the 14.1" and smaller notebooks. o yea, try typing on one in class in an auditorium with anywhere from 100-600 students...you really can't fit that on the desk.

anyway, yea it does seem 14.1" is going away. i find 13.3-14.1" to be a good balance of portability and screen size, especially the ~4.5lb 14.1" ones

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: alimoalem
o yea, try typing on one in class in an auditorium with anywhere from 100-600 students...you really can't fit that on the desk.

And, likewise, a 17-incher doesn't do well at all on an airline seat tray.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

I have noticed that there's more 13.3" notebooks coming out now.

Give me a good deal on one of those - basically, a Macbook sans the turtleneck-wearing latte-sipping Starbucks attitude and pricetag - and it'd sell nicely.

- M4H

 

[Traveler]

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: Megatomic
A light yet powerful 14.1" laptop is exactly what I'm in the market for. Something with a dedicated GPU capable of playing Spore when it comes out. As far as I can tell, Asus is the only vendor making something like that, but I'm seeing all kinds of bad feedback about Asus laptop build quality.

Are there any other laptops I should look at aside from the Asus line?

Toshiba has one, but you have to order it straight from them. I am, infact, typing on one right now (has a radeon x600).

I was actually very fond of Toshiba's M115 line. But now you can't find one on their site anymore.

 

[Traveler]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I have noticed that there's more 13.3" notebooks coming out now.

Give me a good deal on one of those - basically, a Macbook sans the turtleneck-wearing latte-sipping Starbucks attitude and pricetag - and it'd sell nicely.

- M4H

I think only sony and apple carry those size, isn't it?

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Traveler

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I have noticed that there's more 13.3" notebooks coming out now.

Give me a good deal on one of those - basically, a Macbook sans the turtleneck-wearing latte-sipping Starbucks attitude and pricetag - and it'd sell nicely.

- M4H

I think only sony and apple carry those size, isn't it?

Hmm. Must just be my perception getting skewed from the flyers.

I'll still say that 15.4"s seem to be conquering the market, like it or not.

- M4H

 

[corkyg]

The HP dv2000 series is 14.1". Designed especially for the traveller. And the Lenovo Z, R, and T series all have the 14.1 option. The X series is 12.1.

 

[Philippine Mango]

What we really need is more notebooks with a 4:3 screen as they're increasingly become more uncommon, same with matte finish screens as they're also going glossy..

 

[Megatomic]

Have you all seen the ABS Mayhem Blackhawk?

Linkage

Looks promising to me. I can get one with a T7200, 2GB of Corsair DDRII-667, and a 160GB hard drive for $1750 shipped.

edit: I made a tinyURL, thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
Have you all seen the ABS Mayhem Blackhawk?

Linkage

Looks promising to me. I can get one with a T7200, 2GB of Corsair DDRII-667, and a 160GB hard drive for $1750 shipped.

You should tinyurl that link. ABS is blanked out in the link.

I'd still go for the Asus A8Js over that though since the 7700Go is better than the 7600Go (12 pixel pipes vs. 8).

Edit: Didn't realize the ABS notebook was only 3.8lbs. Interesting.

 

[mb]

Oh yeah, that ABS looks niiiice!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/03/abs-...-pounds-of-merom-and-geforce-goodness/