Anything better than the 13" macbook air ($1300 config)?

M

munkle

[H]F Junkie
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I have been looking around and the closest competitor I could find was the Samsung 9 series for $1300. Since I'm a student I can get the macbook air for $1250 with a free $100 itunes/app store gift card. Trac pad is probably better on the air as well and its a proven design, with a high res screen. Only thing I really dislike is the single mouse button is there a way to get it to recognize a right click somehow? (I hate having to do ctrl + click or what ever it is).

I know intel is pushing the ultra books like the ux21 (is the ux21 11" or 13"? I read 13 but pics comparing it to the 11 and 13 macbook air mac it seem to be an 11") from asus but there is no word on pricing except asus expects it to be more than $1000 and screen on it is worse and who knows how good the trac pad is, it does have usb 3.0. When is this supposed to be available?
 
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I was in the same boat as you. Waiting on the ultrabooks, considering the thinkpad X1 and X220. After the refresh of the MBA, I went and checked them out. The hardware is top notch, and I couldn't say no. Lion is better than the previous versions of OS X I've used, so I haven't nuked it and put Win7 on. Overall, I'm thrilled with it. The only thing that irks me still is the location of the control, function and command keys. Unfortunately the function key can't be reprogrammed as control because it's a hardware/bios issue.
 
The x220 is a very nice machine. The MBA is a bit lighter and much thinner and the x220 has everything else, faster, better screen and memory but of course the MBA runs OS X.
 
Yeah, MBA doesn't have IPS, but the screen is quite nice for a laptop. The viewing angles are better than average, and it has an honest to god AR coating. Very little reflection issues.
 
Sony SA.

1600x900 display
13.3"
Optical drive (sadly... but can be preverted to other use)
5 hours (actual use) battery life
backlit KB
i7 full speed/clocks
6630m GPU (switchable - there is a physical switch, lol).

Get it at MS store for 1200usd
Includes free sheet battery, for about 10 hours battery.
 
jeremyshaw said:
Sony SA.

1600x900 display
13.3"
Optical drive (sadly... but can be preverted to other use)
5 hours (actual use) battery life
backlit KB
i7 full speed/clocks
6630m GPU (switchable - there is a physical switch, lol).

Get it at MS store for 1200usd
Includes free sheet battery, for about 10 hours battery.
Click to expand...

Looks nice but it's 2 pounds heavier and no ssd.
 
The weight is with the sheet battery (and the actual run time quoted above is *without* the sheet battery). You can take it off. In that case it's 3.6lbs.
 
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