Need Help Finding a 14" Portable Powerhouse

webby88

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So basically I do all my work on a proper desktop, its a Dell xps 8500 with i7-3770, 32gb of ram, yada yada.

I do ALOT of photo editing in Photoshop and batch processing in AcdSee, as well as some video editing in Premiere CS6.

The only thing is that when I am on the road I cannot heave a brick along with me and we rather the screen be a 14" or 14.1". Weight in the range of 3-6lbs + extra battery and charge (not included).

One thing to note, I do not do any mobile gaming, the only thing that would benefit from a good discreet graphics card is premiere since it is able to use it for processing, otherwise that is not a major concern.

I was checking out some of the new Haswell stuff and it looks real nice and promising, but what I like is the fact that last years stuff gets really cheap! Since I dont have loads of dough to spread around, and bit I can save is a big deal.

Budget around $1k. Any decent suggestions?
 
The typical "powerhouse" you hear about in the 14" size for that price is going to be the Ideapad Y400 / Y480.

But I'd suggest looking at the Thinkpad T-series instead. They have 14" models and are great machines, especially as a high powered graphics chip isn't something you are worried about.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. Interesting choice. Anyone else care to chime in?
 
Alienware M14x haswell + GTX 765m

MSI GE40 haswell + GTX 760m

Razer 14" Haswell + GTX 765m

Ideapad Y410 Haswell + GT 750m
 
Ah, yup -- hadn't realized they'd already updated the Y400/Y480 to the Y410 -- grats on your purchase.
 
Just to add to the list there is a 13" clevo + 765M too.
 
Also, Gigabyte has announced the P34G. 14"

Haswell + 760m.

0.8 inches thick too!
 
Sooooo, I got my new y410 yesterday and after messing around with it I gotta say.... WHAT A PIECE OF JUNK!

I am so let down by this purchase and will be returning it today.

I will start with the overall build quality - CHEAP and FLIMSY! The screen has a 1.5 inch GLOSSY bezel wrapping it that draws your eyes away from the screen itself! It almost looks like it was meant for 15.6 inch screen or even bigger.

The touchpad is a world of hurt, not responsive and doesn't respond well to clicks of the two lower buttons.

Worst of all, tried to take out Windows 8 and put 7 instead, backuped all the drivers and oh what a nightmare, impossible to install all of them, many components wont install and cause major lag to the system overall.

I have used and setup many laptops before, but I was never let down like this. So, back to the drawing (deciding) board for me. :(
 
Why go back to 7? You just put in a mod for a start menu and automatically putting you on the desktop and you are good to go with a better code set under the hood.
 
You know what bothers me about all these machines? No dual digital monitor out. Dear Lenovo and everyone else giving just HDMI, or HDMI+VGA - take your single monitors and/or your VGA port and shove them up your... yeah.

and lol at getting an Ideapad. Ideapad is Lenovo's junk line. I would pay maybe $400 for one.
 
Why go back to 7? You just put in a mod for a start menu and automatically putting you on the desktop and you are good to go with a better code set under the hood.

Some people just prefer windows 7 over 8. I used Windows 8 on multiple laptops since December of last year and given the opportunity, I would use 7 over 8.

Fortunately, there are still 2 manufacturers that can offer windows 7 without you doing it yourself, and that is Clevo and Alienware compared to other manufactuers where they preinstall their system with win 8.
 
Some people just prefer windows 7 over 8. I used Windows 8 on multiple laptops since December of last year and given the opportunity, I would use 7 over 8.

Fortunately, there are still 2 manufacturers that can offer windows 7 without you doing it yourself, and that is Clevo and Alienware compared to other manufactuers where they preinstall their system with win 8.

Lenovo still offers Windows 7 on their Thinkpad line as well.
 
I was checking out some of the new Haswell stuff and it looks real nice and promising, but what I like is the fact that last years stuff gets really cheap! Since I dont have loads of dough to spread around, and bit I can save is a big deal.

Budget around $1k. Any decent suggestions?

Got a Microcenter, Frys, etc. around? See what they have on clearance. I picked up an open Box HP Envy 17 for $700+tax a couple weeks ago. Sandy Bridge i7 quad, 1080p, etc. It's a lot nicer than what I was looking for. I was thinking something along the lines of an AMD A8 or A10, 17" 1600x900, etc. for around $550-600.

@dandragonrage: I have 2 displayports and an HDMI...

Regarding Lenovo... I have a work issued Thinkpad T420, and based on that machine I've decided that current Lenovo Thinkpads are entirely unrelated to the old IBM Thinkpads of the past. My battery keeps falling out. One slight bump on the latch and there goes the battery. It hasn't happened in a while since I've learned to reach down to the bottom of the laptop bag and grab the other side of the laptop and avoid bumping the latch. It also doesn't feel anything like an old Thinkpad. This consumer model HP Envy feels like it's a much higher quality piece of hardware.
 
Just for the record, I wouldn't even consider a 14" Thinkpad for your primary use case of Photo Editing. The 14" Thinkpad screens are all pretty terrible when it comes to color reproduction, saturation, viewing angles ect.
 
Just for the record, I wouldn't even consider a 14" Thinkpad for your primary use case of Photo Editing. The 14" Thinkpad screens are all pretty terrible when it comes to color reproduction, saturation, viewing angles ect.

Who offers a good 14" screen without having to go to an Alienware for ~$1400+ (don't want that ~$1200 1366x768 CRAP after all)?
 
Why go back to 7? You just put in a mod for a start menu and automatically putting you on the desktop and you are good to go with a better code set under the hood.

I tried getting into 8 and I am much more comfortable with 7. Dont like the idea that I need 'mods' to get the start menu back etc. I guess it is just a matter of preference.

and lol at getting an Ideapad. Ideapad is Lenovo's junk line. I would pay maybe $400 for one.

Didnt know that IdeaPad was the junk line, an wouldnt have expect a junk line to get Haswell before the better lines...

Just for the record, I wouldn't even consider a 14" Thinkpad for your primary use case of Photo Editing. The 14" Thinkpad screens are all pretty terrible when it comes to color reproduction, saturation, viewing angles ect.

Again, this is just a computer to work on when on the go. The quality of the screen does not need to be perfect. Back at home I have a nice set of 24" calibrated LCD's that are my proper workstation, where I would also go over my mobile work once I get back from traveling. The laptop would just be a buffer so that I can get SOME work done, and not be a primary machine.

Who offers a good 14" screen without having to go to an Alienware for ~$1400+ (don't want that ~$1200 1366x768 CRAP after all)?

I second that... While we are already on the topic...
 
The $1200 MSI is at 1600x900 if you want a middle ground.
 
14" is admittedly a tough size to find quality displays. There are numerous 13.3" 1080p IPS options, but you go up to 14" and they seem to disappear. Then you've got plenty of good 15"+ options on the other side.
 
Who offers a good 14" screen without having to go to an Alienware for ~$1400+ (don't want that ~$1200 1366x768 CRAP after all)?



Right now you have no other options since the 900p panel on the ge40 isn't that great @ $1,200 and the $1,800+ Razer 14 also has that 900p panel display.

Your only option is to pay the premium for the Alienware 14 and it is worth it because the display on the new AW 14 is a huge upgrade over the m14x r1/r2 display where it was super glossy, only 40% color gamut, and only 900p TN panel.


New Alienware 14

-IPS Panel
-FHD 1080p
-Matte Anti-Glare
-72% color gamut which covers 100% SRGB
 
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