Which laptop for frequent traveller?

[Foreigner]

I'm keen to purchase laptop, not netbook, for daily home commute as well as for domestic travel. Not Netbook. Sub-$1,500. Weight is critical. Prefer lightweight. Dell Latitude! Any other recommendations?

 

[moa999]

Any of the new ultrabooks.
Have been using the Toshiba Z830 for the last six months and love it.
Intel i5, unlike most of the ultras has a full range of ports inc vga, hdmi, 3xusb, network cable.

Not as quite as my former netbook (dell mini9 with no fan), but the fan stays off 75% of the time and whirs every now and then

 

[DeKa]

I have a new work laptop - Lenovo X230. It's not technically an Ultrabool but its light, fast and very well built. I'd recommend it as a traveller's laptop.

 

[medhead]

Nothing over about 1.4 kg. I have an 11" MacBook air. It's great.


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[here2go]

Can you hold out for Windows 8? There should be lots of cheap notebooks on the market (you should never use them as a laptop, especially if there is a hard drive). Once the MS Surface and competitors hit market from 29 October there will be lots of touchscreen competition in the market. If you like the Surface, make sure you know the difference between RT and ordinary Windows (ARM vs Intel)

 

[JessicaTam]

Nothing over about 1.4 kg. I have an 11" MacBook air. It's great.


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Do you just use it for travel or does it serve as a home PC as well? I am considering one to replace my 13" macbook pro.


Sent from my iThing.
Why, because iCan.

 

[Paddy55]

13" Mac Book Air... for home, work and travel.
Bought new one a couple of months ago and bought it in preference to new Mac Book Pro with retina screen, etc because of weight.

 

[markis10]

I have a new work laptop - Lenovo X230. It's not technically an Ultrabool but its light, fast and very well built. I'd recommend it as a traveller's laptop.

Good choice and very durable, you will easily get two to three years out of it, having had a small laptop requirement for the past 15 years, I have learnt the hard way that it's either a Thinkpad X or Toshi Protege that are the options, anything else fails in a year or has terrible battery life.

 

[DeKa]

Good choice and very durable, you will easily get two to three years out of it, having had a small laptop requirement for the past 15 years, I have learnt the hard way that it's either a Thinkpad X or Toshi Protege that are the options, anything else fails in a year or has terrible battery life.

I agree, and I chose X230 because my X200s stood up to over 100 flights, a couple of drops, many thumps whilst in my messenger bag and still goes perfectly after 3 years. Utilitarian chic I'd say

My X230 cost $1200 so well within OP budget.

I say all this as a Mac user too (at home).

 

[Limewood]

13" Mac Book Air... for home, work and travel.
Bought new one a couple of months ago and bought it in preference to new Mac Book Pro with retina screen, etc because of weight.

Ditto did the same with latest model, fantastic screen and weight is absolute minimal.

 

[here2go]

Can you hold out for Windows 8? There should be lots of cheap notebooks on the market (you should never use them as a laptop, especially if there is a hard drive). Once the MS Surface and competitors hit market from 29 October there will be lots of touchscreen competition in the market. If you like the Surface, make sure you know the difference between RT and ordinary Windows (ARM vs Intel)

Here's more details about the Surface. Surface by Microsoft. While it is closer to a Netbook than a notebook, it also operates as a tablet. If you get the Pro (Intel Processor), it will work with all your Windows 7 apps too. To me this is a great travel device - but I would still want a desktop at home. Can you wait until the start of November?

 

[Mal]

Ultrabook or tablet are the only real choices. The difficult thing is to choose the brand!

I own an ASUS Zenbook and love it - but, it has been back a few times for repair (I don't think they knew what the issue was and didn't fix it properly the first and second time.). My model UX21E is now superseded with a new version.

 

[Foreigner]

Here's more details about the Surface. Surface by Microsoft. While it is closer to a Netbook than a notebook, it also operates as a tablet. If you get the Pro (Intel Processor), it will work with all your Windows 7 apps too. To me this is a great travel device - but I would still want a desktop at home. Can you wait until the start of November?

Yep, can wait though I'm tempted with this one recommended by few in this thread:

Lenovo X230 | ThinkPad X230 | 12.5" Thin & Light Laptop | Shop | Australia

Seems decent price. Another $15 to upgrade to Win 8 Pro.

 

[markis10]

Yep, can wait though I'm tempted with this one recommended by few in this thread:

Lenovo X230 | ThinkPad X230 | 12.5" Thin & Light Laptop | Shop | Australia

Seems decent price. Another $15 to upgrade to Win 8 Pro.

Keep an eye on OzBargain for discount codes, often Friday PM, which offer 10-30% off.

 

[Foreigner]

Seriously? Link appreciated.

 

[here2go]

Yep, can wait though I'm tempted with this one recommended by few in this thread:

Lenovo X230 | ThinkPad X230 | 12.5" Thin & Light Laptop | Shop | Australia

Seems decent price. Another $15 to upgrade to Win 8 Pro.

I've not done enough research to be fully informed, but I would aim for touchscreen if you want the full benefits of the Windows 8 UI, especially with the smaller devices. However, if gambling that it won't make much difference to the experience - there are some decent and cheap notebooks at the moment. Ultraportable Notebooks, Netbooks: Sony Vaio, HP Pavilion | Photos

 

[infinity]

Mac Book Air. Cant fault them
Can run windows on Mac if u need using Paralles

 

[Foreigner]

Any of the new ultrabooks.
Have been using the Toshiba Z830 for the last six months and love it.
Intel i5, unlike most of the ultras has a full range of ports inc vga, hdmi, 3xusb, network cable.

Not as quite as my former netbook (dell mini9 with no fan), but the fan stays off 75% of the time and whirs every now and then

My IT consultant too recommends Ultrabook: Toshiba, HP, Asus, Lenovo, etc., with Intel i5 or i7, CPU 4GB minimum (6GB or 8GB preferred for memory), 64GB or 128GB SSD drive, Windows 7

 

[serfty]

To go against the grain - for travel I endeavor to only look at sub $400 prices.

Costs much less to lose/break.

My last one cost $320 but is a 10½" netbook on XP. It takes up minimal space and weighs very little. It was Purchased as a run out as MS had stopped licensing new XP sales.

Good tip about W8 - I'll be keeping any eye out for the release next month (?) as there should be a plethora of cheap W7 going out ...

 

[medhead]

Do you just use it for travel or does it serve as a home PC as well? I am considering one to replace my 13" macbook pro.

I use it for work only to get close 100% tax deductibility. This is during travel but also at home for work stuff. Including the MBA I have 7 computers, 2 desktops and 5 laptops, including a MacBook pro a netbook and 2 old toshi XP beasts. Not to forget the ipad.

I used to travel with the MacBook pro but it was just too hard.

Oh there is also a toshi that when down the river in a flash flood but that doesn't work anymore.


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