[DaisyBumbleroot]

I'm looking at getting a new laptop,as I'm starting an OU computing course in October.

The main feature I need is portability as I will be carting my work laptopmp around and my own laptop so I can study on trainload on the way home from work.

I asked onfacebook if i could plug a dvd drive in it as they don't come with DVD drives and everyone said i could get an external one for any software I need to install at home.

Anyway, a few friends poopooed the idea of ultrabooks as they are just expensive shiny shiny. I know they're pricey, but they also have good specs as well as being light and the nes I'm drawn to are the Zenbooks (they also have a backlit keyboard, trivial I know but it will help in low light in the winter ounthe train).

What are your thoughts on ultrabooks? Are they right and should I think about getting a cheaper similar spec laptop? Or is the extra quid worth it?

[flagpole]

i would have though the best option would be just using your work computer.

you can plug in a dvd drive. but it's not usually necessary. most software is downloaded these days, or can be. worst case you use another computer to copy it to a usb memory stick.

the three main variables with 'laptops' power, portability and price. and there is something for everyone. ultrabooks is just the name given to one corner of that 3 dimensional graph.

so it's not that ultrabooks are or aren't worth the money. it's just about looking at the specs you want for the price you are willing to pay. if you need a lot of power and portability then there is no choice but an ultrabook.

[IvanIV]

I had my eye on the new 13'' Zenbooks with full HD screen and 3rd gen processor myself. Yes, they are expensive shiny shiny, but why should my laptop be ugly? And they are high end specced, too. I changed my mind though. I want MS Surface Pro or some similar touch laptop/tablet hybrid.

[DaisyBumbleroot]

Originally Posted by flagpole

i would have though the best option would be just using your work computer.

you can plug in a dvd drive. but it's not usually necessary. most software is downloaded these days, or can be. worst case you use another computer to copy it to a usb memory stick.

the three main variables with 'laptops' power, portability and price. and there is something for everyone. ultrabooks is just the name given to one corner of that 3 dimensional graph.

so it's not that ultrabooks are or aren't worth the money. it's just about looking at the specs you want for the price you are willing to pay. if you need a lot of power and portability then there is no choice but an ultrabook.

I can't download software on to the work laptop else I would and the software comes from the OU on dvd, its not downloaded, I asked

The power bit I'm not too sure about, it's deffo the portability for me. I have an iPad too for work that I need to carry about as well

Originally Posted by IvanIV

I had my eye on the new 13'' Zenbooks with full HD screen and 3rd gen processor myself. Yes, they are expensive shiny shiny, but why should my laptop be ugly? And they are high end specced, too. I changed my mind though. I want MS Surface Pro or some similar touch laptop/tablet hybrid.

Also I'm figuring the higher specked ultrabooks will not be so outdated quickly either? The Zenbooks have good speaker ps apparently too. ATM, if I don't plug my current personal laptop into speakers its sounds really bad and I like listening to music when I work.


Thanks both btw.
Oh and I got an NUS card the other day, I can get office professional for £49 instead of full price £499

[flagpole]

it seems unlikely that the OU software is that power hungry. probably 10 years old. it may well be that a netbook would do.

put the disks into another computer and copy them to a usb memory stick.

[DaisyBumbleroot]

Originally Posted by flagpole

it seems unlikely that the OU software is that power hungry. probably 10 years old. it may well be that a netbook would do.

put the disks into another computer and copy them to a usb memory stick.

Hmmm not fussed on a netbook as I've read theyre really only good for surfing and emails etc.

I know some of the level 2 courses are doing java in net beans which I downloaded onto my current laptop (hoping to get a head start ). Would a netbook run and let me use java?

[treefr0g]

I'm looking at the Acer Timeline M5 at the moment which is still relatively new and hard to find.

It comes in 14" and 15".

Although it is classed as an UltraBook it is slightly thicker than the norm but it does have an optical drive.

It has a backlit keyboard and very good battery life. I'm just waiting for a few more processor/drive options to come out.

[DaisyBumbleroot]

Originally Posted by treefr0g

I'm looking at the Acer Timeline M5 at the moment which is still relatively new and hard to find.

It comes in 14" and 15".

Although it is classed as an UltraBook it is slightly thicker than the norm but it does have an optical drive.

It has a backlit keyboard and very good battery life. I'm just waiting for a few more processor/drive options to come out.

Looks sexy as! Reasonably priced for an ultrabooks. 2.3 kilos though, it's a bit heavier than other ultrabooks. I think the Zenbooks u21 is about 1.1k. I could do with weighing my current laptop to see how it compares. Thugh it does say ssd configuration option available as well, that would cut some weight off though you lose the DVD as well.


I'm not sure if I'll be playing games on mine. Ive never played pc games, I use consoles for games. I tried to run ffxiii (the last online one anyway) beta on my laptop and it wouldn't work the forums told me my machine wasnt good enough.

[IvanIV]

More than 2kg is too much IMO. Those Zenbooks are ~1.3kg. As for optical drive, I have a laptop without one and use an external BD drive when needed. And really needed it was twice. Once to install Office. I could have downloaded that pretty quickly, but I have a DVD, so it was a convenience. The second time was when I installed Windows 8 in a virtual machine. I don't miss the optical drive at all. Maybe if I used audio player in my phone more, it would be worth it, but like this, I am fine without it.

ETA: I checked those Acers, I think a screen resolution 1366 x 768 is not good enough. I have that on my 13'' laptop and I could do with more.

[DaisyBumbleroot]

Originally Posted by IvanIV

More than 2kg is too much IMO. Those Zenbooks are ~1.3kg. As for optical drive, I have a laptop without one and use an external BD drive when needed. And really needed it was twice. Once to install Office. I could have downloaded that pretty quickly, but I have a DVD, so it was a convenience. The second time was when I installed Windows 8 in a virtual machine. I don't miss the optical drive at all. Maybe if I used audio player in my phone more, it would be worth it, but like this, I am fine without it.

ETA: I checked those Acers, I think a screen resolution 1366 x 768 is not good enough. I have that on my 13'' laptop and I could do with more.

i looked online, mine is 2.37kg and thats too heavy

Why is the screen resolution not enough?

(and what does ETA mean please?)

[anniebrion]

Originally Posted by DaisyBumbleroot

i looked online, mine is 2.37kg and thats too heavy

Why is the screen resolution not enough?

(and what does ETA mean please?)

I guess "Edited to Add": http://www.acronymfinder.com/ETA.html

[IvanIV]

Originally Posted by DaisyBumbleroot

i looked online, mine is 2.37kg and thats too heavy

Why is the screen resolution not enough?

(and what does ETA mean please?)

You get more information on screen with more pixels and with 14'' or 15'' it will still be perfectly readable. They now do full HD 1920x1080 for 11'', not mentioning Apple's obsession with pixels for small screens. Yes ETA is edited to add

[treefr0g]

Originally Posted by DaisyBumbleroot

Looks sexy as! Reasonably priced for an ultrabooks. 2.3 kilos though, it's a bit heavier than other ultrabooks. I think the Zenbooks u21 is about 1.1k. I could do with weighing my current laptop to see how it compares. Thugh it does say ssd configuration option available as well, that would cut some weight off though you lose the DVD as well.

I'm not sure if I'll be playing games on mine. Ive never played pc games, I use consoles for games. I tried to run ffxiii (the last online one anyway) beta on my laptop and it wouldn't work the forums told me my machine wasnt good enough.

Where have you read that you lose the dvd?

[DaisyBumbleroot]

Originally Posted by treefr0g

Where have you read that you lose the dvd?

I thought the ultrabooks that had SSD didn't have DVD players in them

[treefr0g]

Originally Posted by DaisyBumbleroot

I thought the ultrabooks that had SSD didn't have DVD players in them

I don't think so in this case. Certainly the 128GB SSD is being advertised on Amazon as having an optical drive, although that is the 15.6". Still haven't seen the 14" for sale.

All models also have an additional 20GB SSD for the quick start.

Sadly there is very little info on the Acer site so I'm not 100% sure on this.

[DaisyBumbleroot]

Oh right. Think I was getting muddled between DVD and HD

I'm still at a loss though. I just saw a laptop advertised for £430, portable and lightweight it says, a toshiba L830. It's £300 less thana Zenbook and it has i3, 4g ram and 500 g hard drive. Depends what they mean by portable and light though!

[alanwarwic]

Intel are pioneering more disposable designs which is against the consumers interests.
It is all quite strange considering they are meant to be premium items.

Move slightly away from the term ultrabook and Asda sell the 1.9KG (with internal DVD drive) 14" Medion aluminium laptop for £300.Being more traditionally built it is better adapted to the future.

So I'd be slightly wary of ultrabooks with it often being shiny versus functionality.

[DaisyBumbleroot]

Originally Posted by alanwarwic

Intel are pioneering more disposable designs which is against the consumers interests.
It is all quite strange considering they are meant to be premium items.

Move slightly away from the term ultrabook and Asda sell the 1.9KG (with internal DVD drive) 14" Medion aluminium laptop for £300.Being more traditionally built it is better adapted to the future.

So I'd be slightly wary of ultrabooks with it often being shiny versus functionality.

Thanks

In what way is it bad for the consumer please? I would be able to download and run stuff like Java and Netbeans onto it wont I?

[TheBigM]

Originally Posted by DaisyBumbleroot

Thanks

In what way is it bad for the consumer please? I would be able to download and run stuff like Java and Netbeans onto it wont I?

He means machines where the user cannot upgrade components.

I argue, it's become less of a problem. We're at a point where most have enough power for their activities and it's more about things like battery life.

[IvanIV]

I think people who buy laptops do not want to upgrade components anyway. They have it configured for them when they buy it if at all. The only thing to change later might be a battery with a higher capacity.

[barky99]

Originally Posted by IvanIV

I think people who buy laptops do not want to upgrade components anyway. They have it configured for them when they buy it if at all. The only thing to change later might be a battery with a higher capacity.

upgrading is easy though ... so long as it's RAM & HD ... have done it a few times

[IvanIV]

I had done that once with my very first laptop, I added RAM, but not since. Now I buy a laptop from the high-end of the specs and it will last as it is till it falls apart

[TheBigM]

Originally Posted by barky99

upgrading is easy though ... so long as it's RAM & HD ... have done it a few times

I've done RAM & HD on my laptop but on some of the new ultrabooks it's not possible. E.g. some have Samsung's mSATA SSD soldered onto the motherboard.

Apple's new retina macbook pro is an example of the way things are going where everything is glued down instead of screwed down.

[DaisyBumbleroot]

Originally Posted by TheBigM

He means machines where the user cannot upgrade components.

I argue, it's become less of a problem. We're at a point where most have enough power for their activities and it's more about things like battery life.

Oh I dont care much about that Ive never upgraded a component in my life!

Originally Posted by IvanIV

I had done that once with my very first laptop, I added RAM, but not since. Now I buy a laptop from the high-end of the specs and it will last as it is till it falls apart

This is why I was looking at ultrabooks because they have a good enough spec to last me without the need for replacing bits. If I replace a laptop I pass my old one on.



Anyway - Ive got one, I ordered the Asus UX32A - it comes with a DVD drive after all and a 13" screen, and is heavier than the UX21E (1.1kg) at 1.45kg but lighter than my current laptop.

[alan1302]

Originally Posted by alanwarwic

Intel are pioneering more disposable designs which is against the consumers interests.
It is all quite strange considering they are meant to be premium items.

Most consumers don't care though - if they did the products themselves would not be popular.

Some people, especially those with an IT interest would want them to be upgradeable but most people would never do it and will just buy a new laptop when the time comes.