Really light 13" laptop

[RT Wolf]

Dear HIVE MIND,

My sister's looking for a laptop for university in september. She's looking for minimum 12" screen cause she's already needs glasses so she doesn't need the eye strain with the tiny screens. She has the most basic of needs, websurfing, music and taking notes, so her spec requirements are essentially a non-issue. I know about the Mini 12, and she'll have to see it in order to decide whether that's big enough (prolly won't be). Let's say minimum 13" screen but really light.

Has to be ultra portable, though, sub 4 pounds (she has back problems), durable and a really big battery (5 hour minimum). EDIT: Please list the weight with big battery. She's got scoliosis and lighter is better. Weight/size are the make-or-break issues here, before being over 12" and under $1000.

Basically, need to identify the right lappy and we can wait it out for a good price. Let's say max price is $1000 but hopefully less (so no Macbook Airs). I've also seen the Dell XPS, they're a bit out of budget (1200) but might be possible on a good sale.

Thanks!

If that isn't possible, lemme know! But I trust someone here will know of this configuration.

[lead]

1200 is really pricey for a web surfing word processor. Take a look at dell's 13xx vostro line. Consider $650 and under more like 499 and bank the rest you won't notice the difference.

As for 5 hrs min battery. Maybe with a single core processor my vostro could do 5 on the 6 cell battery. It would take a a 9 cell to consecutively hit +5 hrs. The 9 cell i believe juts out on the 13.3 inch vostro.

The only thing that the -12 inch screens are great for is size and battery charge. The atom based laptops can really go the distance on a single charge. But they only have the punch of an old p3 desktop.

[RT Wolf]

Yea, I think i saw you got one of those in the other thread. Congratz! That was a helluva price!

It's starting at 4.1 pounds. Like I said, weight is a big issue (she's got scoliosis), but the Vostro looks damn good. Thanks!

[tragd]

if you are willing to go the lightly used route, you might find good deals on ultraportables.

12-13" ultraportals brand new may be a bit difficult in the sub 1000 range.

[sdzbwxp]

google "HP DV2", you may find what you need. Just released few weeks ago with new AMD NEO processor which is much faster than Atom and almost as efficient. It is capable to output 1080P video signals to a HDTV.

[rivet]

For slightly over your budget, you can probably find Lenovo Thinkpad X200 base model(through EPP site with some discount code) or Refurbished macbook air Rev. A at $1099, they are both very light weight, at 3lb territory.

For strictly under your budget, as others suggest, dell's vostro 1320 and HP DV2 are probably good choices, the latter is a bit under powered but better than atom based netbooks. but they are probably already 4 to 4.5lb, still lighter than most other laptops (except netbooks).

[mr_raider]

google "HP DV2", you may find what you need. Just released few weeks ago with new AMD NEO processor which is much faster than Atom and almost as efficient. It is capable to output 1080P video signals to a HDTV.

Yep. My suggestion too. I've seen them at FS. The lower end model is 749$ has 2 gigs of RAM and an integrated ATI card. The upper end is 899$, but includes 4 gigs of RAM, a discrete ATI card, and a USB DVD burner. The screen is beautiful, and it weighs about 4 lbs.

[Amourek]

MSI X320: 13.4", 1366x768, 2.9lb, ~$800. Supposed to start shipping this month.

http://www.liliputing.com/tag/msi-x320
http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/01/msi-outs-full-specs-of-x-slim-x320-x340-and-wind-u123/

[RCGA]

Refurbished MacBook 2.0GHz @ $999, should be lowered in a month after the Mac's WWDC

13.3" screen @ 5lbs

You're going to have a hard time finding something under 4lbs with a usable screen and keyboard (IMO)

[RCGA]

MSI X320: 13.4", 1366x768, 2.9lb, ~$800. Supposed to start shipping this month.

http://www.liliputing.com/tag/msi-x320
http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/01/msi-outs-full-specs-of-x-slim-x320-x340-and-wind-u123/

I never saw that before, looks like what a lot of people wanted the MBA to be. Good price too.

But I hate the fact that it looks like a MBA knock off...

[Soulsaber]

What about the Acer Timeline?
http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/07/acer-announces-aspire-timeline-ultralights-699-to-899/

Seems to be pretty good, no idea when it comes out though.


Refurbished MacBook 2.0GHz @ $999, should be lowered in a month after the Mac's WWDC

13.3" screen @ 5lbs

You're going to have a hard time finding something under 4lbs with a usable screen and keyboard (IMO)
Dell XPS M1330 was $899 last time i was looking at them and is 4 lbs.

[MJROBBY]

MSI X320: 13.4", 1366x768, 2.9lb, ~$800. Supposed to start shipping this month.

http://www.liliputing.com/tag/msi-x320
http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/01/msi-outs-full-specs-of-x-slim-x320-x340-and-wind-u123/


Staples is now selling both the X320, and X340 in store and online! SWEET!!!!

[WickedSmurf]

Lenovo is going to ship the IdeaPad S12 sometime next month. Here's a summary of its specification:

# Display: 12.1 WXGA (1280 X 800) LED 200 nit, 250g
# Processor: Intel Atom N270
# Graphics: Intel integrated GMA 950 or Nvidia ION
# Battery Life: 3 hours with 3-cell, 6 hours with 6-cell
# Weight: 1.4kg with 3 cell, 1.55kg with 6 cell

The GMA 950 and ION models will sell for $450 and $500 USD respectively. As one Notebookreview poster noted, "[the S12 is] a poor man's X200".

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=4884895
http://hothardware.com/News/Lenovo-Goes-Ion-With-121-IdeaPad-S12-Netbook/

And then there is the IdeaPad U350, also from Lenovo:

# Display: 16:9 aspect ratio, 13.3 inch LED, HD 1366 X 768
# Processor: Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500, Pentium SU2700, or Celeron 723
# Graphics: Intel GMA 4500M
# Battery Life: 10 hours with 8 cell, 5 hours with 4 cell
# Weight: 1.6kg (battery weight not specified)

It will go on sale late summer for around $750 USD.

http://gizmodo.com/5268846/lenovo-u350-is-pretty-thin-pretty-light-and-pretty-cheap

[Deemo]

I would recommend a Dell XPS 1330 as well as that is what I have.

I would stick with the 6 cell battery as it is sleeker and not as heavy. Probably won't hit your 5hrs though unless she has good power management.

Non eom 6 cells are cheap from a Canadian company in Richmond I think it was....??? Good service as well.

If you get the on board video it will be cheaper overall and you will avoid the overheating issues that everyone who went with the higher end graphics are putting up with. Just Google it if you venture down that path.

A netbook may be all the rage but she may find it frustrating if she needs more computing power.

[kim23]

I have Samsung X360. For me the key issues are its lightness, its large very bright 13.3 screen, its seven hour battery life, and its solid build quality. I'm impressed, I guess I had low expectations.

[akito925]

Get a Sony, it uses LED Displays.

[Mysteek]

I'm in a very similar situation.

So far my choices have been narrowed down to the Acer Timeline and the MSI X320 or X340.

Waiting for more reviews/opinions to pop up =]

[Gee]

Get a ThinkPad X61, there are several on sale on the Buy and Sell here.