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The UltraNav frontend for Windows uses a ton of RAM. Not nearly as bad as Chrome but if you uninstall it and just use the generic PS/2 pointing device driver with the eraser mouse (TrackPoint) you'll enjoy better mousing overall. In Linux, if you have a Thinkpad, you should probably use xinput. It's really simple to enable/disable/bind macros on mice, both internal and external. My Debian install detects the UltraNav as a Synaptics PS/2 TouchPad and a separate IBM PS/2 TrackPoint. code:In Linux I was expecting mice to be horrible (and some are) but the TrackPoint is really really smooth and honestly better than when it had the Windows drivers and frontend bundled along with it. And the x220 at least has that weird bevel at the bottom of the trackpad that tends to pick up creases in my pants and what have you when I have the laptop on my lap. So turning off the trackpad really helps in that case. Also, the x220's trackpad tends to pick up my palm when I rest my hands on the keyboard. Again, another reason to turn it off. Of course, the unfortunate part about the TrackPoint is that it's not very friendly to you hands and you can get carpal tunnel syndrome really quickly if you don't switch pointing hands and fingers often. The trackpad, on the other hand, is complete poo poo on an x220 and is really an afterthought, and in my year and a half of ownership has only seen use when I loan my laptop to a friend for 5 minutes. TL;DR: I've owned an x220 for >1.5 years. The trackpad sucks and prolonged use of the TrackPoint sucks as well. If you need a laptop for general mousing around on the web, look at MacBooks. Those trackpads are divine.
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Jul 2, 2013 15:10
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fookolt posted:Reviews for the Razer Blade 14" are out today: Have you heard of a Retina MacBook Pro?
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Jul 3, 2013 00:53
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fookolt posted:I had one actually Aand you're sure you need to get a GPU and compromise portability of the laptop?
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Jul 3, 2013 03:22
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The MacBook definitely has a much better screen, marginally better battery life, and much nicer touchpad. I'm not sure how the construction/feel stacks up.
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Anti-Derivative posted:How does the X1 fare against the X230. The x1 looks like it has a much sleeker form factor, but is it a pile of poo poo? I handled a friend's X1. It seemed pretty delicate, and I didn't like how glossy the screen is.
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Jul 3, 2013 19:38
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Mortanis posted:Looking for recommendations on a coding laptop - mostly java. The caveat is that I need to dual boot Ubuntu on it and have it be pretty functional. I'll be lugging it only to work and back so weight isn't a big deal, though battery life is of moderate concern (I realize that booting into Ubuntu means all bets are off on that score). Doesn't need to game. The Windows side will run a VM or two at times. Big, quality screen is a plus with coding of course but I get by on a 13" MacBook Pro right now. Avoid: Sony. Sony never releases/updates drivers and you'd be hard pressed to install new ones. Pretty much everything is on the list from there, but if I was in your situation I'd opt for battery life and buy two widescreen monitors. I'd tilt the monitors 90* for a big, long vim window, and keep one at home and one at work. You could keep your current laptop for a year or two more, then upgrade to whatever is the current MBP 13.
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Jul 5, 2013 02:34
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Corosiv posted:Looking for a laptop for school right now, my basic requirements are: I'd opt for one of these. If you're in CS, you'll definitely enjoy a Unix shell for programming, which OS X has. Please avoid Sony, though, if you really hate Apple.
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Jul 5, 2013 02:37
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Corosiv posted:I was thinking of this, because my desktop at home is Windows 8 and having multiple OS to work with might be good, too. My old laptop which I used up until earlier this year was a 2007 white macbook so I don't have a problem with Apple. The student discount plus the current promotion ($100 gift card for apps) is also tempting. It's down to what kind of resolution you prefer. I'd go with the Air just because the 1400x900 is commonplace and really easy to drive for both programs and batteries. "Retina" is nice on a phone or an iPad, because they aren't really meant for text entry, but displaying pictures and poking around on the net. I've handled both and preferred the Air only because of the bevels. It really slips into a backpack easily and doesn't feel like it needs a case as much as a really nice envelope. Also, I prefer the Air's bezel, because it matches the rest of the laptop.
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Jul 5, 2013 05:01
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tuyop posted:What's the consensus on the HP Envy 14? Costco has it on for $500 bux You could get a Samsung Chromebook. It would do what you'd do when jonesing for a computer, but at least it would be yours and you'd be able to do 99% of what computers do, which is browse the web.
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Jul 5, 2013 15:06
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Cmdrmonkey posted:I didn't read the entire 26 page thread, but it seems to me that an option that's been overlooked for a cheap/awesome laptop is to buy an off-lease Thinkpad or Latitude for $250-$300, pimp it out with an SSD, and replace any broken parts using parts warehouses on ebay. Thinkpads and Latitudes are sturdy and easy to repair. A 2-3 year old off-lease Thinkpad or Latitude is just getting broken in really. The specs will be a few years out of date, but for what most people do with laptops (web surfing mostly), it shouldn't matter. This is an easy way to get a great laptop for under $500 if you're tech saavy and don't mind getting your hands dirty. I've always done this. Buying new laptops is a fool's errand and a huge waste of money. And if you want to play games or do something intensive, build a desktop. Laptops suck for that stuff. Honestly, "last year's model" markdown prices are a better deal (and often more viable) than "pimping out" an "off-lease" ThinkPad about to be EOL'd by Lenovo. You'd be hard pressed, unfortunately, to convince people out of "gaming" as well. Some people have the special interest for it; unfortunately, they have to make a choice from understandably frivolous and often terrible options, be it gaming rig or wall-tethered, squad portable Alienware. Chromebooks aren't useless, either. I installed ChromeOS on my x220 and used it for a week, and it covered everything up until I needed to use Paraview. I do agree, though, that paying $640 for a pretty wonky Ideapad isn't a good option for most people. If you need a laptop for cheap, look at used/off-lease/outlet ThinkPads and MacBooks.
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Jul 5, 2013 15:47
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Getting a business class laptop with integrated CAD graphics (Quadro, etc.) is good provided that you're going to use the laptop to model and model only, on the same software you bought that year, and the same OS too. Most business-class GPUs have special drivers to push CAD performance, which is very different than what a typical game needs. HD5000, while still not scraping the very high end of discrete GPU options, will always receive awesome driver support and will cover the needs of an enthusiast as well as a professional. The W530 series exists for companies who need to buy a fleet of those things so their employees can use them on loan and have a reliable platform for "x" CAD program. It's not too necessary for a laptop anybody in this thread would particularly need. People shouldn't buy a laptop incapable of delivering a laptop experience. You should buy something that you'd be able to work on all day while leaving the charger at home.
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Jul 6, 2013 07:28
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movax posted:I'd love the rMBP but as an EE who only has to dip into software rarely, the rMBP would spend most of its life in Windows, and I would really prefer a native windows keyboard (and the BIOS ability to swap Fn/Ctrl on ThinkPads). Seriously what kind of horrible dwEEb poo poo does windows have? Eagle PCB worksforme on osx, but I guess everything else I do is in ParaView and general MHD code. Isn't multisim on macs too?
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Jul 7, 2013 07:15
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SoggyGravy posted:Nothing about that laptop compared to others seems to scream at me 1600+ USD Aren't you the one buying a Razer Blade?
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Jul 8, 2013 06:50
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Razer's Blade might look like a good option, but you should remember that it's a very low volume laptop, and doesn't even begin to shine a light to a MacBook or Lenovo in terms of build quality. After checking processor and dGPU off the list, Razer basically does what amounts to "sifting the bargain bucket" to get any sort of part that won't add overhead to their laptop. Things like ports, keyboard, screen, and soundcard seem to be all chosen to get this thing an acceptable profit margin. I don't see the appeal of the laptop when there are MacBook alternatives that would blow the thing out of the water in terms of tech support and general laptop experience.
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Jul 8, 2013 15:28
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Also, everyone should know that Sony is garbage when it comes to post-purchase interaction. They dole out no support or updates, regardless of whether a Windows update plays nice with the laptop. They also share an OEM with ASUS, so there's no point in paying a VAIO price on a laptop you can get in an altered form from ASUS.
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Jul 8, 2013 15:39
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Malderi posted:I am very disappointed by the XPS12 refresh. No 256GB SSD option. 128 isn't enough for me, and the only option above that is the $2K model with 512. If the $1400 had 256GB (or there was a $1500 model with it), that's what I'd be considering. But not $2000, that's total bullshit. I've heard that the 4x6 256 SSDs are very inefficient compared to 2x4 128 SSDs and 4x8 512 SSDs. You might want to just opt for a 256GB Air, because the Air uses a Samsung PCIe SSD that is much faster than the SATA III in other current laptops.
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Jul 10, 2013 22:02
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Doctor rear end in a top hat posted:That PCIe SSD is v.nice and I hope we start seeing them in other machines. I hope Apple has the royalty on it for consumer applications for a while. Truth be told, the Windows laptop market is really bloated and should be culled down to the best sellers and niche laptops. The Windows market can compete if there's more focus divested in a smaller amount of laptops. One of the big issues with things like the current ThinkPad line is that there's an overwhelming amount of models that are all capable of the same thing. sports fucked around with this message at 22:19 on Jul 10, 2013 |
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Jul 10, 2013 22:15
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Cream_Filling posted:Nah I doubt it will get any worse except for some questionable design choices that probably don't matter to most people unless you're a brand fanboy as I am. The actual workmanship (versus the design part of build quality) went down a long time ago and I doubt it's going to get worse. Lenovo is still spending quite a bit of money on R&D for the Yamato Lab, which has torture-tested ThinkPads since forever. The "lack of quality" of newer models is actually just intelligent, conspicuous choices made on Lenovo's part. A current ThinkPad might have thinner plastic and chassis and a bit more flex than a T40, but that flex absorbs shock better while also allowing Lenovo a bit less material spent on each ThinkPad. Now, this all ends with the X1 Carbon, which I still am pretty ashamed is given the ThinkPad name. This thing has a glossy screen and to me feels quite flimsy and without the beef that basically defines what the ThinkPad is. That, along with mediocre battery life and temperature handling makes it really unnecessary for most people and a much more durable MacBook Air could be had for the same amount of money. Carbon fiber versus Aluminum is a battle won by Aluminum in terms of utility, but if anybody needed to ride a laptop in a triathlon, they might just go with one made out of carbon fiber. Malderi posted:Nah, definitely not going with the Air. Main reason I wanted the XPS12 was the touchscreen and convertible tablet functionality. I'm willing to pay a small premium for the fact that I love the hinge design much more than any other convertible. But $500+ is way too much. There's convertibles with specs that meet my requirements for $1k, so I'll go with one of those instead. I hope to hear back from you. I've never seen a convertible used as such, and I want my suspicions proven wrong. In terms of convertible gimmick factor, the XPS 12 will deliver bounds. The Yoga 13 appears (has been described by "reputable" "tech" "news" websites (Here's a link to what I thought was an OK review)) to have a less gimmicky/less sexy?/less fragile hinge system in place, but I honestly haven't paid much attention to convertibles (because iPad). sports fucked around with this message at 00:11 on Jul 11, 2013 |
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Jul 11, 2013 00:07
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SoggyGravy posted:Thanks that helps a lot, still wondering what sort of configuration actually makes sense for this laptop and still waiting for some user feedback of course since that is usually the most valuable but it looks very promising! Fair word of warning here- You may be getting a great deal on, uh, bigger numbers, but you might not be getting the greatest deal on an actual laptop. Definitely assess what you really need and look at mobile options (and stationary options, if your needs are really that strenuous) when you look for a laptop.
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Jul 11, 2013 02:51
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SoggyGravy posted:Yeah I'm not looking to get something that will be able to launch me into outerspace, cook me breakfast and then sizzle my appendages off in a flash flame. That being said I was just curious from you guys that IF you were going to buy the Clevo W230ST (with the 14"blade being the [alternative] so to speak) what configuration would you go with? I do not need the extra 2 FPS id rather have something that is quieter/longer lasting than eek out that extra frame. Look at Haswell machines. Seriously, man. Both of those laptops are unnecessary amounts of money. Look at the x240s, and the new t440s.
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Jul 11, 2013 04:42
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LurkingAsian posted:In what respects? A lot of laptops will hit 80-90C under load. The difference is, with the MacBook Air you look at the exterior temp of 41* vs 90* exterior temp for the Clevo.
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Jul 11, 2013 07:46
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MeaningOfLife posted:Sorry, I should say my dad's a PC user only. Any Windows based ultrabook you would recommend for me to get? No. They're all poo poo. The Thinkpad T440s will have an NVIDIA discrete graphics option? Get that, maybe.
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Jul 11, 2013 19:14
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syntaxfunction posted:Hey guys, I'm in the market for a new laptop. A little history. My last computer gear purchases were five years ago (For my desktop) and four years ago for my netbooks. Even despite the age I wasn't really thinking about replacing them because I don't really play cutting edge games or anything that requires massive performance any more. However I was getting a bit fed up with my netbook performance. Specifically they were ASUS Eee PC 1000HA and 1005HA. But they did the trick (I only used one, the other was a family spare) and more importantly got good battery life. Relearning isn't tough on OSX. It's a pretty healthy thing considering that most devices are unix/linux based for the foreseeable future. I don't know what kind of computing you do, but most people have to stay in Microsoft because of HAM radio or some unbreakable love of cmd.exe, not because they are familiar with the interface. Windows 7 to Windows 8 was way more of a shock to me interface-wise than Windows 7 to OSX.
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Jul 12, 2013 07:55
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Bob Morales posted:MacBook Airs are insanely popular for developers so I don't see why a Windows ultrabook would be a bad choice. Because it isn't a Mac 
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Jul 14, 2013 06:22
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Valithan posted:Dunno if this is the appropriate thread or not, but does anyone use/have any experience with an external GPU setup with their laptop? I already have a decent Nvidia card which is currently not seeing any use and the board for the setup is only about $90; also I love my X220 and don't want to part with it. If you max out your RAM and adjust your swap partition accordingly you should see some increased throughput on the integrated graphics. I guess if you're up to it (and the board isn't for Thunderbolt only) you'll be in pretty good shape. You do however only experience the improved graphics downstream of the eGPU, which means buying a suitable display. Also, you probably have to buy an external PSU if you don't want to completely fry the power supply on the x220.
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Jul 15, 2013 01:09
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Seamonster posted:Cons of thicker laptop: The beveled edges on ThinkPads don't stab you.
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Jul 16, 2013 19:40
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Hadlock posted:Here is my care-cat post from the last thread, I've also updated one of the OP posts with some more link spam and price history of thinkpads. At some point if I get bored at work I will graph Thinkpad price fluctuations over time. Could you graph OEM ThinkPad prices (From Lenovo, sans discount) along with Mac prices?
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Jul 23, 2013 00:38
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InstantInfidel posted:People just reading this thread: don't be this guy and pay way, way too much for a lovely laptop that is good at nothing at all. He could have gotten a very capable MBA for that price.
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Jul 24, 2013 05:42
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TenementFunster posted:gently caress, that is a lot money. i just discovered that this thing has two mSATA ports inside (allegedly), so I might just buy another 256gb. would it be possible to JBOD them? I didn't know turd polish was that expensive. All harsh realities aside, you'd be better off keeping a really big slow (lol slow mSATA like that exists...) SSD in one of the mSATA slots and a 32- or 64-GiB "bl33d1n9-3d93" mSATA drive for the OS itself, for quick boots and the like.
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Jul 25, 2013 03:14
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I'm waiting for that Sarnsung pcie SSD that's in the new Air to be sold standalone. My x220 isn't long in the tooth but I would like to start getting parts that save battery life. The worst part about getting the pcie SSD would have to be that it's twice as "fast" as SATA-III's operation ceiling, which is really funny.
sports fucked around with this message at 03:17 on Jul 25, 2013 |
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Jul 25, 2013 03:15
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My x220 has a pcie card slot for mobile broadband. I'm working on a BIOS patch right now.
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Jul 25, 2013 03:18
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Bob Morales posted:How's this going to fit in there? Just took it apart and figured out that the full height + half height card is enough space for the M2 form factor. Hmm.
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Jul 25, 2013 04:14
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shrughes posted:I think you can tell -- look how fast the system boots -- but you don't care. Seriously, who still cold boots their computer? I just close the lid and open it at will.
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Jul 25, 2013 05:51
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dissss posted:Windows updates. Seriously? :/
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Jul 25, 2013 05:58
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The Razer Blade is poorly supported and for all intents and purposes is a Clevo in a mediocre case. People should also edge away from Sony. Their QC isn't really on par with Thinkpad/Lenovo or Apple. Banned poster "nubdestoryer" owned a Sony Vaio for a total of 3 weeks before it showed the signs of failure.
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Jul 28, 2013 05:26
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WHERE MY HAT IS AT posted:And I've had my sony for 4 years and it's still as sound as when I got it, minus some wear on the finish where my left palm rests from playing too many games. You're not supposed to use palm rests while using the keyboard.
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Jul 28, 2013 22:03
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the boston bomber posted:So I see the Lenovo's Yoga 13 has made the highly acclaimed list of recommended laptops. I see that its got some pretty good specs for its price, but what else about it has earned it such good referrals? And what do you goons think about buying laptops from the Microsoft store? Change your username. My thoughts on the Microsoft Store: they must have an easier time peddling products when far from an Apple Store,
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Jul 29, 2013 05:14
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Watermelon Daiquiri posted:So is there any chance of getting a good quality laptop that is 13in or less for less than ultrabook prices? My lovely laptop that I started using once my usual laptop died just died itself, which leaves me in a bind for the next semester. So far the best I can find is a refurbished 13in macbook air for $850 (or a yoga or (haswell) 11in MBA for $900)
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Jul 30, 2013 04:09
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Airconswitch posted:How do Lenovo's Ideapads stack up? I was looking at one of the Y410p models listed in that B&N link, namely this one. Is this reasonable, or should I go with a proper Thinkpad? How's the build quality on Ideapads? I'll use it for school with some gaming mixed in (Kerbal Space Program at least, who knows what else). I borrowed an IdeaPad (~3 months) and it wasn't exactly something I could get used to. Also, I'm wondering who paid 10 actual earth dollars for my av. I thank you, whomever; but mind you, those $10 could have gone to .01 of the best computer on the planet, a Macbook Air.
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Jul 31, 2013 03:35
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To those about to drop real earth :tenbux: on a Clevo/Sager/Alienware/Lenovo W530- I've never met a redeemable person who has bought this. The people in my classes with them tend to help the curve dramatically. Most heavy computing applications are taken up on a Air or MBP; or even one of the many, very tolerable non-Apple laptops available. I'm talking science and engineering grad school stuff; MHD simulations and Inventor and every other intensive thing imaginable. Nobody needs the "power" outside of the realm of a laptop on the market today which reliably provides 11 hours of battery life. Would you rather run your game or whatever inefficiently made bit of software at ultra high settings for 45 minutes, all the while your laptop rapidly transforming into a teakettle at boil; or would you rather have a laptop that allows you to run that same bit of software at medium/mediocre settings for hours on end? If you're looking at raw numbers provided by the industry, chances are there is a bit of misleading going on. If you're looking at numbers regarding speed and memory capacity, you're really off the mark, and should straighten out your priorities. The whole point of a laptop is portability. Companies are doing there damnedest to make computing quick, elegant, and convenient so you don't have to spend so much time computing. It's really nice to have something that's small and light to leave in places, unencumbered by a charging cable, waiting for you to fiddle with it for a second before resuming something else. If you need something for perpetual work, you should look at a desktop. Perpetual computer work sucks, and I do feel bad for those stuck in front of monitors. The good thing is that desktops are really quick and snappy and make an honest attempt at saving whomever sits in front of them some time. Seriously though. Laptops today are capable of all day use without charge. So why do you guys constantly buy something that has the charge cycle of a Portege from 1998?
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Aug 16, 2013 04:25
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Gophermaster posted:Because I spend fully half my time travelling for work and I don't want to compromise on gaming ability and give zero shits about portability beyond it's ability to be carried in a bag. Couldn't you spend time meeting people? No man is an island. (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)
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Aug 16, 2013 04:45
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