Ultrabooks for less than $1500??

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#1245463 24-Feb-2015 12:01

http://store.apple.com/nz/product/FE864X/A/refurbished-133-inch-macbook-pro-24ghz-dual-core-intel-i5-with-retina-display

http://store.apple.com/nz/product/GD761X/B/refurbished-macbook-air-14ghz-dual-core-intel-core-i5

Both in budget, I don't know about League of Legends, but you could always boot camp the Air, you could the Retina Pro too but the SSD is a little small for that. I got a Late 2013 15" retina pro referb late last year, they are honestly an as new machine, wouldn't go back to buying off the shelf.

toyonut

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#1245464 24-Feb-2015 12:03

Still Surface pro is your best bet, it has the longest battery life of most Windows options of the options and is just a premium experience, that said, try these:
Macbook Air
Asus Zenbook

Try Vultr using this link and get us both some credit:

http://www.vultr.com/?ref=7033587-3B

Krishant007

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#1245465 24-Feb-2015 12:05

Check with Apple website - they offer discounts for students. I dont know how much the discount is, but anything would be good. And if anything, find a couple of hundy and get the Mac - you will not regret it. I found (personally and a few friends share the same sentiments), that mac laptops usually last longer (as in 3 years or so) than windows laptops. I found myself cycling through windows laptops more frequently than macs

panda123

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#1245473 24-Feb-2015 12:32

seems like macbook is the way to go. Go for a brand new one or a refurbished one?

Krishant007

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#1245479 24-Feb-2015 12:47

I saw that the student one is available with a $125 gift card and its for $1649 as well - seems legit to me.

Alternatively, nothing wrong with the refurb ones.

billgates

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#1245483 24-Feb-2015 12:50

Dell XPS 13 has the best battery life out of all Ultrabooks in the market. It is also has the latest 5th generation broadwell CPU including HD5500 GPU. The resolution starts at 1920 x 1080. The Macbook Air has 1440 x 900. Have a full read of AnandTech's review on the 2015 model of Dell XPS 13. It is super lightweight and ultraportable (13.3" screen in 11" bezel). I would ring dell and ask for a student discount (15% off easy for $1699 model). Dell XPS 2015 is the best ultrabook in the market right now.

http://anandtech.com/show/8983/dell-xps-13-review/6

Do whatever you want to do man.

Krishant007

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#1245487 24-Feb-2015 12:55

I agree that XPS 13 is one of the best Ultrabooks, at least in the Windows ultrabook camp. However, it is still a Windows laptop. For uni (having used a Windows and a Mac laptop in my uni days), i preferred my macbook. The windows laptop lasted me 18 months whereas the mac lasted me 4 years (1 year after uni as well).

But unless there is a specific reason for choosing windows, the OP may very well be better off with Mac.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

billgates

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#1245500 24-Feb-2015 13:00

I have dealt with Mac's that have been DOA. That does not make Mac's worse than Acer. It depends on the quality of the hardware, $$ you are spending, bad luck, QA etc. Nothing to do with Windows or OSX OS itself. That is just personal preference.

Do whatever you want to do man.

richms

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#1245504 24-Feb-2015 13:06

If you do get a mac, for the sake of the lecturers please be considerate and cover the arrogenly self promoting light up logo up with something.

Richard rich.ms

nathan

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#1245506 24-Feb-2015 13:09

if you're going to get a Mac, don't get an Air

You will regret the 5 year old screen technology and that super crappy resolution

panda123

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#1245509 24-Feb-2015 13:15

seems like either dell xps 13 or macbook pro. is there much difference between the 2013 macbook pro retina vs 2014 model?

nathan

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#1245511 24-Feb-2015 13:20

very slightly upgraded CPU (I doubt this is even noticeable) and 8GB RAM standard on 2014 IIRC

I would never buy another laptop that didn't have touch screen, but I totally get why people love the Mac build quality and resale value

Krishant007

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#1245519 24-Feb-2015 13:34

Touchscreen with Windows 8 on a laptop is good yes - but thats also because so far, all the touchpads that come in laptops (besides Lenovo's which is semi decent) are quite crap. That is one reason touchscreen on a windows laptop should pretty be a must have!

I have used the Dell XPS 13 in person and was certainly impressed with it - but for my money, I wouldn't get it (had the opportunity as well, but didnt take it). If you feel that Windows OS is a must have, then XPS 13 would be a very good laptop yes.

But Nathan also raised a valid point in resale valuel - a friend of mine sold his Sony Vaio Pro 13 (very similar to the Dell XPS 13 back in its day - 2013) and he got 1k for it. He bought it for 1.7 or 1.8k. Whereas I sold my macbook after 4 years of usage and sold it for only half the price I paid for it (price drop of 50% over 4 years compared to 40% over 1.5 years).

Maybe it would be good to consider resale value as a factor as well.

benokobi

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#1245700 24-Feb-2015 16:19

nathan:
benokobi:
nathan: Microsoft Surface Pro 3 i5, 128GB Tablet
$ 1079.00 https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/shop/computers/windows-8-tablets/microsoft-mq2-00007-surface-pro-3-i5-128gb-tablet/prod130391.html

Just got mine for ~$1600 including the type cover literally 2 days before they went on sale. Still worth the $1600 price tag but really annoyed as I could have got the docking station as well for what I paid.

Love the kickstand and pretty much everything. Only problem I have is google chrome being blurry which is not really any fault of the surface.

Sucks about the price drop. Such is life.

The other problem Chrome has is it is very battery unfriendly. I can literally shave 2-3 hours off my battery run time if I use Chrome.

Haven't noticed the battery life so much but the fan never seems to come on when using internet explorer but when in chrome in kicks in quite often.

tripp

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#1245703 24-Feb-2015 16:38

benokobi:
nathan:
benokobi:
nathan: Microsoft Surface Pro 3 i5, 128GB Tablet
$ 1079.00 https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/shop/computers/windows-8-tablets/microsoft-mq2-00007-surface-pro-3-i5-128gb-tablet/prod130391.html

Just got mine for ~$1600 including the type cover literally 2 days before they went on sale. Still worth the $1600 price tag but really annoyed as I could have got the docking station as well for what I paid.

Love the kickstand and pretty much everything. Only problem I have is google chrome being blurry which is not really any fault of the surface.

Sucks about the price drop. Such is life.

The other problem Chrome has is it is very battery unfriendly. I can literally shave 2-3 hours off my battery run time if I use Chrome.

Haven't noticed the battery life so much but the fan never seems to come on when using internet explorer but when in chrome in kicks in quite often.

Well that could explain why i only get like 3 hours out of my surface pro, I have chrome running in the background.

Might have to look at killing that.

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