Winter has passed and along with it Christmas, and New Years – those holidays were a strain on our finances. Hopefully, all of us have managed to get back on our feet by now, because it’s the perfect time to spend your hard worked money!
Apple is releasing their new 12 inch Retina MacBook in April, Asus has already released their devices, and Lenovo is planning on attacking their competitors starting in May. Don’t worry, we’re not only going to talk about high-end products – we also keep budget in mind.
Apple’s new 12-inch Retina MacBook
Apple’s newest laptop will be releasing on the 10th of April. It’s going to be the thinnest laptop on the market measuring 12-inches and weighing 2 pounds – almost 0.9kg. It’s going to come out in two models:
– A 1.1GHz version with 256GB storage that will most likely sell for $1,299
– A 1.2GHz version with 512GB storage that will make you reach down your pockets for about $1,599
Apple has also announced a 1.3GHz version, but they are keeping the price a secret.
The CPU is a low-power Intel Core M processor, and users can turbo-charge it up to 2.9GHz in the 1.3GHz model. It comes with an Intel HD Graphics 5300 GPU that will make gamers happy. Battery life expectancy is somewhere between 9-10 hours – but it depends on what you do with your device. The Retina MacBook will be available in the traditional silver colour, and in gold and space gray colours. Why would you want to buy it in gold?!
It’s really expensive, but when you think about it, you buy apple quality wrapped up in simplicity. It’s worth the price, but I wouldn’t buy it when there are a ton of other options at that price range.
Lenovo LaVie Z HZ550
Lenovo will be releasing in May their new laptops and hybrids – the devices will stand at $1,299 and $1,499. The new Lenovo laptops will sport a 13-inch screen, and they will weigh approximately 1.72 pounds – that’s a staggering 0.7kg. Their new line of hybrids called Yoga-style will have 13-inch screens and will weigh 2.04 pounds – 0.9kg. By using magnesium-lithium chassis, Lenovo has halved the weight of their devices – aluminium is twice as heavier.
Both products will have a 2560×1440 resolution, and will make use of Intel’s fifth generation processors – known as Broadwell. The laptop can go up to i5, but the hybrid can sport a high-performance Core i7. Storage wise – both devices will have a 128SSD.
I would be much more inclined to buy a Lenovo, rather than spend the same ammount of money on a MacBook. At the end of the day, it comes down to one thing – which one do you prefer the most. Whether it is design wise, or because of its technical capabilities.
Asus T300 Chi
I’m not one bit disappointed in Asus – I bought a laptop from their product line for about 700$ 4 years ago, and it’s still up and running perfectly. I can even play Civlizations 5 and Europa Universalis on it – at medium-to-low details. I started having problems with the battery 2 months ago – it lasts only about 3 hours tops – but it’s astonishing when you realize that I haven’t changed it since I bought it from the store.
Their new hybrid called T300 Chi starts at the low price of 699$ and you can order it on-line right now – it was released on the 20th of March. Low price and flexible design, top-notch quality and sporting a 12.5-inch display make it a must buy if you’re on a budget.
It sports Intel’s new Core M processor that is specifically designed for high-end tablets, laptops and hybrids. You can upgrade your device to 8GB of RAM, 128GB SSD storage space, and your resolution from 1920×1080 to 2560×1440 for a total of $899.
Lenovo Flex 3
Lenovo’s Flex 3 will be available in May. Not like its predecessors, Flex 3 can actually hinge folds back a full 360 degrees. Their new device will be available in 11,14, and 15 inch models. The price will start at $399 and the 11-inch model will come packed with a Pentium CPU from Intel, at 1366×768 display. The slightly more expensive models will use Intel’s new fifth-generation Core i-series – with the option of changing the display with a 1920×1080 one.
The 14-inch model will be priced at $549, while the 15-inch one will roughly cost you $50 more – adding it up to $599.
These are some pretty darn good prices taking into consideration that most of them will use Intel’s new fifth generation processors.
I’ll be looking for a new laptop starting May. I will probably stop at the Asus T300 Chi if nothing better comes my way, but I’m not ashamed with owning a Lenovo Flex 3.
Are you planning on changing your laptop? Are you dead set on something? Tell us in the comments section below.
