Lenovo's X300 vs. Apple's MacBook Air
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Page 1:Introduction
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Page 2:The X300’s L7100 processor
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Page 3:The Memory, Graphics Card and Add-Ons
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Page 4:The X300’s Connectivity
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Page 5:Complete and Fast Storage
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Page 6:The Screen, Keyboard and Mouse
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Page 7:Wireless Quality
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Page 8:MacBook Air Comparisons
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Page 9:Conclusion: Better Than the MacBook Air?
When Apple launched its MacBook Air, it was rumored that Lenovo would follow up with a 13" ultra-portable laptop. Lenovo did just that in February when it launched its X300. We focus on the X300, but include comparisons with the MacBook Air.
Lenovo’s high-end portable PC is comparable with the MacBook Air in two ways: its price, which is well over $2,500, and its 13.3" size. But that is where the comparison between the two systems ends as the X300 clearly targets a different market than Apple’s machine does. That being said, it still didn’t seem unreasonable for us to compare the two.
Our article focuses on the technical aspects of the X300, a later article on Tom’s Guide will concentrate more on ergonomics and the machine’s operating system.
A professional demographic
The X300 targets a different crowd than the one that the MacBook Air does. While Apple’s machine is more geared for the general public (it is based on Apple’s classic style), Lenovo’s laptop was designed more with professionals in mind. The X300’s design is sober and much less in-your-face than Apple’s is. Some of the X300’s features also indicate that the machine wasn’t designed for the general public but for users with work-related application needs. Still, the X300 should appeal to non-professional users as well, with its 13.3" screen and light weight of 3.5 lb. The X300 puts its Intel Core Duo 2 processor to use for power savings and offers an abundance of features.
The air is so limiting (you can't even change the battery- its an ultraportable without flexible battery options!
Don't get me wrong; I think the X300 is a fantastic machine. It's a bummer that they didn't give it a good screen, and I hope that some of the quality issues with recent Lenovos don't manifest with this one, because it's an amazing engineering accomplishment. It has several features (especially WWAN and much better expandability/connectivity) that I really wish the MBA hadn't compromised on. Then again, aesthetically there's no comparing the two; the MBA is simply an amazingly desirable object, where the X300 just comes across as...competent. Whether that matters to you or not is purely personal.
The MBA is 4400 AUD with the solid drive, I can get a Mtron 64GB for about 1400 AUD, making my Sony cost about 3900 AUD. Battery life? My non-extended battery can play two DVD's without needing a charge, (barely) or just about enough time to get me from SYD to HI :-)
they should have installed vista on the macbook or MAC OSX on the x300
that would give a proper benchmark of the hardware.
I'm not a Mac fan so that's not my issue here. Still I can't see the point of using Microsoft Word as a measurement for comparison. Microsoft does tweak their Office suite to load very fast even on older hardware (it's integrated with system to operate with high priority). If Microsoft Word would have loaded faster on the Mac, yes then I would immediately send a bug report to Microsoft about it! The Photoshop comparison is much more relevant since we're talking about an equally third party software. Just as you added "the two systems with the different operating systems are not directly comparable..." in the section about boot up speed, the same applies to Microsoft Word.
These kinds of details add either a favourable or unfavourable mark of quality to a article.
(PS. your site generates a lot of script errors if checked DS.)
the comment that a matte screen is a drawback is somewhat myopic IMO, and obviously you don't even use your laptops in well lit bright environments, let alone outdoors. Glossy screens are great for dark environments, but for most people they aren't buying these laptops for DVD colour vibrance (that's why you would buy an LEDlit Glossy laptop), you want it to be functional.
Also, while I appreciate the comment on VGA being a drawback, the connector footprint for DVI is bigger, to me the combo of choice is what I have for mine, VGA+HDMI, you have the best of both worlds and no silly uncommon compromise like mini-DVI other macbooks.
I think like one of the posters above said, it's about an asthetic versus functional laptop. I wouldn't want an Air of work, but I'd want one for travel (either that or a Sony UMPC).
It would've been interesting to add something more Air-ish like the Toshiba R500.
I expected to read a blow by blow account of pro's and con's of the Lenovo's X300 compared to the Apple MacBook Air.
Instead 90% of the discussion was about the Lenovo's X300 and it was compared to.. well nothing! Only when benchmarking the system was there a comparison.
I expected a fair account of "The Lenovo doesnt have firewire, which is a downside compared to the macbook, however conversely, the Lenovo runs a solid state HDD."
I mean the title of the article is "Lenovo's X300 vs. Apple's MacBook Air" but the discussion and conclusion referred to Pro's and Con's to some immaginary system that was a dream.
This should be Labelled "Our love of the Lenovo with some benchmarks to compare to Apple to get attention of apple fans stirred up".
What a waste. The Discussion and conclusion should directly refer to the Topic/Hypothesis. If you were in school, you'd get a FAIL.
Given the size of that machine, integrate the CDROM would cost way more than 20 if they keep the same style. I have seen one of those MBA, and that was insane, for the first time I have saw a laptop with its body thinner than the LCD. The CDROM would even cost less than 20 but consider that device takes up a good fraction of space and unable to scale down due to the size of the disk, the only option to house CDROM inside the machine is to make other components "step aside". In the case of ultra-portable, the size of machine is already 'notebook' include CDROM would make even less space for CPU/GPU/RAM/HDD/PSU/etc. If apple include stander size CDROM in MBA, the result will be at least 2x expansive while perform at least 0.5x less that what it is now.
Also that aerodynamic exterior of the MBA means its utilizable space is even less that what I see. Just think it as an expanded ipod that looks like a computer
Given the size of that machine, integrate the CDROM would cost way more than 20 if they keep the same style. I have seen one of those MBA, and that was insane, for the first time I have saw a laptop with its body thinner than the LCD. The CDROM would even cost less than 20 but consider that device takes up a good fraction of space and unable to scale down due to the size of the disk, the only option to house CDROM inside the machine is to make other components "step aside". In the case of ultra-portable, the size of machine is already 'notebook' include CDROM would make even less space for CPU/GPU/RAM/HDD/PSU/etc. If apple include stander size CDROM in MBA, the result will be at least 2x expansive while perform at least 0.5x less that what it is now.
Also that aerodynamic exterior of the MBA means its utilizable space is even less that what I see. Just think it as an expanded ipod that looks like a computer
Given the size of that machine, integrate the CDROM would cost way more than 20 if they keep the same style. I have seen one of those MBA, and that was insane, for the first time I have saw a laptop with its body thinner than the LCD. The CDROM would even cost less than 20 but consider that device takes up a good fraction of space and unable to scale down due to the size of the disk, the only option to house CDROM inside the machine is to make other components "step aside". In the case of ultra-portable, the size of machine is already 'notebook' include CDROM would make even less space for CPU/GPU/RAM/HDD/PSU/etc. If apple include stander size CDROM in MBA, the result will be at least 2x expansive while perform at least 0.5x less that what it is now.
Also that aerodynamic exterior of the MBA means its utilizable space is even less that what I see. Just think it as an scale up ipod that looks like a computer
some people see the macbook as a compromised design, but in a way the x300 is also a compromised design.
"What was Apple thinking? A laptop with no CDROM? So how am I suppose to install application/game?"
its not a desktop replacement. people dont install games daily. and most people do go home sometimes:P if you are always on the road sure, but for people who buy it for the right reasons, theres no big downside. over time more and more installed software is downloaded if you havent noticed. after basic setup of a pc i rarely use the drive for more than burning media
a more basic issue is i'd rather not give a chinese company more money than i have to while this oppressive regieme is in power that supports our enemies and tramples human rights. yes..macs are probably made in china, but even more money gets sent to china when dealing with lenovo.
BTW, to aihyah, what a good idea! How about you boycott all Chinese products and stop using anything you have that is made in China. That way you can stave them back to the stone age and we don't to have act like we care about their human-rights. After all, most of us don't take notice of the millions of African people dying from starvation and war crimes(please look at Congo for example).