While the recent boom in tablet popularity has led many to question the future of the laptop, such notions have proved premature. Laptops remain a fundamental piece of technology for many business travellers, combining not only portability but power too – something that tablets inherently lack.
Microsoft and Apple have routinely introduced new versions of their operating systems to capture market share in the laptop market. The former celebrated the launch of Windows 10 this July, while the latter is due to introduce OSX El Capitan later this year.
The laptop market has expanded so much that it is impossible to categorise these portable-computing devices into a single category. New industrial processes have enabled manufacturers to use their creativity and develop products of different form and size.
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific takes a close look at ten of the hottest laptop models that are currently on the market.
LENOVO THINK PAD X1 CARBON
From US$1,142, lenovo.com
Windows 10
Lenovo’s Think Pad X series is part of the company’s Ultrabook line, which is renowned for its light, slim design and excellent battery life. The 14-inch business Ultrabook features a ULV (ultra low voltage) fifth-generation i7 processor, which provides sufficient power for most applications and programs.
Combined with 8GB of memory, a speedy 256GB SSD hard drive, and a Full-HD display, it’s impressive that the Lenovo Think Pad X1 Carbon is just 17.72mm, and weighs only 1.31kg.
PROS Customisable, thin and lightweight
CONS Limited upgradeability due to closed design
HP SPECTRE X360
US$999.99, hp.com
Windows 8.1
A little known fact about the Spectre x360 is that it was made by HP but co-designed by Microsoft. Similar to the Microsoft Surface, the device is a convertible, as the keyboard can be bent backwards into “stand” or “tent” mode.
The former is useful for presentations while the latter is typically used for touchscreen games. There is also a “tablet” mode in which the keyboard folds back a full 360 degrees, and the device can then be used like an iPad.
Our favourite feature is the 13.3-inch Full-HD screen, which is touch-enabled, complementing touch-friendly features offered by the notebook’s Windows 8.1 operating system.
PROS Touch display, premium look
CONS Lack of horsepower
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus 13.3 (940X3K-K01)
US$1,699.99, samsung.com
Windows 8.1
For those seeking extreme levels of image clarity, the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus is highly recommended. A resolution of 1920 x 1080 is a standard display for middle to high-end notebooks, but featuring a Quad HD+ touchscreen, the 13.3-inch display on this notebook boasts an ultra-high resolution of 3200 x 1800.
Samsung also touts the fact that the screen’s SuperBright technology is capable of generating 350-nit brightness, which is 75 per cent superior to a
normal screen.
PROS Ultra high-resolution display
CONS Expensive
ASUS CHROME BOOK C300
US$219, asus.com
Chrome OS
With the vast majority of customers using Windows or the OSX operating system, it’s easy to forget that Google has developed its own, too. Asus Chrome Book C300 comes with the Chrome OS installed, a refined chiclet keyboard and a large touchpad designed for ease of use.
Chrome Book users also receive 100GB of free Google Drive space for two years. Combined with an attractive thin and lightweight design, available in three colours (you guessed it – red, yellow or blue), the Chrome Book is one of the most eye-catching notebooks on the market for under US$250.
PROS Inexpensive, viable as an everyday laptop
CONS Lack of Full-HD display, Chrome OS may not be for everyone
ACER ASPIRE R14
US$599.99, acer.com
Windows 8.1
In a market dominated by 13 and 15-inch laptops, 14-inch screens are hard to come by, but Acer’s Aspire R14 is a good example. Like the HP Spectre, the laptop keyboard can be folded back, making it an attractive device for presentations.
It comes with Windows 8.1, which has been optimised for touch-enabled devices. Other features include a HD display with resolution of 1366 x 768, 6GB of RAM, and integrated Intel graphics. It does not come with an optical (CD) drive, meaning data transfer is limited to email or USB thumb drives.
PROS Versatile design, good specs for an entry-level device
CONS Lack of optical drive, no Full-HD display
ORIGIN EVO15-S
US$2,430, originpc.com
Windows 10
Whoever said gaming laptops weren’t portable has probably never seen the Origin EVO15-S. At well under an inch thick, this 15-inch laptop weighs just 1.9kg but offers all the power that you’ll ever need.
The entry-level specs include a Full-HD display that can be upgraded to a UHD one, a quad-core Intel i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a Nvidia Geforce GTX 970m video card.
PROS Thin and light design for gaming laptop
CONS Very expensive
ALIENWARE 18
US$2,499.99, dell.com
Windows 8.1
By popular demand, Dell has brought back its top-of-the-line Alienware 18 in the US, and you can expect it in Asia soon. This 18-inch beast boasts premium hardware, albeit with a steep price tag. It comes with a powerful i7 processor and 16GB of memory that can be upgraded to 32GB by unscrewing the bottom and adding a new stick of RAM.
The video card that Dell has included in this rig will also impress hardcore gamers. The entry-level model features dual Nvidia Geforce GTX 970m, which almost doubles the performance of
the already potent single card.
PROS Perfect for gamers, it offers no
compromises whatsoever
CONS Very expensive
APPLE MACBOOK
US$1,299, apple.com
OSX Yosemite
Apple products always boast excellent design but its newest 12-inch Macbook may be the most beautiful yet, with three colour options – silver, gold and space grey.
Weighing just over 900 grams and 13.1mm thin, not only has Apple squeezed in a full-size keyboard, but also a gorgeous Retina Display that delivers a resolution of 2304 x 1440. An ultra-quiet fan-less design and all-day battery life make for a top quality laptop.
PROS Beautiful design, Retina Display, no fan
CONS Limited expandability
TOSHIBA TECRA Z40
US$1,234, toshiba.com
Windows 7
With the loss of IBM’s business laptops, it’s good to see that Toshiba still maintains faith in this niche product segment. The 14-inch Tecra Z40 is the epitome of what a classic business notebook should be, offering efficient performance with excellent security features.
Along with the standard password protection services that most laptops offer, this Toshiba product comes with a fingerprint reader too. While this may seem gimmicky to some users, it is a useful feature for business and enterprise laptops.
PROS Fingerprint reader
CONS Lack of SSD
MSI CX61
US$680, msi.com
Windows 10
The 15.6-inch CX61 comes with a fourth generation Intel processor, a mid-tier dedicated Nvidia Geforce 940m graphic card, and an expandable storage capacity starting at 500GB.
In keeping with its position as a multimedia laptop, the CX61 also offers a DVD optical drive that can be configured further to support Blu-ray. Given that many modern notebooks have begun to move away from this “legacy technology”, it’s refreshing to know that there are still some that support it.
PROS Optical drive, dedicated
graphics card
CONS HD display (can be upgraded)