Lenovo IdeaPad U410-43762YU 3rd Generation Core i7 14" Ultrabook (1.9GHz, 8GB DDR3, 1TB HDD) $749

Any thoughts on the GeForce 610M? It doesn't look very powerful, but I'm guessing it's still improved performance over Intel HD4000 graphics?

Also, screen resolution is a little low for my liking.

IMO, once these ultrabooks start getting close to Macbook Air pricing, I find it hard to swallow. If you absolutely need Windows then this doesn't apply. But for everyone else, I think this is something they should strongly consider.

I have a Windows laptop and I'm seriously considering switching to a Mac since it has less bloatware, better display, better battery life, better industrial design, better trackpad, better keyboard, etc. It is very compelling if you look at it holistically rather than strictly spec for spec.

Quote from HirenS85 : IMO, once these ultrabooks start getting close to Macbook Air pricing, I find it hard to swallow. If you absolutely need Windows then this doesn't apply. But for everyone else, I think this is something they should strongly consider. I have a Windows laptop and I'm seriously considering switching to a Mac since it has less bloatware, better display, better battery life, better industrial design, better trackpad, better keyboard, etc. It is very compelling if you look at it holistically rather than strictly spec for spec.

i found almost similar mac book pro with a little less config - like 4gb (with max 8gb) and Hdd 500gb for $1500 so the difference is $751. not sure this is called close pricing - for mac you pay double. IMHO i would better buy two of Lenovo each year then buying 1 mac and hold it for two years.
And i do agree with you about better things in mac book - it's better quality and if difference with of $700 is not the issue i would rather buy Mac. IMHO

Quote from HirenS85 : IMO, once these ultrabooks start getting close to Macbook Air pricing, I find it hard to swallow. If you absolutely need Windows then this doesn't apply. But for everyone else, I think this is something they should strongly consider. I have a Windows laptop and I'm seriously considering switching to a Mac since it has less bloatware, better display, better battery life, better industrial design, better trackpad, better keyboard, etc. It is very compelling if you look at it holistically rather than strictly spec for spec.

I agree with a lot of your points, but the main thing is the OS, and I suppose it's different for everyone. I did what you described, I switched to a Macbook Pro and loved it...for a while. After a year I went back to Windows and got an Ultrabook, I just wasn't as efficient on a Mac, and I suppose the 'new n flashy' kind of wore off even though I LOVED the design, trackpad, etc.

As far as this Lenovo, I would try it in store first (I did when shopping for an Ultrabook) and while it has a lot going for it (Macbookish feeling/desing and good specs) the keyboard had an awful flex on the one I tried (which isn't typical of Lenovo so was disappointed) but if that wouldn't bother you then may be a good buy indeed for an ultrabook.

The graphics are good for an Ultrabook, but not going to be a gaming machine by any means, will be fine with some older games though (hell I can play some older games on my HD4000 Graphics fairly well and this is definitely better than that).

Review/Benchmarks: http://www.pcworld.com/article/26...udget.html

I am wondering how this approaches MacBook air pricing. I was just looking at a 13.3 MacBook air with my daughter. With her student discount it was $1149. Still $400 more.

Again, no way to upgrade the resolution beyond the crappy 1366x768 -- hell, my PHONE has a better resolution than that...

Let's not forget that this "ultrabook" uses a 5400 RPM 1TB drive, which means that it is REALLY slow. Given that the hard drive is the SLOWEST component of any computer and here they put in the SLOWEST drive of the slow drives, I rather pass...

NOTE: Yes, after boot-up, the computer is going to be pretty fast, but not for opening up applications or anything drive intensive.

Quote from inventix1136 : Again, no way to upgrade the resolution beyond the crappy 1366x768 -- hell, my PHONE has a better resolution than that... Let's not forget that this "ultrabook" uses a 5400 RPM 1TB drive, which means that it is REALLY slow. Given that the hard drive is the SLOWEST component of any computer and here they put in the SLOWEST drive of the slow drives, I rather pass... NOTE: Yes, after boot-up, the computer is going to be pretty fast, but not for opening up applications or anything drive intensive.

I guess if you could look pass the screen resolution, you could always replace the hd with an ssd. Then, everything is fast.

Quote from taurus2007 : I guess if you could look pass the screen resolution, you could always replace the hd with an ssd. Then, everything is fast.

100% agreed, but then it is not a $750 laptop but rather a $900+ -- not counting the time it takes to put on new OS.

There are 2 styles of the U410. One is ultrabook and one is not. This one is NOT an ultrabook. It is heavier than the U410 ultrabook and doesn't have SSD. The U410 ultrabook actually has SSD caching.

Quote from inventix1136 : Again, no way to upgrade the resolution beyond the crappy 1366x768 -- hell, my PHONE has a better resolution than that... Let's not forget that this "ultrabook" uses a 5400 RPM 1TB drive, which means that it is REALLY slow. Given that the hard drive is the SLOWEST component of any computer and here they put in the SLOWEST drive of the slow drives, I rather pass... NOTE: Yes, after boot-up, the computer is going to be pretty fast, but not for opening up applications or anything drive intensive.

Unless you have the thew new HTC J Butterfly, I highly doubt that.

Quote from inventix1136 : Again, no way to upgrade the resolution beyond the crappy 1366x768 -- hell, my PHONE has a better resolution than that... Let's not forget that this "ultrabook" uses a 5400 RPM 1TB drive, which means that it is REALLY slow. Given that the hard drive is the SLOWEST component of any computer and here they put in the SLOWEST drive of the slow drives, I rather pass... NOTE: Yes, after boot-up, the computer is going to be pretty fast, but not for opening up applications or anything drive intensive.

1366x768 is 1,049,088 pixels... maybe you're confusing ppi, but a laptop will be held farther away than a smartphone

Quote from vipivoxa : i found almost similar mac book pro with a little less config - like 4gb (with max 8gb) and Hdd 500gb for $1500 so the difference is $751. not sure this is called close pricing - for mac you pay double. IMHO i would better buy two of Lenovo each year then buying 1 mac and hold it for two years. And i do agree with you about better things in mac book - it's better quality and if difference with of $700 is not the issue i would rather buy Mac. IMHO

You guys picked different models as your equivalent Mac's. I am pretty sure the orignal commenter focused on the, perhaps inaccurate, "ultrabook" in the title and compared it to the (likely) 11" Macbook air which any SDer should be able to get $900-$950. That is only $100-$150 more. You gravitated to the screen size and chose a 15" Macbook Pro which is way more expensive. Neither is a spot on comparison. If it isn't an ultrabook, and given its screen resolution, I would have picked the 13" Pro for $1100. None of the comparisons are perfect and I think that is intentional by the Window's OEM. It kind of looks like, once they approach $1000 in price they don't to have to directly compare their products to Apple's.

I used to buy a windows laptop every 18 months because they just wouldn't last. I liked them and they were a lot cheaper but I had to switch to Macs for work and there are definitely big advantages there too. I stopped having to buy a new computer every year and a half. I use a Macbook Pro for 3-4 years with very little noticeable degradation in performance and then retire it for use as an HTPC or server in my home and it runs for another couple of years. And the trackpad is a killer feature that no Window's OEM has matched.

Battery life is lacking in this so-called "ultrabook".
Display resolution could be higher (especially for a 14.1" screen).
I picked up a Dell Inspiron 14z Ultrabook (refurbished, similar specs) last month for around $550 with i7-3517U, just for comparison sake.