Trying to choose a notebook for portable writing.

[ShadowGeoff]

Hey,

I am trying to find the ideal laptop for 'getting out of the house' typing, listening to music and sometimes web browsing.

The important selection criteria are portability, battery life, and typing comfort. Other considerations are secondary, I do my gaming on my main PC.

I had a good long look at the ultra-portables like the EeePC (the price is right) but ultimatley I think the tiny keyboard would kill it for me and it would just sit there. This will be a writing laptop.

My absolute maximum budget is $1800 complete but the contenders so far are the MacBook and Dell MX1330 in configurations costing around $1700 from the online stores. I am going to go and have a look today at the shops in the city to see them in person.

Do you have any thaughts regarding which of the two condtenders is the better product, and are there any obvious alternatives with similar abilities I am missing?

Thanks,

Geoff

[googlevich]

Originally Posted by ShadowGeoff

Hey,

I am trying to find the ideal laptop for 'getting out of the house' typing, listening to music and sometimes web browsing.

The important selection criteria are portability, battery life, and typing comfort. Other considerations are secondary, I do my gaming on my main PC.

I had a good long look at the ultra-portables like the EeePC (the price is right) but ultimatley I think the tiny keyboard would kill it for me and it would just sit there. This will be a writing laptop.

My absolute maximum budget is $1800 complete but the contenders so far are the MacBook and Dell MX1330 in configurations costing around $1700 from the online stores. I am going to go and have a look today at the shops in the city to see them in person.

Do you have any thaughts regarding which of the two condtenders is the better product, and are there any obvious alternatives with similar abilities I am missing?

Thanks,

Geoff

I've got the m1330 and its nice. However if I was only using word processing a bit of music and web surfing then I'd get the macbook. The mac has longer standard baterry life.

http://www.everymac.com/systems/appl...tery-life.html

Make sure you get the latest penryn based models.

As for typeing on, they are both fine, typical laptop type keyboards. I think they are both full sized.

The sony zs is a 13.3' that is very similar, but much more expensive. Dell have put out a new vostro range which is similar to the m1330. There are 12' laptops that you could look at, however the keyboards are smaller and not as nice to type on as the mac and m1330

[ShadowGeoff]

Well I have just ordered the 2.4Ghz macbook.

[woof]

Originally Posted by ShadowGeoff

Well I have just ordered the 2.4Ghz macbook.

You missed out on a Thinkpad. Known for their keyboard and light rigidity.

[ShadowGeoff]

Posting this reply on my mac an very happy about it. Its great!