Portable computing seems to be
all about tablet PCs and smartphones these days but the laptop
with a full-size screen, lots of power and good battery life is still
important for many. I have been looking at two of the best side by side: one
running Apple’s OS X operating system, the other Microsoft Windows.
MacBook Pro with Retina display (rating: 5/5)
Apple’s aluminium-clad MacBook
Pro line has long been the laptop of choice for mobile professionals who do not
want a Windows-based PC. In its latest incarnation, the MacBook Pro Retina
display, which is much more detailed than ordinary displays, gets a design
makeover inside and out.
I have been impressed by my
tests of the 13in version of the latest MacBook Pro, which costs from $1,399
(£1,099 in the UK). It is so much thinner and lighter than its predecessor that
it looks more like a MacBook Air, which happens to be the laptop I use most of
the time. In fact, at just 0.71in thick and weighing 3.46lb, the 13in MacBook
Pro with Retina display is significantly thinner and lighter than the
non-Retina display 13 in MacBook Pro. It also takes up marginally less space on
a desk than the Air because Apple has slimmed down the bezel surrounding the
Retina display.
As you might expect, the texts
and graphics are stunningly sharp but the most striking improvement is inside.
The latest MacBook Pros have powerful new processors coupled with new graphics
technology to provide the pixel-driving horsepower and put them on a par with
rival Windows-based laptops.
Equally important, the new
processors have a dramatic impact on battery life. My review unit has been
running for an average of at least 10 hours between charges, several hours
longer than could reasonably be expected from the previous MacBook Pros and
longer than most tablets can deliver.
Other improvements include
faster WiFi connectivity, faster solid state drives which speed start-up and
data access and better sounding built-in speakers. The backlit keyboard is
still responsive and easy to use.
Overall, excellent performance
and great battery life ensure that the new MacBook Pro with Retina Display is a
worthwhile update for Apple laptop owners, and another reason to switch if you
are thinking of moving from Windows. Corliss
Tech Review Group
Lenovo ThinkPad X240 (rating: 4/5)
Lenovo’s ThinkPads are among
my favourite Windows-powered laptops: they have solid design, are great to type
on and are just generally reliable.
Second only to Lenovo’s
premium-priced 14in X1 Carbon laptop, the ThinkPad X240 is the best of the
ThinkPad range of excellent business ultrabooks, with its 12.5in screen that
delivers great battery life.
Priced from $890 (£1,080), the
whole X240 has been designed to withstand the bumps and knocks of everyday
travel. Its roll-cage casing, carbon-fibre lid and magnesium chassis make it
feel stiff and solid, even though it still weighs comfortably under 3lb.
The X240 is the thinnest,
lightest ThinkPad available, although at 0.79in thick, it is not the thinnest
ultrabook of all. It has customary ThinkPad features such as the lid’s
soft-touch finish or the spill-resistant keyboard, which remains one of the
best laptop keyboards I have used. But the X240 adds features specifically for
Windows 8, such as multimedia buttons and the ability to call up the
application switcher and move through applications at the press of a finger.
The overall performance is
excellent and the extended battery life totals about eight hours. The X240 has
both a built-in battery and another, removable one at the rear. Because the
laptop drains the removable battery first, you can pull out the rear one and
swap them without turning off the laptop.
My review unit also had an
optional larger battery that gives users a total of about 20 hours of use
between charges, which is the longest battery life of any laptop I have tested.
Of course, the extra battery adds to the weight, but if you need a laptop that
will run almost a full day between charges, the X240 should be top of your
list. Read more tech review
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