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Any decent Intel/AMD-based competition to Macbook Air coming up?

4 points by Kjeldahl ↗ HN
Doesn't have to be equally small, but preferrably cheaper with 7h battery life, reasonable weight, no DVD, non-Atom based with a decent size trackpad? I just can't stand buying a Macbook Air to install Linux on it (yes, I tried OSX but it just does not cut it for my usage).

8 comments

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bartonfink
I believe system76 has an ultra-thin laptop that meets your specs. I do not have one, but I have been eyeballing one for a while and think it might be what you're looking for.

http://www.system76.com/product_info.php?cPath=28&produc...

Kjeldahl
Looks like a nice machine, if you're in the US, Canada or UK. I'm in Norway. Maybe it's worth the hassle of importing one indirectly...
wmf
It's probably just an ASUS; you should be able to find a local reseller that can get one.
Kjeldahl
Good tip. I found the Asus U31F which looks like a good machine, or Asus U36Jc with Nvidia graphics. From my local vendors, the U31F has a better battery, and the way things are going with linux graphics drivers, the Intel "embedded" graphics on U31F might be a smarter choice (not from pure performance, but support of chipset features, like "good enough performance" and "powersave modes" etc). YMMV.
carmen
Vaio X is a good device

any reason non-atom is on the list? Xmonad, Chromium and emacs are snappy

dman
MSI X-Slim, Samsung 9 series.
altano
The soon-to-be released Lenovo x220 fits your list very well.
zerohp
This doesn't answer your question but I thought I would weight in regarding your opposition to buying the Macbook Air. I bought a 13" Air when the latest revision came out and it's by far the best laptop I've ever used. Even though I use OSX on it most of the time, because it suits my work, the form factor is what sold me on the device. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one to run Linux or even Windows full time on it. My only concern would be the trackpad behavior, but the machine is so good I'd write my own driver for Linux if I had to.

Apple does a fantastic job of putting hardware of moderate specs in a better package than others. The device just feels better in your hands. It's almost intangible but no matter what OS you're using its a joy to use. Perhaps you don't feel the same way, but I think its worth keeping an open mind, especially if money is not an object.

This post probably comes off as yet another fan boy, but I hope it doesn't. A few years ago I wouldn't even consider Apple, but I finally had enough of the cheap plastic crap that vendors insist on shoving down our throats.