General Use, Slender Laptop Recommendations

[wombat_tg]

I am in the market for a laptop.

Ideally, I'd like to keep this around $1,000USD for new, although I am not opposed to newer refurb'd.

Most of what I do is cloud-based dev and lots of local typing (documentation), so on paper my hardware requirements are pretty small. I despise the lag/clunky feel of Windows so I need to throw hardware at this to prevent me from punching myself in the face repeatedly when I'm forced to use Windows.

Requirements:

1) At least an i5 processor
2) 8GB+ RAM (I'll take 4 if doing the upgrade myself is reasonably priced)
3) 1400 x 900+
4) 14" - 15.6" screen
5) Slender, and with weight around 4lbs
6) At least 1 USB port (none of this "you don't need those ports, you have wi-fi" nonsense)
7) SSD drive, although small size is fine.
8) Long battery life, or ability to upgrade to an extended life battery (my Chromebook has spoiled me)
9) Isn't an Acer

Everything else is flexible.

Does this laptop exist around the $1,000 pricepoint? I've rumaged around on NewEgg and it looks like there might be a few options, but not too many.

If I have to up the budget anymore, I might have to suck it up and go Mac, which would provide the hybrid functionality I need but at that premium sticker price. :\

 

[seeingeyegod]

If you do a lot of typing, you might want to just go to some stores and type on a bunch of laptops to find out which has the least shitty/most comfortable keyboard for your particular hands, and then pick the best specs between the ones that you don't hate typing on.

 

[Gamer Cat]

Here is what I have found on Newegg... It does say it is a gaming laptop, but the GTX 950M will help you in certain situations if you have need to use a program that requires a dedicated card.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834232753

It has both a HDD and SSD.

I'll keep looking for other laptops.

I am a bit curious, but why no Acer?

 

[wombat_tg]

If you do a lot of typing, you might want to just go to some stores and type on a bunch of laptops to find out which has the least shitty/most comfortable keyboard for your particular hands, and then pick the best specs between the ones that you don't hate typing on.

LOL, I so agree about the shitty keyboard. So many laptops over the years, so many crappy keyboards. My ASUS (which I am typing on right now) has the least lousy keyboard of them, and even it's a bit dicey. I think the worst one I ever encountered was the Acer from 2010. What a horrible piece of crap that thing was, through and through.

My plan is (was?) to compile a list of potential candidates and then figure out if I can see them locally to see the screens/try the keyboards and such. If there are only a few, then I'd try to see them all in one place instead of chasing all over creation browsing.

 

[wombat_tg]

I am a bit curious, but why no Acer?

Every Acer product I have ever had the misfortune to use has been a steaming pile. I'm not a brand loyalist, and maybe I just got unlucky, but wow. They failed so hard.

Hmm, thanks for the suggestion. It looks a bit heavy (4.41), but I'm using an ASUS K55 right now, looks like that chassis is a distant cousin. This brick weighs 5.6, so that one is over a pound lighter. I might have to go check it out. Because while this thing's keyboard is not my fav, overall I REALLY have liked this machine. I've also spilled coffee on it (several times) and it hit the floor once (thanks, kitty) and it's still alive.

 

[Gamer Cat]

I found another...

Lenovo Yoga 700:
http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/lenovo/yoga-laptop-series/yoga-700-14/

If you choose the second one, it meets all your requirements and a 256GB SSD.

 

[Gamer Cat]

I am a bit curious, but why no Acer?

Every Acer product I have ever had the misfortune to use has been a steaming pile. I'm not a brand loyalist, and maybe I just got unlucky, but wow. They failed so hard.

Hmm, thanks for the suggestion. It looks a bit heavy (4.41), but I'm using an ASUS K55 right now, looks like that chassis is a distant cousin. This brick weighs 5.6, so that one is over a pound lighter. I might have to go check it out. Because while this thing's keyboard is not my fav, overall I REALLY have liked this machine. I've also spilled coffee on it (several times) and it hit the floor once (thanks, kitty) and it's still alive.

Ah.