Debating between Lenovo x200, Asus UL30, and Macbook Air

I am having a hard time deciding what to buy here.
I like Asus products, my g50vt was excellent, but so was my old macbook, and lenovo's reputation in build quality is excellent.

I'm looking for a highly portable laptop with good battery life which is powerful enough for basic programming and university use.

The asus wins in price, x200 in build quality, and I like the air because I do enjoy os x (though this is not a deciding factor).

So people, what should I get?

 

I had an original MacBook Air and sold it ASAP; the single USB port was just too limiting (by the time you pack a port replicator and AC power cord for it you might as well carry a larger computer). Plus the HD in the Air is slow and small, not to mention the Air's price.

Right now I'm looking at the ASUS UL30Vt, sold exclusively on Amazon. It's a 13.3" screen, 3.7 pounds, has dual GPU (Intel 4500 & nVidia 210M), Core 2 Duo 1.3Ghz CPU, and 500GB drive, all for under $900. The only problem is they are "temporarily out of stock." If you don't care about the dual GPU the regular 4500-only model is available widely for around $749. Battery life is claimed 10-12 hours, and some owners say this is realistic especially with the new silver model that sports a larger battery.

The Lenovo seems pretty under-performing by contrast; less capable GPU, much shorter battery life.

If you liked your G50VT I think you'd love the UL30Vt for what you need it to do.

 

The Lenovo x200 and Asus UL30 are geared towards totally different segment markets. Basically, it really boils down to what you'll be using your laptop for. If you'll be spending a good amount of time on the road and require optimal CPU power, the x200 would clearly be the better choice. Though keep in mind the x200 is missing a few good features such as the in-vogue aesthetics, battery life and a basic touchpad (though the trackpoint IMO is much better).
If exterior looks of a laptop is your top priority, then the MBA would be the winner here. Though it lacks significantly in features as tallan has mentioned above, there is no other laptop in the market that is as sleek and thin as the MBA. Customer service is also superior than the competition, not to mention that there's an apple store in almost every city nation-wide.
The Asus UL30 is a mix between the two. It's the jack of all trades, master of none. However there is a few UL30 owners whom have had issues with their wifi, particularly the signal strength and stability of the wifi card.

 

If you're considering the Macbook Air, you should consider the Lenovo x301 also. For the same amount of portability, you could get longer battery life with the extra 3-cell battery.

 

Thanks, David, for straightening me out on the X200 CPU; for some reason I thought I'd read it was a 1.3Ghz single core. I've edited my post to reflect that.

I just pre-ordered the ASUS UL30Vt-A1 from Amazon, so my bias is obvious; I haven't owned a ThinkPad since they were actually made and sold by IBM. But if Apple is still in the mix forget the Air and get the 13 inch MacBook Pro; it's a lot more capable, costs less, and is not really all that much more to carry.

 

Thanks for the responses.

The only way I was considering the x200 was buying it as an outlet item from lenovo. It only costs around 800-900 that way, which is a really good deal.

Is the x200's battery not nearly on par with the Asus? I thought it was.

 

It is if you get the larger capacity 9-cell battery. In this case, the battery life will surpass the Asus UL30; but keep in mind that the 9 cell battery will not be flush with the laptop.

 

David, which do you think wins in terms of build quality? Lenovo or Asus?

 

Build quality wise, Lenovo will win for sure. This is primarily due to magnesium alloy chassis (common for business-class laptops) which provides a more robust and durable build. Consumer class laptops usually have a plastic chassis

 

Thanks, I might have to go with the x200 then.

 

I say value and power, the UL30 w/discrete graphics is wise. Unfortunately, the ULV procs seem to be anemic in general and I personally won't pay Apple or Lenovo dollars for one, so the choice is clear. Asus, when I had them anyway, had great build quality, but that was the "W" series back when they were making Mac competitors (Aluminum lid etc..). I hear that the U series is built fairly well, but the Lenovo is going to be more "solid", no question. If you want thin and light, I'd say the Asus. The only downside for me besides the ULV (and that is debatable), is the lack of backlit keyboards. I really thought the U series would have them in every model!

 

The U series used to me more well built with a mag-alloy chassis eg. U3 and U6 series. Asus, however has chosen not to extend this feature in their current U series which I'm assuming is to lower costs and attract a broader mainstream market.