Absolute best laptop?

What is the best laptop, performance-wise, out today in each category?

Desktop Replacements
Notebooks
Thin & Lights (Subnotebook)
Ultraportables (Netbook)
Tablets

 

Not 100% sure, but I think the clevo X7200 is the best in that category right now, things change so fast though.

 

my opinion:
Thin & lights: Sony Z, 1080p screen, Core i7, Quad SSD, Bluray player.

 

But proprietary design, I give that a big negative. But if I could afford one as my netbook it would be my first choice!!!

Netbook is hard to single out because specs are so similar. For gaming performance I'd say the Eee 1215N but the CPU is a little lackluster. Better than the 1201N, but still an Atom. Otherwise I'd say the Thinkpad X100e (Athlon Neo X2 / HD 3200) or Acer Aspire AS1551 (1.5GHz Turion II Neo X2 / HD 4225)

 

It thought there are ways around that...

 

Desktop Replacements - Clevo X7200
Notebooks - ...Macbook Pro 15? Depends on the user I guess.
Thin & Lights (Subnotebook) - Sony Vaio Z
Ultraportables (Netbook) -Acer TimelineX 1830T
Tablets - Lenovo X201T

That's what I am going to say. The notebooks category is an iffy one though.

 

By voiding your warranty and cracking open the case of the SSD. Seems it accommodates 1.8" SSD's with the case removed.

Here's the link at NBR by some crazy man that did just that.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/511578-how-replace-ssd-vaio-vpcz11-vpcz12-non-sony-ssd.html

 

I'm honestly amazingly impressed with my Envy 15 in the power for it's size. There are more powerful machines out there, and there are smaller machines out there, but there is nothing that holds a candle to it in power for the size. It's only an inch thick and just over 5lbs, but it's got a 1080p screen, Radeon 5830, and can accomodate any quad-core i7 out there. With proper cooling, unlike the Macbooks

 

What makes something the best "performance wise" (benchmarks, gaming, workstation operation, etc.) and what separates each category (weight, screen size, etc.)? For DTR, I'd say any notebook that can accept a high end desktop CPU such as the 980X two high end notebook GPUs (480M SLI or 5870 Crossfire), and 4 memory slots would "perform the best". The rest is really a throw up depending on how you define each category.

 

An excellent choice--especially since that was my first thought as well. (Except that it should be categorized under ultraportable.)

You need to revise the category since an ultraportable is the polar opposite of a netbook in components. Netbooks are the most basic of notebooks, while ultraportables are small, but are typically equipped with the most advanced components available.

As for tables, I'm not even sure what their purpose is other than to sell people a redundant device and make Steve Jobs rich. Someone please help me out with this?

 

Agreed. I think the categories should be something like:

Desktop Replacements
Notebooks
Ultraportables
Netbooks
Tablets

Agreed but since there are no definitions you can just nominate what you could consider 'best'.

 

Best is all VERY subjective and depends on your needs. as someone who needs alot of quick mobility and readable screens outdoors as well as good color reproductions ... heres my longer list.

Desktop Replacements:

Clevo X7200 or AW M17x for gaming
HP Elitebook 8740W for graphics work, design and general use

Notebooks:

Panasonic CF-30 for reliability AND battery life ( 12.75 hrs with media bay battery )
Elitebook 8740W for productivity and 0 eye strain for long hours.
ASUS UL30VT for traveling and battery life.


Thin & Lights (Subnotebook):

Vaio Z
ASUS UL30VT
ASUS U30Jt


Ultraportables (Netbook):

Acer TimelineX 1830T


Tablets

Panasonic CF-19
Lenovo X201T

 

Desktop Replacements:

Dell Precision M6500 for professional work.

Notebooks:

I really like the Dell Precision M4500. Not cheap, but if you depend on a machine for your work, the money's well spent.

 

Desktop Replacements
M17x or Falcon DRX(if you want the MAX performance)

Notebooks
to wide a category

Ultraportables
Sony Z

Netbooks
M11x

Tablets
Idk

 

^ for desktop replacement, you might want to add the elitebook 8740w

and for ultraportables, the acer 3820tg can rival the z in performance since the gpu is better, but the cpu isn't.. not sure if the acer is an ultraportable or thin and light, though

and the m11x is not a netbook

for netbooks, it constantly changes since new ones come out frequently, but right now it appears that the asus eee pc is the best

and for tablets.. im not sure if anyone knows the best out there

 

Is the AVADirect Nano Gaming Cube eligible for the desktop replacement section?

When You Want A Little Gaming: The AVADirect Nano Gaming Cube - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News

 

beat you to it

 

Large -
D900F: 1920x1200, 980X support, GTX 480M, 3 HDD slots.
M17x-R2: 1920x1200 LED, Extreme Mobile i7 CPU's, two MXM 3.0 slots, dual HDD slots.

Workstation -
M6500: 1920x1200 LED, Extreme Mobile I7 CPU's, 3800M, 4 RAM slots, dual HDD slots.

Medium -
M860ETU: 1920x1200, Extreme Mobile Quad CPU's, MXM 2.1.


Only high-performance laptops with 1920x1200 considered.

 

If we're talking pure performance, I think the T900 would win for tablets given that it houses an actual core i5, as opposed to the X201t which has a UM core i7. Of course, I'm not denying the X201t has the superior screen(although the T900's screen is already way better than 95% of laptops)

 

Yes, the Dell Precision line is undoubtedly the most advanced workstation to date. But with a price tag to match (especially when fully equipped), you'd better purchase it to have some money coming in, or have some very deep pockets.

 

I'd argue Large Performance/Multimedia/Gaming should be distinct from DTRs and Notebooks. There is a distinct subset of performance-oriented laptops that are still moderately "mobile" and aimed at a market where price is still a consideration (<$2k, 15/17", 3-4kg, 1-2 hr battery life, fast i5m/i7m, >8k 3dm06: G51/G73, Envy 15/17, W860/W870/W880 etc).

The king of which would have to be the G73 IMHO.

But this, the 10^99th time the OP's kind of question has been asked, will almost always end up as someone's HO.

 

Desktop Replacements
Don't care/Sony Z (I like small as I carry a laptop to job sites and mainly view laptops as portable/temporary use computers, I'm not lugging 10 pounds everywhere I go, I have enough to carry)

Notebooks
Asus UX50 series (best bang for the buck),
Honorable mention: Sony EB, Lenovo Thinkpad (T series)

Ultraportables
Sony Z, but you pay for it.
Honorable mentions:
Alienware M11X (awesome, but I would have to sneak up on it to use it, ICK!)
Asus UX30 (great traveler due to battery life, great price)
Dell 13in Adamo (so pretty)

Put the M11x's guts into the 13in Adamo, and offer it for $1000-$1300, I would be SOLD!

Netbooks
HP 8.9in with14gig ssd. (Best keyboard and bang for the buck)
For an awesome machine, toss 1gig of ram, Win7, then take an Ebay micro bluetooth module, disassemble it to fit in the proprietary HP slot for hidden bluetooth.

Tablets (I don't usually like Fujitsu, but these are nice)
(slate style) Fujitsu Stylistic ST5112
(Convertibles) Fujitsu T5010
Both are frameless and use Wacom Penabled (variable touch sensitivity). The frames/surrounds get in the way when using them for artwork (your hand can't slide over all of the way without interruption) and the pressure sensitivity allows for actual drawing in shades.

 

Asus G73JH is a great mix of best of best stuff. It does compromise in some areas but all around best.