Submission + - A completely unfair, subjective take on the latest laptops 1
davide marney writes: I am in the market for a replacement laptop. I need a snappy machine with a high-resolution screen because I do a lot of detailed work. Off I go to the nearest box store. After testing a baker's dozen Windows, Chromebook, and Apple laptops, here is my purely subjective take on how they compare:
All the Windows laptops have invested in adding AI features at the expense of hardware. I found only two machines that I would call snappy and with a high-resolution screen. The price floor for this level of hardware was $3,200. Every single laptop below that level was sluggish. We all know how Windows performance sags with age. If they're this slow brand new ... ?
All the Chromebooks were pitifully underpowered. While I admire ChromeOS for its efficiency, simplicity and no-maintenance ethos, an embarrassingly underpowered CPU is a guaranteed poor experience. What are these vendors thinking? The entire lineup is aimed straight at the bottom of the price pile. But so what if they cost just $350? Bad is still bad at any price.
Apple, thankfully, is generations ahead of everyone else in hardware. Even the most base of base models is snappy and has an excellent, finely-detailed display. My pick was the M5 Air 15-inch, a delightful machine to use. The price is $1,300, less than HALF the equivalent Windows laptop experience-wise. The world has turned upside down.
All the Windows laptops have invested in adding AI features at the expense of hardware. I found only two machines that I would call snappy and with a high-resolution screen. The price floor for this level of hardware was $3,200. Every single laptop below that level was sluggish. We all know how Windows performance sags with age. If they're this slow brand new
All the Chromebooks were pitifully underpowered. While I admire ChromeOS for its efficiency, simplicity and no-maintenance ethos, an embarrassingly underpowered CPU is a guaranteed poor experience. What are these vendors thinking? The entire lineup is aimed straight at the bottom of the price pile. But so what if they cost just $350? Bad is still bad at any price.
Apple, thankfully, is generations ahead of everyone else in hardware. Even the most base of base models is snappy and has an excellent, finely-detailed display. My pick was the M5 Air 15-inch, a delightful machine to use. The price is $1,300, less than HALF the equivalent Windows laptop experience-wise. The world has turned upside down.
