Being an engineering student we
are all familiar with the assignments, submissions and hundreds of pages that
we merely copy down. But now as you plan to pursue your Masters abroad,
everything changes. You have projects, presentations and assignments, which are
no longer just the paperwork. This brings us to an important gadget that you will
need throughout your graduate studies: A Laptop.
You’ll be needing a laptop to
complete your assignments, to Skype with your family and friends back home or
to just relax and watch a movie or play a game maybe. So let us have a look at which
one suits you better. There are Notebooks, Ultrabooks and then there are Gaming
Machines. If you want a simple machine that is portable, has a decent
processor, memory and storage, you should probably go for a Notebook. If you
want the look of a Laptop and the feel of a Tablet, Hybrid Ultrabooks are made
for you. Or if you are a gamer, there are pretty decent gaming laptops
available.
If you are
looking for portability and good battery life, here are some options:
MacBook Air
 |
| MacBook Air |
MacBook Air comes in two variants, 11-inch and 13-inch and was
released in June 2013. It comes with Intel’s new fourth gen Core i-series
processors, code named Haswell, which adds to improved battery life. The other
specs are:
Display:
13.3-inch, 1440x900 resolution
11.6-inch, 1766x768 resolution
CPU: 1.3GHz
Intel Core i5 4250U
RAM: 4GB
DDR3, 1600MHz
Graphics:
1GB Intel HD Graphics 5000
Storage:
128GB SSD
Operating
System: OSX Mountain Lion 10.8.4
Battery: 12
hours
Price:
13-inch - $1099 / 11-inch - $999
Pros:
Amazing battery life and light weight.
Cons: No
touch screen, No full HD display.
Verdict:
This updated model starts at $100 less than its predecessors and comes with
improved battery life. It is a perfect portable ultrabook.
Samsung ATIV
Book 9 Plus
 |
| Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus |
The 13.3-inch Samsung ATIV Book 9 plus comes with a whooping 3200x1800
Quad HD display. It has a 10-point touch screen and latest Intel’s Haswell
processors. It weighs around 3 lbs.
Display:
13.3-inch, 3200x1800 Quad HD display
CPU: 1.6GHz
Intel Core i5 4200U
RAM: 4GB
DDR3, 1600MHz
Graphics: Intel
HD Graphics 4400
Storage:
128GB SSD
Operating
System: Windows 8 (64 bit)
Battery: 9
hours
Price: $1399
Pros: Ultra high
screen resolution, amazing touch and good battery life.
Cons: Ultra
high resolution may cause scaling problems initially, Costs few hundred dollars
more.
Verdict: It is an excellent touch ultrabook, though expensive,
with great resolution and portability.
If you are
looking for Hybrid Ultrabooks, here are your options:
Lenovo
IdeaPad Yoga 2 Pro
 |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 2 |
Display:
13.3-inch, 3200x1800 Quad HD display
CPU: 1.6GHz
Intel Core i5 4200U
RAM: 4GB
DDR3, 1600MHz
Graphics: Intel
HD Graphics 4400
Storage:
128GB SSD
Operating
System: Windows 8.1 (64 bit)
Battery: 6
hours
Price: $999
Pros: Lid
that folds 360o, Ultra high screen resolution.
Cons:
Average battery life, keyboard is exposed in Tablet mode and Stand mode.
Verdict: The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 2 Pro is an amazing Hybrid which
works great as both, a laptop and a tablet. Although it has a poor battery life
as compared to other ultrabooks, it is a great multimedia laptop.
Dell XPS 12
Ultrabook
 |
| Dell XPS 12 Ultrabook |
The New Dell XPS 12 comes with improved battery life and is one of the
top Hybrid ultrabooks out there. It has a rotating screen which flips around a
horizontal axis. Thus it can serve as a better tablet than Yoga 2 Pro. It has a
carbon fiber construction and a sturdy frame to sustain the flip function.
Display:
12.5-inch, 1920x1080 Full HD Display
CPU: 1.6GHz
Intel Core i5 4200U
RAM: 4GB
DDR3, 1600MHz
Graphics: Intel
HD Graphics 4400
Storage:
128GB SSD
Operating
System: Windows 8 (64 bit)
Battery: 8
hours
Price: $1199
Pros: Lovely
design, fast boot up, the Keyboard is not exposed while in Tablet mode.
Cons: No
card slot and HDMI output.
Verdict: Dell XPS 12 has a great
design which makes the Hybrid experience wonderful. The Dell XPS 12 is portable
and easy to use in Tablet mode. Thus you get the best of both worlds.
If you are a
gamer and portability is not your primary concern, you can have a look at:
Lenovo
IdeaPad Y510p
 |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Y510 |
Display:
15.6-inch, 1920x1080 Full HD Display
CPU: 2.4GHz
Intel Core i7 4700MQ
RAM: 8GB
DDR3, 1600MHz
Graphics: NVIDIA
GeForce GT755M GDDR5 2GB
Storage: 1TB
HDD + 24GB SSD
Operating
System: Windows 8.1 (64 bit)
Battery: 3
hours
Price: $1099
Pros: Great
graphics performance and multimedia capabilities.
Cons: Below
average battery life, a bit more heavy for a 15-inch laptop.
Verdict: The Lenovo IdeaPad Y510p is a fantastic gaming
machine with JBL speakers. It is well within budget considering that it is a gaming
laptop. It does not support touch, but that isn't a primary concern for a gamer.
If you are
looking for budget laptops, here are your options:
HP Pavilion
15t-n200
 |
| HP Pavilion 15t-n200 |
Display:
15.6-inch, 1366x768 HD Display
CPU: 1.7GHz
Intel Core i3 4005U
RAM: 4GB
DDR3, 1600MHz
Graphics: Intel
HD Graphics 4400
Storage: 750GB
HDD
Operating
System: Windows 8.1 (64 bit)
Battery: 9 hours
Price: $499
Pros: Good battery life, Affordable price.
Cons: Nothing major.
Verdict: This is a very good option for a budget notebook. It has a
good overall performance.
Lenovo G510
 |
| Lenovo G510 |
Display:
15.6-inch, 1366x768 HD Display
CPU: 2.4GHz
Intel Core i3 4000MQ
RAM: 4GB
DDR3, 1600MHz
Graphics: Intel
HD Graphics 4600
Storage:
500GB HDD
Operating
System: Windows 8.1 (64 bit)
Battery: 6
hours
Price: $479
Pros:
Affordable, good overall performance
Cons:
Average battery life
Verdict: For the given price range, Lenovo G510
offers good performance.
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