Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Travel&Dining > Travel Technology
Reload this Page >

Anyone Else Excited About Intel Core M?

Anyone Else Excited About Intel Core M?

Old Sep 18, 2014, 4:44 am
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Up in the Air
Programs: AC/EK
Posts: 248
Anyone Else Excited About Intel Core M?

I've been wanting a thin and light PC (like MacBook Air only Windows based) for quite some time now. Sadly, there have not been any good options on the market. I was considering the Asus T100 and Lenovo Yoga Pro 2 but neither devices quite seemed worth it.

With the announcement about the Intel Core M processor last week it looks like 2015 is going to be filled with thin, light, windows based PCs that will be suitable for travel!
Baldpacker is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2014, 5:37 am
  #2  
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP, Hhonors Gold, National Executive, Identity Gold, MLife Gold
Posts: 2,687
The T100 is not in the same class (it's an Atom-based system).

What other ultrabooks have you looked at?

What is it about Core M that appeals to you over what is offered today? Was there a specific system you saw demo'd that you're interested in?
OverThereTooMuch is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2014, 6:34 am
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Up in the Air
Programs: AC/EK
Posts: 248
Originally Posted by OverThereTooMuch
The T100 is not in the same class (it's an Atom-based system).

What other ultrabooks have you looked at?

What is it about Core M that appeals to you over what is offered today? Was there a specific system you saw demo'd that you're interested in?
If Broadwell Y delivers on time and with the performance and power consumption characteristics Intel is claiming here, itll punch into all-new form factors and could light a fire in the thin-and-light market.
http://www.extremetech.com/computing...er-consumption

Agreed the T100 is in a different class but it's small, light, <$400, Windows 8.1, and comes with MS Office. It has a smaller screen size, limited storage, and isn't suitable for any hardcore use (video editing, photo shop, etc.). I wouldn't consider it an Ultrabook but since I don't think any current Ultrabook offerings are worth the money I was considering it as a "bridge" travel computer given the price.

I've looked at all the current Ultrabook offerings (Yoga Pro 2, X1 Carbon, Dell XPS, Acer Aspire, etc.) and they're all either bulky, heavy, or low performance for the $$$.

One of the Ultrabooks announced with the Intel Core M is the Asus Zenbook UX305 which will be 12.3mm thick and only 1.2kg. That's with a 3200x1800 13.3" touch screen, 256GB SSD, etc.
Baldpacker is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2014, 7:33 am
  #4  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: TPA
Programs: Hilton Gold, DL DIrt Medallion
Posts: 38,267
It will definitely make for some interesting devices. I'd like a Surface Pro 4 that doesn't overheat like the Surface Pro 3 (which is otherwise a great device).
SRQ Guy is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2014, 7:43 am
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Up in the Air
Programs: AC/EK
Posts: 248
Originally Posted by SRQ Guy
It will definitely make for some interesting devices. I'd like a Surface Pro 4 that doesn't overheat like the Surface Pro 3 (which is otherwise a great device).
I'd be interested in a Surface Pro if it didn't need a stand!

I'm thinking the Yoga Pro 3 or ZenBook will be what I'm most interested in but we'll have to wait and see what is released. It would be nice if there were some deals around Christmas / Boxing Day as I'll be flying through the US and Canada then (still seems to be the cheapest places in the world to buy electronics!)
Baldpacker is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2014, 7:48 am
  #6  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: BA
Posts: 346
Have you considered getting a MacBook Air and using Windows Bootcamp? This installs a copy of Windows that you can load with a simple restart.
AlbaGuBrath is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2014, 8:16 am
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Up in the Air
Programs: AC/EK
Posts: 248
Originally Posted by AlbaGuBrath
Have you considered getting a MacBook Air and using Windows Bootcamp? This installs a copy of Windows that you can load with a simple restart.
Not a fan of Apple products at all to be honest, though I have been jealous of the profile and weight of the Air.

Based on the initial specs released for the UX305, it should be smaller and lighter than the Air which is what has made me so excited about the PC world finally catching up.
Baldpacker is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2014, 8:36 am
  #8  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: TPA
Programs: Hilton Gold, DL DIrt Medallion
Posts: 38,267
Originally Posted by AlbaGuBrath
Have you considered getting a MacBook Air and using Windows Bootcamp? This installs a copy of Windows that you can load with a simple restart.
Overpaying for Apple hardware only makes sense if you're married to OS X.
SRQ Guy is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2014, 8:51 pm
  #9  
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP, Hhonors Gold, National Executive, Identity Gold, MLife Gold
Posts: 2,687
Originally Posted by Baldpacker
Agreed the T100 is in a different class but it's small, light, <$400, Windows 8.1, and comes with MS Office.
It's been <$300 a couple of times this year. Similar class machines with 32GB of storage can typically be found for $199. Some are even cheaper (there's a 7" Toshiba now for $120). At least in the US.

But no, it is not an Ultrabook. Ultrabooks use the Core line of processors.

http://ultrabooknews.com/
That seems like a good site to get a better big picture of what's out there.

I've looked at all the current Ultrabook offerings (Yoga Pro 2, X1 Carbon, Dell XPS, Acer Aspire, etc.) and they're all either bulky, heavy, or low performance for the $$$.
Specs look pretty similar for most of those.

One of the Ultrabooks announced with the Intel Core M is the Asus Zenbook UX305 which will be 12.3mm thick and only 1.2kg. That's with a 3200x1800 13.3" touch screen, 256GB SSD, etc.
So do you want to buy a laptop, or do you want to keep waiting for the ones "next year" that will be thinner/lighter/have longer battery life?
OverThereTooMuch is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2014, 9:14 pm
  #10  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Up in the Air
Programs: AC/EK
Posts: 248
Originally Posted by OverThereTooMuch
So do you want to buy a laptop, or do you want to keep waiting for the ones "next year" that will be thinner/lighter/have longer battery life?
I want a new laptop but since I'm not a fan of anything currently available I plan to wait 2-3 months when I expect the first few Core-M devices will be released.

As a bonus, I will travel through the US and Canada then which will amount to huge savings. As you mentioned T100 is <$300 in US but $450+ in Dubai or Australia.

Same thing for the Yoga Pro 2 - $1100-1200 in US, $1500+ in Dubai, $2000 in Australia.
Baldpacker is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2014, 11:12 pm
  #11  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 21,470
You can pick up a Yoga 2 Pro for as low as $700 refurbished from the Lenovo Outlet. I picked up a 1st gen Yoga for $600, then another for $400 two months later. Very happy with them.
pseudoswede is online now  
Old Sep 18, 2014, 11:24 pm
  #12  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bye Delta
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 16,247
Not a fan of running Windows on a Mac (Bootcamp). I thought it would be awesome, then I tried it.

- Random stutters. Keys won't get registered, then a few seconds later one key acts like I held it down for a few seconds.
- Thunderbolt is not plug-and-play; it must be plugged in when you boot the computer or you can't use it.
- High pixel density is not exactly smooth sailing. Windows 7 does not support independent display scaling. If you have a Thunderbolt display and a MBP Retina, everything on the Thunderbolt display looks enormous while everything on the MBP Retina's screen looks tiny. Windows 8 supports independent display scaling, but then you're stuck using Windows 8.

I'd much rather have a Razer Blade. It will be nice to see some more lightweight yet powerful competitors come on the market.
javabytes is offline  
Old Sep 19, 2014, 7:59 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 413
I have both a Surface Pro 3 (i5, 256/8) and a Lenovo X1 Carbon. They're both great machines but frankly the SP3 is the best device I've ever owned. I've never had any overheating problems and I take it with me everywhere. I use it as my personal tablet when I need a tablet, it replaced my X1 Carbon as my work laptop (my X1 just collects dust now), and I'm a photographer on the side so I run LR/PS on it as well as use my Intuos 4 with it.

So if the Core M improves performance of the Surface Pro line while making the battery last even longer, then I'll be first in line to get an SP4, assuming it has the M.
JClishe is offline  
Old Sep 19, 2014, 2:12 pm
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 220
Yes, I am. It will help make a Retina Macbook Air a reality. My personal laptop is a Retina 15" MBP, and the work laptop is a new i7 Surface Pro 3. I am generally impressed so far, but using it literally in my lap is a non-starter, and I just can't ever see myself using it as a tablet with the keyboard detached. But, for work tasks on a solid surface and grabbing it to run off to a meeting, it gets the job done.
robroy90 is offline  
Old Sep 19, 2014, 3:15 pm
  #15  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: DL Silver, AS MVP, UA Silver, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Plat, SPG Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 3,883
I had the T100 for several months and for day-to-day productivity (work) and casual tablet use it did everything I needed without issue. I had the 64gb version, so storage wasn't a big issue. What I've been waiting for ever since was something with the specs of the T100 but the form-factor & build-quality of a MS Surface RT/2. The build quality was my only real complaint with the T100... it's probably the cheapest feeling device I've ever used, at least from a decent name brand. I thought for sure Lenovo would update the Lynx with an Atom 3470, but no joy... so far nothing has materialized and I replaced the T100 with an original Surface Pro when they dropped to $379 refurbished. I like the Surface as well, but the weight/heft has relegated it to being purely a travel laptop/tablet (so I only need a single device on the road)... at home I use a desktop or docked laptop for work and an 8" Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 for casual browsing... 8" really is the perfect size for a casual-use tablet, but I don't see myself needing Windows for a casual-use device like I thought I would way back when I bought the T100.
IsleOfMan is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.