Ask HN: I have two most basic requirements for a laptop. Why can't I find one? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: I have two most basic requirements for a laptop. Why can't I find one?

11 pointsmotiejus20 comments

1. 8+ hours of battery life running only vim and Erlang unit tests on Linux. Would honestly enjoy 12 hours.

2. <=1.6 kg (3.5 lb)

I don't care about GPU or processor. It can be ARM (well.. Vim implies it has to have a workable-size physical keyboard).

Why is it so hard to find one? Or do I miss the one?

View on HN

The x220 with a 9-cell battery weighs 1650g. It is in every other respect the perfect development ultraportable - it's powerful, extremely frugal in lower power states and has a mSATA slot allowing for both an SSD and a HDD. It'll run for 8 hours on a realistic workload and 12 hours on idle, although like any laptop you'll want to run linux in a VM under windows, as you'll get better battery life.

Unless you're taking it into space, just suck up the extra two ounces and buy the better machine.

Seconded. Typing this on an older X200s and very happy with it. It gets 8+ hours of battery life (well, 6-7 these days, as it's nearly 3 years old.) Battery is fully swappable/replaceable.

Asus Transformer Prime should last about 15 hours with the keyboard dock. It's based on ARM. I have no idea if Vim can work on Android, though. Maybe this will work:

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.aor.droidedit&....

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.touchqode.editor&#...

There are others, too. If you need it right now, this is the only one that can last that much. But if you're not in a hurry, you might want to wait for a larger screen combination, which I think will appear by summer or so.

Here it is, even lighter and half the price of a Macbook Air:

http://eee.asus.com/en/eeepad/transformer-prime/specificatio...

I will be able to run Linux happily on it. Looks nice. However, it doesn't have a nice-to-have: RAM.

However, really considerable. Thanks!

I agree, I wish it came with 2 GB of RAM (not much more you can ask for in the ARM world right now). There are actually a couple of Lenovo and Toshiba tablets with that much RAM that have been announced, but they don't have an integrated keyboard like the Transformer.

As I said, you might want to wait a few more months otherwise. The next Transformer should come with 2 GB of RAM, 1920x1200 resolution, and might even have a 11.6" version (but just totally speculating here, based on how Asus might think for a future device).

How about macbook air? You can run vim on it.

1.35kg, 7 hrs (using wireless web).

http://www.apple.com/macbookair/specs.html

With the wireless off, the 13" mba should do that

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook-air/macbook-ai...

http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MC965LL/A?

$1300

Ubuntu installs on them fine.

11" Macbook Air = 1.08kg HyperJuice 60Wh external Battery = 0.36kg

Comes in under your weight limit, will give you 10+ hours. Only disadvantage is it's a cumbersome / weird form factor, macbook plus external batt.

However, if you find a decent small bag, it won't really be that much of an issue.

http://www.hypershop.com/HyperJuice-External-Battery-for-Mac...

Archos 9 pc tablet SSD (800g) + Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 (415g) + battery 6000Mah (around 8h on Windows 7, I do not know for linux)

I like the Lenovo ThinkPad X120E w/ an SSD. However, you could get a better lenovo with longer battery life for more than 500.

Panasonic SX1 with large battery, weighs 1.39 kg, claims 16 h of battery life, i5 processor.

What's your budget? What size do you want? Which country are you going to buy it in?

Hopes for $1k (it shouldn't be more, should it?), budget is up to $2k.

UK or USA (I could ask a friend to bring me one easily).

Size: I need a workable keyboard, that's all. As mentioned in description, there are 2 requirements: battery life and weight. In practice, I feel comfortable enough with 11'.

I don't like Macs for many reasons, one of which is I can't change its battery.

ThinkPad X220 with a 9-cell, plus an additional battery pack for when you're travelling.

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPo...

Plus bigger pack: http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPo...

Both battery slice and 9 cell battery exceeds the desired weight.

With 6 cells you get somewhere around 7-8 hours if you are lucky. I know this laptop, but looking for better options.

You will get more than 8 hours with just the 9 cell, which will bring it to under your weight - http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=98466

You don't need the 9 cell as well as the plate - it was just a suggestion if you needed more.

Ok, here are some options:

HP Pavilion DM1 - http://www.amazon.com/mn/search/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=pret...

Samsung Series 9 - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NF0LGG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?...

Acer Aspire Timeline X - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042X8W0Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?...

You could try looking for a larger netbook, those had fairly decent battery life, and you could trade out batteries. However, the screen probably won't be as nice.

You could also look at Ultrabooks (similar to the Air), but they'll have the same problem of changing batteries.

Sony x series with extended battery. Light and 10 hours plus.

one of which is I can't change its battery<=

They are user serviceable on the macs, just not externally so. It's not like the iPhone.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com