Updated on December 10, 2021
The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) took place in Las Vegas this week, with the usual pile of stuff nobody but millionaires or people not in their right mind would or could buy. However, they also had the usual new product that becomes the show’s trademark. Last year, it was tablets, with everyone wanting to usurp the iPad (which they didn’t; as of now, the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet/Color are still the main non-iPad color tablets/ebook readers the general public would consider). This year, it’s “ultrabooks,” which’re basically MacBook Air knockoffs. Just about all the major laptop makers introduced an ultrabook at the show.
Which leads me to today’s other subject, my wanting a newer laptop. I’ve had this one since summer 2009, and while it’s served well, I’d like to have something newer/more powerful. I’d also like to have a more lightweight laptop; on trips, the current one feels like I’m lugging a boat anchor (weighing in at 6.3 lbs, or 2.9 kgs). Also, the glossy finish of the laptop makes fingerprints/dust/grime too visible, and some of the keyboard keys currently look like Wolverine used the laptop for typing practice.
Related to ultrabooks, I’d prefer something with an optical drive, as I like to rip my own DVDs. In terms of general specs, a 14″ or 15″ screen and at least an Intel i5 processor. Finally, it’d be nice if it ran quieter/the fan didn’t kick on as often as my current laptop.
Brands I’ve had suggested to me so far include Lenovo and Dell. I’m looking to purchase it next month (using my tax refund), though I’ve seen some suggest waiting for Intel’s new “Ivy Bridge” CPU to come out in the spring.
