Apple MacBook 12" 2015 alternatives based on weight, screen-size and form-factor. |
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 | Acer Chromebook 11 CB3-131, 11.6 inch, 1100 grams (2.43 lbs)
The new Chromebook 11 inch CB3-131?s cover is made with a nano-imprinted pattern which gives it a premium look and feel while also boosting durability. The Chromebook 11 has been reinforced like Acer?s models for commercial and educational customers to handle stressful environments. It can handle up to 60kg of downward force on the top cover, while the corners can tolerate up to 60cm drops without damage. The reinforced case results in greater resistance to twisting and stress. Security is a key benefit of the Chrome OS file integrity is checked each boot. It is expected to be $180. |
 | Toshiba KIRA-10D, 13.3 inch, 1100 grams (2.43 lbs)
The new version of the Toshiba KIRA (Kirabook) uses the same quality chassis for the third year running. It has a full HD IPS matte non-touch screen and I notice this specific model is not on Toshiba's European website (there are 3 Kira 10's and it looks like the 10H, the 10J has a touchscreen). As such I suppose its not an ultrabook has very good aesthetics but is expensive. Measuring under 18mm in height and weighing just 1.1kg, the Kira features an Intel Core i7 processor, a 256GB solid state drive and a full HD display so is a powerful laptop in a compact design.
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 | HP Stream 13.3, 13.3 inch, 1100 grams (2.43 lbs)
The HP Stream 13.3 is another $240 laptop based around the Intel Celeron N2840 dual core Cherry Trail platform. It has a minimal hardware footprint like 2GB of RAM and 32GB of flash storage. The 13.3" displays features a a fill HD 1920x1080 pixels resolution. At 1.1kg it is lightweight for a 13.3" laptop. In regard to connectivity it features Bluetooth 4.0 and WiFi b/g/n. |
 | Hisense Chromebook, 11.6 inch, 1040 grams (2.29 lbs)
The Hisense Chromebook is a budget device with just enough going for it inside to provide reasonable performance with its Chinese made Rockchip ARM processor. This model, along with the similar Haier Chromebook are lowering the price bar for workable laptops.
Currently available at Walmart and costs $149. |
 | Haier Chromebook 11, 11.6 inch, 1090 grams (2.4 lbs)
The Haier Chromebook 11 has a claimed boot time of up 8 seconds and battery life of 10 hours, it has auto-updates built-in, meaning the latest virus protection and features are immediately available. Light at just over 1kg. Unusually for a laptop a quad core Rockchip processor (Cortex A17) is employed. This will currently be the lowest priced Chromebook. |
 | Toshiba Satellite CL10-B, 11.6 inch, 1100 grams (2.43 lbs)
Toshiba's ultra-mobile Windows 8.1 with Bing compact clamshell laptop for cloud based work - One-Drive is preinstalled. |
 | Lenovo LaVie Z, 13.3 inch, 848 grams (1.87 lbs)
Thin and light the Lenovo LaVie Z (previously known as HZ550) is the 13.3" laptop version of the two LaVie Z ultraportables. Using a Mg-Li Alloy material its exceptionally light. Magnificent QHD screen, Intel 5th Generation Core i5 processors, and SSD storage. |
 | Apple MacBook Air 11" 2015, 11.6 inch, 1080 grams (2.38 lbs)
The Apple MacBook Air 11 (2015) is a Laptop based around Intels Broadwell Platform. It comes with 128 or 256GB of SSD storage as well as 4/8 GB of RAM. In terms of Ports there is: 2x USB 3.0, Headphone Jack, and a Thunderbolt 2. The built-in 38Wh battery should last for up to 9hrs of web surfing. WiFi ac and Bluetooth 4.0 make for some good connectivity. Unfortunately it still has a 1366x768 screen making it a good hot-desk solution but not the most productive screen when standing on its own legs. |
 | Samsung Ativ Book 9 (2015), 12.2 inch, 950 grams (2.09 lbs)
The Samsung Ativ Book 9 (2015) is a new Ultrabook that comes with a 12.2" display with a whopping 2560x1600 pixels resolution. Furthermore the display is capable of putting out a very bright 700 nits in outdoor mode. Battery runtime is supposed to be 10.5 hrs under "low usage" scenarios. The laptop is built around Intel's Broadwell Core-M platform, so perfomance wise it won't be a powerhorse but should be suited for most day-to-day-tasks. |
 | ASUS X205TA, 11.6 inch, 980 grams (2.16 lbs)
The ASUS EeeBook X205TA is an interesting new budget sub 200$ laptop. With its pricepoint it stands in direct competition to the latest chromebooks, also featuring similar hardware. Its comes with a Quadcore processor running at 1.33GHz per core and 2GB of RAM. 32GB of eMMC Storage are included and can be extended through the microSDXC slot. |
| click to compare all the above devices |
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