When the MacBook Pro with Retina came out last year, I just had to have it. There are plenty of great reasons to buy the device – it’s powerful, it’s light and the screen is stunningly crisp. But there’s a great reason not to buy it too: The hefty price tag.
Now, though, there’s a less-expensive alternative. The Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus ultrabook boasts an incredibly streamlined, lightweight design, a Retina-quality touchscreen, and strong battery life, all with a price that starts at $1399, $100 less than the powerful MacBook Pro.
It’s the details that really make the Ativ Book 9 Plus shine. The 13.3” screen is home to a rich 3,200 x 1,800 Gorilla Glass display – better than the Pro’s 2,560 x 1,600 resolution – that doubles as a touchscreen. The Samsung ultrabook also beats the MacBook Pro on portability: It’s 0.51 pounds lighter than the Pro (though heavier than the MacBook Air), and about 0.21” thinner too.
The Samsung ultrabook comes with the same size 128GB solid-state drive found in the 13” MacBook Pro Retina and a similar 7.5-hour battery, but it does come with less RAM (4GB vs. 8GB). The Samsung’s processor is a 1.6GHz Intel i5 quad-core. It may not be as powerful a machine as the MacBook Pro, but still, it’s fast, fast, fast.
If you’re looking for a good Windows 8-based alternative to the MacBook Pro, the Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus deserves your consideration. The ultrabook goes on presale on August 18. MSRP for the computer is $1,399.99.
There is no comparisson point
From DIEGO HERRERA on August 18, 2013 :: 11:22 am
Hi, Fox Van Allen. I think this Samsung Ativ Book is a good machine but the only sales point here could be the price but you get for what you pay, I don’t see more advantages.
Take under consideration the job you will be performing with your laptop. The macbook pro with retina display will outperform this samsumg and any other machine you put next to it.
Now if you only wnat a laptop for everyday simple tasks then you will do just fine with probably even the old laptop you have at home but if you are looking for a machine you can push to the edge and still outperform your wildest dreams then the new macbook pro with retina display is what you need.
I suggest you get the 15 inch model better because if you buy the 13inch model thinking to upgrade later you will end up paying a lot more.
I wrote about this amazing machine at http://www.squidoo.com/macbook-pro-retina-review-my-honest-thoughts
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