Ultrabook with matte screen?

[peacespotting]

Hello,

I did have a look through the archives to see if this had been posted before but didn't see a similar thread...

I'm looking to get a cheapish ultrabook to use as a second work computer. I don't need amazing specs as I would mainly just be running a couple of programs that I use for work (namely translation software), so the PCS Fusion T looked like a great bet given the positive reviews it's got on this forum. The only trepidation I have is the glossy screen, as one of the main reasons for getting an ultrabook would be so that I could use it outdoors and in other situations where the light is bright and could cause screen glare for glossy screens.

I did a bit of googling and soon found out that hardly any ultrabooks that haven't been discontinued have matte screens. Other Windows ultrabooks that seem to get good feedback re. screen glare such as the Thinkpads (which I've always liked) are too expensive (twice the price!) for what I really need. I also read that the 2013 Macbook Air is significantly less glary than other glossy screens, but I need to run Windows to work, so after buying a Macbook Air and a copy of Windows, I'm not far off paying the same price as I would have to for a Thinkpad!

Could anyone recommend an ultrabook with a matte screen or are there any Fusion T owners out there who have used their machines in bright sunlight (one detailed review said that "it is quite reflective when there is a lot of ambient light, almost acting as a mirror in sunlight" ? If not, should I wait and see for a few months?

Thanks!

 

[scottm]

I agree about the importance of matte screens - I wouldn't buy a laptop without one.

There are plenty of PCS laptops with matte screens. What specific config do you need that led you to choose the Fusion T rather than one of the other matte-screen models? Maybe there is a matte-screen model available that has everything you need, or if it isn't a 100% perfect match, maybe what it lacks would be more than compensated by having a matte screen - at which point you'd have to make that decision.

 

[mdwh]

The 15.6" UltraNote II offers matte, has the same "Up to 7 hours" battery life, and is a similar weight (2.2KG rather than 2.15KG). And has the advantage of a Full HD option.

Note that even a matte screen can be turned useless in bright sunlight - you don't get the clear reflection mirror effect, but you still see the fuzzy reflection of the bright sun which blocks everything out.

The advantage comes at lower light levels imo, there is less distraction from reflections.

 

[peacespotting]

Thanks for the replies. The main reason why I haven't gone for the 15.6" UltraNote II is because I was trying to stick to a generally smaller appliance (max 14" screen if possible). For some reason the 14" UltraNote II does not come with a matte screen, otherwise that would be a perfectly good alternative. I find that once you start getting 15.6" laptops you end up with added things that you don't really need (I don't need or particularly want a DVD/Blu-ray drive, for example).

Spec-wise, I don't need anything particularly "out there", just enough to future proof it for a few years, and I would be more than happy with the standard Fusion T Spec (i3 processor, 4GB RAM) with a 240GB SSD instead of the HDD (as I would be using it as a second computer and won't be storing video files/loads of music locally) and 802.11AC wireless instead of the standard wireless card - so basically £50 on top of the standard price.

Am I just being too picky? I'm not sure I am...

 

[scottm]

max 14" screen if possible

The Skyfire IV is 14" with a matte screen. More expensive than the Fusion but that may be the best you can do for that size screen in matte. To go cheaper, it's either a different size screen (eg 15.6 Ultranote) or gloss (14 FusionT) as already noted.

Other thoughts: personally I'd choose the full HD 1920x1080 screen (on the Skyfire) rather than 1600x900. I realise that pushes the price up a bit so maybe optional. Also, unless you're sure an i3 CPU really does cover all the apps you want to run, I'd be tempted to push to an i5 (on either model) for a bit more headroom and future-proofing.

The Fusion-T has a touch screen. If that's important to you, you should stick with that model. I think all touch screens are glossy (it's apparently much harder to make a matte touch screen that works properly, so they don't bother), so you won't find any laptop with both 'matte' and 'touch' I suspect (just mentioning in case you were looking for that).

Do you really need the AC wireless card? It's going to be quite a while before AC wireless is widely available, and even longer before broadband connections are fast enough to make it worthwhile. If cost is a concern, I'd stick with an N wireless card, it will be more than fine for years to come.

 

[peacespotting]

Also, unless you're sure an i3 CPU really does cover all the apps you want to run, I'd be tempted to push to an i5 (on either model) for a bit more headroom and future-proofing.

Forgive my ignorance, but is it a big step up from the i3 to i5 (and the same re. the screen)?

I think if it is a toss up between the Skyfire and the 15.6 Ultranote I would probably go for the latter as it's cheaper and seems more portable than the Skyfire, despite the larger screen.

I have no real desire for a touch screen, and would certainly prefer matte over touch & glossy, and I would probably follow your advice re. the wireless card.

Would the below therefore be suitable? I would prefer an SSD and don't need a big amount of disk space, so 200GB or so after accounting for Windows and programs should be fine, right? I guess that since there's an option for a 2nd HD, I can always get a HDD fitted at a later date if I really needed it...

Price £591.00
Chassis & Display UltraNote: 15.6" Matte Full HD IPS LED Backlit Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU) Intel® Core™i5 Dual Core Mobile Processor i5-4210M (2.60GHz) 3MB
Memory (RAM) 8GB KINGSTON SODIMM DDR3 1600MHz (1 x 8GB)
Graphics Card INTEL® HD GRAPHICS MEDIA ACCELERATOR 4600
2nd Graphics Card NONE
Memory - Hard Disk 240GB KINGSTON V300 SSD, SATA 6 Gb (450MB/R, 450MB/W)
2nd Hard Disk NONE
mSATA/M.2 SSD Drive NONE
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive UltraNote Series: 8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)
Memory Card Reader Internal 9 in 1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD: Mini, XC & HC/MS: Pro & Duo)
Thermal Paste STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card Intel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack
Bluetooth & Wireless GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS 802.11N CARD INC. BLUETOOTH 3.0
Wireless Router/HomePlugs NONE
USB Options 2 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS AS STANDARD
Battery UltraNote Series 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (62.16WH) (Up to 7 Hours)
Power Lead & Adaptor 1 x UK Power Lead & 65W AC Adaptor
Keyboard Language ULTRANOTE SERIES UK KEYBOARD
Operating System Genuine Windows 8.1 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
DVD Recovery Media Windows 8.1 (64-bit) DVD with paper sleeve
Office Software NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Carry Case NONE
Laptop Cooling Stands NONE
Stand-Alone Monitor NONE
DVI-D & HDMI Monitor Cables NONE
Additional Keyboard NONE
Notebook Mouse INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Gaming Mouse Pad NONE
External Speakers NONE
Webcam INTEGRATED 2.0 MEGAPIXEL WEBCAM
Headsets NONE
Surge Protection NONE
Printer NONE
External Hard Drive NONE
Warranty 3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Home Installation NONE
Dead Pixel Guarantee NONE
Insurance 1 Month Free Laptop Insurance inc. Accidental Damage & Theft
Delivery STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time Standard Build - Approximately 7 to 9 working days

Thanks again

 

[scottm]

I agree the Ultranote II 15.6" looks a nice machine. It's pretty slim too which is good for portability. Your suggested spec looks perfectly fine. To answer your questions:

Ref i3 vs i5. I'm no expert, but in benchmark tests i5 CPUs seem to be 1.5 to 2 times faster than i3 CPUs. Even the fastest (laptop) i3 CPU I have found is about the same as the slowest current-model i5 CPUs. Of course, what's more important is the CPU power you need for your apps and usage. It may turn out that an i3 is completely fine for you. Maybe the way to approach this is spec-up everything else as you want it first, then just put in the 'best' CPU that's within your budget limit. I posted a link to this: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/laptop.html in another topic. A rough-and-ready way to compare CPUs.

Ref screen resolution. In terms of picture quality, you probably won't notice a massive difference. Where I find the higher resolution helps is that it reduces the size of all the "window dressing" (menus, toolbars, other crud) and leaves you with a larger proportion of the screen actually usable to you, for viewing documents, web pages, etc. Also, on the 15.6" Ultranote, the 1920x1080 screen is IPS - this is a technology that gives better viewing angles and better colour reproduction and contrast, compared to non-IPS panels.

I'd agree SSD is good if it's within budget. Yes you can fit a second HDD later if you want - but not if you have the DVD drive. You have to drop that and instead choose the caddy option. OR - keep the DVD and you can fit a second SSD later, in the mSATA slot. Make sure you buy an mSATA SSD rather than a normal SSD though! Then you'll have two SSDs and a DVD, which I think is the best way to do this.

 

[peacespotting]

but not if you have the DVD drive. You have to drop that and instead choose the caddy option. OR - keep the DVD and you can fit a second SSD later, in the mSATA slot. Make sure you buy an mSATA SSD rather than a normal SSD though! Then you'll have two SSDs and a DVD, which I think is the best way to do this.

I didn't even know that you could choose not to have the DVD drive - I can't see myself really needing one unless and I always found laptop DVD drives to be rather flimsy. That said, it would probably be better to get a mSATA SSD in a couple of years should I need to top up disk space, as I assume the cost per GB will come down over time.

Cheers for your help!

 

[peacespotting]

Just to say thanks again for everyone's input. I ended up ordering the spec above, but without the full HD screen to save a bit of cash.