Reddit mentions of ASUS UX301 13-Inch Laptop [2013 model]

1600

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EPGHE0E/ref=s9_simh_gw_p147_d6_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-4&pf_rd_r=15BSK0P0W6TRFSC9JN7E&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200422&pf_rd_i=507846

Anyways, there are cheaper ultrabooks that are really great too, I just happened to buy a higher end one.

The ASUS Zenbook UX301LA is a fine substitute for the MBA. It has a i5 4200U Haswell low power processor, 8GB ram, mini-displayport, micro HDMI, USB 3.0, Intel HD 4400 integrated graphics and 2560x1440 QHD 13.3" touchscreen, 256GB SSD and around 7 hours of battery life at 2.6 pounds and 0.4" thick.

This. Sure the whole "macs are twice as expensive than windows PC" argument might've worked back then, but the prices are very similar now.

Samsung Ativ book 9


ASUS UX301

Macbook Retina 13


Can you find a counterpart with similar specs? Sure, but that's just one factor that contributes to being a quality laptop.

If you are capable of a bit more, it would be definitely worth it to get an ASUS UX301LA. It has an Intel Haswell Core i5-4200U, 8GB RAM, 2 128GB SSD's on RAID 0 for extremely fast load times, a 13.3" 2560x1440 super high res display, weighs only 2.6lbs, and gets over 8 hours of battery life.

It also is coated in Gorilla Glass for durability.

If that isn't possible, check out the MSI GE40. It has a quad-core i7, 8GB RAM, 750GB HDD + 128GB SSD, a 14-inch 1600x900 display, Nvidia GTX 760 graphics, weighs 4.4lbs and can get over 8 hours of battery life.

Your needs aren't that demanding. I'd either suggest the Zenbook or the XPS 13.

Where do you get that? Similarly configured, they're currently about $275 different. Don't compare the $800 one to a retina MBP, because they're not the same.

The base Asus is cheap, yes, but it's also got way lower specs than the base MBP. The top model of the Asus ($1225 currently) is pretty comparable to the second tier MBP ($1500).

http://www.amazon.com/Zenbook-UX303LN-DB71T-Quad-HD-Display-Touchscreen/dp/B00KTL21RA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1422023602&sr=1-1&keywords=UX303LN

http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/macbook-pro?product=MGX82LL/A&step=config


EDIT: actually, the 301 (because the 303 is no longer on the Asus website) is $1400, $100 cheaper than the MBP. So I was right.

Best buy has a very poor selection, and their prices tend to be unimpressive. In the past, they've been known to sell models with gimped GPUs, though that wouldn't really affect your usage.

Your usage is quite modest, and your budget is sufficient to cover pretty much every laptop that would make sense for you. I'd suggest considering the Asus UX301LA, the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro, or the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus. If the idea of a convertible tablet appeals to you, the Asus T300LA might be worth considering.

Those are all towards the upper end of your budget; for your usage, you could certainly get by with something significantly cheaper, such as this or this.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EPGHE0E

$20 less than a Macbook Pro. Proof that anybody who buys a Macbook has a "brain injury"

/s