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Topic: Apple

Flyweight bout: Lenovo X300 vs. MacBook Air

Summary: Details of Lenovo's new ultraportable have been leaking out for nearly a month. Here's how it will stack up to the Apple MacBook Air.

John Morris

By for Laptops & Desktops |

Details of Lenovo's new ultraportable have been leaking out for nearly a month.

The latest bit of info on the X300 comes from a product page on Best Buy's business site, which according to TrustedReviews and others listed a $2,744 configuration with a 13.3-inch display, 2GB memory, a 64GB SSD (solid-state disk) and a DVD burner. The price seems to have disappeared but the rest is still there. Meanwhile, a CDW product page states the X300 will be available on February 26. At this rate, there won’t be much left for Lenovo to announce.

Because of its compelling specs, the X300 has been dubbed by some reviews sites as a "MacBook Air-killer." Never mind that Lenovo already has a loyal business following for its popular ThinkPad X-series ultraportables, while the MacBook Air has been shipping for slightly more than a week to mixed reviews. In any event, based on what has been reported so far, here's how the two stack up.

  Lenovo X300 Apple MacBook Air
Processor 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo
Memory 2GB 2GB
Hard drive 64GB SSD 64GB SSD
Display 13.3 LED backlit (1,440x900) 13.3 LED backlit (1,280x800)
Optical drive Internal DVD-R/RW External SuperDrive
Weight 2.5 pounds 3.0 pounds
Price $2,744 $2,897
If you opt for the 80GB hard drive, in place of the SSD, on the MacBook Air, it knocks $1,000 off the price, though presumably the X300 will also be available with a standard HDD for significantly less. The X300 has an Ethernet jack and three USB ports; the MacBook Air's 0.76-inch profile leaves room for only a single USB port (plus a headphone jack and Micro-DVI). Finally, the X300 will reportedly offer a long list of wireless options including GPS, HSDPA, EV-DO Rev A, WiMax, and wireless USB.

Aside from its limited connectivity, the MacBook Air has taken some shots for its mediocre performance, which has largely been attributed to the 1.8-inch HDD.

It will be interesting to see how the X300 truly stacks up in reviews. Other laptops to look at around this weight class include the Dell XPS M1330, Sony VAIO TZ series (11.1-inch display) and SZ series (13.3-inch display), and the Toshiba Portege R500.

Topics: Apple, Hardware, Laptops, Lenovo, Mobility

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9 comments
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  • With the exception of Processor

    The X300 wins almost hands down. One specification that you didn't list and can't really check without some expensive investigation would be durability. While the Lenovo probably is a fairly sturdy laptop, but still plastic. Compare that to the heavier metal shelled Mac Book Air and the X300 might not fair so well.

    I am curious on drop tests as well as a few other durability tests to see which is actually a tougher laptop.
    nucrash
    Reply Vote

    • Also,

      Also, does the X300 have the touchpad usability of the MBA? Or does it still need two
      buttons?

      Also, although much has been written about the lack of an optical drive in the MBA,
      can the X300 read another computer's optical drive?

      And in the all important corporate world, what does it look like?
      A Grain of Salt
      Reply Vote

      • Also,,,,

        "Also, although much has been written about the lack of an optical drive in the MBA,
        can the X300 read another computer's optical drive?"


        I hope you are joking about that, first who cares about reading another computers optical drive if your computer already has one. Second, if the X300 has the same OS as my main computer, then alls i need to do is share the drive over the network.
        jedaon@...
        Reply Vote

    • Durability

      I hope it (durability and quality) is a big improvement over the recent T/R/X60 & 61 series....
      My company has been migrating to these from the 40 series and the latest ones cannot seem to keep themselves running for more than a couple of months......
      rhonin
      Reply Vote

  • If the MacAir was a PC....

    If the MacAir specs were sold in a PC form, it would never sell due to it's pathetic hardware specs. I'm surprised it even made it as a Mac.
    Narg
    Reply Vote

  • Mac OS X is the only big advantage

    The MBA is a machine crippled for style. The aluminum case is very vulnerable to scratches and dents, while the titanium or carbon fibre cases on most ultra-lights are much more resistant. You might add the Asus U6S to your list of alternatives.
    One advantage of the Dell XPS1330 will be its availability with Ubuntu.
    jorjitop
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Specs...

    The PC world has been battling on specs from day 1.
    Apple deliberately omits features for design and
    philosophical reasons. The marketplace has room for
    and benefits from both approaches. So people
    shouting 'MacBook Air Killer' and writing articles like
    this are just trolling for hits.
    mrs1622
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Flyweight bout: Lenovo X300 vs. MacBook Air

    1.2G C2D seems to be ridiculous.
    I want at least 2G
    SmileKZS@...
    Reply Vote

  • If they can include the optical drive, I'd rather have more battery life

    If they can include the optical drive, I'd rather have more battery life and slightly less weight in place. Sounds impressive they can make it smaller than the MBA with more features.
    georgeou
    Reply Vote
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