Apple has increased the price of the new MacBook Air by 20%. Given this rise, it is worth asking: are there more affordable models with similar benefits?
Apple describes its new MacBook as “the future of notebooks”, but should we believe them? Is this the best portable laptop or are there other alternatives to the Apple MacBook that are worth considering? We have prepared this complete guide to help you find a good alternative to this Apple computer.
If we look only at its design, the new Apple notebook is simply brilliant. In a world where the attractiveness of technology is measured in millimeters, its elegant chassis represents a great step forward, as the new MacBook is 24% thinner and 17% lighter than the light MacBook Air. However, it is also less powerful and much more expensive.
This is why we decided to give some alternatives to the Apple MacBook to those looking for a laptop with a great design and great utility, for much less money than an Apple laptop.
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Better alternatives to the Apple MacBook
If you want to save money and get a notebook with excellent autonomy, more features, and better performance, our list of alternatives to the Apple MacBook will delight you.
MSI P65 Creator 8RF
The MSI P65 8RF Creator convinced us with very good performance results during our review. The Intel Core i7-8750H is very fast and the multimedia device is also a good gaming notebook thanks to the GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q.
The device is designed primarily for content creators who do not want to compromise performance and ensure a fast system when they use applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere. Our special edition, which is only available in white, is equipped with the GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q. MSI sends the device in a beautiful wooden box that includes a case.
The device seems very noble, but the stability could have been better. In return, however, the MSI P65 8RF Creator convinces by its low weight and compact chassis. We liked the 144 Hz panel and could not detect PWM or clouds. Limited maintenance is unfortunate, as is the individual storage slot. The lack of a card reader is another disadvantage.
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Dell XPS 13
Dell left us very comfortable with their XPS 13 and raised the quality standard for the rest of the market with its Infinity screen, a beautiful and impressive screen with a setting so thin, it is as if it were not there.
We could spend all day praising the Dell XPS 13 as one of the best alternatives to the Apple MacBook, for its attractive design, performance, and autonomy, which were enough and left many to declare it the best Ultrabook on the market.
For a much more affordable price than the new MacBook, the XPS 13 offers an Intel Core i5 processor (much more powerful than the Intel Core M processor, without sacrificing autonomy for power), a touch screen of 1080 pixels, 256 GB SSD, an HD webcam and a fantastic autonomy (from 9 to 10 hours).
This is definitely a great option instead of the Apple MacBook.
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Also, read: Is it worth buying refurbished laptops?
Razer Blade 15
Razer offers a Pro model and a base model of the Blade 15, so you can decide between the high-end and the most economical version. The Base model is a bit thicker and uses two conventional fans for cooling, but is even superior to the Pro model in some areas: It offers an Ethernet port as well as a 2.5-inch slot for hard disk or SSDs, respectively.
No matter which model you choose, the elegant metal body of the Razer Blade 15 is one of the
The 15-inch notebook offers many high-end features, despite its compact dimensions. This includes the Core i7-8750H, the GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, or the SSD. Through Razer Synapse (like the RGB lighting) you can adjust the software and hardware exhaustively. The Blade 15 has just lost a “very good” rating. The somewhat limited sound and port selection (without a card reader) are among the biggest drawbacks. The operating time of the battery is also significantly shorter compared to the Aero 15X. Frequent travelers and players with a focus on design still cannot go wrong with the Razer.
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Huawei Matebook X
If we consider RAM, storage,
Huawei has upgraded its flagship notebook with the choice of Intel Core i5-8265U or i7-856U eighth-generation CPU. It also has increased storage capacity, support for Thunderbolt 3 on one of its USB-C ports, and improved network functions thanks to Bluetooth 5.0 and a faster Wi-Fi 802.11ac connection.
Huawei also adds a feature called One Hop file sharing. It works by placing the phone on the small NFC tag in the palm rest of the X Pro. This activates a file transfer system from the PC to the smartphone (or vice versa) through Huawei Share 3.0. The only downside to this is that this only works with Huawei phones.
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Lenovo Yoga Pro 3
Another best portable computer that has nothing to envy the MacBook is the Lenovo Yoga Pro 3. This line of laptop laptops was one of the pioneers in defining the category of hybrid notebooks. The recent Yoga Pro 3 refines it, because it was made to compete directly against the MacBook Air (and therefore, against the new MacBook).
This alternative to the Apple MacBook has a thickness of just 12.8 millimeters (that’s right, it’s thinner than Apple’s new Ultrabook), a 2.6-pound weight, and an IPS multi-touch screen of 3200 x 1800 pixels resolution.
While it does not outperform the new MacBook in terms of performance (it also has an Intel Core M processor), it does match it in terms of storage space and system memory.
All this, again, for a cheaper price that will save you a lot of money. For more information about this laptop, you can also visit our guide: Best Lenovo brand laptops.
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ASUS ZenBook 13 UX331UA
Taking into account all that this ASUS Ultrabook offers you, its price is simply phenomenal. The ASUS ZenBook UX331UA is made entirely of aluminum and has a trackpad whose design is excellent therefore, there is no way to deny it: try to imitate the iconic MacBook Air from all angles. Except that it has no fan and costs much less.
For a rather modest sum, you will have a 1080-pixel screen, an Intel Core M processor, 256 GB SSD, and 8 GB of RAM. And of course, unlike others, the Zenbook did not leave out the ports, so it has a slot for SD cards, USB ports,
It may not have the same performance as Apple’s new MacBook, but it can easily compete with it. In addition, it costs half and is outlined as an excellent purchase.
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Apple MacBook Air
As you hear it, in this case, the Apple company competes against itself. We are talking about the MacBook Air, the predecessor of the new MacBook, and the Ultrabook that set the tone for future Ultrabooks.
Although Apple, for some inexplicable reason, refuses to update the screen capabilities of the Air, which has remained over time, continues to be a fantastic team thanks to its performance (it has an Intel Core i5 processor) and its huge autonomy (more than 12 hours).
With a weight of only 0.376 pounds more than the new model, a more powerful processor, and equivalent autonomy, it is evident why it is one of the best alternatives to the new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
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Microsoft Surface Pro 3
The Surface began as an ambitious hybrid Ultrabook that, as a result, seemed to have an identity problem. Honestly, it was too innovative for its time, and what hurt it was not its functionality or performance, but a marketing campaign that did not measure up.
Now that its third generation has arrived, Microsoft has finally given it its own identity: “The tablet that can replace your laptop.” In addition to being a slogan, it is the perfect description of the Surface. It’s just 0.36 inches thick and weighs 1.76 pounds, and still manages to integrate a powerful fourth-generation Intel Core processor, a crisp 2160 x 1440p touch screen, and a battery that lasts 8 to 9 hours.
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Is it worth buying an Apple MacBook?
It’s too hard to get a cheap Apple MacBook. Although its design is extremely attractive, when analyzing the specifications, we realize that it is very expensive. A user describes it as “an overrated iPad” that has neither the utility nor the touch screen of an iPad.
Its Intel Core M processor makes its performance less than that of the MacBook Air, and Apple has had the audacity to ask you to invest a large amount of money for a 0.1 GHz increase and 256 GB of extra storage.
As if that were not enough, the new MacBook does not offer anything that you cannot find in one of the many laptops on the market. In fact, it does not even have an HD webcam, as Apple opted for its FaceTime camera with a resolution of 480 pixels.
We are convinced that the Apple operating system encourages creativity and productivity, but despite its innovative technology, the new MacBook is just the opposite of what we would want on a MacBook (or any laptop). In all sincerity, it serves more as a symbol of your status than as a computer that is worth its price.
We admire the team of engineers behind the Apple models, but we recommend opting for any of these alternatives instead of buying the new MacBook. Unfortunately, it does not have a performance good enough for its price, because it sacrificed too much in the search for extreme thinness and a futuristic design.
Alternatives to the Apple MacBook: Analysis and Opinions
We hope that our guide on alternatives to the Apple MacBook will help you find a computer cheaper than the MacBook for less money. Remember that if you have questions or want to know more about the recommended laptops to replace this Apple Ultrabook, you can leave us a comment below.
What are the best laptops than the Apple MacBook? We want to know what you think. If you know of other laptops that are good alternatives or have had some experience with the mentioned laptops, leave us a comment in the bottom part for the benefit of our users.