Gizm0 - Gadget Blog for the Technology Obsessed.

By now you laptop hungry freaks are probably salivating between the ThinkPad X300 and the Macbook Air. We’ve already previewed the battle and frankly suggested you go with the lowest priced Macbook Air. $1,799 is a damn bargain for the ‘Airs. But if you gotsta hook up your shiznet, with either laptop, you’re going to end up at roughly the same price point, $3,000. With solid state, DVD, ethernet, etc., the ThinkPad X300 is clearly better configured. The DVD burner for example, is built in, and ethernet can be ordered integrated into the laptop. With Mac, its “accessorize me!” But here’s the real weak point of the Macbook Air — that darn non-removable battery. Sure you can get it replaced for “the same price as a new Mac battery” but what a horrible day that’ll be when we have to stand in line at the genius bar or something, waiting for our number to come up.

With the ThinkPad X300, batteries come in various strengths and weights, and are swappable, you know, just like back in the day. The ThinkPad X300 is also wi-max ready. Yummy!!! Of course this means absolutely nothing. There’s no wi-max signal anywhere we can think of, and we’re in New York City, but hey, at least we can say its future proof!

What this boring chart from macsource.com can’t reflect are the two aesthetic choices you have to pick from. Are you 3-day stubble cool and turtlenecky or do you rock monkey suits and a briefcase?   Like the Presidential campaign, it also largely comes down to a choice of colors, silver or black.

We have Apple’s very BMW-like silver and slick or the Thinkpad X300’s silky black, complete with a fingerprint reader and a keyword that clickity clacks. Let’s face it, the ThinkPad X300 is the more serious machine - but we wouldn’t go so far as to call it the superior machine.  It could be, if it ran on Apple’s far superior operating system.  Chance of that happening?  Don’t hold your breath.

Here’s the tale of the tape, but as we’ve said before, unless you’re a dedicated PC-guy by virtue of your corporate job, the $1,799 Macbook Air is your best bet. All specs aside, our metrics indicate that the Air will provide you with more daily gadget joy not to mention actually turn a few heads at the coffee shop. We don’t know about you homie, but if we just dropped three G’s, We’re gonna wanna see some envy in people’s faces.

The Thinkpad X300 is small and light but beautiful, it is not. No aesthetically-oriented person (e.g. hot females) will give you two shits about the mad coin you dropped on that thing. Show her the Macbook Air and the black American Express and she’ll probably just go ahead and marry you. Still, just between us gadget heads, we know Apple can do better. Macbook Air, you’re mad cool but we’re already looking for Macbook Air Pro, your bigger brother. And he better come with wi-max. Whatever that is. Gizm0 Crack House Team Delta Force, Out!

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Its a beauty. The Lenova X300 is about 3 lbs and as thin as the Macbook Air. Yep, it fits inside that manilla envelope made so famous by Steve Jobs. In many respects, the Lenova X300 is in a league of its own. Not only is it the thinnest, but its also the most power-efficient Thinkpad ever made. Here are some highlights:* It weighs 2.93 lbs, and at its thinnest is .73 inches, and at its thickest is .93 inches. That’s about as thin as the Macbook Air but half a pound lighter. Sweet.

* Here’s where you might be tempted to switch from the Macbook Air: Unlike the Macbook Air, it has a built in DVD burner and three USB slots.

* Standard memory is 64 GB SOLID STATE and screen size is 13.3″ inches of LED backlit glory - some say it looks exactly like the Thinkpad T41’s 14.1″ display.

* Temperature of the actual laptop is always a balmy but not too hot 86 degrees, even two hours into running a DVD movie. That’s great if you’re putting the laptop on your well, lap, for hours on end.

* WiMax ready later in 2008. Meanwhile, its got 802.11n built in and tests have shown that it pulls an impressive 130 mbps.

* Its still a ThinkPad, which means the keyword is the best ever made.

* Price? $2,500-$3,000. The Macbook Air can be had for $1,800, but when configured with a 64 GB solid state hard drive like the Lenova X300, the price and specs match up quite nicely.

MacBook Air, fully spec’d, has its match. You’re either a ThinkPad X300 or a Macbook Air person - for mobile professionals, these two are your best bets.

The Thinkpad X300 is fully loaded and is impressive for managing to stuff a DVD player/burner inside its guts and still weigh/cost the same as the Macbook Air (with solid state). What would we do? Take the Macbook Air without solid state or anything else..for $1,799. What a deal. But for ultraportable enthusiasts and PC folks who want it all, the Lenova Thinkpad X300 is the cream of the crop.

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• Macbook Air vs Thinkpad X300: Tale of the Tape (0)
• Macbook Air First Impressions (0)
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• Macbook Air Drops Tomorrow - Buy or Not? (0)