by Apple’s MacBook range has been in desperate need of a refresh. Many people have held off getting a new MacBook in hopes that the new devices would be impressive pieces of hardware that would make any laptop user weep with longing.
Apple MacBook Pro Alternatives
To say that the new MacBook Pro range is underwhelming is an understatement. Many loyal MacBook users feel that Apple hasn’t done enough and are now considering the unthinkable, moving over to Windows.
If you’re one of those, here are a few of the best new Windows laptops to get:
1. HP Spectre 13
Boasting HP’s new logo, some high-end finishes, and Bang&Olufsen sound, the Spectre 13 looks every bit the premium laptop.
It features what the company calls an “edge-to-edge” display and and has all the ports you need in a ridiculously slim laptop.
| Component | Specs |
| OS | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
| Display | 13.3-inch FHD IPS |
| RAM | 8GB DDR3 |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 520 |
| CPU | Intel Core i5 (2.3 GHz, up to 2.8 GHz) |
| Storage | 256 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD |
Cost: R24 162 (PriceCheck.co.za)
2. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Lenovo has been a global leader in ultra portable laptops for longer than we can remember. They don’t, however, always bring the most exciting design to their machines. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon looks decidedly plain when you first see it. But, then you see just how slim it is, and you wonder if it’s going to be powerful enough.
The below specs should help convince you:
| Component | Specs |
| OS | Windows 10 Pro 64-bit |
| Display | 14-inch WQHD IPS
or 14-inch FHD IPS |
| RAM | 16GB DDR3 |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 520 |
| CPU | Up to Intel Core i7 vPro |
| Storage | Up to 1 TB PCIe NVMe SSD |
Cost: R26 219 (PriceCheck.co.za)
3. Microsoft Surface Pro 4
When you think of laptops, Microsoft might not be the first name that comes to mind. At least not in terms of hardware.
Recently though, the company has stepped up its hardware design and launched the innovative Surface Studio as well as an improved version of the Surface Book.
Neither of these are available in South Africa, however, you can get your hands on the Surface Pro 4.
Arguably the closest that any tablet has gotten to laptop power and portability, the Surface Pro 4 makes you believe in a tablet computing future.
| Component | Specs |
| OS | Windows 10 Pro |
| Display | 12.3-inch |
| RAM | 8GB |
| GPU | i7 Intel Iris Graphics |
| CPU | 6th Gen Intel Core i7 |
| Storage | 256 GB (microSD card support up to 128GB) |
Cost: R18 999 (PriceCheck.co.za)
4. MacBook Pro
If you just can’t bear the thought of moving over to a non-Apple laptop, then best you head over to the iStore website where they’re currently having a sale on a 13-inch MacBook Pro.
| Component | Specs |
| OS | macOS |
| Display | 13.3-inch LED |
| RAM | 4GB 1600MHz memory |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 4000 |
| CPU | 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 |
| Storage | 500GB 5400-rpm hard drive |
Cost: R16 999
