Gift Ideas 2014: Laptops
Tablets and smartphones will likely be some of the most asked-for gifts this holiday shopping season, but a good chunk of people are still hoping to find brand-new laptops under their trees.
With so many options available, however, finding the right notebook for the special person on your list can feel daunting. Do you get the lightweight Windows 8 machine, the high-powered gaming rig, or the ultraportable MacBook Air?
Well, here are our recommendations. We’ve got the lowdown on the perfect laptops for even the pickiest person on your list. Check ’em out.
Apple MacBook Air: $899 to $1,199
Your giftee is always traveling on business and doesn’t want to carry around that massive lead weight she’s been using as a laptop anymore. So what do you get for the road warrior in your life? Simple: a MacBook Air.
Apple’s MacBook Air is one of the thinnest and lightest notebooks on the planet, while still offering the kind of horsepower needed to run multiple programs at once without slowing down.
Available with either an 11-inch or 13-inch display, the Air has a long-lasting battery and sturdy aluminum body. And with a starting price of $899 with an Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB of RAM, and a 128 GB solid-state drive, the Air can handle anything you can throw at it, short of serious video editing and hardcore gaming, and offers plenty of space for your movies and photos.
Buy it for: The person who’s always on the go and needs a powerful laptop that won’t weigh a bag down.
Toshiba Chromebook 2: $329
Know someone who is looking for a second computer to toss in his bag and never have to fuss over it? Toshiba’s Chromebook 2 might be the perfect fit.
For just $329, you get a laptop with a gorgeous 13-inch, 1080p display that produces sharp images and brilliant colors, wonderful speakers tuned by Skullcandy, and all-day battery life. Running on Google’s Chrome operating system, the Chromebook 2 is lightweight and incredibly convenient.
The majority of Chromebook apps are heavily dependent on available Web connections. But Google has done a good amount of work to ensure that it has plenty of apps that work offline, too. What’s more, Android apps now run on Chrome.
It might not have the chops to replace a more powerful desktop or laptop, but as a second computer, the Chromebook 2 is an excellent choice.
Buy it for: The person who wants a low-cost, super-portable laptop for basic Web browsing and email (especially on Google services).
Alienware 17: $1,499 to $3,849
Do you have a gamer in your life who wants to be able to play her favorite games on the road without having to lug around a giant desktop? Then you’re going to want to get an Alienware 17.
Sporting an unbelievably beautiful 17-inch, 1920 × 1080 resolution display, the Alienware 17 comes wrapped in a sleek body with a spaceship-style vibe that would look right at home in both your gamer’s bedroom or in a secret government lab.
Inside, this powerful gaming rig has a high-powered Intel Core i7 processor and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 880M graphics chip with 5GB of RAM, so your gamer will not only be able to play the latest games, but they’ll also look gorgeous and run buttery smooth.
If that all sounds like gibberish, just know that it means the Alienware is crazy fast, and your gamer will need a drool bucket when she unwraps one.
Buy it for: The gamer who wants to play games on the go in serious style.
Lenovo Flex 2 14-inch: $579
OK, so not everyone can drop $3K on a computer gift. For the rest of us, there’s Lenovo’s Flex 2 14-inch. For just $579 you can buy a 2-in-1 computer (with both tablet and laptop mode) with a powerful Intel Core i5 processor and large 500 GB hard drive.
The Flex has two use modes, laptop and stand. Laptop is self-explanatory, while stand lets you flip the system’s display backward so that the screen is right in your face. It’s perfect for watching video and playing tablet-style games.
But the best part of the Flex 2 is its price. At $579, you’re getting a strong 2-in-1 laptop that anyone would be happy to open this holiday season.
Buy it for: The recipient who needs a quality laptop that won’t send you to the poorhouse.
15-inch Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display: $1,999 to $2,499
If you don’t want to spend a fortune on a gaming laptop but can afford to splurge on your favorite techie, then Apple’s MacBook Pro 15-inch is certainly worth considering. The best all-around laptop of 2014, the MacBook Pro is a powerhouse wrapped in a handsome aluminum chassis.
Running Apple’s awesome new OS X Yosemite operating system, the Pro features a razor-sharp 15-inch Retina display with a resolution of 2880 × 1800 pixels.
Opt for the base MacBook Pro 15-inch, and you’ll get a 256 GB solid-state drive, which is perfect for storing all your favorite movies and TV shows, and a built-in Intel graphics processor that should be good for some light photo and video editing.
If your techie is looking for a professional-grade video and photo editing laptop, you might want to opt for the more expensive $2,499 MacBook Pro, which includes a larger 512 GB SSD and an Nvidia GeForce GT 750M graphics chip with 2 GB of RAM. With all that power, the media maven in your life will have the perfect laptop he’s always wanted.
But it for: The person who needs a new computer and deserves nothing short of the best.
Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley or on Google+ here.
