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Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Reddit says this is the best laptop — here's what I think as a laptop reviewer
I recently wrote an article about the gaming laptops Reddit recommends, and found the experience enlightening as a laptop reviewer of 5+ years. To that end, I've now searched Reddit for the best laptops its users recommend for everyday work. As with their recommendations for the best gaming laptops, Redditors are very knowledgeable on this subject and generally deliver solid advice. I mostly referenced this post since it was the first Reddit link that popped up on Google when I searched for 'best laptop.' That said, I also checked out a couple of similar posts to get a general idea of what Redditors think. The community has an affinity for Lenovo laptops, particularly ThinkBooks and ThinkPads. The MacBook Air also gets a lot of love, which doesn't surprise me since it's one of the best MacBooks. Here are some of the top laptops that Reddit recommends, and what I think of these recommendations as a professional laptop reviewer. MacBooks come up many times in the post linked above. Specifically, Redditors recommended the 13-inch MacBook Air M4 for its strong performance and long battery life. Surprisingly, no one mentioned its portability, which is one of the main reasons to get Apple's 'Air' laptop. Regardless, I agree with Reddit on this one. The MacBook Air is not only a great laptop to travel with, but as I recently wrote, it also makes for a fine desktop replacement. While folks recommended the MacBook Air, two concerns popped up. The first is the Apple ecosystem. 'Some people recommend the MacBook M4 Air, which seems to be a really good machine, although I am slightly concerned by the fact that I don't own any other Apple products,' said user LenkkiNakki. However, user T1nyRaccoon responded by saying you 'don't need other stuff in the Apple ecosystem to have [a MacBook Air], but if you plan on sending stuff to and from your phone or want to send messages from your laptop, an iPhone would be useful.' The 13-inch MacBook Air M4 offers the same design as the previous model but delivers better performance and a sharper camera while also delivering long battery life. We wish Apple had included a nano-texture display option to reduce glare and that the SSD were a bit faster, but the $200 price cut makes this configuration hard to pass up. In this post, some users discussed their dislike of what they call the 'Apple Tax,' or how expensive MacBooks can get when you want to configure them with more RAM or storage. T1nyRaccoon also shares this sentiment, saying that the 'downside is [Apple] has abysmal storage/RAM base configurations and costs a ton to upgrade.' They correctly say that it would cost you an extra $200 if you want a MacBook Air with 512GB of storage (entry-level has 256GB). Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. I won't argue with these folks about how expensive MacBooks can be. That said, new MacBooks are frequently on sale at Amazon. For instance, you can currently buy a 13-inch MacBook Air M4 with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for $999, which is a $200 savings. If I were shopping for a new MacBook, I'd go through Amazon instead of Apple's online store. As I mentioned in the intro, many Redditors like Lenovo laptops. This also doesn't surprise me since laptops like ThinkBooks are pretty ubiquitous for office workers. ThinkPads, which is another line of business-focused Lenovo laptops, also came up in conversations. Generally, ThinkBooks are popular for those who work at home or who operate a small business, while ThinkPads are better for those who frequently travel for work. Though ThinkPads and ThinkBooks received a lot of praise, some users said to stay away from Lenovo laptops. 'Lenovo [equals] poor quality, cheap parts, shady, misleading models,' said user s1gnt. They also said that ThinkPads are not 'iconic device(s)' and are 'pure hype and dated.' Ouch! A user named Opti_span said they used a Lenovo laptop for three years and that it 'basically fell apart.' They didn't specify which Lenovo laptop, however. The one Lenovo laptop people recommended was the ThinkPad X1 Carbon. We reviewed the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition and awarded it 3.5 out of 5 stars. Though not a terrible machine, we feel that its underwhelming performance doesn't justify its high $1,870 starting price. Another Windows laptop that Reddit recommends is the latest model of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. While this is a gaming laptop, it doesn't look like one, which makes it great if you're working in an office. Of all the Windows laptops I saw in the Reddit threads I read, this is the machine I would recommend. I called last year's Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 the MacBook of gaming laptops thanks to its elegant design and killer performance. That laptop is currently on sale for $1,439 at Best Buy, and is a solid choice even if it doesn't have the latest GPU. If you want the latest model, there's a configuration with an RTX 5070 that's on sale at Best Buy for $1,799, which is $350 off. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) delivers the goods thanks to its thin design, powerful performance, gorgeous OLED display and excellent typing experience. Though there's a newer model available, this Windows laptop is still perfect for everyday work and for gaming. I'm once again impressed by Reddit's laptop choices. The 13-inch MacBook Air M4 might seem like an obvious one, but there's a reason it's at the top of our best MacBook and best laptops buying guides. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14/16 is another fantastic option for folks who want a Windows laptop with enough power for work and play. If you're in the market for a new notebook, check those out! 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Observer
23-04-2025
- Business
- Observer
The enduring power of print in a digital age
A recent report by Canon, titled 'Think Books: Imagine the Next Chapter in Printing and Publishing', reveals that over the past two decades, the world of publishing has experienced dramatic shifts that have deeply affected authors, publishers, distributors and readers alike. These shifts began in 1994 when Amazon introduced technology-based reading models that disrupted traditional sales frameworks, accelerating in 2007 with the launch of the Kindle e-reader. Although digital publishing was not as widespread at the time, this period laid the groundwork for today's fast-evolving publishing landscape. The Economist described it then as 'a powerful, long-lasting and adaptable technology.' Canon notes that the global book industry, valued at $151 billion, is three times the size of the music industry and exceeds the European film industry by 15 per cent, highlighting its economic strength despite market fluctuations. Surprisingly, the Canon report affirms that printed books have proven 'far more resilient than expected,' even after the rise of digital publishing. While Amazon pioneered this digital revolution - allowing authors to publish and sell via Kindle Direct Publishing - and companies like Microsoft introduced digital reading software, the print book has not disappeared. Rather, it has fluctuated in popularity, sustained by publishers and expanded through digital platforms that market and deliver physical books at competitive prices. Today, the relationship between printed and digital books is complex. With the rise of self-publishing and concerns around intellectual property rights and digital security, one key question emerges: How can digital platforms preserve the communicative and emotional dimensions traditionally linked to printed books? To explore whether digital media is widening the gap in access to printed books, the OECD conducted a survey among university students. The results were revealing: students who read printed books reported greater enjoyment than their peers, and reading levels between print and digital formats were similar. Even digital-preferring readers still owned sizable personal libraries. Though digital access has expanded reading across socio-economic backgrounds, printed books remain more emotionally engaging and reader-friendly. The OECD study also found that students who balance digital and print reading perform better on international reading assessments such as PISA and enjoy reading more overall. This demonstrates the enduring value of print in learning and enjoyment, even as the digital market continues to grow. According to the Global Book Market Size and Trends report, the book industry was valued at $150.99 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 4.2 per cent between 2025 and 2030. Growth is being driven by increased consumer spending, rising literacy interest and innovations like audiobooks and interactive content. Significantly, access to printed books remains a key growth factor. Despite the rise of digital and visual formats, printed books still dominate with an 84.12-per cent share of global revenue in 2024. This is attributed to growing concerns among parents and consumers about excessive screen time. Print is perceived as more reliable, less harmful to eyesight and easier to navigate - qualities that digital formats, vulnerable to piracy and data loss, often struggle to match. The continued popularity of international book fairs further confirms the staying power of print. These fairs - bustling with publishers, authors and readers - offer vibrant spaces for cultural exchange and intellectual engagement. They demonstrate that the book market remains an evolving, living space of dialogue. The upcoming Muscat International Book Fair, set to open on April 24, is a testament to this resilience. With 674 publishers from 35 countries participating and over 52,205 printed books published between 2024–2025, the fair reflects a strong and growing demand for physical books - even amid the expansion of digital platforms. Celebrating the printed book is not about dismissing the digital. Both formats enrich the reading experience in their own ways. The printed book remains a trusted companion - tactile, lasting and intimate - while the digital book offers unmatched access and innovation. What matters most is that the culture of reading endures. The Muscat International Book Fair offers more than just the opportunity to buy books. It's a space to meet authors and publishers, engage in vibrant discussions and explore emerging ideas. As a cultural event with social and economic impact, it continues to affirm the value and future of the book industry - on paper, and beyond. (Translated by Badr al Dhafari and the original version of this article was published in Arabic in the print edition of Oman newspaper on April 19)
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lenovo shows off newest AI-powered laptops at MWC
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Mobile World Congress (MWC) begins on Monday in Barcelona, Spain, and some of the biggest tech companies will be on hand to show off their latest hardware. Lenovo will be on hand to show its latest proof of concepts including a laptop with a display that folds vertically, a solar-powered laptop, and its Magic Bay ecosystem that can make a laptop into a tri-screen workstation. The computer hardware company is also showing off its latest laptops at MWC. These include its newest ThinkBooks, Yoga laptops, and IdeaPads. One big focus on all these laptops is the inclusion of more AI features. Lenovo added two Yoga AI laptops–Yoga Pro 9i Aura and Yoga Pro 7i Aura–to its Aura Edition lineup. These laptops come with AI features such as Smart Modes to give users higher control of PC customizability based on their needs, Smart Share provides AI-driven image sharing between smartphones and laptops whether it's on iOS or Android, and Smart Care for real-time support on the laptop's hardware and apps. The Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition is a 16-inch laptop with an Intel Core Ultra processor and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU. The RTX5070 GPU provides the additional AI functionality, whether that's done to create video, photos, or music in their respective applications or to use AI to offer the highest fidelity while gaming. The 3.2K PureSight Pro display provides a double layer of OLED display, making the brightness peak at 1600 nits while the laptop's cooling system keeps it quiet. The Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition has a starting price of $1,799.00. Lenovo will also introduce its IdeaPad Slim 3x. The 15-inch slim laptop is powered by a Snapdragon X processor while still providing on-device AI features. Users will even be able to add more storage thanks to the extra SSD slot. Along with the new Aura edition laptop and IdeaPad, Lenovo will also release a new Lenovo Yoga 7 2-in-1 16-inch and Lenovo Yoga 7 2-in-1 14-inch with incremental upgrades to their hardware featuring newer processors starting at $849 for the 14-inch and $899 for the 16-inch. The new Yoga and IdeaPad laptops will start rolling out as early as this month, with some, like the Yoga Pro 9i, coming later in the year. Along with the Yoga laptop, Lenovo has some new ThinkBooks and ThinkPads coming as well. A first for the ThinkPad T line is a 2-in-1. The ThinkPad14s 2-in-1 is the first convertible laptop for the series. It has a 360-degree dual-hinge to go from a traditional laptop to tent mode or tablet mode. The ThinkPad14s 2-in-1 also has an optional Lenovo Yoga Pen that attaches to the laptop and handles handwriting and other pen functionality. Pricing on the ThinkPad14s starts at $1,719 and comes out in June. For professionals who want power that's easy to carry, Lenovo is releasing the ThinkPad X13 Gen 6. The company says it's one of the lightest ThinkPads ever, coming in at just over two pounds. The laptop comes with either an Intel Core Ultra or AMD Ryzen AI Pro chip, up to 64GB LPDDR5x RAM, and a choice between a 41Wh or 54.7Wh battery. The ThinkPad X13 Gen 6 releases in June with a starting price of $1,139. Lenovo also announced refreshes in its ThinkPad and ThinkBook lineup, including the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 (starting at $1,674), T14 Gen 6(starting at $1,359), T16 Gen 4 (starting at $1,623), ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 5 (starting at $1,374), ThinkPad E14 Gen 7 (starting at $849), and ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 (starting at $859). Most will hit stores starting as early as April while others will come later in June.
