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UTN
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UTN
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TexasUndergrad
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UTN
Thanks for your reply!!

Can you please tell which other laptops did you consider and how is surface book 2 better. Thanks!!

I am attending a program this fall so I am thinking through the same topic. I currently have Surface Pro 4 that I really like but it is a little dated. I will probably use the Surface Pro 4 until the Surface Book 3 comes out (sometime in late 2019, early 2020) at which point I want to upgrade to that machine. However, if you need to buy one in advance of starting in the fall I would buy the Surface Book 2. Here is my thought process:

- A Windows machine makes the most sense because it is the best platform on which to use Excel and PowerPoint, both of which will be an important part of presentations and data analysis
- I think a 13/14 inch is better fit than a 15 inch machine because it will be lighter and more portable. The ones I considered are the Dell XPS 13, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, Lenovo Yoga C930, Huawei Matebook 13, and Surface Book 2
- I nixed the Huawei because I don't like the press the Company gets and it isn't worth the questions you'll get about it. The Lenovo options are both great machines and get good battery life but I don't love the port options and the design
- The XPS13 is solid but I really like the detachable design of the Surface book 2. I also like the ~17 hour battery life which means you won't have to bring a charger to campus as it will last all day
- This left me with the Surface Book 2. It is expensive but is a great machine and the form factor can't be beat, in my opinion

I hope that is helpful and I am open to any challenges / disagreements!
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Fatnslow
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It also depends on the software the business schools use.

For example, if we need to use Mini-tab, macOS is completely out of the picture.

Any windows laptop with an 8th gen or greater processor should give you 10+ hours of battery unless it is meant for gaming. I hear the AMD zen+/zen2 processors are pretty good too and might be a little cheaper to boot.

For me, I have a windows ultrabook that I got a few years ago that I'll be bringing with me along with an ipad pro. I can leave my windows laptop for the heavy lifting and the ipad pro for everyday notes, team meetings, etc.
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Most likely going with Lenovo X1 Carbon. If you don't mind the hefty price tag I believe it may be the best business laptop on the market.
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Thanks for this - very helpful!
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utsavroy
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I believe that a lightweight easy to carry Windows laptop with atleast core i3 or AMD A6 processor will do just fine.
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If you are an iPhone user then you should also buy a Macbook but if you don't like using IoS then you should buy an HP or Dell laptop maybe the i7 5th or 7th generation would be perfect for you.
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michelletaylor
If you are an iPhone user then you should also buy a Macbook but if you don't like using IoS then you should buy an HP or Dell laptop maybe the i7 5th or 7th generation would be perfect for you.
Yes, you are right. The current best Business Laptops are:
Mi Notebook 14
Lenovo Idea Pad S340
Lenovo ThinkPad E14
HP Chrome book x360
Asus Zen Book Duo
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violab
Macbook Pro 13. I got my MBA at a T15 and felt like 1/5 of my classmates had a macbook. I never ran into any problems with Excel even taking advanced valuations (Finance). My friends who were in the Data Analytics concentration never had any issues with their Mac. If you have an iPhone, iPad, or apple watch, being in the ecosystem is sooo awesome. Small things like texting no Messages on your Mac or unlocking your Macbook with your watch, or sharing WiFi passwords are delightful.

Final thoughts: if you like the mac, get it for bschool. If you prefer a windows, get that.


Thanks for the feedback! Agreed! I don't think there is anything that should prevent one form using a Mac. Even in 2010, you could easily use Mac without any issues or limitations for all of the classes and if you can be more productive, then definitely give it a shot. Mac's tend to have nice hardware and I enjoyed using them for years (though with Windows installed). Eventually I have moved on to other models since I am stuck on Windows and don't like the Mac UI (my problem :cool: ) and not seeing a benefit in switching and re-learning.
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Lenovo P53S is rather good.