I'm looking for a new laptop to replace my 4 year old model.
I've narrowed the specs, but I can't help comparing them to superphone specs:
QSD 805 - Core i5 (or better)
2GB RAM - 8GB RAM (or more)
64GB NAND - 256GB SSD (or more)
5.2 to 5.7 inches - 10.0 to 13.3 inches
320ppi - 220ppi (or higher)
10hr - 10hr video test battery life (or more)
9mm - 15mm (or thinner)
190g - 1.3kg (or lighter)



And so far the models I found worth considering are:
MacBook Pro Retina 13
MacBook Air 13
Dell XPS 13
Dell inspiron 7000 2-in-1 13
HP Spectre x360
Lenovo Yoga Pro 3

What are your thoughts guys?

What are you going to use it for?

I'd go for macbook. It is a pretty decent HW.

I got a macbook pro 15" some 4 weeks ago. Of course it came with apple's OS bundled in but it was pretty easy to delete and install Linux in it.

I never understood that. You don't buy a Mac for the hardware. It is hugely overpriced for what it is. You can buy a much better hardware for the same lrice or the same hardware for a much lower price.

You buy a Mac for the OS. Buying a Mac and wiping the OS makes no economic sense whatsoever.

It is a much different situation with Windows. As discussed a page or two back, having Windows pre-installed often reduces the price of the hardware so it makes a lot of economic sense to buy one and wipe the OS. But Mac? No way.

I use it as an ordinary PC. I might dabble with Linux again, but its not a requirement since its hard to balance such hobbies with the limited free time.

Windows 8 is rubbish, but Windows 10 is upcoming so its okay.
I used to loathe OSX, but recently its matured much better.
In fact, OSX > Win8.

A proper keyboard + touchpad is essential. A touchscreen is only preferred if it converts to a tablet, but not essential.
I tend to use the speakers alot, so they should be very loud and good quality.
I like the option of ports like fullsized HDMI/SD slot even if I rarely use them.
I'm not doing any video editing or gaming.
I don't need a lot performance, but since this is an upgrade, I think it should be a proper one.
I mean no-one upgrades from an iPhone 4S to an iPhone 5, when the iPhone 6 is here.

Well, the HW is nice. In reality it is worth the money, you cannot get comparable hw for much less.
People often argue that apple is high priced, but they compare the products to lesser specced competetitors.

Sure it does, if you do not like macOS

That logic sounds like, "I don't like raisins, so I buy buns with raisins and take the raisins out. Who cares that there are bigger and cheaper buns without raisins slighly to the left on the same shelf." Well, to each his own

Please name the cheaper & bigger buns please!

I've always had IBM's and later Lenovos when they changed the brand. Now I needed a new computer and all that was available was a selection of HP's and Dells. Both are crap I want to stay far away from... anyway the other option is to go with MAC so I took that, after making sure I can nuke the crap it comes with and install a proper OS.

Just as another point of view, I have to say that there is a significant advantage to Apple hardware from one perspective (at least in the last few years) -- not so much in the raw processing power per dollar, but in the engineering of each device. I have several Mac Minis now; these things are wonderfully reliable, they run relatively cool (particularly the newer versions), and they run absolutely silent. Even if you push them enough that they have to run the internal fan at high speed, they still only make a quiet "woosh" noise when running.

My mother replaced her Android tablet last year with an iPad. The Android tablet (from a cheap manufacturer, admittedly) couldn't last two hours without being plugged in, and eventually started rattling as you moved it around as something had broken off internally. The iPad lasts her all day without needing to be recharged, and is built like a tank.

I really do have problems with Apple's penchant for designing non-upgradable computers, and I doubt I will ever purchase an iMac (as I think integrated screens are the absolute wrong way to go for a desktop computer). But Apple hardware isn't necessarily overpriced.

Considering health and safety standards...
the bigger question is...
Are those really raisins in those buns?...

(disclaimer: not to dis raisins...I happen to love raisins..especially in baked goods)

as far as what is best or whathaveyou...
Kangal I believe you just finished talking on the topic not so long ago concerning the fact that the guts of modern computing machines were becoming uniformly identical.
Which is for the most part true.
We are heading towards a monoculture in that sense ...where the only difference is becoming the os on top of the same thing the next guy's got.
...Becoming really nothing more than a battle between Brand-Name loyalties.