All the same in the arena: the market laptops and tablets in 2015
If in the case with smartphones experienced manufacturers of the gadgets still can not relax because of the influx of newcomers from China, in portable computers “random people” no longer exists, and the plot moved to another plane: among the manufacturers of notebooks in which leaders of the year trying to get a Lenovo, but the global ranking is still vozglavlyaet “severely-corporate” Hewlett-Packard. In third place in the ranking of the largest manufacturers of laptops located not less rotated on corporate values Dell, but Apple laptops are not very content with mass and nearly 12% of the market.
Such alignment of forces at all does not inspire optimism — from the moment it is noticeable that the market lives at the expense of the pompous gentlemen in ties and computer procurement in large corporations, and does not move following the wishes of the ordinary buyer. It’s as if among all sold cars in the world by a large margin won the trolleybuses.
MSI GT80 2QE – strikingly luxurious gaming laptop 2015 model year
But it’s better than the ridiculous rating of manufacturers who have a permanent leader Apple, Samsung forever catching “and others” (as in the introduction of fighters of the 1990-ies) with hopelessly small percentage of presence.
And all because of “the tablets” out of fashion and now buy them already seasoned users replaced a failed older models. This doesn’t happen too often, so the adherents of unpopular devices are reinsured and buy new models just trusted brands — and the peak of planetstrike, as we know, was held under the banner of iPad and Galaxy Tab all varieties.
Who has sold more laptops to corporations — and that fellow. Retail buyers almost will not be accepted
This pattern will persist only as long as buyers have the means to choose from all models on the market. What happens when wealth lovers of tablets falling — illustrates the Russian market, where Apple not just lost the lead, and has become a marginal producer of rare for wealthy citizens.
Russians prefer Samsung (because Samsung and it in spite of the mediocre characteristics of the Korean budget tablets) and Lenovo (time-tested and budget laptops “Chinese” with reasonable mainly prices). Manufacturers that follows the market leaders, can be described by the phrase “what the salary of such and tablets”, moreover, that in many cases such products of questionable quality get customers for inexpensive, but with the “ballast” in the form of a specific tariff MTS, Beeline or MegaFon. In pursuit of bargain prices gentlemen countrymen acquire tablets horrendous quality, and the operators get another cash stream for their dastardly Internet options and rates.
Why small Russian-Chinese brands — “immortal”
To show claims to the quality of extra-Internet-tablets certain “Russian” brands makes no sense — not least because the majority of such firms are made “on the knee”, and their leadership consists of three and a half employees.
Among them are the head of the design Department, who writes/calls the Chinese saying, “don’t you have some 7 inch scrap$ 5 apiece?”. The Chinese will usually reply, “there’s this product — the impression of Longfengchang in a nearby basement with family collects something. We sell it under the name “Sunjoy”. After the introductory part, the parties agree upon a business plan, and the head of the design Department says “Good — wrap us a couple of boxes, just write the brand as “Reluctante” and the model label as “Dobrynya Nikitich”.
The essence of the Russian-Chinese tablets in one picture
After the arrival of scrap metal in Russia comes in “Director of PR-Department” young producer: IT-media fly press releases with the words “Touch to the memorable experiences with the new Russian tablet! Incredibly realistic color display with a resolution of 1024×600 will make pleasant any information. Powerful dual-core processor capable of all routine tasks. Pre-installed Android KitKat with Google Play store! Professional camera with a resolution of 0.3 megapixels — all at an affordable price!”. The third member of our team sends innovative tablets on store shelves, and then comes the Director, complaining about expensive caviar and sturgeon, takes the proceeds and asks staff “to start production of another model”.
Patriotic advertising or vulgar equipment — a sure sign of poor Chinese toppings at an inflated price
Depending on the intentions of these companies (just cut the money, or to stay on the market for some time), the number of actors can vary, but the essence remains the same — ridiculous costs for the creation of local brands and carefully developed by the government of prohibitive duties on the purchase of Chinese products turn the idea of “placing labels” on stuff from China in a very tenacious type of business with which we inevitably have to live.
Technological progress is stepping in random directions
Gaming notebooks have switched to “planned economy” — AMD has de facto given up on this class of device and switched on the laptops of the middle class who are able a little bit of everything, so already that year, gaming equipment hardware is based on Intel + NVIDIA.
In the absence of competition mobile computers usually fall to “crumbs from your desktop Wallpapers” and update the filling goes according to plan, very rare. Intel, for example, for a long time was not put into operation a new generation of processors after the infamous Haswell sample 2013. But in 2015 in the shortest time possible has updated the processors twice — first on Broadwell, and then the item has been added. From the policy of “feast or famine” in 2015, lost absolutely all manufacturers of laptops, therefore, most of the laptops of the past year are older models with a slightly more actual CPU inside.
Wonders of technology – the desktop GeForce GTX 980 in series notebooks
But it’s the lyrics, so it’s best we go to the chart where the situation is slightly more encouraging. If desktop users follow the decreasing market share of AMD and only wondering what will happen after the surrender of “red”, then in laptops, this situation has long become reality, and in the course of its development is even possible to draw certain conclusions.
NVIDIA almost completely replaced AMD in laptops and began to resemble a totalitarian dictator: a lot of empty promises of a brighter future, and a rare, but impressive records in the name of prestige “of the current government”
As befits a monopoly, NVIDIA is not pain involved with the development of new accelerators. Released in early 2014 graphics cards 800 series on the architecture of Maxwell — and since most graphics cards (GeForce 820M — GTX 860M, 920M — GTX 960M) just lazily pulls features up-to-date level. The initial schedule, 920M-930M, the company had to upgrade a little, just to built-in Intel processor graphics not the item has been added to the beginning of the budget GeForce rip to shreds. Beginning with 940-th model and ending with GTX 960M graphics got a slight boost, and that’s it.
If the stores of food were received in the same way, we would be found in the Windows last year’s sausage with a new label and preservative to eliminate the smell from expired products, and the label would be painted, what a lovely new variety released our favorite meat.
But with manufacturers schedules for the same tricks no one to ask, so developers laptops fall into the stupid situation where in the development of new products has been launched, but to sell new items not out — last year’s analogues demonstrate nearly identical (+/- 5%) speed.
In October 2014 he released a powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970m graphics-980M and since then began to pay attention to virtual reality technologies, the fight against tearing thanks to the technology G-SYNC, streaming games through GeForce Experience — useful but not urgent things, like a student who decided to restore order in the room on the eve of an important exam.
In principle, using existing hardware company have found a way to show their best side — the MSI, for example, has released a futuristic flagship GT80 2QE with two top-end GTX 980M “under the hood”, the most powerful Intel Core i7 processor of those that are available in notebooks, bundle of SSDS in RAID0 for fast file entries and install the games, and a mechanical keyboard for clear operation during the games and for strength. A kind of “six hundredth Mercedes” in the world of laptops.
But after a long period of procrastination, the engineers decided “to Shoe a flea” and was able to implement a desktop GeForce GTX 980 in laptops. Not GTX 980M, which was developed specifically for the mobile computer and the desktop model, which has become one of the coolest models for desktops in late 2014. It’s one thing to twist so much powerful hardware in a big case with plenty of space for cooling, without the risk of overheating and special restrictions on the consumption of energy. And the introduction of this power in the case of a mobile computer — a much more difficult task, which has forced NVIDIA’s long and tedious to work with manufacturers igrabogov the nuances of the cooling system, the supply and selection of chips for the production models.
In 2015 laptops are on par in power with computers is one of the most cool gaming graphics cards, GeForce GTX 980, virtually unchanged migrated from the desktop to the laptop
As a result, the light appeared “laptop-tarantula” GX700VO ASUS liquid cooled, upgraded version of the MSI GT72 and GT80 mentioned above, the exotic in our latitudes and GIGABYTE gaming notebooks on platform Clevo. In Russia “best of the best” gaming notebooks will be imported piece (if it’s going to be too expensive), and get to the test like this exclusive incredibly difficult, but for the sake of informing about the achievements on the gaming front, we will try to do it.
ASUS GX700VO – first laptop with liquid cooling. Yes, very bulky
Worst laptop and tablet of the year
Stupid laptops are easy to compute — in such full-sized models include a low power Intel Pentium Nxxx or, jobs forbid, Celeron Nxxx. If the tablet these chips are more or less fit, then laptops with this performance, as if mildly, surprised by their sluggishness.
The most absurd representative of this family in 2015 is, perhaps ASUS F751MD is a big and heavy laptop with a 17.3-inch (glossy!) display, obscenely slow tablet Intel Pentium N3530 hardware-based, useless discrete graphics NVIDIA GeForce 820M included (such a high power CPU any “discrete” — as the blind mirror) for only 34 thousand rubles. And this despite the fact that the neighborhood is all the same ASUS is selling the model with X751LJ 2 times more capacious HDD and quite productive Core i3 Broadwell.
Big, expensive, low-power – ASUS F751MD
Among tablets, this title is worthy of most clones of the Chinese goods at a higher price, but we have seen that scrap metal and the demand of perfect another. Therefore, in hot pursuit, for the solid principle of “Yes and so will do an” honorary prize goes to LG G Pad 8.3 LTE II.
Two years ago the debut version of the G Pad 8.3 is nice, we were surprised — except by the standards of the average 8-inch models of autonomy it didn’t have any shortcomings at our price. Therefore, the review and received the title “hero of our time”. Since then in the world were the Olympic games, there was a redistribution of national borders, a couple of times hosted the Eurovision song contest in smartphones settled for 4K displays, powerful laptops has learned to work without fans… and LG soldered in an older model processor with 4G support, has invested in a set of stylus pen and a set of Microsoft office applications (for a cash reward from Microsoft) — and denote the obtained tablet as the second generation G Pad 8.3. Even the ridiculous upgrade Apple iPad mini sometimes look more impressive against this background.
LG G Pad 8.3 LTE II – stupid update once a good tablet
Want to know how to transform
To release a “tablet of the ordinary,” a large company they consider unworthy of their status by occupation — to it should be provided with a keyboard for typing, or a stylus. Will these bells and whistles needed in everyday programs is a tenth, but it will be something to show at presentations.
From the variety of such devices is an unusually harmonious look, the hybrids of Microsoft, because the Surface Pro 4 and Surface hybrid Book just did from my computer heritage not disown, and therefore, all the design features of such exotics will be applicable in practice.
Microsoft Surface Pro 4
By itself, Surface Pro 4 only evolved in step with the times — clever tablet got Windows 10 as the base operating system and processor modern the item has been added for faster work. A good option for those who occasionally need to work “on-computer” with the text, but not so often, to buy a priori more bulky laptop-shifter.
Microsoft has released a very attractive tablet and notebook-transformer on Windows 10
Surface Book has been created for those who thought all hybrids with tablet and clumsy until the last moment went with skinny ultrabook or Apple MacBook Air. Microsoft managed to create a “vinegaroon” device: with an innovative mounting of the tablet to the base Surface Book looks and feels solid laptop. This special mount allows you to turn it inside out, like a laptop-transformer, but if you need a tablet with no frills — it can be removed without any problems. For fans of something to paint the kit put the electronic pen, and for fans of the graphic power of the base provides a mobile graphics card of the middle class.
Microsoft Surface Book
In short, the device was released for every taste, although it is worth such a device is $1500-1900 and after a negative experience with “not flying” Lumia few people dare to move from Apple products to original new Surface.
Moreover, Apple is not sitting idly by, though, and loses the power of persuasion from year to year. In 2015, the company rolled out to the public iPad Pro — a huge tablet with a diagonal of 12.9 inches, four speakers, cool electronic pen (s) and optional keyboard. The desire to become a major electronic canvas for creative people is commendable, but for those who doesn’t like to draw, the iPad Pro is just enlarged featureless Apple. Too large to take it on the road (due to the aspect ratio of the display, which is 4:3, like the younger models), and unusual for use in “bedside” mode. However, the first iPad couldn’t come up with the application and promised a failure of the market, and because soon thereafter the world was overwhelmed by planetomni.
No one can convincingly explain why we need iPad Pro, but, just in case, all agree that he is cool
Apple iPad Pro
Google for the fashion trends of watches too, so rather than tablets Nexus to the company with the latest smartphones of the brand wormed hybrid Pixel tablet C. Keyboard bundled with it is not imposed, but the search giant at the presentation strongly hinted that before us something more than just 10-inch tablet isolated on Android 6.0. It is unclear why users of gadgets running “green robot” needs to be tempted like this concept — the Game was always focused on the touch display, other apps will even look strange if when entering text on the screen will not display the desired keyboard. As businessmen and journalists are unlikely to change their working MacBooks and Windows ultrabooks, essentially “stretched smartphone” from a purely entertainment capacity.
A large tablet with the gaming processor, Android 6.0, and the keyboard — will it be successful?
Google Pixel C – anti iPad Pro
Moreover, laptops-turncoats in 2015 ceased to be exotic with the filing of Lenovo. Instead of episodic flagships Yoga Pro Chinese brand switched to “rank system” — now laptops Yoga stretches through the entire range of the company. Convertible laptops start with sverhdorogoy series IdeaPad Yoga 100, continue representatives of 300, 500 and 700 series and end with the most clever and perfect Yoga 900, which is still in the hierarchy of the company would be called Yoga 4 Pro.
The Chinese made available the reversal display 360 degree for even severe corporate ThinkPad. In the latter case, this approach looks like an attempt to turn office clerks in karate and will not appeal to everyone. However, the struggle for Lenovo versatility of their new products impressed us much more than past gloomy stamping “budget buckets” without distinguishing features.
Convertible laptops Windows getting better year by year and simultaneously become cheaper
Lenovo Yoga has evolved from a single family of models in the laptops for any budget
American manufacturers are supporting the fashion for convertible laptop part: HP turned into a Changeling his most powerful ultrabook Spectre and do not forget about the available Pavilion, which in 2015 is also sporting index x360 and the corresponding functionality. But Dell has supported the initiative without enthusiasm and was released in 2015 XPS 12 tablet with 4K display and plug the keyboard in the old days, under the same name there was a very unusual notebook-transformer, which, unfortunately, the immediate successor is not received.
HP Spectre x360
Children of evolution — the classic laptops and tablets in 2015
If after reading the information into your mind comes the idea that manufacturers are doing nonsense instead of the usual bring laptops with tablets up to modern standards — the following models will suit your taste.
Japanese perfectionism. Review tablet Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet
“Right” and the most tricked out Android tablets of the year is, of course, the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet and Samsung Galaxy Tab S2. The Japanese have collected almost uncompromising model from the ultra-crisp display, the flagship processor Snapdragon 810 (even here it does not overheat), stereo speakers and waterproof housing. For the pleasure to the present course, asking a staggering 40+ thousand, but in front of us is the coolest 10-inch tablet without any reservations for anyone that’s an argument.
Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet
The thinnest in the world. Review tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0
Samsung this year has triggered the reflex “if you do not know how to behave — say it with Apple”, then the Koreans have released several tablets with proportions and the dimension of the display, like the iPad, but on branded accessories (last year’s processor from the Galaxy Note 4 and the matrix Super AMOLED) and the slimmest body. Turned out iPad into a Korean specificity, which is not so bad.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2
However, in the imitation of Apple superiority was established long ago for Chinese brands, so everyone can get a powerful tablet with portrait proportions of the display can safely go to the online stores and buy the Xiaomi MiPad 2 is even a model with 64 GB of memory, and “at all” will cost you less 20 thousand rubles. Fans of exotic can even prefer a version of Windows 10.
Xiaomi MiPad 2
The laptop from the future to which are not present. Review Of Apple MacBook 2015
Among laptops “on top form” may be noted upgraded Apple MacBook Pro with Force Touch touchpads in them and “highlight” in the form of a new way of managing appeared, and all virtues are powerful and moderately thin models saved. Dull the development of Intel processors, of course, not
Important stuff. A review of the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air touchpad and Force Touch
motivates owners to upgrade last year’s models, but Apple laptops are good, and rightly so. And fans of exotic Apple shocked devilishly handsome, but quite slow and limited only USB port laptop MacBook C sample 2015. It was he, not fussy laptops for teenagers, looks like a alien from the future in comparison to the mobile computers that we see today.
Apple MacBook 2015
With a high content of the display. Review ultrabook Dell XPS 13 (9343)
The “correct” flagship laptops on Windows is, of course, the latest version Dell XPS 13 and 15. Due to the “frameless” display, they became smaller by an inch in comparison with competitors. Processors — the newest of those offered by Intel, the materials are expensive, with the autonomy and clarity of the images is also no problem. You can take.
Dell XPS 13
The rare species. Review tablet Huawei MediaPad X2
Huawei last year released the best 7-inch tablet in the market — MediaPad X2. Maybe a 6.8-inch smartphone (Yes, we are also in shock) Lenovo Phab Plus will be more abrupt model, but the tablet authored by Huawei we were pleasantly surprised — in an abandoned market a compact high-quality tablets, this model is definitely worthy of attention.
Huawei MediaPad X2 – quality 7-inch tablets alive!
Bright future
Don’t be discouraged if you are not impressed thundered in 2015 new items — already in the beginning of January CES kicks off the 2016, which will be presented to “best of the best” tablets, and laptops have been the next model year. Keep abreast, stay optimistic and buy some good gadgets!