Choice between Mac and Thinkpad?

sadyjka2011-10-26 00:19:08

laptops

sadyjka, 2011-10-26 00:19:08

Hello!
There was a need to buy a new laptop. After long selections and review reviews, the choice fell on three machines: Lenovo Thinkpad x220, Thinkpad T420s and MacBook Air 13"
.
Advise which one is better
Thanks in advance!

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11 answer(s)

odyvan, 2011-10-27
@odyvan

Air did not use, I suspect he is cool.
At home there are Pro 13 and X200s. I use Lenovo as the main one (in principle, it is similar to 220, if you do not take the difference in performance).
Take Air. And only Air. Yes, the ThinkPad is a cake, but it's thicker than a MacBook Pro! (What can we compare with Air) It initially comes with an SSD drive and an excellent screen (much better than the average X220 configurations).
In terms of convenience, it’s hard to compare, for myself I singled out two competing platforms that (for me) are not interchangeable - Mac and Lenovo.
I like Lenovo's keyboard better, Trackpoint is a god compared to other mice on Wintel laptops, but even it can't be compared with Mac's touchpad - an external mouse is not needed in principle.
Yes, the general Enterprise style of thinkPad inspires happiness and serenity (the 90-degree screen rotation is especially cool), but compared to the macbook, it's not worth it.
All these VGA interfaces, protection, disassembly and maintainability of anything are simply not needed. Everything "just works".
On a Mac, “everything just works” is an order of magnitude higher.
As I understand it, you are a web developer, and you should not focus on a computer in Windows. OSX is a great system.
SSD, super cool design, thoughtfulness of everything and everything, battery, power, graphics card, DIVINE TOUCHPAD and cool Mac OS.
"Military standards", disassembly-expansibility of everything and everything, century-old design, specific mouse, familiar OS - ThinkPad.
Don't buy a ThinkPad!
Post typed with 200s.

Shizz, 2011-10-27
@Shizz

I own a T420 with a Core i5 and a discrete graphics card. On poppies I will not say anything, but on Thinkpad the pluses are as follows:
1. Trackpoint. The thing is very good, you can not take your hands off the keyboard. You get used to it very quickly, after the trackpoint it is very difficult to transfer to the touchpad. Scrolling vertically and horizontally while holding down the middle button is difficult without it :)
2. The ability to replace the built-in drive (DVD) with something else. For example, on the battery, on the SSD, and so on.
3. Very comfortable keyboard.
4. Not that it’s a plus, but authorization in Linux (I work in Ubuntu) using a fingerprint reader is very convenient. It also works in the console, you do not need to constantly hammer out the password, it saves seconds of time. All in all, a nice addition.
Well, things like a ribbed touchpad (if you need one; I've had it turned off for half a year), non-wipe plastic, etc.
I can’t say anything on the screen, I’m not a connoisseur of rich colors. The main thing is that the screen is matte, which is now rarely seen.

odyvan, 2011-10-27
@odyvan

By the way, yes, an important fact -
all displays (except for IPS versions) that I saw in ThinkPad are complete shit. And mine (I have a regular backlight, not LED) is no exception.
That is, it’s true - well, it’s completely shit, they put it better in cheap laptops.

edogs, 2011-10-26
@edogs

given that lenovo can be both i3 and i7 - the question is somewhat non-specific.
however, of these models, only 420 1600 has a resolution, and extra pixels are never superfluous for programming, so 420.
and again, although poppies rule, but under Windows applications, more applications are still needed.

Alexey Buraikin, 2011-10-26
@bstdman

Lenovo has a subjectively more comfortable keyboard (I constantly work on the T410), plus, again, extra pixels on the screen for programming are not superfluous. Of the advantages of poppy, again, only weight and thickness can be distinguished.
I'm for Lenovo

1nd1go, 2011-10-26
@1nd1go

X220 does not last more than 4 hours, as we found out in the comments to its review on Habré. Therefore, the best choice would be 13 poppy, ordered or brought with returned VAT from abroad. You can also install Windows and Mac OS there (get used to it if you are not sure), get real 6 hours of battery life, High speed on SSD.

@ntkt, 2011-10-26
_

In my opinion, x220 (if with an IPS matrix) is just perfect. t420 with the same stuffing is stupidly bigger and heavier.
Most importantly, if suddenly someone has not heard, on Lenovo models since the end of 2009 (t410 and newer, including both x220 and t420), you can reassign Fn and left Ctrl right in the factory BIOS (swap them).
If you start to find fault, then in the x220 you can find the following:
1) The touchpad is made for an amateur (grooved, not smooth; the buttons are one with the panel), I ended up not using the touchpad and completely switched to nipplemouse.
2) Minor design flaws:
2.1) the left front corner of the case on the keyboard side (where the expresscard slot is) is less durable than the right one.
2.2) The reinforced battery wobbles a little in the compartment.

homm, 2011-10-26
@homm

Since there is a vote here, I will also vote :) Naturally for Air, because SSD and a hefty touchpad.

despoth, 2011-10-26
@despoth

Air is still not a very serious car. This is rather a fashion product, to some extent transitional between a laptop and a tablet. It's better to take a MacBook Pro, it's already a very solid device. Lenovo has one significant drawback compared to Apple - you can only install Windows and Linux :)

surething, 2011-10-26
@surething

I am facing a similar choice, among the same models. Sidi is absolutely not needed, but I want a normal resolution screen.
It is important to decide for yourself one moment - how often trips are coming. If you ride with a laptop every week or more, then the minimum weight, minimum ports is air, otherwise t420.
X220 is perfect if 1366x768 doesn't confuse.

malexejev, 2011-10-26
@malexejev

Two months ago I took Air 13 just for business trips (Java, technical consulting). True, I considered Pro 15 Hi-Res as an alternative, so I won’t tell you about Lenovo.
In the air, two things confused me at first: the maximum RAM of 4Gb and the screen resolution. I personally had enough permission (I had experience with Eclipse / STS on beeches of even lower resolution) - everything is ok here. I would like 8 memory, of course. For now, 4 is enough for me, but it really depends on what kind of projects and how exactly you work.
Further things to keep in mind:
- you will need to buy an external Ethernet adapter, Thunderbolt / DVI adapters
- most likely you will have to buy an office if you really need to work ($150)
- there is no Project for Mac, you will have to use external web services
- Visio has not yet broken through the alternative, from MS it is not there either.
Ideally, if you take a beech abroad - take air and try it on your real projects. Within 2 weeks it can be taken back and the money will be returned to you. I did just that, as a result I did not change to Pro.