Which Laptop Should I Buy?

[SlayerS_BoxeR]

Thinkpad X1 Carbon w/ W7:

 

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/computers-tablets/laptops/lenovo/lenovo-3444azm-thinkpad-x1-carbon-14-ultrabook/399447/

 

MBA 13 128gb flash storage:

 

http://store.apple.com/au/product/FD760X/A/refurbished-133-inch-macbook-air-13ghz-dual-core-intel-core-i5

 

MBP 13 500 HDD:

 

http://store.apple.com/au/product/FD101X/A/refurbished-133-inch-macBook-pro-25ghz-dual-core-intel-i5

 

 

Here's what I'm thinking. It would be great to use OS X for casual and use windows if I have to (for i.e use Visual Studio or MSSQL SERVER). Thinkpad X1 with 128 SSD is sweet, but not too sure if that price is reasonable with that spec.

MBA 13 128gb flash storage is sweet, but I'm thinking I should probably have a HDD/SSD in case my laptop will later get screwed so I can just take out the HDD/SSD, insert into SATA and transfer all the files? Since flash storage is purely built-in. MBP is powerful as well. After all, none of them contain both HDMI cable and ethernet cable (which I really prefer), and I probably have to buy the extension :(

 

 

Your recommendation from those three?

[+virtorio MVC]

What do you mostly plan on doing with it? How important is portability? Is 128 GB going to be enough, especially if you plan on installing Windows on the machine as well?

 

You should have an external backup solution regardless of the type of drive the computer has, so I wouldn't use that as a major factor in your decision.

 

Unless something has changed, Apple usually use 5400 RPM drives in the MBP, so you'll want to get a faster drive (or an SSD) for it anyway.

[Ambroos]

Don't even think about getting a non-retina MacBook Pro anymore. They haven't been updated since 2012 and you'll be dealing with really old hardware. It won't be more powerful than the other two, and the HDD will make it feel really, really slow.

 

The MacBook Air is probably your best bet. But still, I wouldn't go for anything below 8GB anymore. Just get a new base 13" MacBook Air with 8GB RAM I'd say.

[Bigkaye]

If you want OSX I wouldn't even consider the thinkpad. MBA and MBP is personal preference. Neither are really end-user repairable. Both have soldered ram and the MBA has an awkward SSD. They started it in 2012, so both models you shown probably are so. check an ifixit teardown if you want to be sure.

[SlayerS_BoxeR]

What do you mostly plan on doing with it? How important is portability? Is 128 GB going to be enough, especially if you plan on installing Windows on the machine as well?

 

You should have an external backup solution regardless of the type of drive the computer has, so I wouldn't use that as a major factor in your decision.

 

Unless something has changed, Apple usually use 5400 RPM drives in the MBP, so you'll want to get a faster drive (or an SSD) for it anyway.

streaming online videos to watch tv series, download torrents for movies simple web developing (html/css/jquery), microsoft office (especially excel) and if i need to (prob. use VS/mssql server) ?

[+virtorio MVC]

If you want OSX I wouldn't even consider the thinkpad. MBA and MBP is personal preference. Neither are really end-user repairable. Both have soldered ram and awkward SSDs

He is asking about the non-retina MBP, where you can easily replace the RAM and HDD.

[Bigkaye]

He is asking about the non-retina MBP, where you can easily replace the RAM and HDD.

 

True, for the MBP anyway. My choice would be the MBP then. Thinkpad wont run OSX as nicely and you're stuck with 4GB on the MBA.

[SlayerS_BoxeR]

He is asking about the non-retina MBP, where you can easily replace the RAM and HDD.

and which one would you recommend? i've replied to your question :)

[SledgeNZ]

Why not dell? You get a much higher spec for your AUD:

 

http://www.dell.com/au/p/inspiron-15-5547-laptop/pd?oc=x520411au&model_id=inspiron-15-5547-laptop

[SlayerS_BoxeR]

Why not dell? You get a much higher spec for your AUD:

 

http://www.dell.com/au/p/inspiron-15-5547-laptop/pd?oc=x520411au&model_id=inspiron-15-5547-laptop

no..i would rly appreciate it if you could plz stick to the topic

[SledgeNZ]

no..i would rly appreciate it if you could plz stick to the topic

 

Back to the topic then. I recommend none of the options:

 

Lenovo: Build quality is down of late and the model you have selected is underpowered (for vs\sql) and lacks memory.

 

Apple: Refurbished products - Luck of the draw, they may well work past their warranty but higher chance of dying once out of warranty.

 

'Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten'

[Ambroos]

Please don't go buy an old 2012 MacBook Pro. The HDD will make it crawl compared to anything with an SSD.

 

Get any recent Mac with 8GB RAM. Air or Pro with Retina.

[SlayerS_BoxeR]

Please don't go buy an old 2012 MacBook Pro. The HDD will make it crawl compared to anything with an SSD.

 

Get any recent Mac with 8GB RAM. Air or Pro with Retina.

yeah honestly i went to an apple store and tried opening excel with mbp non-retina, and surprisingly, it opened up way later than i've expected.

 

prob. bc i purchased ipod touch a decade ago as a refurb and had no problem with it so i thought refurb should be fine.

down to x1 vs mba then.

 

what do you recommend?

[+virtorio MVC]

and which one would you recommend? i've replied to your question :)

 

I'd probably go for the MacBook Air, but I really dislike the screens they use, and I think you'll find the 128 GB will disappear really quickly. The rumour is there is a new 12" model coming out soon that might have a better screen.

 

The MacBook Pro is pretty dated at this point but will do what you need, but I'd recommend putting in a different drive (makes a big difference in performance). You also have the option of adding RAM in the future.

 

In an ideal world I'd go for the 13" Retina MacBook Pro with the 256 GB drive.

[SlayerS_BoxeR]

I'd probably go for the MacBook Air, but I really dislike the screens they use, and I think you'll find the 128 GB will disappear really quickly. The rumour is there is a new 12" model coming out soon that might have a better screen.

 

The MacBook Pro is pretty dated at this point but will do what you need, but I'd recommend putting in a different drive (makes a big difference in performance). You also have the option of adding RAM in the future.

 

In an ideal world I'd go for the 13" Retina MacBook Pro with the 256 GB drive.

yeah a rumor of 12' with retina, which will be costly since when they weren't right? :)

 

so you think thinkpad is overrated then?

[+virtorio MVC]

 

 

so you think thinkpad is overrated then?

People seem to like them. The only person I know who uses them (and insists of using them) has had problems with the last two he had (screen and motherboard needing to be replaced), and that's the only experience I've had with them. I really like the HP ProBook and EliteBook laptops, but they can be expensive.

 

The only trouble I've had with Apple computers is their power bricks dying (I'm currently on my third one on my rMBP), but they've always replaced them without an issue.

[SlayerS_BoxeR]

People seem to like them. The only person I know who uses them (and insists of using them) has had problems with the last two he had (screen and motherboard needing to be replaced), and that's the only experience I've had with them. I really like the HP ProBook and EliteBook laptops, but they can be expensive.

 

The only trouble I've had with Apple computers is their power bricks dying (I'm currently on my third one on my rMBP), but they've always replaced them without an issue.

 

 

ahh this makes me confusing more  of choosing btw the two haha XD

have you ever used bootcamp and run heavy apps such as Visual Studio as heavy as that?

[+virtorio MVC]

ahh this makes me confusing more  of choosing btw the two haha XD

have you ever used bootcamp and run heavy apps such as Visual Studio as heavy as that?

I've been running games in Bootcamp, and running tools like Visual Studio (and much more system intensive software than that) in Parallels virtual machines for years. I'm running two VM's as I type this (a Windows 8 VM for development and an XP VM for testing).

[SlayerS_BoxeR]

I've been running games in Bootcamp, and running tools like Visual Studio (and much more system intensive software than that) in Parallels virtual machines for years. I'm running two VM's as I type this (a Windows 8 VM for development and an XP VM for testing).

 

how did you get the parallel? do you have to purchase it or can you actually download it from online?

also, can you download torrents with mac os?

I've been running games in Bootcamp, and running tools like Visual Studio (and much more system intensive software than that) in Parallels virtual machines for years. I'm running two VM's as I type this (a Windows 8 VM for development and an XP VM for testing).

what's your laptop? can you pls state your macbook's spec?

 

thanks

[+virtorio MVC]

how did you get the parallel? do you have to purchase it or can you actually download it from online?

also, can you download torrents with mac os?

what's your laptop? can you pls state your macbook's spec?

 

thanks

 

Parallels Desktop 9 is the software (http://www.parallels.com/au/products/desktop/). It's not free. There is also VMWare Fusion (not free) and VirtualBox (free), but is much slower in my experience.

 

I've never downloaded a torrent before, but there are plenty of tools to do so. Transmission (https://www.transmissionbt.com/download/) seems to be what most people use.

 

This machine is fairly powerful (2.6GHz Core i7, 8 GB RAM, 500GB SSD, nVidia GeForce 650M), but I was also running the same stuff on my old MacBook Pro (older than the one you posted) that had a Core 2 Duo. I did upgrade it (1TB 7200RPM HDD and 8GB RAM).

[SlayerS_BoxeR]

Parallels Desktop 9 is the software (http://www.parallels.com/au/products/desktop/). It's not free. There is also VMWare Fusion (not free) and VirtualBox (free), but is much slower in my experience.

 

I've never downloaded a torrent before, but there are plenty of tools to do so. Transmission (https://www.transmissionbt.com/download/) seems to be what most people use.

 

This machine is fairly powerful (2.6GHz Core i7, 8 GB RAM, 500GB SSD, nVidia GeForce 650M), but I was also running the same stuff on my old MacBook Pro (older than the one you posted) that had a Core 2 Duo. I did upgrade it (1TB 7200RPM HDD and 8GB RAM).

if i buy a mba 4gb of ram, can i replace them? (does it come with 2gb each?)

 

i've checked with my old laptop, and verified that they are DDR3 (one is 4gb and the other is 2gb)

[+virtorio MVC]

if i buy a mba 4gb of ram, can i replace them? (does it come with 2gb each?)

 

i've checked with my old laptop, and verified that they are DDR3 (one is 4gb and the other is 2gb)

You can't upgrade the RAM on a MacBook Air.

[T3X4S]

I just bought a Core i7 Carbon X1 last month.  (well 2 of them actually)    thread here

It is great.  As far as not having enough power that someone stated - dont listen to that nonsense.

If you drop the MBP - you're screwed.  If you drop the X1, you're mad, but not screwed.

Also, OSX is just bleh IMO - every hour you use it your IQ drops 3 points... and if you're like me - you dont have very much to begin with.


Nice to see when other people value quality & reliability enough top pay and get the good stuff.

Everyone else can have the cheap crappy stuff - I want reliability.

[SlayerS_BoxeR]

I just bought a Core i7 Carbon X1 last month.

It is great.  As far as not having enough power that someone stated - dont listen to that nonsense.

If you drop the MBP - you're screwed.  If you drop the X1, you're mad, but not screwed.

Also, OSX is just bleh - every hour you use it your IQ drops 3 points... and if you're like me - you dont have very much to begin with.

Nice to see when other people value quality & reliability enough top pay and get the good stuff.

Everyone else can have the cheap crappy stuff - I want reliability.

the one that i have linked a URL though is lenovo 3444AZM, which came out on 2012 :(

2012, pretty much it's been two years and had a harder time debating against MBA of 2013 (the link i provided at the beg.)

 

your thoughts on this? could you please take a look at those two links pls?

[SledgeNZ]

I just bought a Core i7 Carbon X1 last month.  (well 2 of them actually)    thread here

It is great.  As far as not having enough power that someone stated - dont listen to that nonsense.

If you drop the MBP - you're screwed.  If you drop the X1, you're mad, but not screwed.

Also, OSX is just bleh IMO - every hour you use it your IQ drops 3 points... and if you're like me - you dont have very much to begin with.

Nice to see when other people value quality & reliability enough top pay and get the good stuff.

Everyone else can have the cheap crappy stuff - I want reliability.

 

Best check the specs of the X1 the OP linked to. It's a completely different spec to the X1's you purchased. In this case, it is underpowered.