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Ask HN: Feasible Alternative to the MacBook Pro?

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Re: Ask HN: Feasible Alternative to the MacBook Pro?

#141

Post by skunkpocalypse »

seanwilson wrote: post #50

I'm looking into Chromebooks. I'm happy with my MacBook except that if I'm traveling with it and it breaks or gets stolen, I don't have a lot of options if I'm dependent on expensive Mac hardware. If I can switch to developing on a Chromebook, picking up a new one in an emergency is a lot more feasible, plus they're very secure and low maintenance. Has anyone tried moving from Mac to ChromeOS?

My "daily driver" is a chromebook running linux: Samsung Chromebook Plus RK3399. Keyboard feel is identical to the good old macbooks.

Also: feather-light magnesium casing, gorgeous 300nit 2500x1600 screen, and 100% open-source: no blobs, no IME, no PSP. Coreboot, baby. No stupid Google G-chip.

Even recompiled the Embedded Controller firmware -- and not just for geek points. I customized the charging+wake behavior so it will wake immediately when AC power is applied even if the lid is closed -- never could get my mac to do that reliably, despite lots of third-party hacks claiming to make it happen. So now when I get home all I have to do is plug in AC power and I can access files on the laptop over the network -- no need to log in to the laptop, open the lid, or connect an external display. If it's got AC power it's awake and on the network.

Bonus: they're so cheap I bought several, and don't have to worry about damage. They take abuse amazingly well due to the alloy casing and the fact that they weigh so little. I expect to use these laptops for the next 6-8 years.

Re: Ask HN: Feasible Alternative to the MacBook Pro?

#142

Post by wj »

amcrouch wrote: post #68

ThinkPads every day of the week. I have a T430 that I have owned for about 6 years and a new P52 which is my daily work machine. Both running Linux with zero issues. I liked the comment below describing Hotels (Mac) Vs home (ThinkPads). It's true that if you can be bothered to tweak and install some stuff then you end up with something of your own. Your way. Never used Macs as old enough to remember the "no one got s…

I have a T480s from work and it has two annoying issues for me. The first is that the cursor doesn't always disappear when typing. That is probably a Windows/browser issue.

The hardware issue is the right side of the touchpad seems to be setup as a right click space. I want one finger left click no matter where I am on the touch pad and two finger right click. Reaching to the left side of the touchpad to click is super annoying and I often accidentally drag a tan instead of clicking on it.

Posting that in hopes someone knows a way to make the touchpad just one big space.

Re: Ask HN: Feasible Alternative to the MacBook Pro?

#144

Post by aembleton »

fcurzel wrote: post #60

I got a Xiaomi Notebook Pro, display is not excellent, but great value for the money. 16gb ram, decently new i7, Nvidia 960M, 256gb PCIE M.2 SSD, and an extra M.2 slot! It was 1080€ shipped. Seems to be a good option also for building an hackintosh. I am using a vm for Xcode and such and it does the job.

I also have this machine, and am very happy with it. Added 2TB to the other m.2 slot. My only issue is not getting the fingerprint reader to work in Ubuntu.

Re: Ask HN: Feasible Alternative to the MacBook Pro?

#145

Post by Aperocky »

mantoto wrote: post #70
rpastuszak wrote: post #61

I’d gladly switch hardware, but software is a bit of a problem: - yes, I need a *nix OS - I need to run Adobe CC (Photoshop, Lightroom) and Sketch I code for iOS occasionally (be it via Unity or XCode). I don’t mind tweaking my OS and making it mine. What I do mind is having to tweak stuff when I don’t have the time to do it, but things are broken. Did anyone manage to work with these tools efficiently here on a linu…

You should use an example which actually needs a *nix OS. Adobe CC is Definitely not a good example

As a cli dweller, none Unix OS is simply unbearable. The only time I want to get a windows is so I can play old win games.

Re: Ask HN: Feasible Alternative to the MacBook Pro?

#146

Post by lol768 »

swinglock wrote: post #99
oarsinsync wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love this analogy, and it's remarkable at how much sense it makes when I look at the choices I make in my day to day life generally. Hotel-chic is very clean, very minimal, very sparse. Just enough to have the necessary conveniences that appeal to everyone, with absolutely nothing personalised for any individual. As of about 10 years ago, I made a conscious choice to stop customising my desktop (and then later, mob…

In case you didn't notice, Windows 10 is now a tiling window manager with virtual desktops, by default, if you just learn the new keyboard shortcuts.

> In case you didn't notice, Windows 10 is now a tiling window manager with virtual desktops, by default, if you just learn the new keyboard shortcuts.

But it's not comparable to sway/i3 - not in terms of customisability or functionality. What I suspect we have on Windows, are virtual desktops and snap-to-edge/quarter tiling. Maybe you can get some rigid layouts if you install PowerToys/FancyZones, but it's still a far cry from my usual working environment where I can dynamically create layouts by opening new windows, configure shortcuts to my own desire, programmatically send messages to the window manager and so much more.

With Windows (and to be honest, macOS too), you get least-common denominator functionality aimed at users who don't know what a window manager is.

Re: Ask HN: Feasible Alternative to the MacBook Pro?

#147

Post by Tharkun »

odiroot wrote: post #36

I would recommend Thinkpad T-series even for the keyboard and touchpad only. It's much heavier though, but at that much more repairable and sturdier.

Have you used a recent model? The T490/T590 is pretty awful. They keyboard has been getting worse with each new release. The battery is now integrated. Not enough USB ports. And to top it off, there's no "p" model, which means a brand new T490 is hardly any faster than my three year old T460p.

But hey, they're thinner now, which I'm sure makes some marketeer somewhere very happy for reasons I'll never understand.

Edit: the P43 seems pretty interesting, so there's that option.

Re: Ask HN: Feasible Alternative to the MacBook Pro?

#148

Post by llampx »

burntoutfire wrote: post #59
mcv wrote: post #51

With all the bad reviews about Apple, I didn't want to replace my old 17" MacBook Pro with a new Macbook (also, they don't do 17" anymore), so I just ordered a Thinkpad X1 Extreme instead. Thinkpad has had a stellar reputation for sturdy quality since forever, and the X1 Extreme seems like a fairly good compromise between power, size, and other concerns. It's not 17" because the only 17" Thinkpads are the monstrous P…

> I intend to make it quieter by repasting and undervolting >Also, if it breaks down during the first 3 years, I get on-site support, Aren't these two statements mutually exclusive?

You don't lose warranty on Thinkpads if you open them.

Re: Ask HN: Feasible Alternative to the MacBook Pro?

#149

Post by dade_ »

longtom wrote: post #37
emilsedgh wrote: post #8

X1 Carbon is a really nice device. Its pretty reliable, Linux friendly and has no spyware installed like some other Lenovo lines. But no matter what laptop you pick, its gonna take you a couple of weeks until you are comfortable with it. But it will happen eventually. Laptops have the same interface after all. Switching the entire software stack from Mac to any other OS is probably the main struggle. Try a couple of…

I also moved to Windows 10 and X1 Carbon (6th Gen) after using Apple products all my life and I've never looked back. That being said, my X1 also went three times to repair. I guess people have simply unlearnt how to manufacture reliable products due to the immense complexity that is involved by now, combined with a planned obsolescence mentality. It is shitty wherever you go; it's just a bit more shitty with Apple c…

Overall, I love my X1, but I have had so many problems that they finally replaced it with a brand new machine. Premier support is mandatory for Lenovo IMO, in spite of the problems, I never once had an issue getting someone onsite to repair it and they assigned a local case manager to sort out the replacement. On the Lenovo forum I read a lot of stories from people with similar problems, but with basic warranty they reported getting a run around, being without a machine for weeks at a time with it went back and forth to the depot. A YMMV..

Re: Ask HN: Feasible Alternative to the MacBook Pro?

#150

Post by lioeters »

sofaofthedamned wrote: post #91

ThinkPad X1 Carbon. It's a beautiful laptop and works well with Fedora after a couple of tweaks. I've got an XPS 13 for work which is nice too but runs windows. Pros and cons are: ThinkPad: Better keyboard by far, more rugged, better bios for Linux that supports normal sleep states XPS: Can charge on either side, better speakers

> works well with Fedora after a couple of tweaks

I'm considering this combination of ThinkPad X1 Carbon + Fedora. May I ask what kind of tweaks are necessary/recommended?

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