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Replacing my MacBook Air M1 with a ThinkPad T480

maxrozen.com

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Re: Replacing my MacBook Air M1 with a ThinkPad T480

#21

> 1366x768 that's a really weird choice especially when you want to doa comparison with a macbook. > Windows also suboptimal in my opinion. thinkpads are fantastic linux machines. i'm running Mint xfce on my 480 and really wouldn't know what could be better about the experience. there are only three things i like better about macbooks: screen, switching workspace with 3 finger swipe, speakers

In the article I mention that I upgraded to a 1920x1080 screen, and Pop!_OS...

Re: Replacing my MacBook Air M1 with a ThinkPad T480

#22

I love thinkpads but the T480 is basically objectively worse in every single aspect except price and repairability. I don’t think I can go back from all day battery and quiet CPU during high loads. I could definitely use my T450 for however long I need and know I can replace parts, but I’d rather have macs for 5 years and upgrade for another performance bump. Some things are just nicer

Lenovo warranty is fantastic.

What makes you think the Thinkpad in the linked article is still under warranty?

Re: Replacing my MacBook Air M1 with a ThinkPad T480

#23
aside the hardware, when I changed from macbook (2019) to thinkpad, the biggest advantage and source of happiness is to never need to touche Finder again! It is horrible! the desktop, gui, cmd-tab, and whole user experience with 2 monitors (could not get 3 monitors to work) is just awful. With win 10 latest update it's a breeze

Re: Replacing my MacBook Air M1 with a ThinkPad T480

#24
This is replacing an old M1 Air, with an old T480 and upgrading bits.

As a cost efficient way of getting a good computer this is a reasonably good reminder that other options exist and old ThinkPads were produced in unreasonable numbers and can be obtained easily on eBay (businesses selling off their old stock).

For me, I've a work 3y refresh cycle coming up and a dilemma - an M2 Mac vs a ThinkPad X1. I just don't like MacOSX at all, and I do love Linux, and once in a blue moon because I'm a Director I need to delve into large Excel sheets that even an M2 struggles over but Excel on Windows does great at. I find myself seriously considering Windows 11 Pro on an X1 with WSLv2 for my Linux daily driver (it's not like I'm doing eBPF work and need a specific kernel capability). And this dilemma feels, weird. Because all I see is everyone with Macs. Still, the ThinkPad is likely to win - I have another 6 weeks to decide.

Re: Replacing my MacBook Air M1 with a ThinkPad T480

#25

No mention of insanely fast NVMe on M1?

The lenovo also has NVMe.

I use different machines, one with a regular sata ssd, 2 with NVMes and my work environment is on an NVMe enclosed in an usb3 to nvme box that I use on any of these 3 laptops.

Honestly outside of a benchmark the difference is only really noticeable on the nvme + usb3 enclosure when it can freeze the whole desktop for a few seconds when doing a large copy. Difference between sata ssd and nvme exist but only if you are timing your jobs completions, not really on regular day to day use. Difference is definitely much smaller than the spinning to solid state. I guess this is pretty much the same between the m1 NVMe and a regular PC NVMe.

Re: Replacing my MacBook Air M1 with a ThinkPad T480

#26
I'm still not sure why.

The section doesn't really answer the actual question. It's cheaper, good enough, replacement parts are cheap, and I understand that argument; I myself use alternatively some kind of very old Thinkpad (that I don't remember the specs of), a 2011 Macbook Air, or a recent Macbook M1 and for what I do with them (little more than running Firefox and ssh) the only difference that matters in practice is their screens.

But replacing a Macbook M1 with a Thinkpad only makes sense if the Thinkpad is better in some aspects, not if it's just good enough. Otherwise you would just keep your somewhat better laptop and replace it later if you ever have to, right?

Re: Replacing my MacBook Air M1 with a ThinkPad T480

#27
I got a refurbished ThinkPad T470 for £200 and it is like new. May need to add more RAM (came with 8GB), but that's it.

I don't really need to upgrade my hw often, only when it breaks and it is clear it was so outdated is not worth repairing it. OK, it all depends on your requirements, but I don't see myself buying a new laptop ever again. Both because price and cost to the environment.

Re: Replacing my MacBook Air M1 with a ThinkPad T480

#28

> 1366x768 that's a really weird choice especially when you want to doa comparison with a macbook. > Windows also suboptimal in my opinion. thinkpads are fantastic linux machines. i'm running Mint xfce on my 480 and really wouldn't know what could be better about the experience. there are only three things i like better about macbooks: screen, switching workspace with 3 finger swipe, speakers

+1 Screen resolution is the top reason I stick with Macs. Once you gone retina, there's no going back and modern cellphones only reinforce this. It could be my aging eyesight, but I don't remember the last time I saw a pixel.

Gamer laptops have the resolution but the price & weight are silly.

Would love to be wrong - macos just feels klunky for linux development (slow homebrew, annoying docker, constant reminders to connect to apple cloud, etc).

Re: Replacing my MacBook Air M1 with a ThinkPad T480

#29
post #14

> upgrades will cost you around $150 total on AliExpress I'm upgrading a thinkpad (x220) with new monitor and battery and a few more upgrades, so I have an idea of the cost of upgrading I'm sorry but the price of the upgrades is not that low, how do you get to that total upgrading: - monitor - wifi card - trackpad - battery that does not add up that said, I like the end result, and I'm really curious about the trackp…

ah I didn't count the battery in the $150 - apologies

I do own a T480 and Lenovo has stopped manufacturing batteries for it. You can get existing stock for horrendous prices or knock-offs.

Re: Replacing my MacBook Air M1 with a ThinkPad T480

#30
post #24

This is replacing an old M1 Air, with an old T480 and upgrading bits. As a cost efficient way of getting a good computer this is a reasonably good reminder that other options exist and old ThinkPads were produced in unreasonable numbers and can be obtained easily on eBay (businesses selling off their old stock). For me, I've a work 3y refresh cycle coming up and a dilemma - an M2 Mac vs a ThinkPad X1. I just don't li…

When you spreadsheet app struggle, tou know it is time to convert to a database. You'll work much faster with an sqlite database anyway. Even converting csv + perl/ruby/python is more convenient than that piece of shit of excel anyway.

By the way libreoffice calc seem to handle better large spreadsheet files.

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