Ask HN: What should I buy? Macbook Air or Dell XPS 13?

#1

Post by tsriram » Sun, Aug 21, 2016, 5:31 AM UTC

I'm looking for a Linux (well, Unix based) laptop for programming. XPS 13 is too tempting. How does it compare with Macbook Air in terms of performance (mainly SSD)? Also, would you recommend getting XPS 13 and installing Linux? or get the XPS 13 Developer Edition?

I have not used Mac yet and am not a fanboy of Apple (yet!). Anyone who has used both?

Thanks!

Re: Ask HN: What should I buy? Macbook Air or Dell XPS 13?

#2

Post by nikmobi » Sun, Aug 21, 2016, 5:52 AM UTC

I would always recommend a MacBook. I used to always stick with various non-Macbook laptops (Sony, Samsung, Lenovo, etc). I switched to a MBP a few years ago and don't think I can go back. Have bought 5-6 different MacBooks since.

Re: Ask HN: What should I buy? Macbook Air or Dell XPS 13?

#3

Post by dvhh » Sun, Aug 21, 2016, 5:58 AM UTC

you could also install linux on a mac ( macbook pro ), last time I looked at a mac it was possible.

Re: Ask HN: What should I buy? Macbook Air or Dell XPS 13?

#4

Post by Analemma_ » Sun, Aug 21, 2016, 6:13 AM UTC

nikmobi wrote: post #2

I would always recommend a MacBook. I used to always stick with various non-Macbook laptops (Sony, Samsung, Lenovo, etc). I switched to a MBP a few years ago and don't think I can go back. Have bought 5-6 different MacBooks since.

For the MBP I think there is no argument. The OP is asking about the MBA though, and then it gets trickier because Apple is still shipping it with that godawful 1440x900 screen. Computers like the XPS 13 have really leapfrogged Apple in that respect. There are still a lot of pluses in the MBA's column but having used high-DPI screens, I couldn't go back to that one. Don't forget that Dell ships the "Developer Edition" with reasonably robust driver support out of the box.

Re: Ask HN: What should I buy? Macbook Air or Dell XPS 13?

#5

Post by shams93 » Sun, Aug 21, 2016, 6:52 AM UTC

Yeah these days if you want a linux laptop you're going to have a better experience either installing linux under bootcamp on a macbook, or getting a laptop with linux pre-installed, or getting a chromebook and running ubuntu under crouton. The dual boot days are basically over. If you have windows often its boot load locked into windows10. You can run bash ubuntu under windows 10 now, but you still have the overhead of running windows10 itself compared to the speed and efficiency of running a linux desktop like xfce.

Re: Ask HN: What should I buy? Macbook Air or Dell XPS 13?

#6

Post by rayalez » Sun, Aug 21, 2016, 7:15 AM UTC

Have you considered ThinkPad X1? I got one and I'm really happy with it.

Re: Ask HN: What should I buy? Macbook Air or Dell XPS 13?

#7

Post by mSparks » Sun, Aug 21, 2016, 7:24 AM UTC

At the risk of sounding like a Carlsberg advert, XPS13 is probably the best laptop I have ever used (if not the best computer).

Still has windows 10 on it (my only windows machine) since I need occasionally to use the latest versions of office, and I use eclipse for the odd bit of programming I need to do away from my main dev machine (common workspace with linux is awesome).

Macbook Air was good, in 2008. couple of the staff use them.

Be aware, unlike the Macs the different versions of the XPS13 over the years are very different machines. Only this years model has the 14 hour battery life for example. But many stores (such as Amazon) stock old models.

I was actually commenting to collegues last week that Dell appear to have become the world leader in "real" computing - laptop, desktop and server. They have a lot of skeletons to shake though before they are perceived that way.

Re: Ask HN: What should I buy? Macbook Air or Dell XPS 13?

#8

Post by atmosx » Sun, Aug 21, 2016, 7:33 AM UTC

The main reason for going Mac IMHO is the OS which feels like 2016 compared to Linux. If that's not what you want go for the XPS

Re: Ask HN: What should I buy? Macbook Air or Dell XPS 13?

#9

Post by ramblerman » Sun, Aug 21, 2016, 7:54 AM UTC

Analemma_ wrote: post #4

nikmobi wrote: post #2

I would always recommend a MacBook. I used to always stick with various non-Macbook laptops (Sony, Samsung, Lenovo, etc). I switched to a MBP a few years ago and don't think I can go back. Have bought 5-6 different MacBooks since.

For the MBP I think there is no argument. The OP is asking about the MBA though, and then it gets trickier because Apple is still shipping it with that godawful 1440x900 screen. Computers like the XPS 13 have really leapfrogged Apple in that respect. There are still a lot of pluses in the MBA's column but having used high-DPI screens, I couldn't go back to that one. Don't forget that Dell ships the "Developer Edition…

Given the MBP is currently more than 2 years old, and there is still no sign of an update I'm not so sure.

I own a mid 2012 MBP (16gig ram, ssd, retina) and really want to upgrade pronto.

Re: Ask HN: What should I buy? Macbook Air or Dell XPS 13?

#10

Post by altano » Sun, Aug 21, 2016, 8:01 AM UTC

If you have a Microsoft Store and Apple Store nearby, just go check them out in person and decide for yourself. I have both and prefer the XPS 13 hardware, mainly the high resolution display with almost no bezel, but both are great.