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The Perfect Laptop

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Re: The Perfect Laptop

#301

Post by matteoraso »

prewett wrote: post #279
matteoraso wrote: post #267

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The thing that's holding me back from getting one is the memory markups. The base configuration is too low and I can't just change the memory myself because everything is soldered.

Yeah, the memory is overpriced. So are eyeglass frames (rimless are especially overpriced). But as long as you can afford it, a few hundred dollars isn't that much spread over a few years. Or, think about the other option. You can get a not-MBP and have a clunky experience [1] but save some money, or spend a the extra few hundred for a MBP with enough memory to be a great experience. (Assuming you like macOS, of cour…

>Yeah, the memory is overpriced. So are eyeglass frames (rimless are especially overpriced)

That's not a very good comparison. Glasses are important for helping the visually impaired, while Apple memory is just an add-on for a luxury computer.

>But as long as you can afford it, a few hundred dollars isn't that much spread over a few years.

It is that few hundred dollars is a 10x markup over market rate (I've checked, and Apple's markups are actually that bad).

>You can get a not-MBP and have a clunky experience [1] but save some money, or spend a the extra few hundred for a MBP with enough memory to be a great experience.

I don't think my experience with my current PC is clunky, and if I get an M1 macbook, I'll be using Asahi Linux instead of MacOS.

Re: The Perfect Laptop

#302

Post by Shawnj2 »

jerf wrote: post #167
blauditore wrote: post #133

>excellent build quality I keep hearing this, also for phones, and people usually associate it with certain materials. Why? I'd rather have a light plastic laptop/phone that works well, is light, and survives a few hits than an overpriced piece of fashion. Bonus points for phones with cracked backs because glass "feels more valuable". Of course I understand the value of e.g. good hinges, keyboards etc., but pretty su…

"Why?" I'd suspect it is related to the thinness push. I share with the author a lack of need for my laptop to shave every last millimeter off, and I've had sturdy plastic laptops in the past... but those laptops are from many years ago now. Shaving every millimeter and still feeling solid requires non-plastic. chazeon observes the Steam Deck feels quite solid, and I'd agree, but it is also definitely a device that i…

Odd example but the Nintendo 3DS/DS/Wii U are also good examples of string devices built out of plastic because they needed to both be extremely durable and relatively cheap. It’s completely doable if you make it a design goal

Re: The Perfect Laptop

#303

Post by eviks »

mrob wrote: post #217
pico303 wrote: post #84

> another Apple can’t put my finger on why this is so much better than everyone else things Once you’ve used a Mac touchpad, it’s impossible to go back to a Windows/Linux laptop. I’ve tried…

I've used a Mac touchpad, and IMO it's pretty much the same as every other touchpad: so dramatically worse than a real mouse that I'll do everything possible to avoid using it. Of course, there may be differences in degrees of badness, but I'm never going to notice, because if I really can't manage with keyboard shortcuts I'll just plug in an external mouse.

Multi finger gestures are better than a mouse

Re: The Perfect Laptop

#304

Post by eviks »

Al-Khwarizmi wrote: post #123
pico303 wrote: post #84

> another Apple can’t put my finger on why this is so much better than everyone else things Once you’ve used a Mac touchpad, it’s impossible to go back to a Windows/Linux laptop. I’ve tried…

> Once you’ve used a Mac touchpad, it’s impossible to go back to a Windows/Linux laptop. I’ve tried… I have the same problem, but with TrackPoints. It's impossible for me to use any trackpad after trying that, and that has had me tied to ThinkPads for the last 18 years.

Trackpoint + Apple touchpad + physical buttons = ideal input

Re: The Perfect Laptop

#305

Post by fomine3 »

pico303 wrote: post #84

> another Apple can’t put my finger on why this is so much better than everyone else things Once you’ve used a Mac touchpad, it’s impossible to go back to a Windows/Linux laptop. I’ve tried…

Is touchpad good pointing device is a different question.

Re: The Perfect Laptop

#306

Post by pwpw »

brailsafe wrote: post #292
pwpw wrote: post #285

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Huh I’ve been using a Thinkpad X1 Nano for nearly 2 years now primarily for personal dev work, and it’s by far my favorite laptop I have ever owned. It replaced a 2020 M1 MacBook Air, which replaced a 2016 MacBook Pro, which replaced a 2009 MacBook Pro. This laptop is so good, it will take a really good reason for me to upgrade before a decade. I pair it with a much more powerful desktop, so I wanted a lightweight la…

The 14" MBP is about 3.5lbs compared to just under 2 for the X1 Nano, is your work computer a 16"? I had a 16" for work, but wouldn't get one personally, it's a bit bulky.

Yeah it's a 16". I spent two weeks vacationing in Europe and then a 3rd week working at night, and it was a pain to carry that MacBook around! It forced me to bring an entire backpack to carry it. Not fun to add all of that weight when I was also hauling a camera around. That's where the Nano thrives. Even the 14" is considerably heavier than Nano as you've pointed out.

Re: The Perfect Laptop

#307

Post by seanmcdirmid »

pwpw wrote: post #306
brailsafe wrote: post #292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The 14" MBP is about 3.5lbs compared to just under 2 for the X1 Nano, is your work computer a 16"? I had a 16" for work, but wouldn't get one personally, it's a bit bulky.

Yeah it's a 16". I spent two weeks vacationing in Europe and then a 3rd week working at night, and it was a pain to carry that MacBook around! It forced me to bring an entire backpack to carry it. Not fun to add all of that weight when I was also hauling a camera around. That's where the Nano thrives. Even the 14" is considerably heavier than Nano as you've pointed out.

Isn’t the more obvious comparable to the 2.1 pound X1 Nano a 2.8 pound MacBook Air, not a 3.5 pound MacBook Pro?

Re: The Perfect Laptop

#308

Post by dreday »

maximamas wrote: post #46

I'm no die hard apple fan, but you would think I was if you heard me talking about my 16" m1 pro. It's an absolute beast, battery for days, and I've never heard the fan spin up once. It would take a lot for me to even give another machine a chance.

Same, same.

Re: The Perfect Laptop

#309

Post by pmontra »

hyperdimension wrote: post #289
pmontra wrote: post #206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you need a mouse to write software? I didn't use a mouse since at least 2006. Before that I was mandated to use one by the company I was working for but I probably didn't. Why should I lose time to move my hand to grab the mouse when it's already close to the touchpad? I connected a mouse a few times to play some casual game but I'm not playing games anymore on my laptop.

This is going to be extremely off-topic, but I'm just too terribly curious: the company mandated the use of the mouse? Do you mean that figuratively, as in your tasks were a lot harder to do without a mouse or did they actually make you use one for something like RSI concerns?

It was regulations, same ones that mandate the use of a five wheels chair with armrests. I remember we had to connect the laptop to a monitor and a mouse. I don't remember if we had a docking station and a keyboard too.
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