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Switching from Apple to Lenovo

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Re: Switching from Apple to Lenovo

#71

Post by gamblor956 »

TheRealDunkirk wrote: post #68
gamblor956 wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Generally speaking though, if I just want my stuff to work, and work together, I don't have many options. You must be one of those people who hasn't used Big Sur yet...Windows has issues, but it's inexcusable for Apple to have so many problems when they control literally all aspects of the hardware and software stack. That being said, your options for superior laptop hardware include the business models of Lenovo and…

> I don't mean to sound like a Windows fanboy, but once you understand why Windows is so much better you'll never want to use macOS again. You DO understand that you're talking to a group of people that can and do run about every operating system available, right? I mean, you get that don't you? Every one on here runs everything. We are all well aware of Windows, and yet most of us seem to choose either Mac or Linux…

I'd venture to say that the overwhelming majority of people on HN can and do use Windows at home, with a minority using Mac, and a rounding error using *nix as their primary home OS of choice.

Re: Switching from Apple to Lenovo

#72

Post by [deleted] »

TheRealDunkirk wrote: post #67
gamblor956 wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Generally speaking though, if I just want my stuff to work, and work together, I don't have many options. You must be one of those people who hasn't used Big Sur yet...Windows has issues, but it's inexcusable for Apple to have so many problems when they control literally all aspects of the hardware and software stack. That being said, your options for superior laptop hardware include the business models of Lenovo and…

And I knew a guy who had just bought a 2013 MBP, and slipped on ice, and landed on his bag, and bent the thing in about a 20-degree angle around his hip, and even the dang screen still worked. Isn't anecdotal "data" fun?

[deleted]

Re: Switching from Apple to Lenovo

#73

Post by peterburkimsher »

My 2014 MacBook Pro died a few weeks ago. The logic board fried when waking from sleep after a battery replacement. There are no official replacement batteries. I'm trying to find a suitable computer to switch to.

2014 MacBook Pro:

+ Repair parts are easy to find

+ Skilled repairers can fix the logic board (e.g. Louis Rossmann, Paul Daniels)

+ Retina screen, good webcam

+ Full size USB, HDMI, SD card slots.

+ SSD upgraded to 4 TB, currently possible up to 8 TB, presumably more in future.

- Original batteries swollen. Replacement batteries broke 3 logic boards in a week due to power surges when waking from sleep.

- Not sure who to trust in order to replace the battery safely.

2016-2020 Intel MacBook:

+ AppleCare would allow me to have it fixed for another 3 years.

- No full-size USB, HDMI ports.

- I can't upgrade the SSD, or remove the SSD and recover data elsewhere

- Important chips for repair, e.g. ISL9239, are not available. https://youtu.be/gmRd9IVE6dc?t=490

- No MagSafe

2020 ARM MacBook:

+ M1 chip is very fast.

+ Good battery life

- Cannot boot into Linux or Windows, which I will need for work.

- No more Target Disk Mode

- Cannot sync iPhone over USB (contacts, calendars, music, bookmarks, photos)

Non-Apple:

- No Time Machine

- Software compatibility: AppleScript, Office, Keynote/Numbers/Pages, Skype

- Cannot sync iPhone over USB (contacts, calendars, music, bookmarks, photos)

- Generally heavier, worse webcams, non-replacable batteries

- No leaked schematics, boardviews, parts, iFixit guides for repairers.

Even though the repairers (especially Rossmann) say many terrible things about Apple, I still think the documentation and parts are easier to find for old Macs than for average PCs. It's been 6 years though, and I don't think Apple are going to change their mind. I want to be able to move away, but it's really hard to find a decent alternative.

Re: Switching from Apple to Lenovo

#74

Post by shvedchenko »

My last Apple laptop switched off the WiFi everytime I stick the USB in it. And I still remember one of the Air models that placed cooler right on the cap inside, not related to any heating part like CPU or whatever.

I've switched to Thinkpad x270 with Ubuntu 20 on it after 13 years of MacBooks and I'm so happy with it! Lenovo is cool!

Re: Switching from Apple to Lenovo

#75

Post by TheRealDunkirk »

gamblor956 wrote: post #71
TheRealDunkirk wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't mean to sound like a Windows fanboy, but once you understand why Windows is so much better you'll never want to use macOS again. You DO understand that you're talking to a group of people that can and do run about every operating system available, right? I mean, you get that don't you? Every one on here runs everything. We are all well aware of Windows, and yet most of us seem to choose either Mac or Linux…

I'd venture to say that the overwhelming majority of people on HN can and do use Windows at home, with a minority using Mac, and a rounding error using *nix as their primary home OS of choice.

Well, I was going to say that, given the amount and types of coverage Windows and macOS get around here over the past many years, I would have thought the evidence pointed quite to the contrary. But you have 10x the karma I do, so maybe you're more in tune with what's going on.

Re: Switching from Apple to Lenovo

#76

Post by athms »

peterburkimsher wrote: post #73

My 2014 MacBook Pro died a few weeks ago. The logic board fried when waking from sleep after a battery replacement. There are no official replacement batteries. I'm trying to find a suitable computer to switch to. 2014 MacBook Pro: + Repair parts are easy to find + Skilled repairers can fix the logic board (e.g. Louis Rossmann, Paul Daniels) + Retina screen, good webcam + Full size USB, HDMI, SD card slots. + SSD upg…

>No Time Machine

There are plenty of ways to sync files or clone disks, either natively or using third party applications, both free and commercial.

>Software compatibility: AppleScript, Office, Keynote/Numbers/Pages, Skype

Office and Skype are available for Windows. Windows has PowerShell and it is cross platform, available on both MacOS and Linux.

>Cannot sync iPhone over USB

On Windows, you can use iTunes or SMB via Files.

>Generally heavier, worse webcams, non-replacable batteries

That depends on the brand and model. There are many laptops that are lighter than the MBA and offer more ports.

Apple's 720p webcam in their laptops is not that great, it is a decade old at this point and on par with many other laptops. You can find Windows laptops with 1080p webcams, but they are usually on premium models.

Brands Dell, Lenovo, and HP (and other brands) have replaceable batteries which use screws and brackets to hold them in place. You might mean user replaceable and this is the same as Apple, the manufacturer will only allow authorized service for battery replacement. Unless you have an onsite service (which many brands offer), you need to mail the laptop to the manufacturer for a battery replacement. That said, there are plenty of third party sellers of batteries for Windows laptops.

>No leaked schematics, boardviews, parts, iFixit guides for repairers.

Dell, Lenovo, and HP (and other brands) have freely available hardware support documentation on their websites. You can find repair guides for many of these laptops that available from third party sites including iFixit and YouTube.

Re: Switching from Apple to Lenovo

#77

Post by sjellis »

TheRealDunkirk wrote: post #70
andrewzah wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"linux is a joke on daily desktop stuff too with exception for very narrow use cases" In my experience linux has been better than osx by a long shot. For general uses and gaming. I only boot into windows for some games and programs like autodesk fusion. My parents had very little issues adapting to mint with the cinnamon DE. I fail to see how modern linux is a "joke".

I ran Linux on the desktop for 19 years before moving on to macOS. I can assure anyone that it's perfectly serviceable as a daily driver unless there's some particular piece of software you need which isn't supported.

This is the issue:

> unless there's some particular piece of software you need which isn't supported.

Lots of people need to run very specific pieces of software for their work, or their pastimes. If you want to switch to Linux, you have to look at all of the software that you use, and replace the products that don't have Linux versions. If you can't, then you can't switch.

Re: Switching from Apple to Lenovo

#79

Post by bfrog »

TheRealDunkirk wrote: post #70
andrewzah wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"linux is a joke on daily desktop stuff too with exception for very narrow use cases" In my experience linux has been better than osx by a long shot. For general uses and gaming. I only boot into windows for some games and programs like autodesk fusion. My parents had very little issues adapting to mint with the cinnamon DE. I fail to see how modern linux is a "joke".

I ran Linux on the desktop for 19 years before moving on to macOS. I can assure anyone that it's perfectly serviceable as a daily driver unless there's some particular piece of software you need which isn't supported.

I find as a developer there are very very few things I need windows for. Every year I need to start up windows less than the last.

High end PCB design is probably the last on the list. If I had to do ddr with bga SoC I'd probably pony up for Altium, windows only. For the 4 layer hobbies I've actually designed kicad works great!

Re: Switching from Apple to Lenovo

#80

Post by bfrog »

Spartan-S63 wrote: post #7
mrweasel wrote: post #4

While Apple has certainly made their share of mistakes in designing laptops (like designing a laptop that will crash because it doesn't starts it's fans when the graphics card get hot, or the butterfly keyboard) general quality is how they trap you. People normal say that Apple lock you into their ecosystem, but that's not the main reason I generally choose Apple product. My reasoning is: That the hell else do you su…

Ultimately, this is what I found since switching from Windows to macOS back in 2014. The build quality of their computers is second to none. There are some manufacturers that get close to Apple build quality, but their price is right up there, too. Not to mention, the warranty coverage and support from Apple is second-to-none. I've had a few issues with laptops over the years (the late 2016 model, but not the keyboar…

I've used my Lenovo warranty to get my x220 main board replaced. I've had that laptop for probably close to a decade now and it still works well.
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