Need laptop advice - Mac vs. ThinkPad

[Mikeb85]

As the thread title states, I need advice purchasing a laptop. It comes down to a ThinkPad T430 vs MacBook Pro Retina.

Normally I'd go with the ThinkPad, but since I've decided to reeducate myself (University), I can get the Macbook for $2050, which is a great price for the specs (2880x1800 screen, 256 GB SSD, Quad Core i7, 8 GB Ram, 1 GB discrete nvidia graphics, etc...). The ThinkPad is $1800 with the specs I want, but pales in comparison to the MacBook and is almost as expensive. If I decide simply based on specs and price, the MacBook is the clear winner, it's not even close.

Just curious about the intangibles though, and peoples experiences with Macs vs ThinkPads, and what you guys would do in this situation... Are Macs durable enough to get lugged around everyday, I know a few people who are on their second or third laptop under a single warranty, is this normal? Just looking for opinions...

[afixane]

As the thread title states, I need advice purchasing a laptop. It comes down to a ThinkPad T430 vs MacBook Pro Retina.

Normally I'd go with the ThinkPad, but since I've decided to reeducate myself (University), I can get the Macbook for $2050, which is a great price for the specs (2880x1800 screen, 256 GB SSD, Quad Core i7, 8 GB Ram, 1 GB discrete nvidia graphics, etc...). The ThinkPad is $1800 with the specs I want, but pales in comparison to the MacBook and is almost as expensive. If I decide simply based on specs and price, the MacBook is the clear winner, it's not even close.

Just curious about the intangibles though, and peoples experiences with Macs vs ThinkPads, and what you guys would do in this situation... Are Macs durable enough to get lugged around everyday, I know a few people who are on their second or third laptop under a single warranty, is this normal? Just looking for opinions...

But..... mac can't do right click :\

[kaldor]

But..... mac can't do right click :\

And Linux has no GUI!

Edit for on-topic:

I'd go with the MBP. The Retina display should be awesome, and like you said the price difference isn't huge. But, keep in mind that it'll be very hard to upgrade or repair the MBP in the future.

[Bucky Ball]

But, keep in mind that it'll be very hard to upgrade or repair the MBP in the future.

+1. Or very expensive ...

[afixane]

Umm, sorry a bit out of topic, but, why not system76?

[Mikeb85]

Umm, sorry a bit out of topic, but, why not system76?

I hadn't seen all their options until just now. Just took a look, it'll be $1700 for the options I want, plus a Windows license (which I will need - I'll run it in VM though).

[ssam]

Does it bother you that you can't replace or upgrade the storage or RAM? Also in my experience after 2 or 3 years of daily use a battery has significantly less capacity (my lenovo S12 went from ~4 hours to ~1 hour in 2.5 years, £30 got me a new 3rd party battery and its back to ~4 hours).

http://www.extremetech.com/computing...retina-display

[Mikeb85]

Does it bother you that you can't replace or upgrade the storage or RAM? Also in my experience after 2 or 3 years of daily use a battery has significantly less capacity (my lenovo S12 went from ~4 hours to ~1 hour in 2.5 years, £30 got me a new 3rd party battery and its back to ~4 hours).

http://www.extremetech.com/computing...retina-display

Not really worried about RAM when you can upgrade to 16 GB for 200 dollars. The non-replaceable battery is slightly worrying.

[MisterGaribaldi]

As always, you have to remember that Apple (in particular) and a few other tech companies out there do not sell "computers" so much as they sell "technology solutions", and if that were to really bother you, then obviously I would have to say "stay away from Apple", or Sony, etc.

What I sometiimes laugh at is when people complain about Apple, and why they don't do X or Y or Z. They're just not interested in doing those sorts of things, otherwise they would be doing them.

Again, as has been said on here and elsewhere approximately 1 x 10^ ∞ times, buy the tool which best serves you and matches your needs.

Vis à vis the whole battery issue, it's not that it can't be replaced, of course, although it's probably only available as an Apple "service" part and not a normal "consumable" replacement part, but then again when you buy a Mac you are in part buying it for what it is -- hopefully -- otherwise why would you buy one?

[eyeofliberty]

Apple laptops are pretty sweet, but yeah, not being able to replace anything in those new MBP is concerning. ThinkPads are infinitely upgradeable, and are great Linux laptops. I use desktop Macs all day professionally, and my ThinkPad T61 at home. I would own no other laptop, except a newer ThinkPad.