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nonhuman · May 22, 2008, 02:08 PM

With a ThinkPad!

I've been a Mac user since '84, and still love the Mac OS. I currently own a 24" iMac and a first gen (CD) MacBook. For the past ~2 years I've been working from home, but lately I've been spending more time working from clients' offices, cafes, and what have you, and the 13" screen is a little limiting. I want to get a bigger screen, but to get a Mac that means a MacBook Pro, and that's priced a little higher than I'd like to pay right now. So I've been looking at alternatives. My requirements were basically: 15.4" screen, decently fast, 802.11n, and that's about it. Thanks to a friend of mine I was able to get a really good deal on a ThinkPad T61, so I jumped on it.

This won't be the first time I've had a non-Mac as my main computer. When I first moved to Boston, before I bought my MacBook and before my PowerMac G5 was delivered to my new place (used a moving service), my only computer was an older ThinkPad x31 that I ran Gentoo on. I'm trying to decide between Gentoo and FreeBSD to run on the ThinkPad, I tend towards FreeBSD, but there's a few things that will probably be a lot easier to accomplish with Linux.

This should be an interesting experiment, but I figured that if I decide I just can't stand using a non-Mac full time I'll likely be able to sell the ThinkPad for a profit since I got a really awesome deal on it. We shall see, I guess.

Mastrap · May 22, 2008, 02:20 PM

If you have to use a PC laptop then the ThinkPad is about as good as it gets. Personally I would have gone for the MBP regardless, but it's your wallet, not mine.

paul w · May 22, 2008, 02:23 PM

You know, you might even be able to install OS X on the Thinkpad.

nonhuman · May 22, 2008, 02:25 PM

I can probably install OS X on it. I played around with OS X on my x31, but it didn't really have the right hardware and was pretty unstable. I'm sure I'll play around with it at some point, but I'll probably stick with a Linux/BSD solution.

hyteckit · May 22, 2008, 02:45 PM

Good luck. I've tried replacement my Mac laptop with a PC laptop once, about 5 years ago. A Sony VAIO. Didn't last long. I have a MacBook now. Will probably upgrade to a MacBook Pro.

mduell · May 22, 2008, 03:05 PM

MacBook Pro previous generation refurbs... the $2000 model becomes $1450 and the $2500 model becomes $1650.

nonhuman · May 22, 2008, 03:11 PM

Yeah, but can a MacBook Pro beat $900?

Dakar the Fourth · May 22, 2008, 03:12 PM

No, but neither can a MacBook.

nonhuman · May 22, 2008, 03:13 PM

Yes, but that's about what I paid for a 15.4" ThinkPad T61 with a 2.5 GHz C2D proc, dual-layer DVD burner, and a WSXGA+ display.

Dakar the Fourth · May 22, 2008, 03:14 PM

I realize, my point was based on the fact that you were obviously willing to shell out more than $900 for a MacBook before.

Anyway, can't you write the thing off as a business expense?

nonhuman · May 22, 2008, 03:19 PM

Yes, it'll count as a business expense. Buy why would I pay more than $900 for another MacBook that won't give me the improvement I'm looking for (more screen real estate) when I could pay $900 for a ThinkPad that gives me that and more?

The motivator for getting the ThinkPad was that I spend about $1000 less than I would have on a comparably speced Mac (MacBook Pro). I love OS X, but I'm not sure it's worth spending an extra $1000 to use it over Linux (right now; I'll definitely buy more Macs in the future).

Dakar the Fourth · May 22, 2008, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by nonhuman

Yes, it'll count as a business expense. Buy why would I pay more than $900 for another MacBook that won't give me the improvement I'm looking for (more screen real estate) when I could pay $900 for a ThinkPad that gives me that and more?

The motivator for getting the ThinkPad was that I spend about $1000 less than I would have on a comparably speced Mac (MacBook Pro). I love OS X, but I'm not sure it's worth spending an extra $1000 to use it over Linux (right now; I'll definitely buy more Macs in the future).

As mduell pointed out, a refurbished 15" MacBook Pro is closely priced to a top of the line new 13" MacBook.

I don't begrudge you for ditching an MBP for a ThinkPad, especially if you need the best specs possible, which a refurb MBP wouldn't afford you. But I do think the price difference isn't as massive as it initially looked, particularly if you weren't getting this great deal.

nonhuman · May 22, 2008, 03:36 PM

Yeah, it was only because of the awesome deal that I went ahead and got it. Before I found out that I could get the deal I was only vaguely pondering getting a new laptop at all.

Dakar the Fourth · May 22, 2008, 03:39 PM

Hmmm... that appears to be an incorrect us of begrudge. Oh well. Don't begrudge me for that.
ha

hyteckit · May 22, 2008, 06:23 PM

Only reason why I want to upgrade from a Macbook to a Macbook Pro is because of dual monitor and virtualization such as Parallels and VMWare Fusion.

Running dual monitor and virtualization seems very slow on my Macbook. I'm blaming it on the Macbook not having dedicated video RAM.

mattyb · May 23, 2008, 08:52 AM

Doesn't buying non-Apple hardware trigger removal of posting stars?

mduell · May 23, 2008, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by hyteckit

Only reason why I want to upgrade from a Macbook to a Macbook Pro is because of dual monitor and virtualization such as Parallels and VMWare Fusion.

Running dual monitor and virtualization seems very slow on my Macbook. I'm blaming it on the Macbook not having dedicated video RAM.

Your blame is misplaced... the lack of dedicated VRAM has little to nothing to do with poor multi display or virtualization performance.