Advice and suggestions for a replacement laptop.

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MikeB4

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#258531 8-Oct-2019 15:54

I am currently looking for a replacement for my Surface Laptop series 1. I have looked at the information and hands on for the Surface Laptop 3 and it looks good. However its is not the only option. I am looking for feedback and real world experience of the 13" MacBook Pro and 13" Dell XPS.

Because of my disabilities I need a light weight device and one that does not generate too much heat when being used on the lap. It has been some years since I last owned a MacBook however I am a long time iMac user. I have read some horror stories about the current Macbooks that have faulty keyboards, T2 chip crashes, battery issues to name some but are these media hype and internet hysteria or are these issues widespread and real.What are folks real world experiences with the current MacBook Pros?

As for the Dell XPS 13 what real world usage experience can folks provide. Any advice or alternative suggestions would be gratefully recieved.

gehenna

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#2332863 8-Oct-2019 16:55

Why a MBP and not a MacBook Air? 13" MacBook Pro is still a solid little unit, even with it's diminutive size. The Air is far lighter.

Aside from people having faults with the Mac Butterfly Keyboard, it's just a very divisive keyboard in general. There is very little key travel, and it's very noisy to type on. I don't mind it personally and I never had any issues with it on the 15" Touch Bar MacBook Pro...other than the odd crumb getting in there and having to be cleaned out before the key would function correctly.

Dell XPS is consistently rated very strongly, as is the Lenovo X1.

To some extent it comes down to what apps and ecosystem you live in. If you have an iPhone/iPad it can be beneficial to have a Mac. If you live in Windows land most of the time then get a PC.

FineWine

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Nurse (R)

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#2332867 8-Oct-2019 17:12

I would go for the Apple product not only because I am an Apple Fan but because of the horror stories I have recently experienced with my brothers Windows machine where his wife updated Windows 10 because it told them to and now things are all haywire because, I suspect, that the generic Windows hardware drivers are not working as they should and my brother does not have the computer knowledge/skills to go researching his hardware and then the software for that hardware.

I did warn him when he bought this Windows machine about these problems he may encounter but he is a bit of a tight-wad with his money and did not want to spend the bucks on an Apple machine.

BUT with an Apple product you do not have that problem as Apple makes the hardware and the software.

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

gehenna

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#2332872 8-Oct-2019 17:15

Get a Surface then.

MikeB4

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#2332874 8-Oct-2019 17:20

The bulk of my work is done on my iMac, that is, photography, accounting, correspondence, budgets etc as well general internet time wasting. I currently have a Windows laptop being a Surface Laptop 1 and an older Dell Inspiron on which I mess with and keep up to date with Linux. My phone is a Galaxy S10 plus and I do have an iPad Air 2. My photos are stored on Google Photos(100GB drive) and my NAS. My documents are stored on One Drive and to lesser extent iCloud(not my favourite cloud service) and also on my NAS. I keep very little stored on devices. So long story short I am not heavily invested in anyone ecosystem.

Sideface

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#2332905 8-Oct-2019 18:23

I vote for the 13" Dell XPS. 🙂

It Just Works. (despite Windows 10)

I'm about to buy my third one.

Expensive, but excellent build quality.

[Disclosure - I have disliked every Mac device that I've ever used.]

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networkn

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#2332909 8-Oct-2019 18:28

I'd take the Elitebook 1030 X360 every day of the week over MS Device (which clients have had no end of issues with, including docking, slow replacements, firmware issues with etc.

In my opinion, MS does very nice looking but average at best quality hardware. The Lenovo Yoga's are pretty good as well. I have an OLED model you'd have to pry from my cold dead hands!

MikeB4

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#2332934 8-Oct-2019 18:46

networkn:
I'd take the Elitebook 1030 X360 every day of the week over MS Device (which clients have had no end of issues with, including docking, slow replacements, firmware issues with etc.

In my opinion, MS does very nice looking but average at best quality hardware. The Lenovo Yoga's are pretty good as well. I have an OLED model you'd have to pry from my cold dead hands!

In my professional experience I have a lot of problems with HP laptops and could never buy one for myself. Lenovo are good devices but just look so 2011. I know that means little but looks are important when you have to look at the device everyday

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alasta

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#2332962 8-Oct-2019 19:11

I have a 13" MacBook Pro that I bought a year ago. Since I dislike computers in general you can probably consider it complementary that I consider it to be OK.

I can't say I'm a huge fan of the butterfly keyboard but it's not terrible, and I haven't had any of the problems that other people have been reporting.

MikeB4

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#2332966 8-Oct-2019 19:23

@alasta that is actually very helpful. As for the keyboard have you had any of the sticking or general not working issues. As for the feel of the keyboard I am not a touch typist. I only type with one hand or more accurately two fingers on one hand. Do you think this would be harder on the MBP keyboard?

alasta

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#2332970 8-Oct-2019 19:28

MikeB4: @alasta that is actually very helpful. As for the keyboard have you had any of the sticking or general not working issues. As for the feel of the keyboard I am not a touch typist. I only type with one hand or more accurately two fingers on one hand. Do you think this would be harder on the MBP keyboard?

I've had no problems whatsoever with the keyboard, although the machine doesn't get that much use so it will be interesting to see how it's going in another couple of years.

I am quite a fast touch typist so I am reasonably fussy about keyboards. I think they have designed the butterfly keyboard to feel more 'clicky', which makes sense, but it doesn't quite feel right with the limited key travel.

If you're not a touch typer then I'm sure you'll be fine with it.

Jogre

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#2333199 9-Oct-2019 09:35

MikeB4:

The bulk of my work is done on my iMac, that is, photography, accounting, correspondence, budgets etc as well general internet time wasting. I currently have a Windows laptop being a Surface Laptop 1 and an older Dell Inspiron on which I mess with and keep up to date with Linux. My phone is a Galaxy S10 plus and I do have an iPad Air 2. My photos are stored on Google Photos(100GB drive) and my NAS. My documents are stored on One Drive and to lesser extent iCloud(not my favourite cloud service) and also on my NAS. I keep very little stored on devices. So long story short I am not heavily invested in anyone ecosystem.

Consolidate onto the 15" Surface Laptop 3? The Surface Book 2 handled Lightroom/PS quite nicely so I'm expecting SL3 15" to handle similarly well.

fearandloathing

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#2333201 9-Oct-2019 09:37

I'm a fan of both the Surface Laptop (Not the Pro) and the Mac book Air.

MikeB4

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#2333215 9-Oct-2019 09:52

Jogre:

MikeB4:

The bulk of my work is done on my iMac, that is, photography, accounting, correspondence, budgets etc as well general internet time wasting. I currently have a Windows laptop being a Surface Laptop 1 and an older Dell Inspiron on which I mess with and keep up to date with Linux. My phone is a Galaxy S10 plus and I do have an iPad Air 2. My photos are stored on Google Photos(100GB drive) and my NAS. My documents are stored on One Drive and to lesser extent iCloud(not my favourite cloud service) and also on my NAS. I keep very little stored on devices. So long story short I am not heavily invested in anyone ecosystem.

Consolidate onto the 15" Surface Laptop 3? The Surface Book 2 handled Lightroom/PS quite nicely so I'm expecting SL3 15" to handle similarly well.

I would need to have a hands on with the 15" version to see if I can use it with my physical limitations.

1101

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#2333260 9-Oct-2019 10:46

MikeB4: In my professional experience I have a lot of problems with HP laptops and could never buy one for myself.

Lenovo, Dell, HP
They have all made duds , they have all made excellent products
The Business Class laptops tend to cost more , but tend to be better long term , so buseness NB rather than home class NB

End of the day, brand name is literally a sticker slapped on hardware all made by other companies
:-)

Notebooks often arnt really designed to sit on your lap. Thats often where they put cooling input/vents . On the lap can block cooling vents
So actually have a look at photos of the underside of what you are buying, any vents that would be blocked sitting on the lap ?