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Comment by JoshMnem | Hacker News Reader

Try ThinkPad + Linux. Amazing environment for programming, $1,000+ cheaper than MBP, nice keyboards, better specs for the price, including several years of at-home next-day repair service.

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I've found the "cheaper" part is situational. When I bought my Macbook Air, the comparable Thinkpad (X1 Carbon) was the same price, when I specced them the same.

I'm not sure about the X1. The T460 was much cheaper than a MBP with significantly better support and specs (except for the screen, which didn't matter to me, since I don't edit photos or video seriously).

I agree that Thinkpad + Linux is a great combo (with wonderful keyboards!). However, repair service wasn't that good in my case. Response and shipping was super fast, but my laptop was at their repair center for 2 weeks waiting for a part (battery).

I switched to Thinkpad with Linux from Macs 18 months ago. Adapting took maybe two months. I would not like to go back.

Did you get the next-day, at-home repair services? I've used it before and they drove to my house the day after it broke, replaced the motherboard without any questions and got it working again. This laptop was about $1,900, including tax, shipping, and four years of that at-home support. Excellent specs: 24 Gb RAM, etc.

> better specs for the price

If only the displays were 16:10 or 3:2 and as nice as a MacBook's. Otherwise, yeah, they're better.

I much prefer the display on my t470s to my macbook pro retina (albeit from 2012).

Same "retina" resolution, but the matte display makes reading text a pleasure.

Matte screens are ideal. I don't understand why so many computers have glossy screens. It might make stronger colors, but there is glare.

But where would I find all my apps like Evernote, Skype, Numi, Tyke, Alfred etc. ?

It's a different workflow. :)

- Org Mode

- Google Hangouts

- There are plenty of calculator options on Linux

Tried it. Hated it. Back to Mac with Macbook 2015

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