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Comment by windowsrookie | Hacker News Reader

Yes, MacBooks are generally more expensive to repair, but they also tend to not need repairs. It’s quite normal to hear from people who are using their 7+ year old MacBook without any issues and are still perfectly happy with it. I myself still use my 2018 MacBook Pro as my main device.

When considering longevity, I will agree that Thinkpads are probably the only device that can compete with MacBooks. But there are trade-offs.

MacBooks are going to be lighter, better battery life, and have better displays. Not to mention MacOS, which is my preferred OS.

Thinkpads usually have great Linux support and swappable hardware for those who like to tinker with their devices. They also tend to be more durable, but this adds more weight.

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> MacBooks are going to be lighter

Not going let Macs have this one, my X1 carbon is considerably lighter than a MBA.

But generally agreeing. My last X1C lasted 8 years and still works perfectly, I just wanted an upgrade. My new one is even lighter than my old one. I opt for the FHD w/o touch screen and the second best processor to balance battery life and performance. Definitely not getting 18hrs battery life but 8-10 isn't something to laugh at.

I admit I was assuming they would be heavier, I didn't consider the X1 Carbon. When I think of Thinkpads I still picture the traditional IBM-style Thinkpad. A quick look at the specs shows the 14" X1 Carbon at 2.42lbs, 13" MacBook Air at 2.7 lbs, and a 14" Thinkpad E series at 3.17 lbs.

The 12-inch macbook was probably the best computer I've ever used in my life. I don't think anyone has come close to its weight. Apparently it weighs in at 2.03 pounds.

Sadly, I don't think we'll ever get a computer that good from apple (or anyone) again.

MacBooks are some of the heaviest laptps on the market.

The Air is the "light" one at 2.7 lbs 13" and 3.3 lbs for the 15"

For reference, there are several 13" laptops on the market that are around 2 - 2.5 lbs and 15"+ that are less than 3 lbs

Do any of those lighter laptops match the battery life and performance of the MacBook Air, while also being completely silent? I suppose I should have been more specific and stated I don't believe there are any laptops that can match the MacBook in all categories while being lighter.

I haven't gotten a new Thinkpad since the 25th anniversary one but that was the last I bought while using a few as daily drivers for a decade since 2008.

The ultimate issue was that the batteries degraded on them on incredibly fast. I don't know if that's been fixed, but the ease of replacing (at least one of) the batteries was more than canceled out by the short life compared to a Mac.

>MacBooks are going to be lighter

That sounds like an Apple sound bite, and it is wrong, compared to pretty much any MacBook competitor out there...

I still use a 2014 macbook air as my home server. It was my daily driver for 7 years. No complaints, still works perfectly. Haven't been careful with it either.

It's also hard to beat the global network of on-site warranty service. One colleague had their broken TP keyboard replaced over an hour right next to us and got a fresh battery replacement >2y in.

Another one managed to sort out their dead TP motherboard while remoting from a small town in SEA.

All covered under warranty, no questions asked.

Please mention the trackpad. Apple’s ones are hard to beat.

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