Laptop Excursion Link to heading

Maybe because grass is greener on the other side; every so often, I get the sudden urge to switch to a PC laptop from my beloved Macbook. I…

Laptop Excursion

M aybe because grass is greener on the other side; every so often, I get the sudden urge to switch to a PC laptop from my beloved Macbook. I already have a Macbook for work, so maybe a PC laptop for personal use could make my life a tad-bit more interesting. This article is just mumbo-jumbo of my personal take on different laptops.

Why I love Macbooks Link to heading

  • the build quality is absolutely phenomenal. I think no other laptop can match Macbook’s build quality. I can easily use Macbooks for 5+ years without any problem.
  • Apple silicon chips are mind-blowing. They are powerful yet unrealistically power-efficient. I never have to worry about the battery anymore, ever since the Apple silicon chips. No other chip can compete with this, though AMD has caught up quite a lot with its 7040 chips, Qualcomm is coming up the ladder very quickly with Snapdron X Elite, and Intel has finally started to catch up with the 14th gen mobile chips.
  • its Display is the top of the class, at least in LCD. It may lag behind OLED panels when it comes to vividness and contrast, but OLED has a major drawback: power consumption. For typical use, OLED consumes much more power than LCD.
  • macOS and its tight software ecosystem with other Apple devices makes it so hard to move away. Linux is the only alternative when it comes to an operating system. Though Linux has become quite usable these days, it still can’t match with macOS when it comes to convenience and optimization as a desktop OS.
  • Macbook’s haptic trackpad is absolutely the best. I have not seen any touchpad or trackpad that can remotely compete with Macbook’s trackpad. I know recently there have been a few PC laptops with haptic touchpad (finally), but I doubt they can match with Macbook’s trackpad within foreseeable future.
  • the resale value for Macbooks is incredible. Not only that, Apple’s trade-in program makes it painless to upgrade to a newer laptop without the hassle. This somewhat makes up for its premium price at purchase.

Why I am sick of Macbooks Link to heading

  • upgrade option cost is ridiculous. The base spec for a Macbook in 2024 still starts at 8GB RAM and 256GB of disk. This by itself is OK. However, for anyone who needs to do serious work on it needs at least 16GB and 512GB disk, each of which costs $200! This is just a rip-off. The practical entry point for 13 inch Macbook Air is now $1500. Even a die-hard Apple-fanboy like myself considers it to be too much.
  • with aluminum body, it is heavier than other laptops of similar size. Yes, aluminum is cheap and sturdy, but it is not the most premium material. Thinkpad X1 Carbon, for example, uses carbon fiber and magnesium alloy that makes the laptop as sturdy but much lighter than Macbook. I’d love to see a Macbook Pro models made with lighter material.
  • not much variety is available. For example, there is no option for OLED panels, there is no option for 2-in-1 form-factor, and there is no option for touch-screen display.
  • grass is greener. Sometimes I just want to explore other laptops.

What laptops did I consider Link to heading

  • Thinkpad X1 Carbon is the best Macbook alternative for business use. It is built with carbon fiber and magnesium alloy, making it very light yet sturdy. Its build quality is as premium as a Macbook and is equipped with renowned Thinkpad keyboard. Furthermore, it is only 2.4lb with 14-inch screen compared to 2.7lb on the 13-inch Macbook air. One downside I have with this model is that it ships with only Intel processors, which are still behind AMD in terms of power efficiency, never mind Apple silicon chips.
  • Thinkpad T14s is a cheaper alternative to X1 Carbon. It is a bit thicker and heavier at 2.77lb, but offers AMD CPUs and is still a high-end Thinkpad laptop. There are T14 and P14s series too, but they are too thick to be honest.
  • Surface laptop is a solid premium-quality laptop from Microsoft. Unfortunately, it is a pain-in-the-butt to run Linux natively. Additionally, I believe Microsoft deliberately utilize processors from previous generations to minimize competition with its Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
  • Dell XPS used to be a great laptop. Unfortunately, the newer XPS 13 models are equipped with touch-sensitive function keys that remind me of Macbook’s touchbar fiasco. Why does Dell have to repeat the same mistake after it has already seen Apple’s epic failure? Not only that, the newest models are ridiculously priced for what it offers. Not even worth considering.
  • LG Gram is an ultra-light laptop with a large screen. If you are looking for the lightest laptop for its screen size, look no further. A 17 inch screen laptop weights only 2.98lb, which is 0.3lb lighter than a 15 inch Macbook air! One caveat though is that the material feels plastic and cheap. Also, the laptop feels too flimsy, although it is certified with military-grade durability.
  • HP Spectre x360 is a premium 2-in-1 laptop that recently received good reviews. It is equipped with OLED panel with touch-screen, is well-built, and comes with Intel 14th gen processors. In addition, this laptop is equipped with a haptic trackpad! The 14-inch model weighs 3.2lb, which is on the heavier side.

What I am looking for Link to heading

  • premium build quality
  • 14-inch or larger
  • 3lb or lighter
  • all-day battery life
  • reasonable price

Now that I have written down criteria, it seems like only the Thinkpad X1C and T14s laptops may satisfy all of them, though battery life is something I need to confirm. Likely, however, T14s AMD model will be a better choice than X1C when it comes to battery life. Moreover, the newest 12th gen X1C is extremely pricey at the moment—it will likely go down in just a few months.

What I am waiting for Link to heading

I can’t wait till new laptops with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite are launched. From the rumors so far, the chip will offer similar performance and power efficiency as Apple’s M2 chip. Windows for ARM is not mature yet, but I’ll most likely run Linux anyways. I am concerned though with its pricing, as Qualcomm is notorious for its hefty pricing tag. Only time will tell.

My dream laptop Link to heading

Apple’s M3 chip inside ThinkPad X1C body with larger battery along with Apple’s trackpad, Thinkpad keyboard and Apple’s mini LED panel.