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> # There is a reason NASA only approves thinkpads in space - ask yourself why your laptop is not being used by astronauts ? That's amazing, I never knew that.

> # There is a reason NASA only approves thinkpads in space - ask yourself why your laptop is not being used by astronauts ? That's amazing, I never knew that. I loved my old Thinkpad T42, got a good 4 years out of it before the hinge on the screen broke. I thought that was impressive too, given how poorly I treat my equipment. It fell out of my bag numerous times but never had any problems except for the screen hinge finally wearing down at a corner from overuse. Then I got a 2010 MacBook Air. I'm still using it today. It's got numerous dents on top, bottom and all corners, and a small crack at the bottom of the screen (which strangely hasn't resulted in any dead pixels), but otherwise it's still in full working order. I remain hugely surprised at how well it's lasted. Despite the general consensus of Macbooks being very well built, and Thinkpads being built like tanks, this anecdote is definitely the opposite way around. Now if I could get a nipple on a Macbook, or a decent trackpad on a nippled-Thinkpad, I'd have found my perfect laptop!

wrong_variable 10y ago
I think your experience was an exception, maybe you were more careful with the MacBook Air subconsciously because you knew it couldn't withstand being thrown around like a cheap whore ? Also you can watch how the markets values second hand laptops, generally you will see that second hand thinkpads retain more of its original market price then second hand any other laptop. Having said that thinkpads usually do not have the best screens - but even though its slightly brutal to not have a good screen anymore, I am more comfortable with the fact that I do not have to worry too much about my laptop not working or overheating.
- oarsinsync 10y ago
  > maybe you were more careful with the MacBook Air subconsciously because you knew it couldn't withstand being thrown around I suspect the opposite, actually. The T42 I paid for myself and cared for like a baby, until I heard from too many people that it was built like a tank, and started treating it as such. The MBA was originally an employer-supplied laptop, and thus was unloved from the start. It fell to the ground many, many times. All the corners are dented in, and I once built a computer ontop of it without realising (which then dented in the lid, and probably resulted in the crack in the screen). I powered on the T42 recently. Such a beautiful machine. Shame fixing the screen hinges requires so much disassembly. I have very little chance of doing it correctly, and the value of the laptop is so low now it's not worth paying someone to do it for me. Sadly, I'll probably end up buying a macbook pro when the next refresh comes through. Too much friction changing platforms again.
freddref 10y ago
Thinkpad's are great, X120e still going fine here despite being years old. Mac hardware is lovely, pity it's such a struggle to get control over it (ie install linux :) I just nearly choked looking at the price of the x131e, how is it nearly 3 times the price of comparable machines?
mattnewton 10y ago
Anecdotal, but I also have an 11inch air that I have abused the crap out off since 2013, and it is still going strong, though the battery charge is less than it was brand new. Also the trackpad has completely spoiled me now and I'm struggling to find laptops for Linux with trackpads I like.

wrong_variable 10y ago

I think your experience was an exception, maybe you were more careful with the MacBook Air subconsciously because you knew it couldn't withstand being thrown around like a cheap whore ? Also you can watch how the markets values second hand laptops, generally you will see that second hand thinkpads retain more of its original market price then second hand any other laptop. Having said that thinkpads usually do not have the best screens - but even though its slightly brutal to not have a good screen anymore, I am more comfortable with the fact that I do not have to worry too much about my laptop not working or overheating.

oarsinsync 10y ago
> maybe you were more careful with the MacBook Air subconsciously because you knew it couldn't withstand being thrown around I suspect the opposite, actually. The T42 I paid for myself and cared for like a baby, until I heard from too many people that it was built like a tank, and started treating it as such. The MBA was originally an employer-supplied laptop, and thus was unloved from the start. It fell to the ground many, many times. All the corners are dented in, and I once built a computer ontop of it without realising (which then dented in the lid, and probably resulted in the crack in the screen). I powered on the T42 recently. Such a beautiful machine. Shame fixing the screen hinges requires so much disassembly. I have very little chance of doing it correctly, and the value of the laptop is so low now it's not worth paying someone to do it for me. Sadly, I'll probably end up buying a macbook pro when the next refresh comes through. Too much friction changing platforms again.

freddref 10y ago

Thinkpad's are great, X120e still going fine here despite being years old. Mac hardware is lovely, pity it's such a struggle to get control over it (ie install linux :) I just nearly choked looking at the price of the x131e, how is it nearly 3 times the price of comparable machines?

mattnewton 10y ago

Anecdotal, but I also have an 11inch air that I have abused the crap out off since 2013, and it is still going strong, though the battery charge is less than it was brand new. Also the trackpad has completely spoiled me now and I'm struggling to find laptops for Linux with trackpads I like.