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> they want a MacBook Pro that stops optimizing for thinness but has a larger battery, MagSafe, and perhaps one or two USB 3.0 ports during the transition perio

> they want a MacBook Pro that stops optimizing for thinness but has a larger battery, MagSafe, and perhaps one or two USB 3.0 ports during the transition period. This is the situation I'm in. I need a new laptop as my MBP (2010) has recently hit the hay, but I'm just putting it off and stalling being of things like this and the massive price increases. Instead of magsafe and useful ports I get touchbar... thanks Apple. Honestly trying to convince myself if I can get by with an alternative laptop with Linux (Windows isn't an option anymore).

pfranz 9y ago
I was recently looking at replacing my 13" MacbookPro and comparing laptops that would run Linux. Here are the notes I had in order of most-likely to least likely to choose: * Razer Blade Stealth - 1 USB-C, 2 USB-A, concerns over build quality * Dell XPS 13 - camera below screen (looks up your nose, fingers in frame), proprietary battery charger. They recently updated it; replaced SD card reader with microSD, USB 3.0 and power dropped for USB-C * Thinkpad * Precision 7xxx * Surface - concerns over long-term build quality, USB-A only, magsafe-ish charger I went with a MacBook Pro because soldered on RAM was standard on most all of them which took the price up within 20-30% of the MacBook Pro. With all of the PC laptops I had concerns about trackpad and general build quality and wasn't confident about battery life or resale value. Out of the concerns we share I didn't find anything better on the PC side. The Razer Blade Stealth was closest, but with 1 USB-C port that is used for charging isn't reasonable, either. Why would I buy anything with USB-C on it if the only port is already occupied?
- have_faith 9y ago
  It's a sad state of affairs. I use the new MBP with touchbar for work and it's a nice machine except the touchbar and dubious keyboard (I can live with it). I just wish it wasn't so user-hostile and objectively good features like magsafe hadn't disappeared. I've already had my work laptop yanked to the floor multiple times by people because the charging cable is much shorter than previous generations. I've pretty much been looking at the same list as you but have concerns over build quality / trackpad / random design choices like a webcam pointing up your nose. Not sure what I will do yet, will likely hang on until next refresh and see if there's a new 15mbp without touchbar.

pfranz 9y ago

I was recently looking at replacing my 13" MacbookPro and comparing laptops that would run Linux. Here are the notes I had in order of most-likely to least likely to choose: * Razer Blade Stealth - 1 USB-C, 2 USB-A, concerns over build quality * Dell XPS 13 - camera below screen (looks up your nose, fingers in frame), proprietary battery charger. They recently updated it; replaced SD card reader with microSD, USB 3.0 and power dropped for USB-C * Thinkpad * Precision 7xxx * Surface - concerns over long-term build quality, USB-A only, magsafe-ish charger I went with a MacBook Pro because soldered on RAM was standard on most all of them which took the price up within 20-30% of the MacBook Pro. With all of the PC laptops I had concerns about trackpad and general build quality and wasn't confident about battery life or resale value. Out of the concerns we share I didn't find anything better on the PC side. The Razer Blade Stealth was closest, but with 1 USB-C port that is used for charging isn't reasonable, either. Why would I buy anything with USB-C on it if the only port is already occupied?

have_faith 9y ago
It's a sad state of affairs. I use the new MBP with touchbar for work and it's a nice machine except the touchbar and dubious keyboard (I can live with it). I just wish it wasn't so user-hostile and objectively good features like magsafe hadn't disappeared. I've already had my work laptop yanked to the floor multiple times by people because the charging cable is much shorter than previous generations. I've pretty much been looking at the same list as you but have concerns over build quality / trackpad / random design choices like a webcam pointing up your nose. Not sure what I will do yet, will likely hang on until next refresh and see if there's a new 15mbp without touchbar.