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I'm a bit of a Linux nut, but I'm seriously considering getting a MacBook Air for my next machine as there doesn't seem to be any comparable non-Apple hardware

by Mizza 15y ago

I'm a bit of a Linux nut, but I'm seriously considering getting a MacBook Air for my next machine as there doesn't seem to be any comparable non-Apple hardware out there. Does anybody know of any?

cconstantine 15y ago
Not sure if it's a direct competitor for the Air, but I've been eyeing the Thinkpad x220.
- rjbond3rd 15y ago
  A nice choice. Also, the x120E with the dual-core processor (E350 chip), on Ebay starting at $400. On a tight budget, my kids use the much older x60 and x61 (on Ebay for about $150-$200), and even the (quite old) x40 and X41.
  - deleted 15y ago
    [deleted]
fjh 15y ago
The Samsung Series 9 is pretty similar. I've got a MacBook Air and I've played around with the Samsung. Build-quality and hardware-wise the Samsung is, in my opinion, at least as nice as the air, but I've heard that it's currently a bit of a pain to get everything working under Linux.
ews 15y ago
I own a lenovo X1, which I don't think it's a direct competitor of the Mac Air, but it's light enough, the keyboard is really really good, and Linux works out of the box.
davidmat 15y ago
Not right now, but soon (in a few weeks - months) there will be a whole avalanche of laptops coming out based on Intel's Ultrabook platform; very much 'inspired' by the MacBook Air.
IvarTJ 15y ago
After, or in addition to my Thinkpad Edge which I am moderately pleased with, I consider getting an Asus Eee. They seem pretty solid and appear to have good Linux compatibility. They also appear to be one of the most popular notebooks for FreeBSD with extensive guides online.
ukdm 15y ago
Ultrabooks will start appearing soon, and far cheaper than the Air. For example, the Acer Aspire 3951 was just outed. 13.3" display, 13mm thick, Sandy Bridge, 160GB SSD $960, or $770 for the lowest spec which basically means no SSD.
- canistr 15y ago
  Aren't those still rumors? Considering that the picture that was used was apparently also used for all Macbook Air rumors floating around before it launched.
  - ukdm 15y ago
    Yes, until Acer confirms or denies it. But Intel has laid out what classes as an Ultrabook, which includes a machine less than 20mm thick, Sandy Bridge second gen chip, and a sub-$1000 price tag. So even if the Aspire turns out to be just a rumor, other laptops will appear with similar specs soon.
  - kenjackson 15y ago
    Really, the same pictures? I haven't seen any mention of that in the current stories. Do you have a link. The machine looks great, especially at the price points mentioned. Why does it feel like everything is taking too long to come out.
alextingle 15y ago
Thinkpad X220. I used a Mac laptop for years (PowerBook 12") and, although the OS was pretty good (that's high praise from me) from a user perspective, the hardware was awful. Aluminium is not an appropriate shell material for a mobile device. Being able to swap the hard-drive is essential, unless you want to buy a new device each time you drop it. The Thinkpad is so much better than the Apple in every way. I run Ubuntu on mine, and it works perfectly. The Thinkpad even looks better than a Mac. Not immediately out of the box of course (new Macs look lovely), but after a few months of use, the Thinkpad's magnesium alloy shell still looks pretty good, while a Mac's aluminium is scuffed and scratched.
- mitchty 15y ago
  Gonna have to disagree here. My 15" mbp has survived a motorcycle crash (long story short, it ended up as back armor). Only thing that isn't working is the dvd drive, and thats more due to me being too lazy to bend the aluminum back into place. No real scratches on it of huge amount, but aluminium as shell works quite nice thank you very much. I've had this laptop for almost 3 years now, outside of the whole case being warped around due to impact its pretty much same as it ever was.
alexdias 15y ago
I'm in a similar position: I use Linux (Ubuntu) for my development needs (I'm a computer engineering student), but I'm thinking of getting a Macbook Pro 13'' on a future trip to the U.S. (I'm from Europe, so buying it in the U.S. would save me money due to the current dollar value). However, I'm not sure if it's worth it, as I might work in security when I finish my degree next year, which might mean that I would mostly run Windows... Any laptops have very similar specs? I've heard that the newest Vaio SB overheats sometimes...
- streetFights 15y ago
  I'll be moving to a MBP when the next refresh hits from Ubuntu as well, and I plan on running Windows in a VM if I ever need to. I'm sick of having to deal with Linux's shitty support for iDevices, as well as the awful battery life.

by Mizza 15y ago

I'm a bit of a Linux nut, but I'm seriously considering getting a MacBook Air for my next machine as there doesn't seem to be any comparable non-Apple hardware out there. Does anybody know of any?

cconstantine 15y ago

Not sure if it's a direct competitor for the Air, but I've been eyeing the Thinkpad x220.

rjbond3rd 15y ago
A nice choice. Also, the x120E with the dual-core processor (E350 chip), on Ebay starting at $400. On a tight budget, my kids use the much older x60 and x61 (on Ebay for about $150-$200), and even the (quite old) x40 and X41.
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]

fjh 15y ago

The Samsung Series 9 is pretty similar. I've got a MacBook Air and I've played around with the Samsung. Build-quality and hardware-wise the Samsung is, in my opinion, at least as nice as the air, but I've heard that it's currently a bit of a pain to get everything working under Linux.

ews 15y ago

I own a lenovo X1, which I don't think it's a direct competitor of the Mac Air, but it's light enough, the keyboard is really really good, and Linux works out of the box.

davidmat 15y ago

Not right now, but soon (in a few weeks - months) there will be a whole avalanche of laptops coming out based on Intel's Ultrabook platform; very much 'inspired' by the MacBook Air.

IvarTJ 15y ago

After, or in addition to my Thinkpad Edge which I am moderately pleased with, I consider getting an Asus Eee. They seem pretty solid and appear to have good Linux compatibility. They also appear to be one of the most popular notebooks for FreeBSD with extensive guides online.

ukdm 15y ago

Ultrabooks will start appearing soon, and far cheaper than the Air. For example, the Acer Aspire 3951 was just outed. 13.3" display, 13mm thick, Sandy Bridge, 160GB SSD $960, or $770 for the lowest spec which basically means no SSD.

canistr 15y ago
Aren't those still rumors? Considering that the picture that was used was apparently also used for all Macbook Air rumors floating around before it launched.
- ukdm 15y ago
  Yes, until Acer confirms or denies it. But Intel has laid out what classes as an Ultrabook, which includes a machine less than 20mm thick, Sandy Bridge second gen chip, and a sub-$1000 price tag. So even if the Aspire turns out to be just a rumor, other laptops will appear with similar specs soon.
- kenjackson 15y ago
  Really, the same pictures? I haven't seen any mention of that in the current stories. Do you have a link. The machine looks great, especially at the price points mentioned. Why does it feel like everything is taking too long to come out.

alextingle 15y ago

Thinkpad X220. I used a Mac laptop for years (PowerBook 12") and, although the OS was pretty good (that's high praise from me) from a user perspective, the hardware was awful. Aluminium is not an appropriate shell material for a mobile device. Being able to swap the hard-drive is essential, unless you want to buy a new device each time you drop it. The Thinkpad is so much better than the Apple in every way. I run Ubuntu on mine, and it works perfectly. The Thinkpad even looks better than a Mac. Not immediately out of the box of course (new Macs look lovely), but after a few months of use, the Thinkpad's magnesium alloy shell still looks pretty good, while a Mac's aluminium is scuffed and scratched.

mitchty 15y ago
Gonna have to disagree here. My 15" mbp has survived a motorcycle crash (long story short, it ended up as back armor). Only thing that isn't working is the dvd drive, and thats more due to me being too lazy to bend the aluminum back into place. No real scratches on it of huge amount, but aluminium as shell works quite nice thank you very much. I've had this laptop for almost 3 years now, outside of the whole case being warped around due to impact its pretty much same as it ever was.

alexdias 15y ago

I'm in a similar position: I use Linux (Ubuntu) for my development needs (I'm a computer engineering student), but I'm thinking of getting a Macbook Pro 13'' on a future trip to the U.S. (I'm from Europe, so buying it in the U.S. would save me money due to the current dollar value). However, I'm not sure if it's worth it, as I might work in security when I finish my degree next year, which might mean that I would mostly run Windows... Any laptops have very similar specs? I've heard that the newest Vaio SB overheats sometimes...

streetFights 15y ago
I'll be moving to a MBP when the next refresh hits from Ubuntu as well, and I plan on running Windows in a VM if I ever need to. I'm sick of having to deal with Linux's shitty support for iDevices, as well as the awful battery life.