14 ms·

I feel like throwing Linux on a 2013 MacBook Air for ~$200 is better bang for your buck. Stinks if you can’t win against a 8 year old laptop.

CameronNemo 5y ago
Have you actually done this comparison? I have compared a T430 (2012 era Intel) and the PBP directly. Power consumption on the PBP is a lot lower IME, and the machine is much lighter. I decided I could out source raw performance to the cloud and then dropped the dead weight.
- flatiron 5y ago
  I have not. I’m a gadget guy so I’m always wanting to buy a new X. My laptop? 2013 MacBook Air! All the ports they showcase on the new laptop are right there. MagSafe is awesome. Has well i5 honestly is pretty great. Runs Linux like a champ. User replaceable battery. You would think 4gb makes it unusable but a light arch install with plasma screams on it. It’s intel everything so their drivers are top notch. Current apple stuff is crap. That laptop is a piece of art.
BbzzbB 5y ago
How does it compare with a T430-like Thinkpad? I bought my second-hand T430s for 200 CAD some 5 years ago, still working well for it's purpose and I didn't bother moving to a lighter OS (am on Win10).
- flatiron 5y ago
  I have a w540 which I think is compatible with t440. The thinkpad has more oomph but lacks in lightness and MagSafe which honestly I love. Win10 honestly isn’t that bad! I have to use it for work. That and wsl is great. But for personal use I would never use windows. Any reason for personal use you need to use it? To me Linux is easier and better. I have 3 kids who I made their computer which runs arch and them and their mother now complain when the computer is not an arch/plasma computer. Linux at least today and with a simple distribution like arch is very user friendly.
  - BbzzbB 5y ago
    Main reason I'm still with Windows 10 (perma-watermarked editions) on my laptop and my PC is pure inertia. I've been telling myself I should switch to Linux if only to learn (am a work-in-progress coder), but have procrastinated it forever. I've just got some Linux exposure thru my Raspberry Pis on Raspbian. I would however need to be able to play AoE2:DE on my PC, might have to keep a Win10 partition on the PC if I make the move as, AFAIK, it doesn't work great on Linux (haven't looked into it in a while, maybe outdated).
ben_w 5y ago
I have yet to replace my 2013 Air; while the general performance is mostly still OK (it was top spec when I got it), the battery is so degraded it might as well not exist at all.
- aynyc 5y ago
  I replaced my 2013 MBA's battery for $129. Now, it's working perfectly fine in most days.
- flatiron 5y ago
  Replaced my 2013 MacBook Air battery myself for $50 and 5 minutes. It’s very user replaceable unlike the current models.
LeifCarrotson 5y ago
A 5-10 year old used high-end device of any make is going to be better bang for your buck than any new low-power device. Aside from SSDs, screen resolution, and battery efficiency, laptops haven't gotten that much faster, and the "is not brand new" depreciation is steep.

CameronNemo 5y ago

Have you actually done this comparison? I have compared a T430 (2012 era Intel) and the PBP directly. Power consumption on the PBP is a lot lower IME, and the machine is much lighter. I decided I could out source raw performance to the cloud and then dropped the dead weight.

flatiron 5y ago
I have not. I’m a gadget guy so I’m always wanting to buy a new X. My laptop? 2013 MacBook Air! All the ports they showcase on the new laptop are right there. MagSafe is awesome. Has well i5 honestly is pretty great. Runs Linux like a champ. User replaceable battery. You would think 4gb makes it unusable but a light arch install with plasma screams on it. It’s intel everything so their drivers are top notch. Current apple stuff is crap. That laptop is a piece of art.

BbzzbB 5y ago

How does it compare with a T430-like Thinkpad? I bought my second-hand T430s for 200 CAD some 5 years ago, still working well for it's purpose and I didn't bother moving to a lighter OS (am on Win10).

flatiron 5y ago
I have a w540 which I think is compatible with t440. The thinkpad has more oomph but lacks in lightness and MagSafe which honestly I love. Win10 honestly isn’t that bad! I have to use it for work. That and wsl is great. But for personal use I would never use windows. Any reason for personal use you need to use it? To me Linux is easier and better. I have 3 kids who I made their computer which runs arch and them and their mother now complain when the computer is not an arch/plasma computer. Linux at least today and with a simple distribution like arch is very user friendly.
- BbzzbB 5y ago
  Main reason I'm still with Windows 10 (perma-watermarked editions) on my laptop and my PC is pure inertia. I've been telling myself I should switch to Linux if only to learn (am a work-in-progress coder), but have procrastinated it forever. I've just got some Linux exposure thru my Raspberry Pis on Raspbian. I would however need to be able to play AoE2:DE on my PC, might have to keep a Win10 partition on the PC if I make the move as, AFAIK, it doesn't work great on Linux (haven't looked into it in a while, maybe outdated).

ben_w 5y ago

I have yet to replace my 2013 Air; while the general performance is mostly still OK (it was top spec when I got it), the battery is so degraded it might as well not exist at all.

aynyc 5y ago
I replaced my 2013 MBA's battery for $129. Now, it's working perfectly fine in most days.
flatiron 5y ago
Replaced my 2013 MacBook Air battery myself for $50 and 5 minutes. It’s very user replaceable unlike the current models.

LeifCarrotson 5y ago

A 5-10 year old used high-end device of any make is going to be better bang for your buck than any new low-power device. Aside from SSDs, screen resolution, and battery efficiency, laptops haven't gotten that much faster, and the "is not brand new" depreciation is steep.