System76: * Heat management and fan noise -- manageable, and generally run cool without too much fan noise. * Keyboard feel and trackpad feel -- marginal to a

System76: * Heat management and fan noise -- manageable, and generally run cool without too much fan noise. * Keyboard feel and trackpad feel -- marginal to average at best. A Clevo keyboard is absolutely dreadful if you've been spoilt by ThinkPad keyboards and only slightly less dreadful if you've been spoilt by Mac keyboards. The trackpad is absolutely dreadful if you've been spoilt by the TrackPoint, and just as dreadful if you've been spoilt by a MacBook trackpad. * durability -- definitely solid. The materials don't feel as great, but they're just as durable. * display color-fidelity and brightness and contrast -- Should be pretty good; but if you need color calibration, shell out the extra for an OS X machine. * light-sensitive display -- No. * backlit keyboards -- Not sure, will have to recheck. * battery life -- Marginal. 2-3 hours is usually what you're going to get out of these machines, although Haswell might change that in this particular model.