Would it be unwise to buy a Macbook?

[sprite-]

The Envys overheat. They aren't that good right now (new ones coming).

On the whole, in the laptop market, MBP is one of the best laptop design and constructions around.

Really? that's a shame. Think HP envy has allot of potential to become the viable option over a Macbook pro.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

The Panasonic ToughBooks are probably among the best made notebooks ATM although their pricing makes many of the MacBooks look relatively cheap.

[usxhe190]

True, but they are for "real" situations rather than general usage where looks do count for a lot (especially for a mobile computer like a laptop)...

[matty-hodgson]

The Panasonic ToughBooks are probably among the best made notebooks ATM although their pricing makes many of the MacBooks look relatively cheap.

The Macbook Pro also looks like a whole load better than those...

[Terbinator]

Really? that's a shame. Think HP envy has allot of potential to become the viable option over a Macbook pro.

Just had a look at those Envy laptops - they look very nice and have decent specs to boot.

[usxhe190]

Terbinator, wait for the new ones. I think they have addressed the heat issue and they are a lot cheaper vs previous pricing where they put a premium on the product.

[Terbinator]

Terbinator, wait for the new ones. I think they have addressed the heat issue and they are a lot cheaper vs previous pricing where they put a premium on the product.

I won't be buying one, I'm a PC man They seem like a genuine option for a decent laptop though, more so if these reliability problems are fixed.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

The Panasonic business ToughBooks are semi -ruggedized so it would be ideal for travel use IMHO.

The new Core i5 and Core i7 based ones which were released this year look interesting and the heaviest model weighs 1.6KG. There is a mobile Core i7 based one with a 10.4" screen which weighs 0.93KG including the battery.

They all have splashproof keyboards and the ability to survive a drops of upto 76CM. The screen also can withstand around 100KG meaning you don't need to bother about using a case too.

Having said that you could get a MacBook Air and still have a few hundred quid free as even the cheaper ToughBooks are very expensive.

[Funkstar]

How are Lenovo's for build quality these days? I know they were great when they were IBM, I just hope they haven't gone down hill.

Personally I prefer their industrial design to a MBP any day of the week. they are also extremely easy to repair. A friend of mine has repaired his convertible tablet Lenovo a couple of times himself. First was when the ceiling collapsed in his flat, smashing the keyboard with plaster. New part found online, ordered and working again within 2 days for about £15. second was when he slipped and fell on an escalator, smashing the screen against a tread. Again, new screen ordered online and away he went (luckily the touch screen film wasn't damaged or it would have been a £300 in replacement parts).

I doubt you could could do all that with many other laptops. Perhaps Dells.

[Grey M@a]

How are Lenovo's for build quality these days? I know they were great when they were IBM, I just hope they haven't gone down hill.

Personally I prefer their industrial design to a MBP any day of the week. they are also extremely easy to repair. A friend of mine has repaired his convertible tablet Lenovo a couple of times himself. First was when the ceiling collapsed in his flat, smashing the keyboard with plaster. New part found online, ordered and working again within 2 days for about £15. second was when he slipped and fell on an escalator, smashing the screen against a tread. Again, new screen ordered online and away he went (luckily the touch screen film wasn't damaged or it would have been a £300 in replacement parts).

I doubt you could could do all that with many other laptops. Perhaps Dells.

I can certainly vouch for the build quality on the Lenovo's of late, we have had a lot of them come through the doors at work recently and as you say, easy as hell to repair. The dell's however, they have got worse over the last year or two with mass failures across certain models etc. The dell Studio 17's with the Blu Ray drives we have 27 of them for staff and I think only two of them have been fine, the majority of them have already gone through around 2 - 3 mobo replacements in the last 18 months :/

[jim]

My stepdad's company uses Lenovos exclusively, they seems to work pretty flawlessly.

I worked on a few of them when I was there doing some IT supports for a while, really lovely to work with to be honest. Thoroughly impressed.

[usxhe190]

Lenovos thinkpads are great. I think they are more rugged than a MBP (but less than toughbooks) but you might not like their styling.

[Guy]

How are Lenovo's for build quality these days? I know they were great when they were IBM, I just hope they haven't gone down hill.

I'll let you know

Replacing my T43 Thinkpad, with a W500 Thinkpad which should be here soon. (Read I'm waiting for Lenovo to dispatch it, and well I want it now, and I'm impatient! )

My current (T43) Thinkpad is pretty much bullet proof, survived 12 months of being dragged around with me everywhere day to day for work, the odd lan or 2, and all the bits inbetween.

[artaxerxes]

I have been running a MacBook for 3 years. I would happily purchase again... and with academic discount for ~15% off, and the Back To School free iPod Touch offer (sell it on). They have never been cheaper.

Only thing missing for me is a firewire port nowadays.