Four years ago I got an HP Spectre x360 and love it but it died after about a year. Three years ago I replaced it with a Lenovo C930.
Now I’m considering replacing the laptop again. It’s presumably fixable, but:
- I’m on my second battery and it needs to be replaced again. I swapped the battery a year and a half ago after it stopped holding much of a charge. Now it’s again down to where at nearly the dimmest screen settings I get less than a couple of hours out of the battery. When I changed the battery the first time I somehow disconnected the fingerprint reader, but I’ve been fine without it.
- Keys are sticking. My ‘T’ key is a problem. Sometimes I hit it and nothing happens. Other times I hit it and it gives me two or three t’s. Typos are enough of a problem with my writing as it is. The down arrow is also a problem.
I figure that after three years new machines may be better and it likely isn’t worth investing a lot of money into fixing an old one.
I could use your help with what laptop I should get. Here are key drivers of any decision for me.
- I use one device, for the blog and also everything travel-related as well as for my job (I get special dispensation to use a personal device). I use it at home and on travel. I use it from the early morning into the evening every day.
- I want a very good battery, speed, at least a 512gb hard drive and a good keyboard experience. It needs to be rugged because 3 years of use for me may be the equivalent of six of more years of average use. I’m taking it with me everywhere and I’m not gentle with it.
- I chose the Lenovo Yoga last time – the only value I find in a convertible tablet and touch screen is takeoff and landing on planes. When laptops need to be put away and stowed, I flip it over and there’s never been a crewmember that’s objected to using it in tablet mode.
I don’t want to spend money unnecessarily, for features I won’t use or because bloated machines always have tradeoffs (like weight or battery life). At the same time cost isn’t the primary constraint since this is a productivity tool for me.
What advice can you offer?
MacBook Pro 14″, or the new MacBook M2 13″. Battery life 20+ hours, excellent keyboards (they fixed the butterfly problem), solid machines.
Surface laptop. Love mine.
Pixelbook Go i7 version. Light. Sturdy. Can have 20 browser windows open without a strain. Travel with it all of the time. Great battery life > 10 hours easy. While it only has 256GB on internal storage, it integrates well with Cloud storage services.
Loaded Gram. Get it at Costco. One of my favorite things EVER. It is amazing.
Just buy a macbook and stop having to replace these crummy Lenovo and HP and Dell every few years. I get 5-7 years plus out of each mac. Getting a new one finally because I want 32gb ram this time. Millions of miles traveled and still looks nearly new. I actually prefer windows for productivity but the mac hardware is just night and day.
Some ThinkPad. Best keyboard. All around best PC laptop. Have used various models for 20 years. Depending on your budget, consider X1 Nano, X1 Carbon, X13, etc.
https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/c/laptops/thinkpad
With the convertible feature, it sounds like another Yoga is the way to go.
I use a ThinkPad X1 Carbon,. Very happy with it, but it doesn’t fold.
[Amused by the Mac fan boys who don’t realize it is not a mainstream computer running the programs and apps most business travelers use. Go to Starbucks and see Macs. Go to lounges at the airport and see ThinkPads. There is a reason why.]
MacBook Pro 14” with the new M1 chip. I was one of those ppl who always said they’d never be a MacBook guy, but I had to convert to Mac 8 years ago for a job. Fast forward to now and I can’t use windows anymore without wanting to throw the machine out the window.
The new M1 chips are incredible. I got the 14” MacBook Pro with 50% of the RAM/processor speed of my previous model and I can’t tell the difference. The chip optimizes performance so well, saved me $2k in add-ons. It handles multiple programs/tabs being open very well
Mac is expensive for what you get. Very proprietary and hard to control your data. A lot of business solutions do not work with Apple. They are just as prone to issues as any other piece of tech.
There’s a new Dell XPS 13 plus just released. Worth checking out.
Can do amex biz plat has 10% credit statement credit and the standard $200 credit for it also + stack any rakuten cash back (they offer 12% back once in a while).
I echo the positive comments about macs. So many programs work for the Mac now, and its battery life is fantastic. The M1 and M2 chips are game changers. Mac laptops have the absolute best trackpad experience (which is one of the reasons why the last time I bought a PC laptop—an HP—I switched back to a Mac after 1.5 months).
I’m assuming that you have the Amex Business Platinum, you should get a Dell for the 10% statement credit plus the $200 credit
1KBrad says it like it is.
Most tech, mech, and financial gurus I know are using Windows OS and on a Surface laptop.
Most creative and academic types are using Macbooks.
Many one-and-done users like myself use cheap touchscreen Chromebooks when we travel for basic text, writing, and web browsing, and upon returning home we utilize an expesnive desktop. I visit a lot of remote places and sometimes it’s impossible to find an authorized Apple dealer or repair center. When I was trekking through the Kalahari desert for 2 months it didn’t phase me a bit when a sandstorm blew sand into my Chromebook. Just went and bought a new Chromebook.
As someone who’s used Macs for 20 years now, today’s Macs are the best of them all.
If you’re running Windows only apps in your business, then I get why you wouldn’t want one, but everything I use and administer today is cloud based.
I believe in spending good money on my laptop though. I just bought a 16-inch MBP with an M1 Pro processor. It’s bigger and heavier than other machines, but I use the machine both as as desktop replacement and when I travel and it works great for me. I put it on a stand at home, plug in a dock, and have 3 screens going.
I’ll never understand why people are so price sensitive on something that is used so much. Spend the money and get something that will last and still be useful 3-5 years from now.
Although I spend a lot of time using windows at work and go back to the DOS days, I started buying Apple products about 15 yrs ago first with a Macbook Pro and that lasted 10 yrs. I no longer have any real need for laptops so I don’t use one. Apple stuff generally lasts longer although if you are really rough with tech then you can look into expensive rugged laptops but probably too much $$$. Generally the Apple laptops are made more durable.
And sure some businesses are stuck with Microsoft stuff. Sadly they have bought into that environment which is really a nightmare.
NOW you ask this? I was a met too until about 10 days ago…and I forced myself to pick from what looked good at Costco since I am fairly clueless and the purchase there meant I get tech support.
I agree with Omer. “There’s a new Dell XPS 13 plus just released.” Buy at Costco when it has a $400 rebate. Use your Costco Citi Card for an extended warranty of up to four years. A touch screen is very useful.
HP Envy x360. Just purchased one a month ago for my biz for under $1k. Nice battery around 10+ hours
Dell XPS 13 Plus or Surface Laptop for a conventional laptop.
Surface Laptop Studio for a convertible. Mine lasts forever and is very speedy. Also, unlike a MacBook you can actually repair it if something breaks.
I like Mac for durability, global AppleCare, and full integration into my Apple eco system (I take calls and text from my computer — seemless handoff to my phone, use iPad as a second screen or when on plane in your use case.) I have put Windows on to Mac (with Virtual Machine) when I had need for corporate Windows programs, but no longer have the need. I liked Dell XPS laptops (and global warranty), but never held up as well as Mac for me. Currently using a MacBook Pro 14 (M1) — as I need the ports, but MacBook Air would almost do the job. My Apple computers consistently last twice as long as my Windows gear — from durability and performance perspectives. The latest M1+ chips are gamechangers for me. No fan noise, superb battery life.
I am a financial worker, and I have been using Macs for about a decade. Ignore the dinosaurs who insist on Thinkpads or whatever. I do have a backup HP given to me by work, but I don’t use it. Leff, you should get the maxed out MacBook Air that was just announced – 16 GB RAM, 1 TB storage. You will be set for 7 or 8 years.
MacBook Pro 13 inch with M2 chip (M2 chip not yet available for 14 or 16″ but *probably* will be this Fall). Pricy, but in my experience, worth it, especially if you buy Apple Care when you buy the laptop. 13″ can have up to 24Gb memory and up to 2Tb SSD. 14″ with M1 Max chip can have up to 64GB memory, up to 8TB SSD. If you absolutely must use Windows, there is software (Parallels, for instance) that will allow you to run Windows on the MacBook. I used it back in my gaming days, but no longer. You can use productivity software from Google, or get MS Office for Mac. Check that all the ports you need are on the laptop before buying, though. I also recommend a LaCie external backup drive if you are a belt and suspenders type person who doesn’t rely on cloud only backups. One reason I switched to Apple is the Apple Stores in most large-ish cities. If you use an iPhone you can sync all your calendar items, contact, etc.
a MacBook Pro or Air. U can find cheaper but to me none better & customer service via Apple Care is excellent.
My MS Surface Pro has done me beautifully for the past five or so years. Highly recommend whatever its successor is.
I’ve just (within the last day) got my new Dell XPS Plus – it’s no gaming machine but as you said, you don’t need that.
I love the keyboard and the machine is very light with so far decent battery life. I went for the i7 16GB RAM version.
It’s just as nice to use as I hoped that it would be.
I got the Dell 100 rebate through my Amex card too.
Let us know what you end up getting. I’m in the market as well 🙂
Get the Surface Pro 8 with 16GB and the i7 chip. Consider the i5 chip as it does not require an internal fan and thus should have longer battery life. Use the more portable matching MS keyboard for travel and the better, but heavier, Brydge keyboard at home office.
Super happy with the Surface. Battery lasts a long time, performance is solid, build quality is great. Only thing I don’t like is the trackpad, which is too sensitive, similar to Samsung laptops
Forget the MAC stuff …. way too expensive and not tuned to travel
Buy any PC compatible and …. use the Brave Browser.. you will be amazed at the results.
Dell for easy repairs. MS Surface devices are great as many act like your Lenovo Yoga. If you go with Apple, be prepared to spend a minimum of $2500 or 2-3 times what you would spend on a Windows device. With your usage, your travel, and your needs, I seriously doubt you would get the “presumed value” out of a MacbookPro. Also if you don’t have an iPhone, then definitely do not get a Mac.
Surface Pro 8, hands down!
Light, rugged, versatile and powerful.
I schlep and use mine non stop on planes, busses ( Jitney) and automobiles. With a docking station and external monitors it’s a fantastic home/ remote titan.
My law firm has 30+ attorneys plus paralegals, assistants and various admin. 100% use the Surface amd are thrilled!
ThinkPad X1 Yoga with Cellular (Fi data sim) and 6GHz Wi-Fi 6E
Premium warranty service with the International add-on
Doorbuster on this model today… 21CD000JUS
Dude, you’re gettin’ a Dell!
I just started year 7 with MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch) purchased in early 2016. This laptop is on 365 days a year, actively used for 10-12 hours a day, and I do not shut it down except every couple weeks. It travels with me everywhere (150k+ miles in the air annually), in a backpack on my bike once or twice a week, etc.
No, it’s not nearly top of the line, even in 2016 , but I still get 4+ hours of life from the ORIGINAL battery when doing light work, 2+ hours when I’m doing more intensive work (such as processing photos in Lightroom, which a total memory hog). Only major issue was bubbles that started to appear in screen at year 3, Apple replaced with 48-hour turnaround at no charge.
Previously had an Air, which I loved, and I got 4.5 years out of it. Love the weight, was concerned about hard travel but it was surprisingly durable and I didn’t have issues till the end.
When I replace my current MacBook Pro (probably this year) it’ll be for another MacBook Pro.
New Macbook Air M2 (the one that has just opened orders). Here’s why:
– the battery life is insanely good thanks to the architecture of the new Apple CPUs. Getting the same efficiency out of anything Intel based is simply impossible.
– It’s light, only 2.7lbs. The power supply it comes with is also small and light.
– 1080p camera should give you the quality you need for interviews.
You’ll need to bump up the disk size when ordering to get to 512GB, and you may want to get 16GB memory too. The base CPU will be fine for what you do, unless you edit videos or do similarly compute intensive work. I don’t see anything like that in your description above, but if you do want something really powerful, then your choice should be Macbook Pro 14″ (absolutely not the 13″ – that one is a dud). You gain a lot more CPU power, a much better display, especially for bright light situations, a bunch of ports (for the Air, you’ll need an external USB-C hub for SD cards and such), and better speakers, but you pay with extra $, extra weight, shorter battery life.
One key point: not a single person I know who switched from a Windows system to a Mac has switched back.
Well, that wasn’t much help. If you weren’t confused before, you most likely are now.
My advice as someone who works on a lot of computers (software engineer):
1. Don’t over purchase hardware you don’t need
2. Get something with a SSD harddrive, faster and less battery usage
3. 16GB of RAM is probably about right
4. Get a CPU with integrated graphics, less power usage
5. If Windows, shoot for a Ryzen 6600U CPU, plenty of speed and lowest power/battery usage
6. If you buy a Mac, just assume you’re going to pay double for the same hardware
7. Make sure it uses USB-C for power
P.S. Previous to my two Macs I had a Dell and a couple of Thinkpads. Wouldn’t go backwards for a moment.
Definitely a Mac. You will look back years from now wondering how you could ever have been a windows machine. Granted, I’m an AppleFanBoy, but it’s for good reason. The UNIX-based OS is rock solid and “just works”. It doesn’t need to be updated weekly and rebooted so often. Heck I can go a good 6 months or more between reboots on my macbook. It also helps if you’re into the whole ecosystem with the iphone, ipad, watch, etc. Not that any of that is required, but they all do work together well. Safari integration is great as well, and by far, Safari is privacy-focused whereas Chrome is designed for third-party and cross-site tracking. Safari blocks all of that.
The battery life of the new ones will last an incredible amount of time. The Air is great for being easy to transport and the 14″ macbook pro is really a powerhouse with outstanding battery life.
Admittedly it may take a small lesson or two to learn how to really use the interface to its greatest potential, but once you master it, it’s almost impossible to use anything else.
Here’s something else to think about, you are REQUIRED to have a Microsoft account to use a windows machine. From a privacy perspective, this is something to think about. Only corporate devices can bypass that. With a Mac, you do not NEED to have an Apple ID. Of course, it’s far more connected if you do, but it’s not necessary. It can be used out of the box as is. Keep that privacy component in mind.
Another thing to think about is that you cannot stop Microsoft from updating your machine. They will update on their own schedule and although you can delay it at times, you cannot forego updates they push down. With Apple, you choose if you wish to update or upgrade anything. That is not an option with Microsoft with mandatory updates. Updates generally work fine, but have been known to cause issues. Imagine yourself on the road and an update gets forced on to your windows machine and it’s bricked. You’re stuck. Speaking for myself, I only ever do updates after I return from trips – never during or before. On the road is not a place you want to run into issues. You get that granularity of control with Apple – no control from Microsoft.
I’m not a Mac user, so can’t comment on the comparison between the two ecosystems. If you decide to stay with a Windows device, the two features you will notice/appreciate most day-to-day are (1) form factor, and (2) RAM. Make sure you’re looking at the weight and thickness of the PCs you’re comparing for your preferred screen size. Do not even think about getting less than 16GB of RAM. Also, your minimum processor spec should be Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5.
My personal experience with manufacturers. while effectively a “sample size of one”, is as follows:
Lenovo – price leader, questionable build quality, shaky warranty support
HP – hit or miss build quality, not even close to the blue chip brand it used to be
Dell – their business PCs are easier to service (lots of plug-and-play parts) than their personal line; can easily opt for the extended service plan of your choice when configuring your device; great for the aforementioned Amex Platinum savings
MS Surface Pro – had one for a couple of years a while back and thought it was excellent
Acer – never owned one, but my dad swears by them (just threw that in there for fun)
Asus – my current device (ZenBook Flip 13) and my favorite of them all; light, reliable, even has feature to toggle a numeric keyboard on and off on the touchpad
All my PCs have been convertibles, for the exact reason Gary mentions…keep working from gate to gate!
Something about the concept of “paying double for Apple hardware…”. It’s not really true. If you look at ‘certain’ specs, sure. But look at the entire picture. You are buying a fully integrated hardware and software that is designed to work together. With a PC, you are buying a generic hardware with generic software on top of it that “should” work together. Simple things like, “close the lid” and it just goes to sleep. May or may not work as intended on a PC as what Microsoft designed may work differently between a Dell, an HP, or a Lenovo. On Apple, it just works.
You’ll also see that on PC, they are made of plastic whereas Apples are made of metal. The trackpad is large and arguably the absolute best in the industry. The hardware is not the same between Macs and PC. The speakers, microphone, camera, screen, and casing are all substantially better. The crowd out there that likes to compare on cost look at just a couple of things such as processor speed, memory, and HDD size. That’s only one small aspect. Certainly don’t overspend, but I always suggest to people to get the most you can comfortably afford as it will buy you that much more time. I have Macs running that are nearly 10 years old and still working just fine.
As others mentioned a MacBook with the new M chips has amazing battery. I’m not sure you need a MacBook Pro. I’d go with the newly released M2 MacBook Air.
The best laptops you can buy today · 1. Dell XPS 13 · 2. Asus Zenbook 13 OLED · 3. MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022) review · 4. Microsoft Surface.
For a desktop replacement, it’s hard to beat the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus (7610), with its 16-inch display, Intel Core i7 H-Series processor, and Nvidia RTX.
My current pick for the best laptop of 2022 is the MacBook Air. It’s a device that does just about everything right.
SO has been working on our trips a lot lately, and has been using a newly firm supplied ThinkPad X13 i7 – I don’t know the exact model. They were BYOD for a long time, and SO used a Surface Pro 4, then 8, but BYOD proved to be too hard to support from a logistics cost standpoint, so they standardized on the ThinkPads. SO is happy with it – it works everywhere from planes to overseas, can be docked to large ultrawide screens at home, has a good keyboard that can be used for hours, touchscreen or touchpad when traveling, depending on home much room there is. Long battery life, and we’ve been able to buy cables anywhere in the world when they get lost of forgotten.
SO also uses an iPhone/iPad combo for personal and business stuff – the iPad is especially good for reading documents or books or browsing at night in bed.
Kid1 is a Mac person all the way. Everything gets done on a MacBook in law school, iPhone/iPad combo like SO for other things.
Kid2 has a Surface Pro 8 for schoolwork, a Razer Laptop for gaming. No self-respecting gamer uses a Mac.
Bottom line – Any environment can work, but stick with what you’ve got. There is rarely a reason to switch from a Windows to Mac (or vice versa) environment, unless your employer requires it. The learning curve to switch is high. Mixed environments can bring the best of both worlds, if you’re willing to carry around that much hardware. A lot of people love their Surface, but laptops from other companies have gotten a lot better. There is no magic bullet, other than never buy the low end of anything.
In fact if you have an iPhone get a Mac, period.
If you are an android user, stay with PC.
Look at the software and applications you use the most – and then go with a laptop that is easiest with them and can migrate your past stuff; if you do mostly Word and Excel, it does not matter.
What does your job require – is it flexible?
Macs for durability – my kids macbook lasted 5 yrs mid-high school then 6 yrs for college-grad school. Integrates very well with iPhone
If you get a Macbook Air, you will love it for travel, but it may not last as long – with or without a hard case.
Spend at least 2500 for the macs – any less will hurt you
e.g., macbook Air M2- 24GB memory 2 TB disk
PCs you can and should get 32GB memory at least as well as a 1TB SSD disk
Macbook Pro with M1 Pro/Max if you want something that can give you tons of battery life, but also plenty of oompf.
Macbook Air with M2 if you want something thin and light, but still gives you lots of battery life. It has no fan so it’ll be quiet, but at the same time, don’t expect to run resource-intensive tasks for an extended period of time (i.e. video editing/rendering.)
Hello Gary. BTW love your Vlog. Keep up the good work. Would recommend the following:
1. Surface Pro 8. Check out this honest review:
https://www.techadvisor.com/article/744788/best-microsoft-surface-pro-8-deals.html
2. Check out the new Dell line of laptops.
3. If considering a MAC, DO DUE DILIGENCE. As a Windows user, there will be quite the learning curve to go from one OS to the other OS. MAC software is more expensive and not always easy to find. Just check out your local tech store and compare the availability of MAC software compared to Windows software. Check out online retailers as well and compare availability and pricing. There may be a Windows emulater, but will be slow as are all emulaters.
An old IT hand once told me to buy the fastest computer, with the most and fastest RAM, and the fastest drive (if you need one) that you can afford. Computers are constantly getting faster, gaining memory, and storage. Doing this will buy you some time until you want/need another one. YMMV.
Through this post and the comments, I have learnt something on the best laptop to buy. Thanks a lot.
Whatever you pick, standardize all of your devices with USB-C connectors. It will simplify your life. One power block to charge everything. One cable type to connect everything.