Yes, but there's something that needs to be considered: AFAIK Apple has always been using 5400rpm drives in their notebooks. So for Apple users, the speed jump from those to an SSD is very noticeable. But most of us (who have been using enterprise-grade windows notebooks for the past x years) are used to 7200rpm drives, and with those, the advantage of SSD becomes much smaller. Of course there is an improvement, but not nearly as big as Apple users perceive it.
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$600 for 4GB, 500GB HD Lenovo. Did I just waste my money buying a Mac Air?
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Yes, but there's something that needs to be considered: AFAIK Apple has always been using 5400rpm drives in their notebooks. So for Apple users, the speed jump from those to an SSD is very noticeable. But most of us (who have been using enterprise-grade windows notebooks for the past x years) are used to 7200rpm drives, and with those, the advantage of SSD becomes much smaller. Of course there is an improvement, but not nearly as big as Apple users perceive it.
I have used 7200RPM drives. There is no comparison between them and an SSD.There's a reason Lenovo offers a $280 upgrade option.
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They certainly are. If you find maximum utility in having the most available storage space at a particular price point, then the Lenovo with the HDD wins out over the Lenovo with the SSD or the MacBook Air. However, others may find maximum utility in having the fastest available storage medium. Someone with 60GB of applications and documents gets no additional utility in having 320GB over 128GB and may well conclude that getting the pricier SSD over the slower HDD maximizes utility.
If your point is that you think Apple should offer a thicker MacBook product that has the weight of the Air but uses a slower HDD, then you may have a case. But there certainly appears to be quite a market for the Air, and Lenovo certainly thinks there is a market for the SSD version.
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You lack the deep sleep mode of the Air or the upcoming Ultrabooks, though. Macs have been able to wake up in a second for years, but the Air was the first to add the deep sleep to preserve battery. It is implemented a lot better than Hibernate on Windows (or whatever Windows 7 calls it now). Even that would benefit from the SSD on the Lenovo, though.
A 256GB SSD is an option on the Air, however. It is not an option for some reason on the Lenovo, though they do offer a 128GB option for $280. Once you have an SSD, you don't go back. If it were up to me, I'd purchase an SSD even for my standard-issue Windows work PC. That would do a lot more for me than a CPU upgrade. It isn't just opening applications. It's everything disk intensive. 7200rpm helps, but flash memory is just faster, no matter what.
What frustrates me the most with this entire thread is the stupid subject line. How quickly $600 turned into > $1300 is ridiculous. This is why most of us laugh at threads like this... because most of us realize that many companies put their cheapest crap forward at a low price. When you actually look at what you get and pay for what you want, the price is more then double.
Mr. Thread Starter, you've been had by Lenovo.
Mr. Thread Starter, you've been had by Lenovo.
Actually, the one that gives the snap thing is BetterSnapTool, BetterTouchTool is from the same makers and it is awesome too, but for extra gestures and such.
...And apple doesn't charge a hefty premium for extra features?
Apple starts the MBA at $1000, but most users will cough up an extra $200-600 for better RAM/SSD. A lot of people (me!
) would rather buy a better-value Lenovo (x220) and get a lot more computer for their money. The only downside is the slightly bulkier design, which I think is very tolerable.
As this thread has clearly gone off the reservation, why can't we discuss the simple fact- plainly apparent to those visiting a Macintosh website- that here are some things that are way more important than saving a few dollars, or having the fastest processor on earth... for that week, or having the biggest drive or biggest screen.
Personally, I don't care about a few hundred dollars or a few fractions of a Ghz speed difference, or an extra couple of dozen gigs of storage. My computing experience means more to me than any of these factors- and I wouldn't think I was so far afield to imagine that this means the same thing for many of you. For the vast majority of users- other than NASA perhaps- none of these specs are deal-breakers. Anything I might see as "giving up to the PC's" are more than compensated by the Apple/Macintosh experience- which is the best in the world for a consumer product.
I love the Mac- plain and simple. After being forced to use Windows for too many years, and paying for the monstrous waste in time and effort to keep it up and running and compatible, as soon as it became up to me, my company went all Mac and we have never looked back. Productivity has SOARED, as has uptime, and the savings from the lack of a dedicated tech support department has paid for any premium many times over. Bottom line. At investment is MUCH more than simply the initial cost.
I'll take a unibody laptop any day of the week over some plastic piece of junk- regardless if these so-called better features only exist in a PC. We used to have to pay a huge premium for owning a Mac- now the gap has closed- but even if it had not I would still gladly pay more- as what is a few hundred dollars versus the mind-numbing agony of dealing with legacy Windows systems and mostly inferior design and quality? IMHO of course. Perhaps W7 has changed all this but having been burned way too many times, I'm more than done. Thus endeth the sermon to the choir.
Nothing would make me go back to Windows ever again. Period.
Personally, I don't care about a few hundred dollars or a few fractions of a Ghz speed difference, or an extra couple of dozen gigs of storage. My computing experience means more to me than any of these factors- and I wouldn't think I was so far afield to imagine that this means the same thing for many of you. For the vast majority of users- other than NASA perhaps- none of these specs are deal-breakers. Anything I might see as "giving up to the PC's" are more than compensated by the Apple/Macintosh experience- which is the best in the world for a consumer product.
I love the Mac- plain and simple. After being forced to use Windows for too many years, and paying for the monstrous waste in time and effort to keep it up and running and compatible, as soon as it became up to me, my company went all Mac and we have never looked back. Productivity has SOARED, as has uptime, and the savings from the lack of a dedicated tech support department has paid for any premium many times over. Bottom line. At investment is MUCH more than simply the initial cost.
I'll take a unibody laptop any day of the week over some plastic piece of junk- regardless if these so-called better features only exist in a PC. We used to have to pay a huge premium for owning a Mac- now the gap has closed- but even if it had not I would still gladly pay more- as what is a few hundred dollars versus the mind-numbing agony of dealing with legacy Windows systems and mostly inferior design and quality? IMHO of course. Perhaps W7 has changed all this but having been burned way too many times, I'm more than done. Thus endeth the sermon to the choir.
Nothing would make me go back to Windows ever again. Period.
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on the MBA, RAM is either maxed or a $100 upgrade and the SSD upgrade is $300. so, actually, in your warped universe, you are very close, but off by a sign:
$100 + $300 = $400
while, $200-$600 = -$400
this thread is awrsumg.
I know I wasn't completely accurate... but I was referring to the uncustomized models.
haha. my "warped universe." spot on.
Sometimes I think everyone is in their own little universe, especially when I see heated arguments on forums. ...And apple doesn't charge a hefty premium for extra features?
A lot of people (me!
I never said apple doesn't do the same. They open their Macbook Air line at $999, but most will spend in the 1300 range.
So, let me do what Thread Starter did, but in reverse:
Macbook Air is only $900! Look at that stupid lenovo costing $1300. Almost 400 bucks more! What a waste! How can you guys be so stupid to buy that thing? You lenovo fanboys always paying more. Wouldn't you want a sleek and powerful Macbook Air for 400 bucks less then a crappy plastic lenovo?
I know I wasn't completely accurate... but I was referring to the uncustomized models.
haha. my "warped universe." spot on.
indeed, anyone writing here, or any other forum, is in their own warped universe.
because i am sick and warped too, i have to add that you can't even spend on $400 on RAM/SSD through Apple; the only model with upgradable RAM is the base 11, which is not SSD upgradeable.
warped power!
I think what you have done is compared at each product only very superficially, then went on to make your own decision.
It is like wondering why anyone would ever eat at a restaurant when they could get a similar meal for cheaper elsewhere. I realise it is not the most apt of analogies, but I used to wonder the same thing about apple too. For the price of an Imac, I could easily get 2 PCs, each with comparable specs.
But when I switched over (after weeks of research and consultation with friends), I saw why. I must say there is a big difference between hearing about the pros from friends, and experiencing it for yourself.
Bottom line - it is really all about the user experience. It's just fast. I don't have to bother about maintaining it, or slowing down my desktop with a veritable array of maintenance programs. Admitably, there are some features I wished they had ported over from windows, but overall, I am not regretting my decision one bit.
Ahh yes, the "experience" the intangible term that Apple marketing came up with when their competition one ups them in every category that actually matters. That in itself is very cleaver, but that they can also convince people that things that matter... Don't? Well that's just sheer genius on their part.
I've been a hybrid user for the past year, prior to that I was a Windows only user. I had/have a few friends that used Mac's and they would talk it up like it was the greatest thing ever, so whenever I got a chance to use their machines, I'd get a little excited and think "ok, lets see what all the hype is about" and other than the admittedly gorgeous IPS display, I came away being thoroughly unimpressed. Don't get me wrong, there was nothing wrong or bad about it, it just wasn't anything special by any stretch.
ok, so maybe I need to spend more time with OSX to fully appreciate it? Fair enough, a year ago I wanted a new laptop and the MBA got my attention. Not only did I want a Mac to "experience" and familiarize myself with OSX, but the "ultra book" concept intrigued me as well and the MBA was really the only one of it's kind a year ago.
So do I appreciate the "experience" more a year later? A little bit, for one main reason, and that's the touch pad. It's hardly the orgasmic experience some people make it out to be.
Another thing I've observed about Mac converts that claim "it's so much better" and that's that most of them went from a 5 year old PC that they paid $500 for brand new to a brand new Mac that cost them $1500-$2000. Well... Yeah, I would certainly hope it's a lot better than a 5 year old box at 1/4 the price.
um. The reverse is irrelevant...because it's reverse.
Illustrates just how silly this thread is.
You can't take the low end price of the competitor, and then take the high end specs of the machine, and compare it to a random Apple model and expect people to take you seriously.
No. You made the best possible purchase decision you possibly could.
There. Having been validated by a complete stranger, go enjoy your MBA.
This is a really convincing comparison. To any lay person arrives in this forum, he/she will be able to see what's good or bad, clearly Thinkpad wins in every aspect.
Have you addressed any of these issues? nope.
In above list, the only tipping point I see might be the 250HDD vs 68GB SSD, it's pushing it. 68GB is just way too small to save anything, you'd be busy deleting old files in order to save again. That feeling sucks. You will be forced to buy an external hard drive.
If you have something to say, bring it on baby!
If it is so good, tell everyone and convince it with your point and tell why you made a good decision! I mean did you?
(you are going to tell me it's good user experience, I love it, it's so light, again and again.)
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I first started in computing in 1973 on mainframes, and was one of the first adopters in both Apple and PC domains. I owned the first 8088's, the first Apple IIe's, and the first Macintosh. I have been the go-to person every group of friends seeks out to get their opinion, as I do my homework quite thoroughly.
After 35 years of dual-platform computing experience, I hardly think I am susceptible to hype or marketing bull or a reality distortion field. I am not sold simply on clever, but what actually happens when the rubber meets the road. Performance trumps all- even value in most cases. I seek out facts not emotions first. ANd this is decided over decades of intense investigation and experience, not a mere year of twiddling about.
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The SSD in the Air is modular and can be upgraded. The memory is whats soldered on and cannot be upgraded.
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Meh. Not really, it only addresses a subset of the differences and glosses over key points. Cherry-picking does not a convincing comparison make.
True, IPS is nicer (also a $50 upgrade), but arguably the x220 is more comparable with the 13.3” MacBook Air than the 11" due to size and weight. So 13.3" 1440x900 display vs 1366x768 12.5. That extra 132 vertical pixels makes a difference. Full power CPU is a double edged sword in terms of using more battery and having more heat to dissipate. parapup, and I mean no disrespect, sounds like me before I started using SSDs. Even 7200RPM HDDs aren't anywhere near the same class as SSDs. Anyone saying they're comparable is probably justifying why they've not spent the money to upgrade to an SSD.
I'll give you USB3, TB needs to get more mainstream stuff available.On the other hand the X220 is also a bunch heavier than the 11" MBA, about equivalent with the 13", and over twice as thick as either of them. Lenovo does have the track point, which is nice, but their trackpads don't come close to Apple's.
As mentioned before, they're somewhat different systems aimed at different user communities. Best choice depends on personal preference in terms of what strengths/weaknesses on each system best match up to the individual's particular needs, values, and priorities. Dont get me wrong, I like ThinkPads and have owned several of them over the years. The x220 seems to be a fine machine. It does have strengths over the MacBook Air line, but it also has its weaknesses where the Airs are superior. Any potential buyer, if he's smart, will do his research before purchase to figure out which best fits his needs.
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The thing is, it is an undeniable fact that I am thoroughly enjoying my imac compared to my previous windows PC or the laptop my school issues me for work-related purposes.
It is not an opinion that I am saving time and hassle by not having to defrag my HD or have AVG running in the background every single moment and slowing down my comp. It's a fact.
Intangible doesn't mean inexistent or inconsequential.
You are right in that specs matter, but I hardly think they should be the sole determining factor in deciding which one to buy, because how much ram or space a laptop has doesn't always tell the full story. For instance, the ipad2 is able to do similar tasks compared to rival tablets even though the former is listed as having inferior specs, simply because its programs are better optimised to take full advantage of the OS. This is a feature, not a bug.
*Exhales*
The thing is, I don't even know why I am responding to this even. Just let him buy his lenovo laptop, I continue buying my own apple products, we are all happy consumers, right?
I never understood the arguments between Mac and PC. You ultimately get what you pay for. If I bypass the manufacturers and build my own PC, I can build an amazing PC that will beat any Mac hands down. It will also be expensive. Differences between OS X and Windows are mostly highly subjective anymore.
Depending on your task you just need to pick the right tool for the job.
Depending on your task you just need to pick the right tool for the job.
If you think you wasted your money, then guess what? You wasted your money. Value is in the mind of the buyer. Why don't you just return the Air and get the Lenovo. I'm beginning to wonder why you even started this thread. You see so many of these conversations:
I just bought macbook xxx, and saw xxx pc. I wonder if I did the right thing. Look at all the great specs of xxx pc.
Nobody really cares dude. Just get what you want and be happy.
I just bought macbook xxx, and saw xxx pc. I wonder if I did the right thing. Look at all the great specs of xxx pc.
Nobody really cares dude. Just get what you want and be happy.
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