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If you didn't have a Mac..

I had a couple of Vaio Zs. None of them held up. The structure is compromised in order to keep them so thin, and the plastic felt extremely cheap for a $2000 computer. I doubt I would buy another Sony.

I have an older Dell Precision at home and a Latitude at work. The screen quality is mediocre on the Latitude but they're extraordinarily durable and quite easily repairable. The Precision has a fantastic 1920x1200 screen- it's a giant brick, but that's the price you pay.
 
Lenovo T- or W-series, or HP EliteBooks.

-durable construction
-great customer service (1)
-reasonably priced extended warranties (2)
-available with DreamColor displays (HP) or built in color sensors (Lenovo)
-configurable and upgradeable

Though it's pretty hard to imagine giving up my rMBP after spending the last year with it.





1. Well, at least in the country I live in, YMMV. Here Apple was earlier known for absolutely appaling customer service, but it's improved a lot in recent years. Sony service is still horrible though.

2. With HP $359 gets you a 5 year Next Business Day Onsite service with Accidental Damage Protection, the $349 AppleCare absolutely pales in comparison. Come on Apple, $349 for a Carry-In service, that's just ridiculous :D
 
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I would probably go with the Razer Blade laptop. It has a low profile just like the rMBP, and excellent gaming performance.
 
Would have chosen either a "Sony Vaio E" or a "Dell 15" or an "MSI E X" something. All of them only ~700€, had a dedicated midrange GPU, and a nice look, however I can't find the configurations for them anymore...(looked for them half a year ago)

That said, I wouldn't buy any of them anymore. Why? The plastic... I hate the plastic casing - I can't tell you how much I hate it. It always kills screw sockets when you try to open it. Besides many of the small plastic hinges and hooks are cracking, eventually flying around in the casing, making the seals weak, brittle and lose even more parts :mad:

I have often thought of drilling holes through the whole laptop casing and put in screws myself with a length ranging from bottom to top, so I could open them comfortably. It would look ugly though... But the quality of all these plastic laptop is so poor that you even gonna think you can do better if you just create a cheap metal or wooden box yourself and put all the guts of the laptop in...
 
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Thinkpad W540
quadro graphics
3 HDs
32gb memory
Retinaesque display

Or a razer blade pro
 
Hard to know. When I was shopping for a laptop for college it was 2009, and the only Windows option was Vista. Probably would've gotten some cheap HP just because I didn't know much better.

Now I would probably get a nice HP or a Lenovo that isn't one of the "old school" black ones.

The first computer I ever used was an HP Pavilion tower running Windows 95 (I wasn't born yet for 1.0 LOL). It served my family pretty well until 2003 when we traded it out for a Compaq running XP. My brother also got a Compaq laptop to take to college in 2004. But then I got my MBP in 2009, and my parents got the 17" MBP in 2010 to replace the Compaq tower. My brother got a Gateway to replace his Compaq, but I'm not sure what he's running now. He has also built some custom towers for himself. I'm not sure my parents will buy another non-Apple for home use, although they both use Windows machines for work. Personally I think they should get an iMac next since the MBP hardly ever leaves the desk where it sits.

We did have some Apple all-in-ones (not sure if they were the Apple II or a different model) at my elementary school before they brought in Compaq towers in 2001 or so. They still had the Apples around for Oregon Trail though!
 
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old-wiz said:
Seriously?

I'd never go back to Windows. I started with Windows 3.0 and had to keep using Windows till I retired. Windows drove me nuts. I had to buy so much extra software just to get my job done.
Click to expand...

Are you seriously questioning his choice of a Windows laptop when the thread is asking specifically if you were to have something other than a Mac?

I would also grab a Surface 2 Pro.
 
old-wiz said:
I'd never go back to Window s. I started with Windows 3.0 and had to keep using Windows till I retired.
Click to expand...

Windows 1.0 here. :D (or whatever the 1st iteration was called). Mac user though at the same time Apple ][.

Windows drove me nuts. I had to buy so much extra software just to get my job done.
Click to expand...
Yes. Me too. Still buying it! But the OS matters not to me. And hell... if I was retired an iPad would work for me. :D

ChildishGambino said:
Are you seriously questioning his choice of a Windows laptop when the thread is asking specifically if you were to have something other than a Mac?
Click to expand...
It's ok. Wiz and I are a bit older than most here so we stroll down memory lane at the drop of a hat. :D
 
old-wiz said:
Seriously?

I'd never go back to Windows. I started with Windows 3.0 and had to keep using Windows till I retired. Windows drove me nuts. I had to buy so much extra software just to get my job done.
Click to expand...

You did read the OP's question right?
 
Honestly, if I didn't have a Mac, I would not be using a computer. I have used Macs since 1989 and Apple's laptop since 1996.
 
nollimac said:
Honestly, if I didn't have a Mac, I would not be using a computer.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how close to 0 you can get without actually hitting 0, but I'd estimate that's the chance that what you're saying is true.
 
old-wiz said:
Seriously?

I'd never go back to Windows. I started with Windows 3.0 and had to keep using Windows till I retired. Windows drove me nuts. I had to buy so much extra software just to get my job done.
Click to expand...

Most came from Windows and a majority will go back once Apple stops being trendy. Windows, Linux, OS X are all fine and all have had their rough patches.

My next portable will not be a Mac. When my 17" dies I'll go with System 76 and run Arch.
 
ShaneBunting said:
...which other branded laptop would you buy and why?

Design, spec, price?

Would love to know :)

Mine would be one of those slide Sony Vaio's
Click to expand...

Dell. That's the only brand I've owned - I'm getting away from windows because I want something different and apple fits the bill.
 
Starfyre said:
Dell, they make solid laptops unlike flimsy HP.
Click to expand...

If you are comparing an XPS to a Pavilion, then sure, the Pavilion is flimsy. Compare an HP EliteBook with a Dell Inspiron, and the result is the exact opposite.

But if you actually compare similarily priced laptops from similar product lines, you'll not see much difference in build quality.
 
laurihoefs said:
If you are comparing an XPS to a Pavilion, then sure, the Pavilion is flimsy. Compare an HP EliteBook with a Dell Inspiron, and the result is the exact opposite.

But if you actually compare similarily priced laptops from similar product lines, you'll not see much difference in build quality.
Click to expand...

I've only owned XPS machines - laptops and desktops - but my sister tends to buy those sub $1,000 dell machines and what a piece of crap they are. They were more like disposable laptops - every 6 months, they commit suicide.
 
Yea those crappy Dells ;)

<sent from 2008 Dell Latitude E6500 2.66 C2D Quadro 160M 64bit Arch>
 
old-wiz said:
Oh gawd..Windows 1.0...shudder..I think I abandoned it in favor of DesqView and I had an Apple II as well. Now how many people here ever heard of DesqView? or Multics.
Click to expand...
Hee hee, Desqview. :D How about GEM OS? :eek:

Carry on kids - gotta go. The Home is serving clam chowder tonight then it's off to Bingo for me!
 
MyMac1976 said:
Yea those crappy Dells ;)

<sent from 2008 Dell Latitude E6500 2.66 C2D Quadro 160M 64bit Arch>
Click to expand...

Well, the Latitude, being a durable business laptop designed for heavy use and long lifespan, might not quite fall in the same category as the "crappy Dells" ;)
 
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