Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Objective alternates to 15" MBP

Q

quinn lebry

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 9, 2013
2
0
Thank you all for reading my first post, I hope I've located it well in the forum.

I'm starting an architecture program in the fall, so I need an upgrade from my current 2009 MBP to handle the anticipated software. I was initially waiting on new MBPs around June this year, intending to purchase a refurbished/clearance laptop. However, I find out that the programs will be demanding on hardware, running on Windows. I prefer a laptop over a desktop for mobility.

With that said, and a $2000 budget to consider, am I best off scrapping Bootcamp MBP for a PC? I would appreciate any [objective] feedback on good alternate laptops, given this and the following constraints:

-at a minimum a quad-core or whatever is second-best is coming out this summer. Can't spend $$ on top-of-line here, preferring:
-16GB RAM at least
-1GB Video (no idea what cards are good, though)
-SSD, at least 256GB
-15" screen
-warranty

Experience, feedback welcome. Any experience with warranties and service for Lenovo, HP, [hate Dell], Asus, please. My top choice now seems to be a Lenovo w530 or equivalent.

Thank you!!!!
 
Lenovo W530. With the 3Yr NBD, Priority Phone Support, & Accident Coverage you should be able to get the base i7 4core, 1GB video card, and your RAM needs for just over $2000. Without the support, subtract ~$350. The SSD is going to drive the cost up past your budget.

Call Lenovo on the phone and purchase it that way. You can usually get a better deal than the list prices on their website if you call them.
 
duervo said:
Lenovo W530. With the 3Yr NBD, Priority Phone Support, & Accident Coverage you should be able to get the base i7 4core, 1GB video card, and your RAM needs for just over $2000. Without the support, subtract ~$350. The SSD is going to drive the cost up past your budget.

Call Lenovo on the phone and purchase it that way. You can usually get a better deal than the list prices on their website if you call them.
Click to expand...

This is excellent advice above. We use MBP's and ThinkPad W series at work.

If you watch carefully Lenovo tends to have frequent sales, so you should be able to get an excellent price.

They are very well built, fast quiet and cool, about the only difference of significance is they are thicker than an MBP and the displays are not as brilliant. Made from CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) the case material is of very high quality.

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/...y-id=8290D97BCD4869FF73A91D590D8749C5&redir=y
 
Lenovo/IBM ThinkPad, or the HP Elitebook gets my nod if you're venturing to a Windows laptop. Both are strong candidates so just get whichever one you like better, or is cheaper.
 
Thanks for the quick responses. I seem to prefer the Lenovo at this point, but the others look good, too, although the ASUS might be the weak one of the pack.

Two more follow-ups at this point:
-Is Windows 8 a superior choice over 7? I'm not interested so much in features as reliability, and whichever will eat up less processing power so I can run programs, render, etc.
-Any serious advantage to shell out $250 more for the NVidia k2000 over the k1000, if both are at 2gb? e.g. full Adobe suite, Rhino, Grasshopper, autocad

Very good advice to call in Lenovo for a deal! Thank you so much. Any other suggestions welcome. I'm curious if anyone has an idea if Lenovo will be releasing newer models in Q3, mirroring Apple's releases. - ql
 
Check out some of the ThinkPad dealers on ebay too. I am in the UK but was over in the US on business in November, ordered a W530, 32GB RAM, 2GB K2000m graphics, high res screen and 512GB SSD for a shade over $2000, delivered to my hotel.

They come with same 3 year warranty and are new machines. Thoroughly recommend those guys.

You *must* get an SSD though, it is an absolute must.

However... :)

I did move from a Macbook Pro and sometimes regret it. In terms of specs there is no doubt the Lenovo is the better machine but in day to day use I miss the MBP. The trackpad is awful compared to MBP, all PC laptops ones are IMO. Keyboard is about the same though and I use an external mouse mostly so not too much of a big deal.
Resale value of the MBP is usually far better too, need to take this into account to calculate your overall cost of ownership which is a better way of looking at how much a laptop costs.
I am sticking with the Lenovo for the moment as I need 32GB RAM but if a Retina MBP with 32GB comes out I will be sorely tempted to move back.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back