Macbook Air vs Thinkpad X; A couple's double-review

Well, this isn't actually a question, but more a semi-review.

I was recently in the market for two (!) computers, one for me and another for my girlfriend. We are both professionals in the finance field and have workstations at the office along with very strict data access controls, so not much "mobile working" going on, other than reading non-sensitive PDFs and the like.

We both have pretty much the same usage patterns and needs for our computers, which is why I decided to put to the test two of the best mobile notebooks in production: the 11 inch Macbook Air (for my girlfriend) and the Thinkpad X201 (for me).

I have been a Thinkpad diehard ever since 2005, when I bought a loaded IBM Thinkpad T41, just before Lenovo bought the Thinkpad line. It lasted, stock, through four years of college with no issues other than a very dim screen and admittedly small hard drive, especially compared to 2009 notebooks. However, with a clean install (thanks to you guys!), docked and connected to an external monitor, it is serving my grandmother well as her first computer of her own, sitting on her desk in quiet peace.

I was going to get my girlfriend the 13 inch MBA, but decided to visit the Apple Store (near us in Beijing, the Sanlitun branch) first to get her impressions. She looked at the 13 inch, swiveled around, looked at the 11 inch, and made up her mind quite quickly: the 11 inch was the one she wanted. I compensated her choice a little by getting it fully loaded (128 GB SS "drive," 4 GB RAM). I am always wary of too little storage space and too little RAM, although she said she'd be fine with the cheapest model. In the case of an Apple, which is essentially not user-replaceable, this decision was made easier. (there are always exceptions for powerusers, who probably would tell me to replace the screen on my T41...not to say I didn't consider it....)

Why am I so finicky about RAM and storage and insist on the most expensive version? I find that although my girlfriend doesn't game or use video editing software, she does have the habit, as I do, of opening 1.21 gigatabs in Firefox, along with Office software and iTunes. I've seen my office 4 GB RAM machine use 50% of its system resources in such a way (well, sans iTunes of course), and that would basically be page-file time on a 2 GB machine, yikes. Also, I have 64 GB of flash storage on my iTouch...a "primary machine" with the same storage capacity as my (nearly full) MP3 player scares me, especially when purchasing AppleCare and thinking about three years down the line.

As for my machine, I also opted for 4 GB RAM, but installed a 64 bit Win7 Pro OS in case I want to double that later. I do some light gaming (older stuff like Diablo II, Half Life 2, Deus Ex, etc.) but I am also a sucker for overkill and "being prepared" (Boy Scouts really nailed that idea into me). My machine is the i5 560m, 500 GB 7200 RPM drive, trackpoint, 4 cell battery. I also bought a 9 cell battery for that dreaded cross-Pacific flight to and from the USA. (Standard issue, IMHO, for those moments in coach where all that's standing between you and the chaotic, baby-filled chaos of 2-5-2 777 seating are your noise-cancelling headphones and lots of movies on your laptop).


Initial Reactions:

MBA: Wow. It's really sharp, simple, functional, sleek, fast, impressive. Getting my girlfriend adjusted to OSX should be easy. If she can understand derivative pricing models, I am confident she can adjust to an "easier" OSX (although I never found Windows to be that complicated... in before flaming!)

The unibody design begs to be dented in a bag, and I'm sure it's going to happen sooner or later. I'm also sure she won't care that much, given the way she wears some of her favorite clothes years later, even after scuffs or wear is noticeable to the discerning eye. Barring a horrific accident to the MBA (drop, water, etc.), minor casual damage shouldn't matter too much, and she'll baby the thing anyways. Hope it lasts.


Thinkpad: The good old Thinkpad formula hasn't changed in the last 6 years since I bought one. In my opinion, this is the best industrial design in computers. Just as minimalist as the Macs, with very practical features such as the sturdy hinges and rollcage that allows my T41 to survive the rigors of college life virtually unscathed. I am never afraid of handling a Thinkpad, which I certainly can not say for the new baby MBA. That said, it's not going to win any fashion awards, but is perfect in a gets-the-job-done, unassuming kind of modesty accompanied by many a "quiet genius" who has endured the back of the class while reaching the top of the honor charts.

Does this design need a refresh? (Really, it's the topic of another thread). I personally don't think so. I think IBM really mastered the design and Lenovo has hopefully left as much unchanged as possible internally. We'll see four years later if this one weathers the storms. User-replaceable batteries, storage (after seeing the performance of the MBA's SSD, even being a "substandard" SSD from 2008, I really want one for the Thinkpad...), RAM, etc. will help.


Biggest things that suck about the computers:

MBA: ports (and no dock), battery, processor. All of these things "necessary evils" to allow for the design and profit margin, I'm sure.

Thinkpad: heavy and thick in comparison to the MBA, but compensated by the features, I'm sure. I'm also kicking myself for not ordering the SSD. I think Lenovo should transition into making these things standard on X20x series laptops as the storage space increases. It really makes the MBA snap.


Final thoughts: I am very pleased with both of these computers. I think, despite all the flaming, Apple and Thinkpad owners have more in common with each other than might be apparent at first sight. Both appreciate good build quality, industrial design, and don't shy away from a higher price tag in order to achieve those things. They both want machines that have good customer support and warranties. I think Apple and Lenovo do a pretty darn good job at both of these, with the edge to Apple's brick-and-mortar Genii who are very passionate about the computers they sell and repair.

A very interesting comparison would be the Thinkpad T series vs the Macbook Pro line, both 15 inch models. I think these computers would also be excellent and have interesting nuances against each other.

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading my story! A huge "Thank You" to everyone at Notebookreview forums for all of the great guides, helpful reviews, informed opinions, and all-around neat people who are computer enthusiasts.

 

Nice(!) comparison, +REP.

 

As a former IBM T42 owner (and enthusiast) and current uMBP13 owner, I really agree with the conclusions of this comparison. IBM and Apple users have much in common.

 

Interesting enough I agree too... I went from a MBP to an x301 (only because I felt that windows 7 is stable enough for me)

I think there are many similarities .... and I love to watch people who have Lenovo's be snobbish about the quality of their product vs. apple, when both companies put out a great product (and vice versa).

I think the MBA is over priced, and that is why I decided to not buy an MBA (which was the only other laptop I was looking for when I got my x301) but the pricing and the lack of ports, and easy of upgrades made the lenovo an easy decision for me.

I would really recommend that someone check both laptops if they cant decide since people on forums go a bit fanatical about their brand loyalty...

Hope this doesn't become a Mac vs. Lenovo thing...

Also My MBP is now 4 years old, with mainly daily usage and it still running well (granted apple care was needed to get a new motherboard, screen, hd) but with applecare i think it is a great product.

 

The old Macbook Air was inadequate in many ways so your X301 comparison is probably a good choice on your part.

Lenovos are not expensive products though. They are like Dell with their 25-30-40% off coupons, really cheap products these days.

And like any other cheap computers, you get cheap crappy screens.

I got the new Air for about ... 1 reason only. The screen.

 

so get one of the Thinkpads with a non crappy TN screen available. such as the X201

 

Is this a bad joke? The X201 is a world class worst screens category.

Actually, if someone can find one good Lenovo screen in the history of Lenovo, I'd be delighted. I've never heard of, seen, or even read rumors of good Lenovo screens.

 

You may wish to google "FlexView". The Hydis screen in my X200t is quite excellent, better than what Apple is offering on the Airs. Apple is not a direct competitor to ThinkPads. They make their money selling to companies and governments. Those two care very little about screen quality. HP and Dells business class notebooks are Lenovo's competitors and they're not really offering anything better from what I've seen. Until that happens you probably won't see anything better offered from Lenovo.

Lenovo uses multiple screen suppliers, some better than others. I didn't think the Samsung screen I got on my X200 was all that bad.

Back on point. Thanks for the write up saved2play. The Airs and the X series are two of my favorite notebooks right now. The X series are the best thing Lenovo has done since taking over in my opinion. ThinkPad design is simple and elegant. If you look at an old ThinkPad and a new one, it hasn't changed much, which gives a timeless quality. The Airs are thin and light, and have a great design too. Each has their pros and cons, but neither is a bad choice.

 

Wow, good to know Lenovo has one laptop with an excellent screen on it.

It certainly beats Apple's use of TN screens for viewing angles.

 

sorry was thinking the 200t my mistake

if were going to go for all Laptops Look up the DreamColor 2 sIPS screen found in 2 of the Elitebooks. or the AFFS screen that USED to be available in some thinkpads

From an Elitebook review

I would love to have this in my MBP 17" to impress photographers who whine about my Elitebook being ugly.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/not...40w-review-full-metal-jacket.html#post6512737

 

I've got a 13" MBP on order and currently have a T500 and so the comparison won't be exactly apples to apples, but it will be interesting to see how the 2 compare.

Oh and +1 for the comparison.

 

Nice comparison. For what it's worth, MacBook Air comes with a dedicated graphic card (GeForce GT 320M) which is probably the biggest hardware difference. As far as the SSD in the Thinkpad goes, you can order one yourself and install it in 5 mins. It's typically cheaper to do so than to order one with the laptop (not just Lenovo, pretty much from any company).

As far as the screen goes, yes (most?) X tablet screens are pretty good. Some laptops in W series have amazing displays - RGB LED on Thinkpad W701 and the one on Dell Precision Workstation M6500 are the top of the line there. It seems the regular TN displays on Thinkpads aren't designed to be used for multimedia (the target audience for Thinkpads and Macbooks is totally different from that point of view), but they are nevertheless 'matte' screens. And a lot of people will appreciate having minimal glare when you try to work on something - it can be really annoying. The downside is that, yeah, if you watch a movie it will look a bit worse than on any Macbook.

 

Apple has no GT 320M GPUs in any of their machines, including the Air. They use a 320M integrated chipset GPU... its not a dedicated GPU.

 

The difference being that it has more powerful processing capabilities than the IGP, but still has to share all the resources (memory, bus) with the CPU. A dedicated GPU has its own resources.