Why use a classic ThinkPad
ThinkPads (the classic ones) are essentially the anti-Apple computers; they are the complete opposite to Macbooks, which is what makes them great. What’s wrong with Macbooks? Although I could give you a list as long as my arm, I’ll give you a few reasons.
What’s wrong with Macbooks? (and modern laptops)
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Their repairability. Macbooks are designed to be as painful as possible to repair so that you won’t do it yourself, and end up paying a fortune to get it repaired. One example of this is their screws. Any sensible Computer would use Phillips-head screws, but not the Macbook. They use “Pentalobe screws”, which are the most obscure screws in existence. It may only be a small thing, but they’re only used to make repairing your Macbook more difficult. Apple used to use regular screws before 2009, but changed it for no apparent reason.
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Their upgradability. If you want to upgrade your RAM, Hard drive, or CPU, then you can forget about it. They are all soldered onto the motherboard. If your current hardware is getting a bit outdated, then you have no choice other than to pay for the next generation of an overpriced laptop.
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Consumerism. If there is one thing I am against, it’s consumerism. Many people only buy Apple products only for the logo. It may be a revelation to some people that not everything you own has to have a logo on it. You don’t need to be a walking advertisement. Your t-shirt doesn’t need Adidas written on it, your shoes don’t need the Nike logo on them, your computer doesn’t need a huge apple on the back of it! Don’t waste your money caring about brands!
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Build quality. Macbooks are made to look stylish, not to take a beating. My ThinkPad X220 has a magnesium alloy roll cage, and is built in a modular fashion. This means that if I drop it and one part breaks, I only have to replace that one small part, and not the entire casing. My ThinkPad also has drainage holes under the keyboard, to prevent water damage if you spill water on the keyboard. It’s designed to be practical, not to look good when you’re drinking your soy latte in Starbucks.
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Ports. Apple deliberately removes ports from their computers to force you into buying their adapters. Their justification to this is that USB-A is dead (which is absolutely not the case), and their minimalist design is better looking. Computers are tools for work, and should not be designed with ascetics as the number one priority! The same can be said about indicator lights.
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Keyboards. Apple were one of the first companies to adopt the dreadful chicklet-style keyboards. Try and type on these keyboards without your fingers feeling like they’ve been hitting a brick for an hour.
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Batteries. There is no reason other than forcing people to have expensive battery replacements to not have a removable battery. They are easier to replace, and you can carry two of them for extra battery life.
But it’s not just Apple. They may have been the first to start many of these trends in technology, but other companies are starting to follow suit. Although ThinkPads are still some of the best new computers to get, they have removed some of their qualities that made the old ones great.
You may need modern hardware for some applications, and might need the better battery life, and I would understand you buying modern hardware for that (as long as it isn’t Apple!), but for most people it’s completly overkill (especially if you’re running linux). I don’t think the bulkiness is as big of an issue as people make it out to be, but you can get some more thin laptops, that are slightly newer than something like an X220 and still have some of the benefits. So for a lot of people the best laptops you can get are old ones, where everything is easy to repair and upgrade. It doesn’t have to be a ThinkPad (again, don’t buy things for the brand), any old laptop would do. I like the ThinkPads because their parts are plentiful and cheap, there is loads of documentation about them, the trackpoint is brilliant, and they have great build quality. So get yourself an old laptop, and stop buying things for the brand!
Approved by: markbenedict1811@gmail.com
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