Purchasing a new laptop

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slsdly
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by slsdly »

@ducknald_don, I have a RPi 4 that I hooked up to an NVMe in a USB 3 enclosure and a powered USB 3 hub (the Pi doesn't have enough power to drive it). There is a setting you can flip in the latest firmware to change the boot order to prefer USB drives. It made a world of difference, but it still feels a tad sluggish browsing. I haven't tried the RPi 64-bit images yet because they are still working on graphics driver issues, but supposedly that will also dramatically improve things.

Western Red Cedar
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by Western Red Cedar »

Alphaville wrote:
Wed Mar 03, 2021 8:01 pm
frugal + quality + ecosystem integrity = ipad ($330 american)

does a bunch of apps and more portable than a macbook.
Do you use a Macbook for your setup, or run everything off an Ipad? We currently have a 2015 Macbook Pro along with a couple Ipads, but you got me thinking about whether I would even need to bring a laptop on the road for extended slow-travel. I'm interested in photo and video editing, but I realize you could do that with apps on the ipad.

Thoughts on the tradeoffs of bringing both, vs just the ipad? What am I losing out on by selling the pro and just working on an ipad/icloud setup? I'm a bit of a luddite so I apologize in advance for the simplistic questions.

sky
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by sky »

@slsdly

Have you overclocked? I am running 2.147 Ghz. You need a heatsink and fan though.

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Alphaville
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by Alphaville »

Western Red Cedar wrote:
Fri Mar 05, 2021 9:15 pm
Do you use a Macbook for your setup, or run everything off an Ipad? We currently have a 2015 Macbook Pro along with a couple Ipads, but you got me thinking about whether I would even need to bring a laptop on the road for extended slow-travel. I'm interested in photo and video editing, but I realize you could do that with apps on the ipad.

Thoughts on the tradeoffs of bringing both, vs just the ipad? What am I losing out on by selling the pro and just working on an ipad/icloud setup? I'm a bit of a luddite so I apologize in advance for the simplistic questions.
I actually run everything off the iPad. The only reason I have a Mac mini is because I have to edit video with precision that iMovie can't provide, so yeah, that's just a semi-professional video rig I use to make money. But I usually start things on iMovie and finish later on Final Cut if necessary. To be honest I would rather not need Final Cut, but it's still a necessary evil. I look forward to the day when absolutely everything can be done off the iPad.

I would not take a laptop on the road: it's just a pain.

For photo editing nothing beats the iPad, it's like an old Wacom tablet, but better, and if you have the Apple Pencil you can really get into details and use brushes and edit single pixels much better than a mouse. My wife actually uses the iPad Pro together with the Apple Pencil for art and graphics work. She does everything from painting to video to recording music on Garage Band, but that is a pricier proposition and not for everyone. It's really a self contained art studio. But it's big and heavy, and I wouldn't take it on the road. The new iPad Air can actually do the same things with a more modern processor, it's just a smaller screen and lighter weight. But don't underestimate the basic iPad which is really powerful and works with the pencil too. That's the one I would take on the road because if anything happens it's cheap to replace. See: https://www.apple.com/ipad-10.2/

What you're losing by selling the pro is old technology and a heavy weight/space heater.

I don't think you are a real Luddite, because you're working with digital media. What I think you're not it's an IT guy, so you don't want to be bothered with all the details of how the technology works, and programming, which... makes perfect sense to me. I like to understand the technology more than pure creatives but here I am trying to be practical by focusing on the use of the tool, not on making a tool from scratch, because if I do that I will never get to the actual projects I want to work on: which are creative, not technical.

By the way I am dictating this post on the iPad instead of typing it, which is why I finally get capital letters in, unlike what I do with my fat thumbs daily.

hegesippe
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by hegesippe »

+1 on getting a used Thinkpad

There's a LOT of information on X220 and T440p models and many more. These are favorites of programmers so there's a lot of documentation on it.
You'll find Youtube video on how to upgrade them very easily, how to repair them.

Lenovo Thinkpad x220 used - 100$
used SSD 120 gb - 20$
2x 4gb RAM modules. - 60$

That's a good specification for just office use.
Obviously for the price you are not going to have the perks of a Macbook (Style&Design, Sound quality and screen quality)
But you will definitely have a more repairable computer, more solid and more future proof.

Here's a list of all the mods you can do on the x220 : http://x220.mcdonnelltech.com/resources/

Then if you want a better, bigger screen, just buy a 50$ monitor screen 21" something like that on eBay or Marketplace.

edit: oh and install linux on it, ubuntu if you want just an easy setup up and use OS or Gentoo/Arch Linux,... for a more power-user experience.

ducknald_don
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by ducknald_don »

One thing to be wary of on the low end Thinkpads is many come with dire screens. I bought a three year old x270 and the screen felt like something from fifteen years ago. Luckily it was upgradeable.

hegesippe
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by hegesippe »

agree on the bad screens. very easy to replace though. I recall laughing out loud at how easy it was when upgrading my T440P to a 1080p screen. If think I didn't even need a screwdriver.

if you want to stay on the Apple ecosystem, I would recommend a 2015 MacBook Pro or a iMac 2011 with an SSD upgrade. The latter being cheaper I think.

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Alphaville
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by Alphaville »

If you're getting a desktop, I think a used 2011 iMac would be a terrible proposition at this point due to age and Apple moving away from Intel processors. I would much rather get a new basic Mac mini, just add any kind of cheap monitor.

hegesippe
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by hegesippe »

Alphaville wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 9:03 am
If you're getting a desktop, I think a used 2011 iMac would be a terrible proposition at this point due to age and Apple moving away from Intel processors. I would much rather get a new basic Mac mini, just add any kind of cheap monitor.
I have a this exact model and it is still kicking ass working everyday on Lightroom and Photoshop.

Hell, I have dusted off an old iMac G5 PPC from 2005 last week that I used to use younger and browsing web is generally not good (although enough for simple website like phpbb forums) but it's still great for movie, music and even light editing on photoshop cs4.
It is not even lagging, Mac OS was lighter these days.

I hope to be using my iMac 2011 for 7 more years, RAM can be upgraded to 16 or 32 even I think.
I do get your point of view

That said, I might be totally wrong, but I just hope the ARM chips never become necessary because the world has already produced enough working intel computer for centuries...

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Alphaville
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by Alphaville »

hegesippe wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 11:08 am
I have a this exact model and it is still kicking ass working everyday on Lightroom and Photoshop.
does it still update? i have a 2012 mpb and it's stuck in high sierra. the last time i tried to send it an ipad video project for finishing on fcp it failed to open and said it was "too new." first time ever this year actually. maxed out ram and an ssd won't change that. so i got a macmini that runs big sur (i knew this was coming and had been planning on it for a while)

security is up to date, but certain aspects of interoperability begin to fail. some app versions become stuck too. e.g., it's fine for typing, but won't let me share pages documents with newer versions. omnifocus uses a new database in newer versions so i have to keep the old version in newer devices.

the essentials still work, and it's a graceful degradation process, but it is heading towards obsolescence. nevertheless, 9 years was a good run, and i got it free some 5 years ago. i'm sure it will keep running for many more, but functionality will be lost eventually, just like a first gen imac i still have as a relic.

so i get keeping it running after 10 years of use, but i wouldn't buy one today for the future.

hegesippe
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by hegesippe »

No it is still on high Sierra but never had problems yet since I don't do very complicated things on it.
A few month ago, I even had an Java app that I couldn't open on my newer Macbook that opened without problem on the iMac... YMMV

The nice thing with Mac is that if you keep them long enough, you can still sell them to vintage collectors. Ahah I sold an empty accessory box of an old iMac G3 I had laying around in my garage for 10$ on eBay instead of throwing it away.

But that might not work too well from the 2011 iMac because they are getting boring and have the same look every year.
The G4, that was cool :D

Had the iPad Pro also that I sold because it was overkill, but I loved the experienced I had with it. Like your said, it's like a mini art studio. Editing photo on that thing is so nice. Very powerful.

What I didn't look up is the power consumption of the older iMac. That might be a very good advantage to get a newer M1 Mac if it is really less power hungry.
I remember seeing on forum that the 2005 iMac consumed up to 200$ of electricity per year!!

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Alphaville
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by Alphaville »

hegesippe wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 11:53 am
A few month ago, I even had an Java app that I couldn't open on my newer Macbook that opened without problem on the iMac... YMMV
ah! you use photoshop... was it gimp?

i stopped using java long ago over security concerns...

MegaRigger
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by MegaRigger »

Gonna follow this topic. The raspberry PI 400 looks interesting. I was looking for a solution/wetup where I can combine a monitor to connect with my work laptop (homeoffice), a basic homepc setup on the same screen and basic entertainment system. Investing in a decent monitor is not too expensive. This raspberry seems a good solution for the homepc (problem with worklaptop are the admin rights to install most software).

Now I'm also looking a good interior design in a square room to combine the office setting with kind of cozy tv setting. Not so nice to watch TV on a screen on a desk. Not so handy to work on a TV from a sofa. Any ideas/links?

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Alphaville
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by Alphaville »

tv wheels roll from office to sofa

do search for tv cart eg like this in usa https://www.walmart.com/ip/Metal-Adjust ... /600639588

slsdly
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by slsdly »

@sky, I did not overclock it. I do have a small heat sink on it. The M1 performance makes me a little jealous. I hope we get something that good for Linux one day.

madziebee
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by madziebee »

UPDATE

Apple fixed my Macbook Air for free. It needed an entire display replacement and under Australian Consumer law it is still considered 'under warranty' for 36 months after purchase. I did go without it for 2 weeks whilst it was broken, and that experience has completely changed my perspective. I already own an iPad that I don't use much, so I used that for everything whilst I waited for my laptop to be fixed. And Alphaville is right. It is half the price of laptop for argueably the same functionality and very portable. All you need is a basic wireless keyboard. Carrying it around was so easy and now my laptop feels large and clunky. It was definitely an adjustment, but now that my laptop is fixed I am considering selling it. Thank you all for your input! This has been very helpful.

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Alphaville
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by Alphaville »

half the price of a laptop? you must have the pro! wow, yeah. that thing does everything and then some.

for people looking to spend a lot less, i recommend the entry level ipad.

btw i checked icloud prices and i made a mistake quoting prices:

$3/mo is for just *200gb* (what i have)

2TB is $10, and i might upgrade to it as i consolidate diles. still cheaper and safer than running a 2tb nas, imo. my last nas enclosure alone was $300, plus hard drives that fail and need replacement, plus file losses, plus risk of keeping at home, etc.

zbigi
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by zbigi »

hegesippe wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:47 am

Obviously for the price you are not going to have the perks of a Macbook (Style&Design, Sound quality and screen quality)
But you will definitely have a more repairable computer, more solid and more future proof.
I'm on an eight-year old Macbook Pro, and the thing is basically still good as new. Also, according to retailers' numbers, Macbooks are the most solid laptop brand (they break least often). Unfortunately, many people are aware of this, so used ones are pricier than used Thinkpads.

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Alphaville
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by Alphaville »

laptops are heavy!!

hegesippe
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Re: Purchasing a new laptop

Post by hegesippe »

zbigi wrote:
Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:47 pm
I'm on an eight-year old Macbook Pro, and the thing is basically still good as new. Also, according to retailers' numbers, Macbooks are the most solid laptop brand (they break least often). Unfortunately, many people are aware of this, so used ones are pricier than used Thinkpads.
Yes I agree Macbook tend to last a long time! The older ones at least, I don't know about the new ones. I have heard bad things about the new keyboards.

But I still think Thinkpad are more durable. They are much more water resistant and drop-proofed. If I remember correctly, it is because the plastic absorb the shock of the fall. With the aluminium of MacBooks, the shock goes directly to the internals.
Apparently, Lenovo has been testing they laptop since 2007 for Military durability standards.

I have a Thinkpad and Macbook and I like both 👍

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