Macbook seems the only one with GREAT build quality?

[Thom_0203]

Hey guys!

I hope I did not just swear in a church by saying a Macbook (Pro) seems to be the only laptop with great build quality, but it honestly seems to me that thats the truth. 

 

I currently work at the returns department of the largest electronics retailer in my country and I see a lot of laptops coming through. Currently I am running a Lenovo T540p, which is serving very well performance wise, but the build quality is clearly lacking. Yeah sure you can easily disassemble it by removing two screws, and some clips later youre inside the computer, but honestly right now the clips are getting awfully loose and the thing makes funny noises when moving it (as in the frame moves a lot). The keyboard is GREAT, however the trackpad SUCKS. The display is absolutely terrible (especially considering what I paid for the machine).

 

So, as I am doing more and more actual work in C# coding, I am looking for a more sturdy machine which is lighter and smaller so I can more easily take it with me. Why I think the Macbook (Pro) seems the only computer under €1500 which has amazing build quality? Mostly because all the HP's, Asus's, Acer's and other brands I see passing by my table feel like they are cheaping out on the user experience. The HP envy for example has imo not a great keyboard, and quite an irritating trackpad. And I also understand "amazing build quality" is not always true for the Macbook (Pro) (keyboard for example), but it feels so good in your hands. It feels like a device which will last a long time (like a €2000 Thinkpad X1). I will add that I am not really a fan of MacOS, so I would certainly install Windows on it and give it as much disk space as possible (testing C# windows applications on MacOS would be a challenge ;) ) 

 

I do have my doubts on the windows experience on Mac, and I am trying to look for other well-built laptops which will last and will not give me a cheap feeling while typing or scrolling. Does anyone have some suggestions for me to look at? My budget would be €1000 - €1500, and my primary focus is to have a device which is well-built and just works well overall.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

[Fakmykak]

Just buy it if you like it so much.

[aisle9]

There were some iffy decisions made with the Haswell ThinkPads.

 

Looking at you, mouse buttons. Or, rather, not looking at you.

 

The -50 and -60 ThinkPads had great build quality. I haven't used the -70, -80 or -90 to compare, but the -90 series had some serious corners cut and I wouldn't be surprised to see them having problems down the line.

 

I wouldn't say that Apple's build quality is exceptional. Kicking the shit out of Dell in one area does not make something "exceptional". If I were looking for the best build quality, period, I'd probably say ThinkPad T420 or Latitude E6420. Both are tanks, both are almost impossible to kill, and if you do kill them, both are easy to break down and fix. No matter how you look at it, the quality of laptops pumped out today is not where it was 7-10 years ago.

[FlpDaMattress]

Seems like you answered your own question....

[Thom_0203]

45 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

There were some iffy decisions made with the Haswell ThinkPads.

 

Looking at you, mouse buttons. Or, rather, not looking at you.

 

The -50 and -60 ThinkPads had great build quality. I haven't used the -70, -80 or -90 to compare, but the -90 series had some serious corners cut and I wouldn't be surprised to see them having problems down the line.

 

I wouldn't say that Apple's build quality is exceptional. Kicking the shit out of Dell in one area does not make something "exceptional". If I were looking for the best build quality, period, I'd probably say ThinkPad T420 or Latitude E6420. Both are tanks, both are almost impossible to kill, and if you do kill them, both are easy to break down and fix. No matter how you look at it, the quality of laptops pumped out today is not where it was 7-10 years ago.

Exactly what I meant! Yeah it weighs like a tank, but the plastics all around are just not good... 

 

I could drop it on the floor, but there would definitely be a chance I'd be fixing a part of the plastic housing at least (which wouldn't happen that easily with the T420!)

[Donut417]

1 hour ago, Thom_0203 said:

Hey guys!

I hope I did not just swear in a church by saying a Macbook (Pro) seems to be the only laptop with great build quality, but it honestly seems to me that thats the truth

I mean Linus makes good points about what Apple does well. THOUGH, they have had issues in quality over the last little while. Such as the keyboard issues and the issues where the ribbon cable between the screen and motherboard can break. 

[Graham Carter]

Since the late 1990's Ive been a huge laptop fan, owning and selling a fair number of different makes, models, sizes, specs.

and yeah I agree whole heartedly, MacBooks feel like your using a piece of jewellery as apposed to just a plastic box.

[genexis_x]

The only laptops with high build quality imo are premium business laptops / mobile workstations, Macbook quality isn't that great imo

[Thom_0203]

6 hours ago, Donut417 said:

I mean Linus makes good points about what Apple does well. THOUGH, they have had issues in quality over the last little while. Such as the keyboard issues and the issues where the ribbon cable between the screen and motherboard can break. 

Strangely enough I don't find the keyboard stuff to be an issue for me considering the whole repair program (right now lol). The ribbon issue honestly doesn't scare me either. The retailer I work at (and where I would buy the MacBook) has the most lenient return and warranty policy ever. People who literally dropped their laptops and then stepped on them would get a €500 repair for free, and the retailer ends up paying for the repairs...

[Thom_0203]

38 minutes ago, GeneXiS_X said:

The only laptops with high build quality imo are premium business laptops / mobile workstations, Macbook quality isn't that great imo

I did take a look at the Dell XPS, which I think you could consider a semi business laptop

[genexis_x]

1 hour ago, Thom_0203 said:

I did take a look at the Dell XPS, which I think you could consider a semi business laptop

It's a consumer grade laptop

[aisle9]

7 hours ago, Thom_0203 said:

I did take a look at the Dell XPS, which I think you could consider a semi business laptop

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

The XPS is a prosumer laptop, designed to be something like a Latitude 7000 series for someone who doesn't want to carry a Latitude. I bought my soon-to-be ex-wife an XPS 13 a couple of years ago, and while she still loves it and carries it around to this day, the thing's got issues. The biggest one is the wifi card, which periodically just crashes the whole system out. Newer XPS machines have even greater problems. Overheating, bad screens, expanding batteries within months of purchase, misaligned chassis, all kinds of wonderful craftsmanship as can be seen on r/Dell. If I were going to buy a Dell right now, it would come from the Precision line. Precisions are still top shelf in terms of build quality (as are their Lenovo P-series counterparts), and I still think very highly of that line even as the rest of Dell's garbage implodes around them.

[svpracer98]

I'll admit to owning a 2013 13" MacBook Pro spec'd as a BTO when it was new. I also work repairing and reselling used MacBooks from 2010-2014. However, I have built a personal (gaming) desktop and a media center for my parents. Besides Razor, Apple is one of few companies making a unibody computer from aluminum. And it clearly shows that when took care of, Macs will last forever. HOWEVER, once the Logic Board goes out, your SOL. And the early UniBody MacBooks are VERY slow with a mechanical HDD. While Apple has done an impressive job with keeping MacOS useable, its still not as flexible as a full on PC (That being said, some Linux installs can be dual-booted with few problems). If the internet was to ever be honest, all computers have the strengths and weaknesses. While it does seem that Apple (used) to build really sturdy computers, they seem to have forgotten how to. And unfortunately, software support for older Macs is fading fast. 

[Thom_0203]

5 hours ago, aisle9 said:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I apologize lol

 

Thanks for your input. Today I basically just went out and grabbed an XPS at work, but it kinda feels cheap how the bottom and top cover are like weirdly attached to what seems to be a plastic chassis...

 

I was kindly reminded by one of my colleagues today to look at Razer, like which @svpracer98 also mentions has a unibody design. I have actually gone ahead and just grabbed a 2017 Macbook Pro with i5 and have installed Windows on it at work. I'm not able to take the device home, but at work I'll be able to give it plenty of attention. 

 

Also had a T590 i7 pass by my desk today and it surprised me. It was a big device, but did feel better than most of the ideapads I work on. The T490 seems nice with the smaller display...

 

Will continue to investigate

[aisle9]

3 minutes ago, Thom_0203 said:

I apologize lol

 

Thanks for your input. Today I basically just went out and grabbed an XPS at work, but it kinda feels cheap how the bottom and top cover are like weirdly attached to what seems to be a plastic chassis...

 

I was kindly reminded by one of my colleagues today to look at Razer, like which @svpracer98 also mentions has a unibody design. I have actually gone ahead and just grabbed a 2017 Macbook Pro with i5 and have installed Windows on it at work. I'm not able to take the device home, but at work I'll be able to give it plenty of attention. 

 

Also had a T590 i7 pass by my desk today and it surprised me. It was a big device, but did feel better than most of the ideapads I work on. The T490 seems nice with the smaller display...

 

Will continue to investigate

If my choices are Apple or Razer, I'm buying an Apple.

 

If my choices are ASUS or Razer, I'm buying an ASUS.

 

If my choices are Acer or Razer, I'm buying an Acer.

 

If my choices are vintage-2009 Atom-powered netbook or Razer, I'm buying the netbook.

 

If my choices are a wad of shit shaped into something vaguely resembling a laptop or a Razer, I'm buying a Razer.

 

Just kidding. I'm molding that shit.

[Thom_0203]

10 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

If my choices are Apple or Razer, I'm buying an Apple.

 

If my choices are ASUS or Razer, I'm buying an ASUS.

 

If my choices are Acer or Razer, I'm buying an Acer.

 

If my choices are vintage-2009 Atom-powered netbook or Razer, I'm buying the netbook.

 

If my choices are a wad of shit shaped into something vaguely resembling a laptop or a Razer, I'm buying a Razer.

 

Just kidding. I'm molding that shit.

Why would it seem you dislike razer? 

[aisle9]

5 minutes ago, Thom_0203 said:

Why would it seem you dislike razer? 

Terrible build quality, terrible reliability, lowest-bidder components, massively overpriced based on its name, miserable life expectancy, miserable warranties, miserable customer service/RMA support.

[Thom_0203]

22 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

Terrible build quality, terrible reliability, lowest-bidder components, massively overpriced based on its name, miserable life expectancy, miserable warranties, miserable customer service/RMA support.

Hmm interesting, I will take a better look at it.

 

[Thom_0203]

I went out and bought a 2017 Pro, (only 128gb lol, my OP 7 PRO has twice the storage lmao).

 

Thanks for the input, we'll see how long ill last