Macbook Air vs X220

I have a Lenovo X220 which I really love.


With all the hype on these new macbook Air 13', am I missing out on something? I mean it seems the way these things are touted that its the only way to go. I personally like the Lenovo warrantee I have which protects me against spills and drops.. but I kind of feel that my notebook is inferior now?

 

If you spill a cup of milk onto a Macbook Air, good luck with the data you have in there. At least my T60 proved to survive through this.

I choose ThinkPad merely for durability/reliability. Data is a lot more expensive than the machine itself.

Also, the spec of the 2011 MBA is a little out-of-date. I had 8GB RAM on my laptop 2 years ago, and I can hardly live with 4GB - virtual machine is a must for me. There may also be other problems such like Windows 7 making MBA extremely hot (e.g. not throttling down even at idle on an old model). The downgrading of graphics card (from 320M down to Intel HD 3000) makes it less attractive.

The only attractive point to me is the 16:10 screen of the 13" model.

 

The Air is pretty restrictive on what you can upgrade. The SSD and RAM AFAIK are soldered onto the motherboard. Basically when you buy it, that is it, no more upgrading. That and Apple's chassis always get badly scratched and dent easily. And IIRC Apple is refreshing the Air this October so you might want to wait.

 

Did not the Air refresh come out yesterday?

The X220 and the Air are the two best ultraportables on the market right now. I had this exact same debate before I got my X220i. The Air has WXGA+ and the SSDs on it really fly unlike Windows machines. Ultimately, I went with the X220i but you can certainly make a good case for the Air depending on your needs. You'll probably have to decide what's more important and go with it.

 

Ditto,
I dropped my x220 and not a scratch! I really love the durability...

It seems the macs are a preppie issue, I go to Starbucks and every college kid has one..

my x220 with the windows7 does everything I want it too..

Apple good image and good marketing , but not much "beef"

Just ,my humble opinion

 

There's an on going thread in the NBR Apple Forum comparing/contrasting Thinkpads vs. Mac. I'll likely wait for the next gen Air since it's likely to get a major refresh. I love Thinkpad hardware but I don't know how long I can resist switching to OSX. It just seems to be a much more modern os, and one's got to love the hardware/software integration in their products.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/apple-mac-os-x/596385

 

I didn't find OS X to be anything special, but that's me.

 

It's possible you're right. I haven't used a Mac for any significant period of time, but first impression was great though. As common as they are it should be easy finding one to use for a day among friends and relatives.

 

Arrh, don't leave us Vin !

Was seriously considering the MBA but it's more expensive here than the US.

The 2011 13.3-inch, base model, with 1.7 GHz, 128 GB SSD & 4 GB RAM is $1299 in the USA and £1099 in the UK.

The base 11" with 2GB is now £850, plus £80 for an extra 2GB from Apple. Not sure if you can add it yourself or not.

The X220's are also pricier here but I picked up a i3 X220 for £665 after rebate, including 3 years warranty (but no SSD). Added 2GB for £12.

The base 13.3 inch MBA is the sweet spot of the range, imo.

 

Yea the Base 13.3 MBA is definitely the sweet spot. 256gb isn't large enough to be useful and definitely not for $300 more. I'd need an external hard drive with either one. Which is a big advantage of the X220, no need for external hard drives.

 

If Lenovo ever came out with a X320 with a 1440x900 IPS LCD, they'd have a killer product.

 

I started with a thinkpad t40-something then switched to white macbook 2009 maybe, moved into a macbook pro 2009 and then a macbook pro 2010 and then a macbook air 11.6 2gb ram and 128gb before switching back to windows with the x220 this may.

I loved the air's form factor but like other's have said, upgrades were just so restrictive, especially with the ram. With the x220 I have 8gb installed and using only msata with the option to add another hdd or ssd whenever i need or switch between 4 and 9 cell batteries.

Yea, I liked using mac os x and I LOVED the trackpad, but it wasn't enough to keep me a macbook air user. It didin't help that I had to spend so much time looking for mac versions of windows software I regularly used. Some may point to bootcamp, but having used it, I can hardly recommended it.

 

I would like to order 2 of these please

 

Amen. 10char

 

Disclaimer: I'm a developer who loves the TP Point Nub.

The MBA wins in every aspect except the keyboard and having no nub. I'm sorry, but the X220 needs a high res option (1600x900) IPS screen to compare. Also the ability to NOT include Windows would be a plus.

 

x220 has a matte screen while MBA is glossy? I can stand glossy screen...plus the keyboard is better in x220.

MBA is so much more expensive....I got a x220 i7 4gb, 320 hd for $1000 tax included...

 

You can buy the X220 and T420 no-OS. The X220 is around ~$750 and the T420 a bit less, though it seems the price for the no-OS notebooks fluctuates a lot. With the shareholder discount this is even cheaper, sub $700 for the base i3 X220.

Shop>Laptops then choose the screen size from the check boxes and go through until you find the Thinkpad with PC-DOS.

 

The MacBook Air 13.3" display is 1440x900 (native) at 16:10 aspect ratio, bright and beautiful.

I got one this evening. I voted with my wallet.

PS. As a long-time owner Lenovo ThinkPads, I've had just about enough with "dropping" and "spilling milk" claims. Go ahead, drop it, spill milk on it, for real now.

 

Is the new refresh version available in stores? I thought not?

 

Agree with you. The MBA/MBP is definitely good. As a 2011 MBP owner, there are certain things I really liked about my T410 though: it was very cool, not hot like MBPs. The typing experience was much better (MBP has sharp edges), and most parts are easily replaceable. There is every port that you can think of (which helps in making your purchase future proof). And finally, you can pick a warranty that gives you the maximum peace of mind. Unfortunately the overall experience isn't as pleasant which kinda spoils the great hardware.

 

You are intimidating me but I take it as jealousy from an Apple user? I've used 8 laptops in the past 12 years, and only ThinkPad T60 didn't bring me a single trouble for over 5 years. Macbook Air was so ****ing hot that I could use some ice during summer time. They say it's Apple's clever design to spread the heat throughout the whole machine (including the keyboard and the armrest) in order to maximise cooling efficiency lol... I tell my story, and it is up to you to make whatever you want from it.

Dropping - already tested. When my girlfriend quarrelled with me, she threw the T60 out of the window (ground floor). Because it was an Intel X25-M 160G G2 SSD inside, nothing was broken - no chance for a bad sector in mechanical HDD.

Pressure - already tested. Close the lid, stand on it, it doesn't break. Though I'm not a fat boy.

Spilling liquid - already did with milk. That was half a cup. It didn't damage anything inside, but it did mess up the keyboard and took my time to clean it. I have also tried to slowly drop a whole cup of water onto the keyboard while it's running, and I can see the water flowing through the holes on the bottom. You could google many videos if you don't believe me.

‪Lenovo ThinkPad Torture Test: The Water Spill‬‏ - YouTube

 

^^^ You didn't have to react this way!

As I said, I've owned many ThinkPads since the early IBM days, up until this year's models. (I can't wait to watch your own ThinkPad abuse videos. )

 

Yeah, the X1 was such a disappointment (large footprint, non-replaceable battery, low battery life). The X220 is still saddled with a low resolution 16:9 screen. So Lenovo product managers, please listen to us : do an X320 as ZaZ said, with Core i5 and i7 low voltage or standard voltage processors (it's good to have options). Maybe put in Thunderbolt instead of a docking port. Keep the VGA port or at the very least have a VGA dongle standard.

 

matte screen is a must! that was why I returned E420s and replacing it with this x220

so much better for my eyes.

 

If... that's a big if. They gambled on the X1. How's that working out for them?

 

^^^^ THIS ^^^^

Lenovo, LISTEN UP !!!!!

Make a 13" LIKE THE x220 (not X1)

-Bump the resolution, screen size to 13 - 13.5 "
-IPS (obviously, X1 lacks this so it sucks)
-Add quad-core i5 / i7 option (if possible)
-Add nvidia optimus switchable graphics (latest series chip but lowest power consumption, such as GT520)

Possible ?

 

If you dare put up your own spill-test video on your new MBA then I'll put up one for all my 3 ThinkPads (in order to comply the title of this thread)

 

The MBA is inferior to the x220 in the following regards:
1) >30% higher price for the same config
2) not upgradeable (ram, hard drive, battery, etc.)
3) poor battery life (less than half of x220)
4) glossy screen
5) poor keyboard
6) 1 hard disk only (no mSATA), limited storage options offered
7) poor durability and reliability

The only pros that I can think of are:
1) lighter
2) looks better

So overall, imo the x220 (and T420s) are still the best ultraportables out there!

 

IIRC, the ULV 1.2GHz chips in the early MBAs couldn't hold their nominal frequency for more than a little while.

 

eh? The MBA looks better? Hahaha~ So not true...

Also, I would rather Lenovo make this imaginary X320 like the X301 rather than the X1 or X220...

 

excellent suggestion. the t420s was pretty close actually, but it had a 16:9 screen

 

You forgot number three

3) Chick Magnet

 

Honestly this debate has gone on since the first release of the MBA.

It comes down to: OSX, apple style and non upgradable vs. windows/linux, better battery life and upgradable.

If you want options go with the thinkpad, want apple style go with the MBA.

 

I was curious to compare my e220s to the 11" MBA, so I brought mine to an Apple Store today. Keeping in mind my e220s weighs and measures roughly the same as the X220 (though my e220s is thinner ), it fared very well in regard to weight and footprint to the 11". I barely noticed a weight difference at all.

So, no regrets

 

Also don't forget Applecare unless you don't mind risking the machine out of warranty or are prepared to sell it before the year is up.

Applecare here costs a whopping £203 and makes the whole package too expensive, for me at least.

That said, selling within the year in time for the Ivy Bridge refresh makes good sense. You would just have to be extra careful not to scratch or dent it

 

I don't know what there is to debate right now. Apple engineering is still an industry leader. Everyone else follows their success.

The problem is that Windows runs best on machines designed for it, and the MacBook Air wasn't.

If you are going to buy a Mac, you might as well run Snow Leopard or Lion.

Let me know if the new MBA runs Windows 7 native nice and cool with 7 hours battery life.