CR Techies - beat an Apple MacBook for the price!

[Geeto67]

, Dell Latitudes and HP Elitebooks are good laptops. I've found that attorneys tend to love 2-in-1 or convertible laptops such as the Surface Pro or Dell XPS 2-in-1s.

 

I will second the recommendation for a dell latitude, I use an E7440 myself (a little older model) for work and Casey has a HP elitebook. Both of us had Lenovo before that and while "secure" they were garbage. I have used an XPS 2-1 and it's on my radar for when my personal ancient laptop craps out.

 

More important than the laptop itself is the home setup. whatever you get, get a good docking station and two monitors with it. I have noticed that some of our legal department use 27" monitors with one of them turned 90 degrees so they can review long form (14") legal documents. That is usually also a touch screen monitor or at least stylus enabled.

Edited September 5, 2018 by Geeto67

[Robochan]

Are you new at this, rook? Get her the MacBook she wants, otherwise you're on the hook for every annoyance she has with whatever you talk her into.

 

Talked my GF out of an Iphone. Became the whipping boy whenever she didn't know how to do anything or it had issues.

 

Get her a Mac.

[Geeto67]

Talked my GF out of an Iphone. Became the whipping boy whenever she didn't know how to do anything or it had issues.

 

Get her a Mac.

 

Plus she won't complain about how expensive it is the next time you want to buy yet another car. :gabe:

[El Karacho1647545492]

I will second the recommendation for a dell latitude, I use an E7440 myself (a little older model) for work and Casey has a HP elitebook. Both of us had Lenovo before that and while "secure" they were garbage. I have used an XPS 2-1 and it's on my radar for when my personal ancient laptop craps out.

 

More important than the laptop itself is the home setup. whatever you get, get a good docking station and two monitors with it. I have noticed that some of our legal department use 27" monitors with one of them turned 90 degrees so they can review long form (14") legal documents. That is usually also a touch screen monitor or at least stylus enabled.

 

 

I've been out of the IT world for a little while but docking stations were a frequent issue; they were on backorder for months, and theres a billion different flavors of each laptop and dock, some of which would have X but not Y feature. This is why I offered some consultancy.

 

 

Make sure whatever dock setup supports docked charging via USB-C or Thunderbolt connections, and make sure it has enough of the right ports/cables. For instance, I have a Surface Pro with the Microsoft dock, which has 2x miniDP out, so I had to get 1 MiniDP to DVI and 1 MiniDP to DP+ connector for the monitors I have (1 29" ultrawide 2560x1080 and 1 older 24" 1920x1080). I love the rotating monitors, I also saw a lot of our legal clients use them.

 

Do you know what line of business applications she uses for case/client management/billing? Some ultra high-res devices have issues with some proprietary software or RDP services.

[ShowHBK]

Clay... I have a few options for you at three different price points. I hope this helps.

 

The competition:

2017 Macbook Air

Screen: 1440x900 TN Panel

Processor: Dual-Core i5 (processor from 2015)

HDD: 128GB PICe SSD

RAM: 8GB of LPDDR3

GPU: Intel Graphics 6000

12 hours battery life in OSX

 

Lets take a look at some options...

 

Low End: (it gets the job done)

LINK <=====

Acer Aspire 3: Sporting a CPU from 2017, we have this little gem from Acer at $400 USD, this guy is tough to beat in the budget category. with full windows 10 and a 256GB SSD, this guy actually has plenty to offer if you are willing to accept its 4GB of slow DDR4 RAM. Day to day tasks will be quick and snappy, but switching between multiple apps and chrome tabs might become a problem... But in terms of CPU, SSD Space, and raw power, this little guy beats the Macbook Air in many things but build quality.

 

PROS: Great CPU (For the price), Multiple ports, Strong SSD, and a decent screen size.

CONS: Build Quality... oh god... the build quality

 

Mid Tier: (Surprising Value)

LINK <=====

Lenovo Flex 5: This guy might be the bargain of the century (no joke!). With a true quad core i7 from 2017 and dedicated Nvidia Graphics (from 2016) this laptop will blow the Macbook Air out of the water for almost $250 less then the base price. it's 16GB of DDR4 RAM and the 512 GB SSD are a bit overkill, but honestly... who cares at this point? Added bonus is the ability for the system to yoga into tent or tablet mode which is great for a business meeting or office environment. The Lenovo name is also good for business environments making it the Cadillac or Mercedes of the business class laptops.

 

PROS: This laptop is really the complete package, Full 1080p HD screen with beefy specs will make you the envy of the office.

CONS: It's a Yoga device and some people fucking hate devices that Yoga... Me included... But with specs like this, I really cant complain.

 

 

High End: (Macbook Air Killer)

LINK <=====

Dell XPS 13 (QHD): Now, this big boy is a little over the MSRP of the base Macbook Air, but I am including it because it directly competes with it in terms of price and power. The XPS 13 comes with a "adequate" Quad Core i7 and 16 GB of RAM (Fart Noise)... But its REAL party trick is its QHD 3200x1800 Display, which is just breathtaking to consume content on. I have watched a few demo movies on it and I have to be honest... it was drop dead amazing. This laptop is fast and better then the Macbook Air in every category, but the real missile to the face is this screen... good god does it look good.

 

PROS: If the screen on this laptop was a woman, I would make sweet love to it all night

CONS:Pricey for a 13 inch laptop and lacks real graphical horsepower to to anything beyond basic office work. the UHD 620 GPU is not "bad", but your not going to be doing much crazy stuff on it.

 

CONCLUSION TIME!!!

 

Not all laptops are created equal. The Macbook Air is a very well built piece of hardware that does everything the average user needs with a TRUE all day battery life. OSX will hand you great things like Pages and Numbers to get productivity work done, but the Apple Tax is quite high to pay for what the laptop is lacking in terms of ports and a decent screen. The TN Screen on the Macbook Air is a complete joke compared to its retina counterparts. Which, remember... you will be looking at each and every time you use the system. I would honestly say this, Weigh your options and ideas carefully. If you want to join the Apple Eco System then the "Macbook" Might be what your after. It has the same "basic footprint and power that the Macbook Air has, but at the cost of ports... so... get ready for that Dongle Life!!!

 

If you look at the options I have set forth, please ONLY look at them as ideas in different price points. I ALWAYS encourage someone to go out and physically hold, touch, and use a laptop before buying it. Part of the experience of a laptop is how you (the user) interacts with it. Everything from the keyboard to the screen NEEDS to be taken into account. A chromebook is fine and yes, will get the job done... but you could do so much more with your money that it's hard to recommend a $200-ish Chromebook. A $500-ish Windows based laptop will have the same power... but lack the build quality of the Macbook. Always keep this in mind.

 

Happy Hunting and let me know if you want me to come to MicroCenter, BestBuy, or any other store with you to check some stuff out.

[gillbot]

I hate the MacBook myself but the wife wanted for a while and I finally caved.

 

My unwanted $0.02, got her a MacBook Air and I must say, that thing is a tank. She’s always been rough on laptops but this one has been tried and true for a long time. Held up much better than any dell or ASUS she’s used in the past. I warned her that she’d be on her own should something go wrong as I’m a pc guy and sure enough she’s dug herself out of every issue thus far.

 

My vote, get her the Mac. If it fails her, gloat and do the I told ya so dance. If not, hold it over her head for “favors” because it was so expensive.

[zeitgeist57]

Hey, gaiz! No worries because she bought a Macbook that costs more than my last two vehicle purchases!!!1!1

 

http://gifimage.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/gun-in-mouth-gif-10.gif

 

In all seriousness, I greatly appreciate the feedback.

Mike - a huge thanks for reaching out with such pertinent information and willingness to get involved.

 

In the end, we discussed options and the obvious point, made in this thread before by a few folks, was that:

1) Most firm partners use Macs, so it's not only compliant with firm IT but definitely encouraged.

2) The malware/virus concerns are largely eliminated with Mac vs Windows.

3) We do have other Apple products that have been very robust and easy to use. The thought that a 10-year old Macbook will still be in use appeals to her and I.

 

She ordered online to get some $100 discount and no taxes, so should be here soon. Thanks again to CR for it's wealth of wisdom and experience.

[Otis Nice]

So...another Clay "should I buy this" thread ended as it usually does?

 

Move along folks. Nothing to see.

 

/Thread

[Trouble Maker]

Honestly sounds like a Chromebook would work perfectly for her if all she works with are word documents and spreadsheets.

 

We replaced our home laptop with a Chromebook and have never looked back.

 

If I had to do some of the things in spreadsheets I do at work with a Chromebook, it would take about 2 hours before I found an open hatch to the roof, found the highest point in our building above pavement, and chucked the thing as high and far as I could.

I guess it would be OK for basic spreadsheet work.

 

So, it really depends on what you are using it for.

[zeitgeist57]

The big thing - to repeat for emphasis, not knocking other tech in offerings like Chromebook - is numerous recommendations she received from other lawyers and the firm's IT recommendations to get a Macbook. It was definitely pricier, but seemed like the easy way to upgrade.

[SpaceGhost]

She made the correct choice.

[RedRocket1647545505]

Agreed. I got my Samsung Chromebook for hundy fiddy. I absolutely love it.

 

How's the sound quality?

[ShowHBK]

How's the sound quality?

 

We have a few Samsung Chromebooks at work and honestly I don't feel like they are worth it if "sound quality" is on your features list. Underwhelming at best is what I would consider them, but then again I am picky with my speakers. The Chromebook Pro that we got to test was tinny when you turn up the sound and had no bass at all. Sure, you could watch a YouTube video or two with them but I would not recommend them for Movie watching with the LED display they have... this is all opinionated in all honesty.

 

The problem I have with Chromebooks in 2018 is that they are cheep and get the job done, but Windows offers similar performance in the same price bracket. The HP Stream laptops with Windows 10 will really surprise you. For about $200 you get full Windows 10, a full warranty, Office 365 for a year, great port selection, and a very sub-par screen. The point I am trying to make is that Chrome OS is ok, but Windows is just better to have to the convenience and number of apps supported.

[Geeto67]

She made the correct choice.

 

+1

 

We have a few Samsung Chromebooks at work and honestly I don't feel like they are worth it if "sound quality" is on your features list. Underwhelming at best is what I would consider them, but then again I am picky with my speakers. The Chromebook Pro that we got to test was tinny when you turn up the sound and had no bass at all. Sure, you could watch a YouTube video or two with them but I would not recommend them for Movie watching with the LED display they have... this is all opinionated in all honesty.

 

The problem I have with Chromebooks in 2018 is that they are cheep and get the job done, but Windows offers similar performance in the same price bracket. The HP Stream laptops with Windows 10 will really surprise you. For about $200 you get full Windows 10, a full warranty, Office 365 for a year, great port selection, and a very sub-par screen. The point I am trying to make is that Chrome OS is ok, but Windows is just better to have to the convenience and number of apps supported.

 

The problem I have with Chromebooks is that they don't store data on the machine - it's all cloud based stuff. If you are using it for just internet surfing and no heavy data or financial information it's probably fine, but if you have stuff you kinda want to control the security on like personally copyrighted material, company proprietary information, etc...you just don't have a lot of control over your own security.

[CRed05]

The problem I have with Chromebooks is that they don't store data on the machine - it's all cloud based stuff. If you are using it for just internet surfing and no heavy data or financial information it's probably fine, but if you have stuff you kinda want to control the security on like personally copyrighted material, company proprietary information, etc...you just don't have a lot of control over your own security.

 

That is the point of a Chromebook, but I do have an SD card in mine that I used to store things locally...can be done.

[CRed05]

We replaced our home laptop with a Chromebook and have never looked back.

 

If I had to do some of the things in spreadsheets I do at work with a Chromebook, it would take about 2 hours before I found an open hatch to the roof, found the highest point in our building above pavement, and chucked the thing as high and far as I could.

I guess it would be OK for basic spreadsheet work.

 

So, it really depends on what you are using it for.

 

You mean stuff that requires lots of processing power? There are chromebooks that have decent CPUs. The Pixelbook has an i5, but I'll admit, for the price you are better off getting a Windows PC.

 

If CPU power isn't the issue, then I don't know what else you need other than a keyboard and Excel.

[ShowHBK]

This is the TL;DR of everything...

 

Do you just want to check eMail? watch YouTube? and do basic tasks?

Do you like the idea of having a computer that you can throw in the trash each month, buy a new one, and your shit automatically pops back up?

CHROMEBOOK

 

Do you want the most commonly used operating system on the planet? Do you want maximum compatibility? Do you love a wide variety of options, ports, and designs?

WINDOWS BASED DEVICE

 

Do you have some money to burn? Does build quality and security matter to you? Do you have an eye for design and are willing to accept an eco-system that only plays well with it's own devices?

MACBOOK / IMAC

[87GT]

I love my surface 3 for basic office 365 work. The track pad is junk but a USB hub and wireless mouse fixes that issue. It is also great for my college courses I am taking. No longer do I have to sit on my couch doing homework and having my balls slowly cooked from laptop heat. This thing is cool to the touch.

[Trouble Maker]

If CPU power isn't the issue, then I don't know what else you need other than a keyboard and Excel.

 

Can you get real Excell on a Chrombook, or only the web based google docs stuff? I guess I've only ever used google docs, and it just seems more... cumbersome, time consuming to do basically anything.

 

Not really a CPU issue, just a complexity of what I'm trying to do issue.

[gillbot]

I love my surface 3 for basic office 365 work. The track pad is junk but a USB hub and wireless mouse fixes that issue. It is also great for my college courses I am taking. No longer do I have to sit on my couch doing homework and having my balls slowly cooked from laptop heat. This thing is cool to the touch.

 

I fail to see how self sterility is a bad thing.

[Richard Cranium]

Hey, gaiz! No worries because she bought a Macbook that costs more than my last two vehicle purchases!!!1!1

 

http://gifimage.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/gun-in-mouth-gif-10.gif

 

In all seriousness, I greatly appreciate the feedback.

Mike - a huge thanks for reaching out with such pertinent information and willingness to get involved.

 

In the end, we discussed options and the obvious point, made in this thread before by a few folks, was that:

1) Most firm partners use Macs, so it's not only compliant with firm IT but definitely encouraged.

2) The malware/virus concerns are largely eliminated with Mac vs Windows.

3) We do have other Apple products that have been very robust and easy to use. The thought that a 10-year old Macbook will still be in use appeals to her and I.

 

She ordered online to get some $100 discount and no taxes, so should be here soon. Thanks again to CR for it's wealth of wisdom and experience.

 

More than your last two vehicles? So she didn't spend much. Look at it this way, she got what she wanted, so mamas happy. When mama ain't happy, nobody's happy. At least she's working as a lawyer, not making $10/hour in a call center. I assume her rates will pay it off relatively quickly regardless of cost. I figure that gets you a little more wiggle room the next time you find a car that is a great deal, but a little outside the budget.

[Trouble Maker]

More than your last two vehicles? So she didn't spend much.

 

Internet winner of the day

[unfunnyryan]

I have an hp spectre 13.3 (the ultrathin, not the weird tablet rotate version) you can grab them on ebay under $500. It's an awesome ultraportable that is pretty capable. Even with the i5 and integrated graphics it runs starcraft 2 on low for me.