skifly Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 Hey Guys, I am hoping some of you more techy bods might have a few tips on a replacement laptop. I currently have a Lenovo T410 and apart from a wifi issue, its bee rock solid and taken a heap of abuse. Current spec is: i7 620M 2.66GHz 4GB ram 500GB 5400rpm hard drive (400gb full but could drop to 250 easily due to some rips on there) I mainly use it for a mix of work, remote desktop, access development, ripping films to the NAS, Skype etc. Unfortunately though its time for a change... So, I am looking at the new T450s but had a couple of queries for those that know better: Are these 5th gen i7 chips much better than my current processor? Are there any other brands worth a look? Anyone know if I can drop a M.2 SSD into the lenovo laptops and use as bootable for windows? Is there any way to avoid win 8... As for why Lenovo... well we get a decent discount via work on Dell, HP or Lenovo. Cheers! C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 Is there any way to avoid win 8... Don't, it's a very solid OS that outperforms pretty much most things. Don't like the modern interface? Just install StarDock - Windows 7 look, all the tech of Windows 8. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skifly Posted January 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 Cool... might give that a go on the other lappy in the house. The missus is not a fan either. I had another thought... and it scares me a lot! Should I be considering the fruity laptop? Or do I immediately become some sort of ****y tit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 Hmm, well, it depends on your usages. I do a lot of dev/Windows work, and my choice of platform is OSX. Why? Well, it's brilliant for virtualising multiple OS on - I'll have a couple of copies of Windows Server *and* my desktop all running at the same time, all regardless of where I am. OS X adds the value for me rather than just the raw hardware. If I wanted to run Office, and stream some music, and...maybe put some video on my telly - I'd maybe not stand the price premium for the hardware in the Apple Kit*. *I would. I like their kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skifly Posted January 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 Hmmm.... there is a bit of video editing thrown in there too if that makes a difference. I like the idea of a mac as I hear the usability and reliability are so much better, but I worry it will be an expensive exercise and all the knowledge I have of windows may go down the drain - and I am a bit of t he tech go-to guy at work (avoiding the service desks) and for family. Got me thinking now. So as a side note, is there an easy way to know how much better the performance will be based on the specs / processor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylander Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 I had your same dilemma played out on here and bought the MacbookPro. Got it from the states for £1200 but you can get it here but about £1350 Stunning piece of kit but still larning my way round osx - i jump into parallels when i just need to work and cba Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 (edited) As Mac says, just install Parallels and Windows on OSX and then you've got the best of both worlds and can still utilise your Windows knowledge. I used Windows throughout until around 4-5 years ago. Everytime I used a Windows based laptop now (not a Mac running Windows) it feels inferior. Build, quality, whatever, I just find the difference is vast. Plus, you've mentioned video editing. I'd jump onto OSX with that in mind. Throw an SSD drive in and you're into a whole new world of speed. Edited January 31, 2015 by NewNiceMrMe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 I do all my video editing on my Mac on iMovie - it's a doddle to do. So much so our marketing team has now pretty much switched to the same platform! Their old workflow on Windows produced stuff that was clunky and took an age. Before I get jumped on - I'm sure they could have produced the same quality video on the Windows platform with a bit of research. Instead, just giving them 3 Macbook Pros and they were up and running in no time. Easy choice from my perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 I do very little video editing but iMovie is a very good product indeed. I don't think it is as easy to use as Mac says but nor do I think many video editing packages are. However, it is incredibly flexible and powerful in what it can do once you get to grips with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylander Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 Windows Movie maker whilst very basic is the easiest we have used. Sony Vegas is good too. Wife itching to use iMovie but Precious is too shiny to allow anyone else's grubby paws on yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 iMovie makes Windows Movie Maker look like something made by Fisher Price. In 1954. They are that far apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylander Posted January 31, 2015 Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 I'm sure it does - I meant simply it was very easy to use: allowing for the fact that wives can manage to source versions online laden with trojans that take several hours to get rid of.... Skifly as someone who has been virulently anti-Apple for years I would say that it IS a stunning piece of kit and actually I find it runs Win7 at least as slickly in Parallels as my Vaio does natively. I try to do stuff in OSX first now but it will take a while and have to ask Mac work colleagues about little things I take for granted in Win. Also I loathe Safari so will probably be slapping Firefox on it soon or maybe even Chrome (I generally use Firefox but Mac colleagues all seem to use Chrome.....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted February 1, 2015 Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 I find anything I need to know about OSX is really easily found on Google; mostly the Apple site forum. Nothing I've been stumped by so far, even on Thursday when the missus managed to utterly bugger up Keychain on her Air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted February 1, 2015 Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 (edited) I'm sure it does - I meant simply it was very easy to use: allowing for the fact that wives can manage to source versions online laden with trojans that take several hours to get rid of.... Skifly as someone who has been virulently anti-Apple for years I would say that it IS a stunning piece of kit and actually I find it runs Win7 at least as slickly in Parallels as my Vaio does natively. I try to do stuff in OSX first now but it will take a while and have to ask Mac work colleagues about little things I take for granted in Win. Also I loathe Safari so will probably be slapping Firefox on it soon or maybe even Chrome (I generally use Firefox but Mac colleagues all seem to use Chrome.....) I think having Parallels and Windows from the outset is a disadvantage if you're going to keep using it. For Windows-specific apps I can understand it, but all you need is a copy of the OSX Bible and you'll be flying with it in no time at all. As Andrew says above - just Google any queries and you'll have your answer in no time. I don't even run Parallels on my Macbook Pro now. I have installed it on the 5K in the office but it hasn't even been used yet. I have Safari, Chrome and Firefox on my Macs. I tend to use Firefox most of the time because of the extension library it has. If not, I may occasionally use Chrome. I rarely use Safari even though it is a very good browser. Chrome is fine, I just don't like their privacy policy and they've even had a ticking off from the Information Commissioner now and only a few days ago they agreed to change it in Europe. Edited February 1, 2015 by NewNiceMrMe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylander Posted February 2, 2015 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 Sure - the OSX specific stuff is easy but (for example) for work we use a Citrix portal and in a specif piece of software there are shortcuts to phrases use a key combination Well there is no "Alt" key so those shortcodes don't work.......and I can't call a Mac Using colleague at stupid o'clock so either type all my reports long hand or jump into Parallels and oddly find that in Windows the same key seems to work which didn't in OSX......little stuff like that I find is just slowing me down. Fine more most things as it is about learning but not good when you need to just blat through stuff so I "cheat" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skifly Posted February 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 Ok... I have a couple of people at work suggesting I wait for Skylake processors instead? What do you reckon? How long before those things head to market? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted February 2, 2015 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 (edited) Unless you are on the cutting edge of professional computationally devouring technologies, I wouldn't wait... In the world of consumer technology, the next big thing is always 6-12 weeks away, so are you always going to wait? The retina MacBook Pro I'm typing this on has a 2.8Ghz Intel Core i5 processor - but that's not what makes it fast, it is the 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD that make it scream... 2 seconds to boot from cold - faster than pretty much every Windows machine can wake up from sleep. I haven't found ANYTHING in my day to day activities where I've thought it needed a faster CPU/GPU.** The slowest thing for me is the network, and any peripherals that get plugged in. So, don't wait, shop hard, get a good buy and be a happy camper. **unlike Mac I do not run a stack of virtual machines, and if I need some Windoze code like Visio, I run it up under CrossOver at a speed that makes running it on Windows seem a little pathetic. I'm sure Mac would say he could always do with the next chip - but I doubt the current ones slow him down much. Edited February 2, 2015 by Rachel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted February 2, 2015 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 They don't in reality - Quad Core i7s are pretty ace for scaled VM Windoze Crossover ^^ Lols. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skifly Posted February 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 Righty - sorted now and ended up buying an i7 lenovo. You guys are right... give it a week and it will be cheaper or better or more features will be on the market... So decision made and I couldnt bring myself to go to mac. I tried one for about 45 mins in a store and reckon its a nice piece of kit, but right now, probably not the best choice. Cheers for all the advice guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcat Posted February 3, 2015 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 This just came up at work: Is this any good (thinking for myself). Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 14" inch UltraBook laptop Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bitReduced to sell: £720Specification:• Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-3427U [email protected] Ghz 1.80 Ghz• Memory (RAM): 8.00 GB• HARD Disk: 180 GB SSD (fast hard dsik)• Screen: 14 inches – Resolution 1600 x 900• UltraThin 14 inches laptop• Iluminated keyboard• UltraThin 14 inches laptop, very thin and light,Very fast and takes seconds to start up, faster than macbookBeautiful black carbon laptop, very light and better alternative than MacBook Air with Windows 8.1. Any comments would be useful, it was first up for £850 now £720. I need to replace my 10 year Sony Vaio !!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted February 3, 2015 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 The Lenovos are an oddity in a world where beauty and looks seem to rule. However, they are solid and lovely! When Lenovo bought IBM laptops, I thought they'd change lots of stuff, but to their credit they have kept true and concentrated on the inerds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 You'd have thought inerds would buy Apple. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylander Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 When Lenovo bought IBM laptops, aaah - is that why (IIRC) Lenovo are the only laptops signed off by NASA for use in space? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now