[Closed] PC laptop with build quality of apple?

most of the world still appear to be windows

In what way do you think this is a problem?

YES I KNOW YOU CAN PUT WINDOZE ON MAC!

You can put Mac OSX on a Windows based PC.

My old ThinkPad has been through Hell many a time and still works. No Windows though, Ubuntu instead.

My old ThinkPad has been through Hell many a time and still works. No Windows though, Ubuntu instead.

Are thinkpad now branded lenovo? I'll have a look.

In what way do you think this is a problem?

Not a problem I'm thinking of going full on windows but I want a well built laptop not the plastic crap.

I mean why does it matter being on Mac when most people are on Windows - all the files are interchangeable and almost all the same software is available etc

HP EliteBook series is good.

same software is available etc

Perhaps for mainstream but a fair few design programs are windows only based, office works nicer in windows and believe it or not I prefer Adobe in windows.

Although I like the whole dock on mac, dashboard, the clever trash can, hot corners are A+

My Dell Inspiron 8100 is about 11 yrs old now and still working brilliantly so I guess you might want to have look at Dell laptop range, but just remember not to throw them around if you want it to last. You can try throwing the "aluminium chassis" Apple around to see if it will die ...

Thinkpads get the best rep from what I've seen. I read that Sony Vaios are good but recently had a go with one and it felt atrocious - cheap, plasticcy and horrible. My 4 year old Dell feels nicer!

I'm not really a big mac fan, but if I wanted a laptop I would probably get a macbook just because no recent windows laptop I've tried feels as sturdy.

Thinkpads ( now Lenovo rather than IBM ) are well made.

Leonovo Thinkpad +1

Writing this on a Thinkpad Edge and I love it, sturdy build, decent spec for the money and a lot nicer to use than your run of the mill Dell/HP stuff.

You can put Mac OSX on a Windows based PC.

Is this easy?
How do I do it?

Google Hackintosh

Is this easy?
How do I do it?

Google hackintosh this will explain some of it.

I was told if you want Apple build quality is buy Sony Vaio. That was from a laptop repairers.

Nothing with the alu unibody type construction. To be honest, one of the best I've seen (for that feeling of flex-free solidity, nice precise hinges, etc) of any brand is the newer unibody plastic Macbook.

Thinkpads (once you get high enough up the ranges - T or X series) are built to be abused and keep on going. Most others have high-end models that are nicely built but it's a niche market and PC buyers tend to be *ahem* price sensitive.

I'd love a unibody mac - but the Thinkpads come close.
I've been buying Thinkpads on ebay - T60 /T61 with a year left of international warranty for £250.
When one of then batteries died Leonovo replaced it within 24hrs.

If your thinking of hackintosh - check video chips and ease of wifi card swapping.
(Get the seller to send you the serial number so you can check the warranty.)

The answer to your original question that Sony comes the closest.

I was told if you want Apple build quality is buy Sony Vaio. That was from a laptop repairers.

You were lied to.

+1 for IBM / Lenovo / whatever they're calling themselves this week. They look like crap but they're drop-forged in the fires of Mordor.

Dunno I stuck with Apple in the end.

Hackintosh isn't really that good imo. If you get lucky it works great but mine doesn't display text properly even after messing around with settings a lot - always a bit blurrier than a proper mac (which in turn I find a bit blurrier than windows)!

Also I can't find a wireless card that's guaranteed to work, I use a usb one at the minute which is ok but not ideal.

I bought the new unibody Macbook in January after pontificating over a new laptop for ages. I couldn't be happier with it.

I have had 2 Dells for work and home and they have, eventually, both developed hard disk or keyboard problems. However, one of them, the Inspiron 8500 I bought from Dell Outlet (ie pre-owned) in 2004 for £850, then used for music studio use then for work for a year, earning me about £25,000, I sold for £70 last week to a second hand computer shop. Not bad. Only had to replace the hard drive once.

Also had two Vaio's. One for music studio and gigging use and one for work. Both faultless. Both lovely to use. Both still in daily use, one by me at work and one by my ex's mother.

I now use a Macbook Pro for personal and music gigging and it's lovely to use. No problems so far. Really enjoying it.

The Lenovo's also have a great rep and if I had been able to find one at a reasonable price to lease here in Edinburgh for work, I would have done so. Went Vaio instead. It's been fine.

I've heard that if you have a vaio and its not the current model, you get bob all support from sony...

I'm writing this on an acer aspire 5740 and I really like it, solid build

ubuntu FTW

Hackintosh isn't really that good imo. If you get lucky it works great but mine doesn't display text properly even after messing around with settings a lot - always a bit blurrier than a proper mac (which in turn I find a bit blurrier than windows)!

Also I can't find a wireless card that's guaranteed to work, I use a usb one at the minute which is ok but not ideal.

Looking around my Wind U135 isn't supported yet anyway 🙁

You will need to find a 5 year old Thinkpad or older, those are bombproof and nothing today have that solid feel to it.
The build quality went down the drain for most laptop manufacturer when focus suddenly was on bigger screens and weight.

Another vote for Lenovo laptops, formerly IBM, go for the X or T range, depending on what size screen you want, and you will have bought yourself one of the best and sturdiest laptops, if not THE best available.
I saw people standing on their Lenovo laptop, I dropped mine multiple times, still got one of the older X61 here but would happily go for the X200/X300 model if you want something small. Sven

😯 When did apple chuck an i7 in the MBP and have separate memory for the graphics card!!!!

This is almost exactly what i want, a small laptop i can plug into a big monitor with ability to handle 3D modelling.

Does windows run perfect with the dual boot, I currently have windows 7 on mine and they have solved thee bluetooth issue with early bootcamp, but the trackpad is a bit naff. Saying this I'm new to windows 7 so would like others views?

Aincient IBM t40 here - bulletproof [probably]

I can't say i've noticed much of decline in quality of the higher end of the range Thinkpads i've had for work over the last 10+ years. The only one i had die, got accidentally drowned.

Writing this on a T500 with Fedora 13. No problems with support for any of the hardware. It just works.

If you want a laptop with a better build quality than Apple then go for a Thinkpad.

Writing this on a 4 year old Z61t that looks and works like new (actually even better as it's running Ubuntu). There's a new T410 sitting in it's box at home waiting for me to improve it by installing Lucid Lynx over Windows....

This 4 year old Asus I,m working on is excellent.Much better build than all it,s rivals.It,s even survived a few punches 😯

modelling might be ok on a laptop but not sure if the graphics cards will be good enough for high res renders with GI etc on?

modelling might be ok on a laptop but not sure if the graphics cards will be good enough for high res renders with GI etc on?

I've given up trying to research what i need as, I have found few good resources even the people who sell the things did not reply.

So I want i5 or above, graphics with separate memory plus a load of RAM 4gb + and it'll have to do.

Dell M4500? £1100ish + VAT gets you an i5, QuadroFX 880M (1GB dedicated) and it'll take 8GB RAM if you want it.

2nd (or 3rd) Sony Vaios, my 10" sub 1 kg Vaio has lasted me nearly 6 years of daily use and loads of travel (it's my work laptop and used every day and must have done 500k air miles by now).

Screen quality is also on a par with Apple.