TL;DR: I now like Ubuntu more than I like macOS (and Windows). ThinkPads are not as nice as Macbooks but they can be had at half the price and can be user serviced.

My use cases

  1. Writing (VS Code + language/spelling plugin + pandoc + latex + git)
  2. Light web browsing
  3. Light coding. The heaviest would be some experimental work on the oculus. I don’t compile kernels.
ThinkPad E14 G4 wins
(16 GB, 512 GB SSD, i5 12 core)		MacBook Air 13″ wins
(16GB, 512 GB SSD, 8 core M2)
Economics $700 (vs $1500)Battery life. The mac has a bigger battery, but also more efficient sleep, I feel. Taken together, it feels like macs last all day and the ThinkPad only 6 hours at best.
Keyboard. Apparently only E models have 1.8mm key travel, the other models are regressing to mac style chiclet keys. It does feel nice to type on, though the x220 felt better. Sleep. The mac is at login screen by the time I open the lid. The ThinkPad takes two seconds.
User serviceable and upgradeable. Lenovo has videos illustrating how to replace battery, RAM and SSD. User produced videos show how to replace much more.Screen. Apple has done a good job. The ThinkPad’s touch screen is not a necessity for me.
Runs Ubuntu flawlessly. Details belowWeight. Only 2/3 the weight – a whole pound lighter.

Software: This is the year of Linux we were promised, and it has come quietly

Particular highlights

  1. I sent files from my old Ubuntu ThinkPad to my new Ubuntu ThinkPad over Bluetooth, just like that.
  2. Both my bluetooth mouse (Ergo M757) and keyboard (Kinesis Freestyle 2) report their battery levels. (Ubuntu does show it in an odd place: under “Power”). MacOS does not. Windows does, I think.
  3. I like the Ubuntu system monitor more than I like Win 11’s monitor, and I think I like it as much as the macOS monitor.
  4. Bright power button LED being a pest when watching a movie in the dark? Just do
    echo 0 | sudo tee /sys/class/leds/tpacpi::power/brightness
    I just love linux.

Summary

Wifi works out of the boxYou laugh, but there was a time when getting the wifi to work on a laptop involved library research.
Bluetooth works out of the boxMy bluetooth mouse, keyboard AND Off brand ear buds ALL paired with no fuss and reported power level, which I don’t think they do to my mac. I also sent files from one computer to the other over bluetooth.
Touchpad works flawlessly, including gesturesI can switch workspaces with the same three finger gesture I use on a mac.
Touchscreen works almost for all AppsI can drag windows about on screen. On Chrome, I can scroll by dragging my finger. Sadly VS Code and Terminal do not work for scrolling by dragging. I can’t drag files in the file manager, boo!

So long Windows 11

For the briefest of moments I considered trying out Win 11 and using the WSL2. Then Windows (and Bing) kept trying to stop me from downloading chrome and then Lenovo sent up some popup for something. I had flashbacks to my last failed experiments with WSL2 and VS Code. I wiped the Win 11 installation and did not look back.

Hardware: ThinkPads are still cool-ish

I bought a ThinkPad E14 Gen4 hoping for a rugged self-serviceable laptop. Lenovo definitely gets points for at least trying to be end user serviceable, but time will tell if it is as rugged as I hope. There is only one USB-C which is also the only way to charge this laptop. Talk to me in three years to see if this is what breaks and requires me to trash this computer.

I’ve been doing all my personal stuff on a second hand ThinkPad X220 (Originally from 2014, I think). I fell in love with the keyboard and became impressed by the notion the machines are upgradable.

Prudent economics suggests I should upgrade the X220 with a new battery, more memory, an SSD and, likely, a new WiFi card. The WiFi card upgrade seems to be moderately tricky but I think I would need it: something is flaky with the WiFi. I should instead put some of that money into our NAS which needs an upgrade.

But I bought a new one anyway.

Sleep and Battery life: No one beats the mac

The Mac is at the log in screen before I finish opening the lid and I can keep it sleeping overnight on battery. The ThinkPad takes at least 2 seconds to get to the login screen, and the battery is exhausted much faster. The battery consumption during sleep is annoyingly high – as an example I lost 13% battery in 90min of sleep this morning.

Looks like the system consumes ~8W for light work (writing, web browsing) and < 2W for sleep.

Conclusion

Honestly, this wasn’t a comfortable choice at all, probably because I’m asking for too much for too little money and I’m being asked to make annoying trade offs.

I like the 13″ MacBook as a machine (screen, battery and weight). macOS is OK though perhaps I like Ubuntu perhaps a little bit more. My issue is that I think Apple quality has deteriorated and my primary worry would be the MacBook developing a defect in less than 3 years after I paid so much money for it.

The ThinkPad E14 is satisfactory, except for the chance of the USB-C failing and the mediocre battery life.

Anyone know of a 13″ laptop that costs ~$700, uses an SSD, 16G of RAM, has a battery that lasts all day and is eminently user servicable? I’m not too bothered by weight.

Perhaps the best option that would satisfy my stinginess with money would have been to upgrade my existing ThinkPad x220.