Why did you choose the Air over the Lenovo x301?

[pufftissue]

Hi, just can't make up my mind. I know all the general specs, but am wondering if any of you gave serious thought to the Lenovo x301.

I value screen quality alot and quiet computing and an excellent keyboard the most.

I'm concerned that the x301's screen is going to suck like a straw. I already have a macbook pro, btw, and I'm very happy with that except for the right fan failing.

 

[appleguy123]

Hi, just can't make up my mind. I know all the general specs, but am wondering if any of you gave serious thought to the Lenovo x301.

I value screen quality alot and quiet computing and an excellent keyboard the most.

I'm concerned that the x301's screen is going to suck like a straw. I already have a macbook pro, btw, and I'm very happy with that except for the right fan failing.

to answer your title ill take a quote from the onion "it's shiny and made by apple"

 

[HLdan]

You may not get the type of responses you are looking for based on your thread title as you are assuming that anyone interested in a Macbook Air is considering a Lenovo Windows notebook as well. My take is if you are even considering a Windows only notebook then go for it because if you buy the Air you will most likely install Windows if you were considering a Windows machine in the first place.

 

[entatlrg]

i can help you out ... I've owned both at the same time ... actually just sold my x301 on eBay a few weeks ago, (lost a lot of money on it too...)

The MBA is a pleasure to use in every respect compared the x301. The x301 screen is horrible, track pad too small and non responsive, tremendous flex and mushy/soft keyboard, for whatever reason my Air is MUCH faster, runs quieter too.

Plus you have the bonus of OS X if you like, but even if I was going to run windows only I'd still take the MBA 10 to 1 over the x301.

Lastly, if you search in google you may come across a review where people are given the MBA, x301 and a Sony to test and critique. The MBA won hands down, and they also noted the MBA was just 'fun' to use ... I couldn't say it better.

All I wish is I never bought the x301 ... it's sad that's Lenovo's 'premier' machine ... looks like they made it for profit over performance to me...

Hope that helps

 

[stoconnell]

I didn't even consider a Windows machine when I bought the MBA -- I really have no use for Windows, and I didn't want to do another Linux laptop as my primary machine. If I have the money and desire I might consider exploring Linux on a netbook (but I swore that I would never use a machine with less than XGA resolution) or one of the new bigger than a netbook but not quite notebooks. I was torn as most are between the MB and MBA.

My wife has an X300, and she like it okay. She likes that it's a thin, light, and reasonably well-built machine (but not as sturdy feeling as she'd like -- some of the keyboard keys will just pop off, etc) with a DVD drive and lots of ports running Windows != Vista.

 

[Roy Hobbs]

Os X

 

[GeekGirl*]

Os X

Thats the ticket .

 

[pufftissue]

i can help you out ... I've owned both at the same time ... actually just sold my x301 on eBay a few weeks ago, (lost a lot of money on it too...)

The MBA is a pleasure to use in every respect compared the x301. The x301 screen is horrible, track pad too small and non responsive, tremendous flex and mushy/soft keyboard, for whatever reason my Air is MUCH faster, runs quieter too.

Plus you have the bonus of OS X if you like, but even if I was going to run windows only I'd still take the MBA 10 to 1 over the x301.

Lastly, if you search in google you may come across a review where people are given the MBA, x301 and a Sony to test and critique. The MBA won hands down, and they also noted the MBA was just 'fun' to use ... I couldn't say it better.

All I wish is I never bought the x301 ... it's sad that's Lenovo's 'premier' machine ... looks like they made it for profit over performance to me...

Hope that helps

Interesting. I thought that the Air's screen would be better, but that would be about it. I figure the x301 would be whisper quiet, get better battery life, and not be flexy. It's like you said everything the thinkpads are known for is not the case for the x301.

 

[EnderTW]

Interesting. I thought that the Air's screen would be better, but that would be about it. I figure the x301 would be whisper quiet, get better battery life, and not be flexy. It's like you said everything the thinkpads are known for is not the case for the x301.

I like the form factor of x301.

Looks very sturdy. TBH, right now my MBA rev B is having hinge problems. IE: there is play on the hinge. It's fine when typing but it has about 1/4-1/2 inch of give on the hinge. Hard to explain.

What turned me off from the lenovo x301 is the fact that the screen is just horrid. If Lenovo had mba's screen I might have been all over it.

 

[Scottsdale]

I like the form factor of x301.

Looks very sturdy. TBH, right now my MBA rev B is having hinge problems. IE: there is play on the hinge. It's fine when typing but it has about 1/4-1/2 inch of give on the hinge. Hard to explain.

What turned me off from the lenovo x301 is the fact that the screen is just horrid. If Lenovo had mba's screen I might have been all over it.

Better take your MBA in and note the hinge problems before it breaks. Show them an MBA with no damage so they cannot blame you when the hinge breaks. That my save you $800 when the time comes to get a new lid/display/hinges all in one.

Good luck with that.

 

[aleksandra.]

Hi, just can't make up my mind. I know all the general specs, but am wondering if any of you gave serious thought to the Lenovo x301.

I value screen quality alot and quiet computing and an excellent keyboard the most.

I'm concerned that the x301's screen is going to suck like a straw. I already have a macbook pro, btw, and I'm very happy with that except for the right fan failing.

There're many reasons why I liked Air better, but x301 had all I really wanted as well. I couldn't belive it when I compared prices, but... Air was actually cheaper. It isn't the case anymore, however, as Lenovo dropped the price. Good they hadn't done it earlier, I might have had ended up with it...

 

[elppa]

for whatever reason my Air is MUCH faster, runs quieter too.

Faster Processor
Faster Front Side Bus
Double the L2 cache
Nvidia Graphics (which are up to 5x faster than the intel chipset in the X300)

Can't think why it would be faster.

Comparing base rev B. MacBook Air with the X301 base configuration on shop.lenovo.com.

Sadly you have to pay the “PC tax”: the air starts at 1,7999, the lenovo is 1,999:

Lets see what $200 buys you:
Dvd Drive
Built-in AT&T 3G
SSD (but 1/2 the capacity of the 120GB drive on the Air)

Sadly it also buys you an overall slower machine with a shorter battery and Vista Home Basic. Yes, you read that right, $2000 and Vista basic (read: no aero, media centre or any other useful software that comes for free on the Mac).


On balance its poor value compared with the Air, especially when you figure in you'll probably need to buy RAM and a Vista lisence (if you want Windows). I'd have an Air if it wasn't for the screen issues.

 

[chrono1081]

I've never understood why people liked lenovo. Complete trash IMO and I guarantee I've used more of them then anyone on mac rumors.

 

[chrono1081]

Oops sorry OP.

IMO I'd go with the air. Its cheaper, better speed wise from what I've seen (alot better) and you can always put windows on it if you wish.