The day i almost bought a mac
I was thinking … while trying to navigate the tangled options available for buying of a new laptop with Windows or even with Linux, maybe I should buy a Mac instead.
For those who don’t know me, this simple thought constitutes a blasphemy. Even though I recognize all the advantages which a Macbook offers (ecosystem, battery life, reliability, sleek looks) owning one has never crossed my mind, up until now. The reason being that I am against the strings that come with the device and closed ecosystem which Apple has masterful crafted over the years.
The single device from Apple which I bought for myself was the first Ipad (still have it but “shockingly“ with no software updates :-) ). Great device but that was it for me. A device, limited in features and that annoyed me most of the time I wanted to do something with it.
So you might ask yourself why and how did I reach at such a dilemma in 2025? Well let me explain.
Started a few weeks ago when a thought crossed my mind. Wouldn’t it be great if I would replace my old laptop with something better as it approaches End of Life. Of course that when Windows failed to start on my old laptop, made the sensible move and installed Linux. Worked and works like a charm but still, it isn’t the fastest kid on the block anymore. Took a sheet of paper, listed the requirements and opened Google and ChatGPT with the certainty that in a few days I will have my answer.
How naive of me …
Opened the Lenovo page and had almost a seizure. P, L, T, X and the list go on. Each with configuration similar with the other with small improvements or downsides. The price oscillated between 1k and several k. I have a budget set but no device spec matched what I was looking. Or it matched, but costed double even triple I was prepare to pay for. I am not insensible, it is clear for me that a higher spec machine would cost but the fact that for example I couldn’t find OLED screen in an acceptable budget bugged the hell out of me. Especially when you easily can find something in range 1.5k with OLED and gorgeous resolution and refresh screen.
Thought, now it would be a good time to open another provider as it began to annoy me. And surprise surprise the same circle search started all over again. Tons of models but none with exactly the specs what I was looking.
Then I opened Apple.de. Store - Mac :
Option 1: Macbook Air
Option 2: Macbook Pro
Going further you are presented with 3 options that you can choose and you easily can see that you don’t have the money for them :)
But how easy the process is, it made me add a Macbook Air several times in by Hardware Basket. It hurts only to think about such thing, because I really don’t like the brand. But it is simply too easy, exactly what I wanted after several weeks going in circles. Laptops are of excellent quality, good resell value and make good development machines … the only thing what keeps me is the fact that for purchasing one, I need to pay the Apple Tax. That high price for mediocre hardware but with good software integration. And that I simply cannot do.
So the search goes on, hopefully for only a few days more. (that running in circles was not 100% waste of time).
Let me leave my checklist below, at this date Oct 2025.
If you have any suggestion or idea what laptop could fit best my criteria, don’t hesitate to leave a comment.
Laptop requirements:
AMD Processor : latest series and with minimum 360 Series
RAM : minim 32 GB
HDD : minim 1TB
Screen : if possible OLED Matt. Or alternative excellent quality screen (Brightness, Resolution and refresh rate)
Excellent battery life as I will use it on the go a lot.
Until next time, TFG