My journey to find my next computer has been a long and winding road. And I’m sure many wouldn’t understand why I’ve been so indecisive, going back and forth between this laptop and that laptop, only to end up with the very first laptop I tried out.
That’s right, when I first set out to get a new computer, the MacBook Air was the first computer I looked at. I’ve always wanted a Mac, you see, but until recently, that desire had been met with an inability to afford one.
The story should have ended there. It should have ended right there. But not too long after I realized I had the ability to afford a MacBook- even if it was only the most barebones model available- I concluded that I also had the means to afford a nicer Windows laptop that what I’d previously used. And so I began trying things out.
Long story short: I tried the Surface Laptop 3, the Samsung Galaxy Flex Alpha, and the Lenovo Yoga c740. I threw the Google Pixelbook Go in there for good measure, because at some point I realized that even though I _could _afford a more expensive computer didn’t necessarily mean I needed one. But I soon discovered that I needed more than Chrome OS, and so the cycle was doomed to repeat itself. I went back to the MacBook, and then back to the Surface Laptop 3, and then back to the Pixelbook Go. And then _back _to the Surface Laptop 3 (albeit a different model). And then to the Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga. So… yeah, this is what I’ve been occupying my time with during the pandemic. How about you?
But now… finally… I’ve decidedly ended my indecisiveness. After many months of going back and forth and back again, I have settled on my next laptop. I think.
I don’t consider it wasted time, although I’m sure Best Buy will be grateful that I’m finally picking a laptop and sticking with it. No, I learned a lot in these last few months with different computers on my desk. I learned that I wanted- but didn’t need- a thin, light laptop. I learned that I wanted- and needed- an exceptional keyboard and a good screen. And I wanted- and maybe needed- a full operating system… sorry, Google.
I also learned that I love writing about tech. And that I hate, I hate, I hate Peter Pan. No, sorry, I hate fan noise. But I’ll get to that in due time.
There were things that I loved- and hated- about each computer that I tried out. Obviously, the Surface Laptop 3 was a very close runner up, as I came back to it as often as I came back to the MacBook Air. But for better or worse, I’ve chosen to live with the MacBook Air as my daily computer. I believe that it has everything I need, and flaws that I can live with.
What I Don’t Like About the MacBook Air
Maybe it’s odd to start telling you why I chose the MacBook Air by listing my problems with it, but I think it is important to clear the air before moving forward.
And clearing the air is something that the MacBook Air struggles with, despite having “air” in its name; the thermals on this laptop suck. I told you that I don’t like fan noise, and I meant that. And when the fan really gets going on the MacBook, it to me sounds like a jet engine that is about to take off.
That said, I also learned in my time with other computers that if I want something with a little performance, it came with a spinning fan. While the fan was the reason I gave up the MacBook originally, everything else I tried- except for the Pixelbook Go- also came with a fan, and some ran more often and louder than that of the MacBook. And as I’m getting more used to macOS, I’m also getting more accustomed to how the machine works and how to avoid thermal throttling. But I’m still miffed at the poor fan design within the machine.
#gadgets #tech #apple #technology #computers
