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Comment by goldfeld | Hacker News Reader

Way I see it, Lenovo makes rugged, durable and dependable machines, but they lack the finish/style in VAIO or MacBooks (then again I haven't seen what Lenovo has been up to lately, so might be completely off.)

So when people say there's nothing like a Mac, I mostly agree and understand where they're coming from even though I much prefer a cheaper machine on which to run Linux. I'm unaware of anything in the PC world to match Apple's high finish + dependability/durability. Also the screen is worth it on it's own, alternatives lacking.

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While the most recognizable Lenovo is the ThinkPad line, which is a very capable but very dated looking machine, I recently worked on an IdeaPad U430 (I work in computer repair), and was surprised by how nice that machine was. It's build quality and style really reminded me of my MacBook air.

So it seems like while the rugged and durable machines are where Lenovo is still getting most of their money, that design was inherited from IBM, while Lenovo is trying to focus on new machines with style and finish.

Apple's screens are lacking compared to similar priced Vials/PCs (the TFT screens on the 11" MacBook Air and 13" MacBook Pro are particularly atrocious). Viaos are often lighter than similar priced Macbooks and are more durable.

Apple's differentiation is not a supposedly unique high finish + dependability — although they are unique for only selling high end computers — but the Apple retail stores and easily upsold AppleCare (available up to a year after purchase of a macbook). Most PC users call their 'computer guy' relative when their PC breaks. In contrast most Apple users take their broken device to the Apple Store. That professional service is why most Macs stay in circulation longer

The two vaios I used after the 505g were utter cheap pieces of crap, and they haven't seemed to do much better recently. Whatever your beef with Apple is, saying that Sony is actually better in quality is crazy.

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