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Re:Ask HN: Are there any reasonable alternatives to MacBook ... by blackdivine on Sunday April 08, 2018 @07:00AM (#16785567)
I'd say buy a new mid 2015 Macbook 15inches, some vendors might have it in stock. I recently got it for around $2000 USD in Pakistan. It's Core i7, 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD.
Re:Ask HN: Are there any reasonable alternatives to MacBook ... by hiram112 on Sunday April 08, 2018 @03:05PM (#16787687)
My new 15" MBP 2015 just arrived from Ebay in the US. $1740 total which is about $400 less than you'll pay at the Apple store.

I think the 2015 model has now replaced the older 2012 model (last that had upgradable parts) as the MBP that power users go for, even though it's almost $2k for hardware that'd be $800 on a typical windows machine.

Re:Ask HN: Are there any reasonable alternatives to MacBook ... by Tunecrew on Friday April 13, 2018 @10:48AM (#16830459)
This is what I did when upgrading last year - bought a used one on eBay (which is a first for me - normally buy them new) - 2015 15" fully maxed out (fastest i7, 16GB, 1TB) and including the GPU, so it basically benchmarks only slightly slower than the top of the line current model.

I already had a TB2 hub and other TB2 peripherals and extra MagSafe 2 power supplies, so no additional investment in adapters, etc.

The kicker was the unit I bought has been purchased less than a year before I got it, so it was still eligible for AppleCare (you can check this w/ the serial number that most reputable eBay vendors provide). The time has probably passed for this, although you could still get a unit where someone else has already gotten it.

All in was US$ 2,050 including AppleCare

Re:Ask HN: Are there any reasonable alternatives to MacBook ... by andy_ppp on Sunday April 08, 2018 @07:12AM (#16785607)
Yes, having upgraded from one I fully regret this decision, mostly because of the keyboard and the £2000 after trade in. I’m actually a big fan of USB-C, it’s much better.
Re:Ask HN: Are there any reasonable alternatives to MacBook ... by epmaybe on Sunday April 08, 2018 @11:05AM (#16786421)
Not to bring this up in every usb-c comment, but what do you do for backwards compatibility? I consistently (nearly daily) find myself having to connect older USB devices into my laptop, but end up grabbing an adapter/dongle to connect the device. Flash drives, external hard drives, and SD card readers are my main issues.
Re:Ask HN: Are there any reasonable alternatives to MacBook ... by andy_ppp on Sunday April 08, 2018 @05:11PM (#16788443)
I actually have a dongle thing with monitor pass through, older usb, sd card reader, mouse etc on my desk. Get all of these with one port.

Bought a cheap usb c enclosure off Amazon for backups too (swapping the hd) and I love it when I buy a new device that has usb c because I only need the cable that comes with my MacBook for camera and wireless headphones charging. So actually I’m nearly dongle free at this point. Still think it’s a real shame they didn’t keep the inbuilt SD card reader.

Re:Ask HN: Are there any reasonable alternatives to MacBook ... by Rjevski on Sunday April 08, 2018 @11:48AM (#16786629)
I guess it depends on what work you do, personally I only rarely (if ever) use USB devices, but for the single one I have (a document scanner) I just leave the dongle plugged into it so it's basically part of the device - if I ever grab the device it's got the proper dongle with it already.
Re:Ask HN: Are there any reasonable alternatives to MacBook ... by always_good on Sunday April 08, 2018 @01:20PM (#16787103)
Well, it's the same answer as every other usb-c thread: a dongle.
Re:Ask HN: Are there any reasonable alternatives to MacBook ... by pseudometa on Sunday April 08, 2018 @07:15AM (#16785624)
They have been around so long you could likely get an Apple refurbished one for a few hundred less than new.
Re:Ask HN: Are there any reasonable alternatives to MacBook ... by hiram112 on Sunday April 08, 2018 @03:07PM (#16787696)
There are a few left from reputable sellers on Ebay and sometimes online vendors for around $1750. Without tax, that's about the same price you'll pay refurbished at Apple.
Re:Ask HN: Are there any reasonable alternatives to MacBook ... by tonyedgecombe on Sunday April 08, 2018 @10:40AM (#16786272)
Yes, I picked up one on the refurb store, I've been very pleased so far.