Recommendation - moving from Mac to Lenovo X1 Carbon or Dell XPS13 for work

[interbear]

So I've got away with using my personal MacBook Pro for work for the last couple of years (MBP 16 and more recently a new MBP 14 M1). Love it as a great single device to handle all of my work and personal requirements.

However, given so many people now work from home, my workplace is now implementing security policies that will require me to stop using the Mac and replace it with a Windows laptop to get access to company resources. I'm a bit gutted at this but have no choice.

I've narrowed my choices down to either a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen9) or Dell XPS 13 - same spec for both - i7, Windows 11 Pro, 16GB RAM, 512 SSD and standard HD screen. Lenovo is approx £2k. Dell is approx £1.6k.

I'm leaning towards the Lenovo as reviews tend to suggest it's better in terms of performance and quality.

Anyone else made a similar work related switch from Mac to Windows and got any thoughts?

 

[c0ppo]

I'm using X1 Carbon get 9. First switched to X1 Extreme, now wanted something easier to carry around since I've build myself a desktop PC.

X1C is a great device. Lots of ports, excellent build quality. Can't speak anything about Dell XPS 13, never owned one.

 

[Aggedor]

I had an X1C gen 7 (2019 model) which I used for two years (sold this year and replaced with an M1 MBA). It had an amazing keyboard, and a wonderful 4K screen, and was as light as a feather. It also ran hot enough to fry an egg, and gave me about 90 minutes of battery life. It was also surprisingly sluggish - not sure if it was heat-throttling perhaps.

While the gen 9 might be an improvement, I'd never recommend an X1C again. Investigate the Dell. Having said that, if the laptop is going to be plugged in all the time and running an external monitor, then things like battery life and heat might not be a consideration.

 

[zhenya]

I work with an X1 Extreme next to my Mac all day, and have had a series of X1 Carbons prior to that. Build wise, they are nice machines. They've stepped up their game in recent years and screens are now excellent, trackpads are nearly as good as it gets on Windows. Still, it's Windows, which is the source of most of the sluggishness and frustration. I do everything I can from my Mac, keep the Thinkpad next to me for when needed, use ShareMouse to share a single mouse and keyboard between the two.

 

[maflynn]

Another vote for Lenovo, if for nothing else, they have imo, the best keyboards for laptops.

 

[Aggedor]

Another vote for Lenovo, if for nothing else, they have imo, the best keyboards for laptops.

Yes... and the worst trackpads!

 

[maflynn]

Yes... and the worst trackpads!

I dunno, i never had any issues with my trackpad. Let me rephrase it - the trackpad never impeded or affect me in any negative way. It worked as I expected it too

 

[Aggedor]

I dunno, i never had any issues with my trackpad. Let me rephrase it - the trackpad never impeded or affect me in any negative way. It worked as I expected it too

True. But coming from a massive, responsive Mac trackpad, it was something of a comedown!

 

[TSE]

Have fun and enjoy. Those are some of the best PC devices out there. I was always a huge fan of PC laptop hardware - it was the software that did it in for me.

 

[maflynn]

True. But coming from a massive, responsive Mac trackpad, it was something of a comedown!

But that's not what you said, you posted that its the worst trackpad, and this thread is about recommendations between dell and lenovo. Your post appears to say that lenovo has a bad trackpad, not a trackpad inferior to that of a mac.

 

[Aggedor]

But that's not what you said, you posted that its the worst trackpad, and this thread is about recommendations between dell and lenovo. Your post appears to say that lenovo has a bad trackpad, not a trackpad inferior to that of a mac.

Well, if you want to be picky, sure. But the trackpad on my X1C was the worst laptop trackpad I have ever used, even going back to Dell laptops I used in the late 1990s. It is tiny, and lacks responsiveness and sensitivity. Yes, it WORKED, obviously, and I used it successfully for two years, but it was still a terrible trackpad.

I have only used a Dell XPS in a store, but from just those few minutes, it was clear they have vastly surperior trackpads to Lenovo laptops.

 

[zhenya]

Well, if you want to be picky, sure. But the trackpad on my X1C was the worst laptop trackpad I have ever used, even going back to Dell laptops I used in the late 1990s. It is tiny, and lacks responsiveness and sensitivity. Yes, it WORKED, obviously, and I used it successfully for two years, but it was still a terrible trackpad.

I have only used a Dell XPS in a store, but from just those few minutes, it was clear they have vastly surperior trackpads to Lenovo laptops.

What generation X1C you have experience with is important. From your description, it sounds like it's been quite a while. Thinkpads have had large (enough) trackpads that are pretty much as good as is possible on Windows for a number of years now.

 

[maflynn]

Well, if you want to be picky, sure. But the trackpad on my X1C was the worst laptop trackpad

I'm not being picky, you stated one thing, I mentioned my experience being a polar opposite and then you said compared to the mac - quite a different thing then saying that lenovo's have in of themselves bad trackpads. Now you're saying the X1C was the worst ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[interbear]

Hi all. Many thanks for the opinions thus far, appreciated.

I decided to go with the Lenovo X1 Carbon with i7, Windows 11 Pro, 32GB RAM and 512GB SSD. I thought I’d add a bit more RAM as I think that will help it run smoothly. I almost went for the UHD display but eventually selected the standard display as it‘ll be connected to an ultrawide most of the time and when on the move I value battery life over pixels. I also don’t see the value of UHD on a relatively small screen.

Now I need to start weaning myself off the MacBook Pro M1 for work. I’m not looking forward to what I expect will be a slower, hotter and noisier experience. I hope I’m wrong. Thanks again.

 

[Aggedor]

What generation X1C you have experience with is important. From your description, it sounds like it's been quite a while. Thinkpads have had large (enough) trackpads that are pretty much as good as is possible on Windows for a number of years now.

Mine was a 2019 gen 7.

 

[c0ppo]

Yes... and the worst trackpads!

He's not being picky. He just stated that Lenovo doesn't have worst trackpads. And they don't. Actually, they have better trackpads than Dell, since Dell has huge QC issues with their trackpads for many years now.

Can Thinkpad trackpads outmatch MBP trackpads? Nope.
Are Thinkpad trackpads the best in Windows world? Nope.
They are as good as other Windows trackpads. Except Surface devices.

 

[TechRunner]

My wife has a 6th Gen X1C, and it's been pretty bulletproof. Same specs as the one you ordered OP, except she opted for 16GB RAM. While she's fine with the trackpad, she uses a mouse 99% of the time, so the trackpad argument, for her use at least, is pretty much moot.

 

[sracer]

I'm not being picky, you stated one thing, I mentioned my experience being a polar opposite and then you said compared to the mac - quite a different thing then saying that lenovo's have in of themselves bad trackpads. Now you're saying the X1C was the worst ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Agreed. Wrapping one's opinion in hyperbole is not helpful.

 

[interbear]

My wife has a 6th Gen X1C, and it's been pretty bulletproof. Same specs as the one you ordered OP, except she opted for 16GB RAM. While she's fine with the trackpad, she uses a mouse 99% of the time, so the trackpad argument, for her use at least, is pretty much moot.

Indeed. I’m comfortable using the X1C keyboard but have ordered a Logitech MX Master mouse to go alongside it as I prefer to use that all day rather than the trackpad. Trackpad is fine when mobile but when working at home, which is 90% of the time, I prefer a mouse.

 

[MBAir2010]

how did i miss this until now?
My 2019 Dell xps 13" is incredible!
i had no problems and upgraded the ssd, upgraded to win11 the switched back to windows10 sunday.

 

[johnscully]

How is the fan noise of the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon? Is the fan audible with everyday tasks like web browsing, Word/Excel and stuff like that?

 

[ian87w]

I hope the laptop is paid by the company. If a company requires a specific device to get their job done, they better provide that device. I'm not going to spend what, $2000+ to make someone else's money...

 

[Aggedor]

How is the fan noise of the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon? Is the fan audible with everyday tasks like web browsing, Word/Excel and stuff like that?

The gen 7 I had was a like a leaf blower nearly all the time, and the air coming out the side was red hot. I'd be interested to learn if they improved the cooling!

 

[TechRunner]

The gen 7 I had was a like a leaf blower nearly all the time, and the air coming out the side was red hot. I'd be interested to learn if they improved the cooling!

The 6th gen is the same. When my wife opens a few tabs in Chrome on hers, it ramps up like a jet engine. I'd be curious to know if they've gotten that under control too.

 

[interbear]

I hope the laptop is paid by the company. If a company requires a specific device to get their job done, they better provide that device. I'm not going to spend what, $2000+ to make someone else's money...

Yes it is. Good job too as I’ve only recently spent over £2k of my own money to buy my MacBook Pro M1