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Gosh, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen1 and Gen2 are awful, dreadful, terrible machines. I can understand having a thermal constraint tied to the thinness of cha

by oktwtf 3y ago

Gosh, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen1 and Gen2 are awful, dreadful, terrible machines. I can understand having a thermal constraint tied to the thinness of chassis, but you would think it’d maybe throttle instead of shutting off in the middle of work. After blowing through 4 separate nano configurations all with the same fundamental problem and riddled with quality issues and borderline abusive support getting bounced around “specialists”; I’m much happier with a M1 Pro MacBook Pro. Not nearly as light, but it’s worked every time I open the lid and want to use it for as long as I want. And that to me is the bare minimum. I have a desktop with a few gpus in it for “fun”, so a laptop for me often is a client to access more power if needed. I run Sunshine and get 4k60 streaming for desktop, 3d modeling, video editing, and even gaming on occasion. Now with a MacBook instead of a thermally constrained thinkpud I can even do that stuff on the m1 locally do a degree.

koyote 3y ago
That's interesting, I've been running a Nano Gen1 for over a year now with no issues whatsoever (running both Linux and Windows). What I have had happen is my work Dell machine (Windows) shutting off if it overheats. I have to make sure it's on a surface that does not heat up and lets air flow freely. Resting it on the couch will kill it within 10-20 minutes. I use the Nano from the couch/bed for hours with no issues.
emrah 3y ago
Perhaps it's something as simple as bad thermal paste application
pwpw 3y ago
Huh I’ve been using a Thinkpad X1 Nano for nearly 2 years now primarily for personal dev work, and it’s by far my favorite laptop I have ever owned. It replaced a 2020 M1 MacBook Air, which replaced a 2016 MacBook Pro, which replaced a 2009 MacBook Pro. This laptop is so good, it will take a really good reason for me to upgrade before a decade. I pair it with a much more powerful desktop, so I wanted a lightweight laptop that’s totally capable, and I have found it absolutely delivers. I’ve been running Arch Linux on it for what it’s worth. On the other hand, I cannot stand my work M1 MacBook Pro, but that’s primarily because it weighs so much and the keyboard is pretty mediocre, so it’s not fun to travel with. It’s more of a docking laptop, which defeats the purpose of a portable machine for me.
- brailsafe 3y ago
  The 14" MBP is about 3.5lbs compared to just under 2 for the X1 Nano, is your work computer a 16"? I had a 16" for work, but wouldn't get one personally, it's a bit bulky.
  - pwpw 3y ago
    Yeah it's a 16". I spent two weeks vacationing in Europe and then a 3rd week working at night, and it was a pain to carry that MacBook around! It forced me to bring an entire backpack to carry it. Not fun to add all of that weight when I was also hauling a camera around. That's where the Nano thrives. Even the 14" is considerably heavier than Nano as you've pointed out.
    - seanmcdirmid 3y ago
      Isn’t the more obvious comparable to the 2.1 pound X1 Nano a 2.8 pound MacBook Air, not a 3.5 pound MacBook Pro?
      - brailsafe 3y ago
        I'd agree with that
    - brailsafe 3y ago
      As seanmcdirmid pointed out below, I'd agree that the Macbook Air would probably be the closest approximation in the mac lineup in terms of weight, but intended to compare the weight between the 14" MBP and the Nano favourably. To me, yes the weight and size of the 16" would be a bit of a pain to carry around for any substantial amount of time, but the added 1.5lbs of the MBP 14" or the 0.8lb difference of the Air doesn't seem too significant to me, perhaps even less so when compared with the camera gear you might be hauling. I used to see a fair number of 11" MBP Airs at conferences when they were a thing; relatively low burden mac-based computing device. I'm sure if there was an M series version it would acquire a following among those who are more likely traveling than in a position to require the largest thermal envelope.

by oktwtf 3y ago

koyote 3y ago

That's interesting, I've been running a Nano Gen1 for over a year now with no issues whatsoever (running both Linux and Windows). What I have had happen is my work Dell machine (Windows) shutting off if it overheats. I have to make sure it's on a surface that does not heat up and lets air flow freely. Resting it on the couch will kill it within 10-20 minutes. I use the Nano from the couch/bed for hours with no issues.

emrah 3y ago

Perhaps it's something as simple as bad thermal paste application

pwpw 3y ago

Huh I’ve been using a Thinkpad X1 Nano for nearly 2 years now primarily for personal dev work, and it’s by far my favorite laptop I have ever owned. It replaced a 2020 M1 MacBook Air, which replaced a 2016 MacBook Pro, which replaced a 2009 MacBook Pro. This laptop is so good, it will take a really good reason for me to upgrade before a decade. I pair it with a much more powerful desktop, so I wanted a lightweight laptop that’s totally capable, and I have found it absolutely delivers. I’ve been running Arch Linux on it for what it’s worth. On the other hand, I cannot stand my work M1 MacBook Pro, but that’s primarily because it weighs so much and the keyboard is pretty mediocre, so it’s not fun to travel with. It’s more of a docking laptop, which defeats the purpose of a portable machine for me.

brailsafe 3y ago
The 14" MBP is about 3.5lbs compared to just under 2 for the X1 Nano, is your work computer a 16"? I had a 16" for work, but wouldn't get one personally, it's a bit bulky.
- pwpw 3y ago
  Yeah it's a 16". I spent two weeks vacationing in Europe and then a 3rd week working at night, and it was a pain to carry that MacBook around! It forced me to bring an entire backpack to carry it. Not fun to add all of that weight when I was also hauling a camera around. That's where the Nano thrives. Even the 14" is considerably heavier than Nano as you've pointed out.
  - seanmcdirmid 3y ago
    Isn’t the more obvious comparable to the 2.1 pound X1 Nano a 2.8 pound MacBook Air, not a 3.5 pound MacBook Pro?
    - brailsafe 3y ago
      I'd agree with that
  - brailsafe 3y ago
    As seanmcdirmid pointed out below, I'd agree that the Macbook Air would probably be the closest approximation in the mac lineup in terms of weight, but intended to compare the weight between the 14" MBP and the Nano favourably. To me, yes the weight and size of the 16" would be a bit of a pain to carry around for any substantial amount of time, but the added 1.5lbs of the MBP 14" or the 0.8lb difference of the Air doesn't seem too significant to me, perhaps even less so when compared with the camera gear you might be hauling. I used to see a fair number of 11" MBP Airs at conferences when they were a thing; relatively low burden mac-based computing device. I'm sure if there was an M series version it would acquire a following among those who are more likely traveling than in a position to require the largest thermal envelope.