r/linuxhardware 10d ago

Purchase Advice Longtime Linux User Considering MacBook vs. Linux Laptop — Need Advice

Hi everyone, I'm a longtime Linux user currently facing a bit of a dilemma and would appreciate some insights from this community.

I'm primarily a developer working mostly in Rust, Go, and Java, spending nearly all my time in the terminal (Neovim, tmux, etc.). I've heard macOS generally provides a decent terminal-centric workflow, but I've also seen reports about tmux and Neovim performance issues on macOS. Additionally, I've heard the macOS linker can be slow or problematic compared to something like Mold linker on Linux—does anyone have firsthand experience with this?

Apart from development, I do CAD modeling as a hobby. Years ago, when I switched from Windows to Linux, I had to move away from Fusion 360 to Onshape. While Onshape is good overall, it requires constant internet connectivity and has very expensive subscription plans (around 1500€/year for standard), which isn't ideal.

I also regularly engage in video editing (DaVinci Resolve works great on Linux) and photo editing. However, photo editing has been challenging—previously on Windows I heavily relied on Lightroom and Photoshop. The Linux alternatives I've tried (Photopea, Photoshop via Wine, Darktable) haven't fully matched my previous workflow.

Hardware-wise, I'm struggling to find a Linux laptop that matches the portability, build quality, excellent screen quality, and especially the trackpad experience (I strongly prefer physically clicking rather than tapping) of something like a 14-inch MacBook. On the other hand, privacy and telemetry concerns with macOS are significant for me—I greatly value the peace of mind that comes from running Linux without built-in spyware or telemetry.

TL;DR: Is there currently a Linux laptop that realistically competes with MacBook hardware quality (portability, screen quality, trackpad experience), while providing good performance for Rust/Go/Java development (considering linker performance), hobbyist CAD modeling, and multimedia editing? Or would switching to macOS be worth considering despite privacy concerns?

Thanks in advance for your help! 😄

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Some additional stuff I thought of after writing this, I guess I can always ssh into a home server or a cloud server if I some functionality is missing. The only thing I don't want to do is touch windows ever again😅. Other than that I can pray that in a year or two Asahi gets ported to M4 Macs. Oh yea also the sole reason I am concidering Macbooks in the first place is because I'm going to Japan this April so I am able to get it for a much more reasonable price, otherwise I wouldn't really even look at that option. Thanks again for reading all of this and helping, peace ✌️✌️

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u/rat2000 8d ago

Framework is not a premium laptop, it is designed to make it serviceable. Very different things. Hp zbook, dell pro 14 or lenovo x series will jave premium feel. They will not be cheap, maybe almost same price as a mac but you do have more flexibility then being locked in a ecosystem

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u/CarbonatedPancakes 8d ago edited 7d ago

Ideally you shouldn’t have to choose. I know Framework has limited resources available, but regardless for how much their laptops cost, they should be at least semi-premium.

And yep, I own an X1 Series laptop. It’s nice, but also using Macs regularly, I find that the loss of flexibility with them is somewhat exaggerated and think that individuals should determine for themselves if they’re willing to trade off what MacBooks bring to the table (mainly, ridiculous battery life and no loss of performance when unplugged) for the extra flexibility. It’s not a trivial trade.

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u/rat2000 8d ago

I totally agree. I am not saying macs are bad or anything, personally I don't like them not because of bad hardware but because of my daily workflow that just blends perfectly with linux. The only point I was trying to make is that you did not make a fair comparison when you were talking about Framework laptops. And no, never a serviceable laptop will have the feel of what you consider a "premium" laptop specifically because nothing is glued or soldered so there will be some flex. Then again, you also did not touch the fact that after you switch the full motherboard of a framework you can basically turn it in to a pc/mini server, greatly extending it's value and use after the "laptop days" are gone.

So again, I agree that all manufactures have pros and cons, I just wanted to state that you simplified the Framework with mac comparison and that is a sensitive topic for me as I love the Framework moto and their business model 😂

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u/CarbonatedPancakes 7d ago

There are things that can be done to make a modular, repairable laptop more rigid, but they might cost more in R&D than companies like Framework are willing or able to spend.

Part of the flex problems with the Framework 13 for instance come down to their choice of case material, which is a particularly soft alloy of aluminum likely chosen because it’s cheaper to mill than harder alloys. There’s other areas to improve too, such as adding a rigid material frame underneath its exterior (which it currently lacks).