Ask HN: Quality of recent gens of Dell/Lenovo laptops worse than 10 years ago?

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Perceived decline in Dell quality

  • Many reports of recent XPS and Latitude models failing early: touchscreens, batteries, USB‑C charging ports, motherboards, trackpads, swollen batteries, and cosmetic paint issues.
  • Several describe severe sleep/power‑state bugs (waking in bags, overheating, random shutdowns, BIOS update surprises).
  • Some recall much better Dell support and hardware around 2010–2015; now experiences vary wildly by region and model.
  • A minority still happy with Precisions/Latitudes (especially with onsite business warranties), but even there motherboard and battery failures occur.

Lenovo/ThinkPad: mixed but generally better

  • Older ThinkPads (X220, T4xx series, T470s, T480, X1 Carbon G1) are praised as durable, repairable “tanks.”
  • Newer models: T14/T14s, X1 Carbon, Legion, L‑series get mixed reviews—good build and Linux support for some, others report motherboard flex, flaky trackpoints/touchpads, driver and sleep issues, and poorer batteries.
  • Low‑end ThinkPads (E/L) seen as structurally weaker but still serviceable; pro/workstation lines (P/T high‑end) viewed as safest bets.

Apple/MacBooks as quality benchmark

  • Many say MacBooks are the only consistently high‑quality laptops: excellent build, power management, standby, screens, speakers, and integration.
  • Complaints: price, lack of full Linux support on Apple silicon, non‑upgradeability (seen as a form of planned obsolescence).
  • Some users run Linux in VMs or via Asahi on M‑series as a compromise.

Repairability, warranties, and product tiers

  • Enterprise lines (Dell Latitude/Precision, Lenovo T/P, HP EliteBook/ProBook) are widely recommended over consumer lines (XPS, Inspiron, IdeaPad, gaming models), especially when bought 2–3 years old with extended warranties.
  • Several suggest paying extra for 3–5‑year onsite support; experiences range from excellent next‑day board swaps to months‑long horror stories.
  • General sentiment: modern laptops are designed around 3–4‑year refresh cycles, not 8–10‑year lifespans.

Ports, USB‑C, and design trade‑offs

  • Debate over USB‑C: fans like single‑cable charging/docking and charger unification; critics hate fragile ports, low port counts, and cable/feature confusion.
  • Complaints about fewer ports, reliance on hubs, and non‑replaceable charging ports driving costly board swaps.

OS and Linux considerations

  • Linux on x86 business laptops is mostly workable but sleep/hibernate and Secure Boot interactions are recurring pain points.
  • Apple/Qualcomm noted as weak for native Linux; System76, Tuxedo/Clevo, and Framework praised for smoother Linux support albeit at higher prices or with some compromises.

Alternatives and broader trends

  • Many recommend: used enterprise ThinkPads/Latitudes, HP EliteBooks, Framework, mini‑PCs or desktops plus a lightweight laptop/MacBook for remote access.
  • Underlying themes: race to the bottom, brand dilution, planned obsolescence, and growing concern about e‑waste and lack of long‑term durability.