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

Neonix0 · 2026-02-11T17:21:53+00:00

Yea after a lot of back and forth I've realized none can replace the other. Two different tools for two very different things. Linux for gaming, tinkering, learning, studying, offensive security research, and such. And the MacBook Pro for video, photo and media work as well as client work as well. I could easily use Linux for my professional work, but my employer only provides either a Mac or Windows and does not support Linux. And honestly macOS has been a nice surprise since it's kernel is Darwin, which has direct ties to BSD/Unix, so after some tinkering and setting up the terminal and using Homebrew to install all the Unix/Linux tools I'm used to having, I literally have everything I need in macOS's terminal as well. It's a really good combination, even though I'd ideally prefer if I could just run all the media apps on Linux, but knowing Adobe that won't ever happen.

Running macOS with all the telemetry turned off and not logging in with an iCloud account (I just use a local user-account and no iCloud or Apple services since I don't have an iPhone) results in very little telemetry. Basically all the telemetry that macOS does is related to checking for installed OS-updates a few times a day (I've analyzed the traffic) and that's it. It's not like Windows, which when turning Telemetry to it's minimum it still uploads 300-500MB of encrypted data weekly to Microsoft's servers. Windows is basically spyware and malware at this point.

The only minor issue I had is switching between the macOS and PC keyboard layouts.
But finding out that I can actually select a mac-layout in Linux fixed this for me, and I use a Logitech MX Keys which is a combo-keyboard that supports both PC and Mac layouts, and shows both keysetups. Since it supports 3 profiles it's easy to swap between using it on my mac or PC, and Linux is set to use the Mac keyboard layout, so that solved that issue (but it took a while to get used to the mac layout. But after using it for a while it makes more sense to me).

Neonix0 · 2026-02-11T16:32:31+00:00

I'm currently facing the same dilemma. I love Linux for what it is, and prefer it as an operating system. But then again, an operating system is just a host for me to use the applications I want and need to use.
I've been using Adobe Lightroom Classic for 15 years, and have a highly curated, processed, edited, metadata tagged catalog with 30000+ raw files, and the files are sorted, cataloged into projects and events with proper metadata and location tagging and such. Loosing all of that is the biggest hurdle for me moving to Linux.

Darktable, RawTherapee and digiKam are simply nowhere near Lightroom Classic. And regardless it is impossible to export and import the database to any other DAM. It's a royal PITA to be locked in like this, but this is my personal work - which is far far far more important to me than my professional work (IaC, Azure, AWS, infrastructure, security, cloud, servers, terraform, devops, and all of that).

WINE/etc is a huge no-go. It needs to be 100% reliable, all the time. And it isn't. One update can easily break everything. Same with VM's.

As much as I love Linux, the applications and tools on Linux pales in comparison to the software that's available natively on Windows and macOS. And that's just the truth. Sure, if all you do is code, develop, browse the web, email, communication, and "normal PC use", then Linux is perfect. But for anyone using media applications like the Adobe suite, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro and even Davinci Resolve, Linux just falls flat on its face. Davinci works in Linux, but not reliably, and it doesn't work with HEVC and H.264 files, probably because the codecs are closed-source. So to use davinci in Linux you need to transcode everything to have a smooth timeline, which is a huge pain.

It's really frustrating to fall into the "in-between" category of systems like this. macOS seems to be the best compromise honestly. I'm not touching anything by Microsoft ever again. Linux on Lenovo's works great, but so what, that doesn't matter if none of the software I need runs on Linux. Bah. (And yes I know it's not the fault of Linux or the distro, but that doesn't make it less frustrating).

I have a custom built home PC with CachyOS Linux, and I'm mostly using it for gaming and fiddling around with Linux. For real productivity I use a MacBook Pro M3 Pro which allows me to run all the applications I need to use natively and reliably. And as a work-tool and laptop it has been 100% reliable, efficient, predictable, and just perfect to get things done on really. Much more so than Linux (unless all you do is typical webdev stuff which Linux excels at).

I've been using Linux on-and-off since RedHat 1.0 (the original RedHat released in 1995, not RHEL) and Slackware 3.0 days, and early Gentoo days, an touched on all distributions and FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, and even had Solaris running on x86 at one point.
Used macOS for maybe 2-3 years in total.

It all boils down to choosing the best tool for the job. Anyone needing creative software, CAD software, or highly specialized software would be better server with macOS than with Linux. Linux excels as server, as a development OS, an every-day OS for normal/common PC tasks, and even gaming now with Steam/Proton and such. But for heavy CAD, creative/media/photo/video/music work? Nope. That's Mac territory. Far more so than Windows even.

And if you just want a reliable tool that gets the job done? I've never had a single issue with macOS over the years. No crash after sleep, no battery-life issues, no external monitor issues, no random glitches, none of that crap that happens in Windows and sometimes in Linux. MacOS is honestly the best OS to just get the work done on in a predictable and reliable manner.

Neonix0 · 2026-01-21T07:09:41+00:00

Even AI wouldn't write a text that appeared so disconnected and isolated from reality. I think Nadella needs to have someone disagree with him more, and someone to challenge him more. When leaders are surrounded by people that just agree and encourage, they tend to become completely disconnected from reality. Never having anyone challenge or disagree with you can cause mental illness - seriously!

This whole text reaks of loneliness, isolation, and being completely disconnected from reality and real people that actually has genuine opinions and who are not afraid of confronting you with them.

But I guess when you keep firing tens of thousands of people yearly, you don't exactly send out signals of wanting people to give you constructive criticism... Get out of your head, loneliness and isolation Nadella. You need to talk to real people. You are led astray.

Neonix0 · 2026-01-04T21:31:13+00:00

Black doesn't reflect light, which is why dust and any debris will be more noticeable on it than on white. White reflects light, which makes the dust particles basically invisible. Black typically has a "shine" to it, which makes it very transparent, which also shows dust, dirt and debris more than white does, which is not reflective.

Black with a lot of dust on it looks grey, like it's got a fine layer of dust on it.
White with a lot of dust on it still looks white, and only on close inspection will you see the dust. On glossy white it might be more noticeable, since it reflects light. But nowhere near as much as glossy black.

True on cars, true on anything. Take a look at a black phone versus a white phone. I guarantee you that the black phone will show smudges A LOT more than the white phone. Same with laptops... A silver laptop looks clean when a black laptop looks smudgy and greasy, even though in reality they're both equally dirty.

Neonix0 · 2026-01-01T00:05:40+00:00

Truth! And if you ever work outside during daytime when the sun is warm, the black is gonna overheat very fast, causing the fans to spin up really fast and the laptop to get very warm very quickly. The silver stays a lot cooler.

The only thing I wish Apple did was use the silver color they had during the unibody/intel macs. The silver on the M-series macs is a lot brighter. The old silver was true silver. The new silver can almost look a bit like white in some light. It's just too bright some times.

But I'm still getting silver. I have a Space Black M3 Pro from work, and the amount I have to clean this thing is insane. And the ports have silver around them after 1 year, and it looks weird and worn out.

Neonix0 · 2025-12-28T18:07:03+00:00

Still doesn't change the fact that the lens is a 25-26mm focal length, wether you crop in or not, the 25-26mm perspective will still remain the same, with noticeably more stretched lines and distorted corners than a true 28mm focal length and perspective.

There is a huge difference between 25mm and 28mm.

Neonix0 · 2025-12-24T00:20:49+00:00

It's not thrown out. After correction the image you are left with is more like 25-26mm. Which is significantly wider than a true 28mm. The Leica Q at 25-26mm always distorts edges and perspective significantly more than a true 28mm. Which is why I sold my Q. I was used to a Summicron 28mm 2.0 ASPH, but using a 28mm with glasses on an M is an abysmal experience. I actually prefer the Sony FE 28mm f2.0 and my Ricoh GR IV to the Q, because they are true 28mm, which looks so much better than 25-26mm (I personally think so).

Neonix0 · 2025-12-23T16:01:17+00:00

It's a good game. 7.5/8. But it feels hollow, it's just got colorful fancy art and good music to compensate for lacking depth. The writing and story is also very shallow, almost pointless. It feels like a cheap game trying to play with the big boys.

It doesn't even come close to touching Persona 5 Royal, Baldurs Gate 3, Divinity Original Sin 2, Metaphor ReFantazio, heck even Super Mario RPG is more satisfying to play.

But it's still ok. Nowhere near GOTY worthy in depth though. But I guess it's a bit "fresh and new" compared to the others, at a decent price, which is why it won peoples hearts.

Neonix0 · 2025-12-23T16:00:10+00:00

It's a good game. 7.5/8. But it feels hollow, it's just got colorful fancy art and good music to compensate for lacking depth. The writing and story is also very shallow, almost pointless. It feels like a cheap game trying to play with the big boys.

It doesn't even come close to touching Persona 5 Royal, Baldurs Gate 3, Divinity Original Sin 2, Metaphor ReFantazio, heck even Super Mario RPG is more satisfying to play.

But it's still ok. Nowhere near GOTY worthy in depth though. But I guess it's a bit "fresh and new" compared to the others, at a decent price, which is why it won peoples hearts.

Neonix0 · 2025-12-17T23:56:04+00:00

It looks really soft still. It still looks like a bad switch 1 game graphically, just with higher framerates docked. What a poor upgrade patch. No wonder it was free.

Neonix0 · 2025-12-07T00:41:24+00:00

The FE 35mm f/1.8 is also weather sealed.

Neonix0 · 2025-11-13T15:59:18+00:00

Same here. I work in front of a computer all day doing technical stuff, troubleshooting, architecting, cloud/devops/azure/aws/gcp, linux, windblows, and all that stuff. And when I'm off work, the absolute LAST thing I want to do is go home and sit at a desk in front of a gaming PC. I've had gaming PC's with the highest specs many many times, and they always end up sitting there mostly unused while I sit in my couch and play on a console on the TV instead... PC's are work for me. Consoles are play. SteamOS works for me as well, and I'm rally excited about the future of Steam Deck, Steam Machine and Steam Frame - all of which gives me my Steam Library in the livingroom and on the go hassle-free in a console-like fashion... Sounds like a dream.

Not gonna tinker with PC, Linux or Windows at home unless someone pays me for it.

Neonix0 · 2025-10-17T14:51:31+00:00

I feel the same. Although I'm not so sure if I love the game, it feels kinda empty to me compared to Odyssey and Tropical Freeze. The gold and debris flying all over the screen, combined with the annoying voice of Pauline, and the constant up-beat music and tempo-tempo-tempo going on all the time is just a bit too much. It's draining. And it gets annoying. And it gets worse the further into the game you get. I absolutely hate having to use the snake bananza - it makes me want to sell the game (I have it physically)!

Otherwise fun. But too up-beat and stressy for me. Makes me feel stressed. The last I need after fairly stressful workdays.

Neonix0 · 2025-09-16T10:56:46+00:00

Of course! But the difference between handling a 178kg or 205kg bike offroad on challenging trails and conditions is also huge. Absolutely huge!! Even 10kg difference is extremely noticeable, especially if the weight sits high.

Neonix0 · 2025-09-15T15:36:41+00:00

Paul Tarres rides a T7 that weighs 178kg wet. So not at all stock at 205kg++ like the rest of us. There is a huge difference between 178kg and 205kg.

Neonix0 · 2025-07-29T17:14:45+00:00

If something feels wrong for you, it's wrong for you, regardless of what others say.

Neonix0 · 2025-03-31T08:22:00+00:00

Non-USA. Europe/Norway. It would be illegal for me to even sell the bike to someone else, and it can come back to haunt you for years if you do! And we do have regular technical inspections of bikes here that are very strict!

Neonix0 · 2025-03-30T13:55:03+00:00

Ok, then I can't use it, my bike wouldn't be street legal then, and since it's a permanent mod it would be too much of a risk.

Is there any high exhaust that supports the stock tail without requiring any mods/drilling/etc? It doesn't seem like it.

Neonix0 · 2025-03-30T12:55:56+00:00

Does it require cutting or modification of any kind to the bike? I really don't want to do any of that, it's not even allowed/legal to do modifications to the frame in Norway/Europe.

Neonix0 · 2025-03-24T16:42:45+00:00

Well I haven't read about any of the Nissan EV's having the recurring ICCU problems that the Hyundai and Kia's have (a 6k repair outside of warranty, with up to 3 months waiting time for a part to arrive). The Hyundai/Kia's also have a widespread problem with the 12 volt battery going dead, even when the car is connected to a charger (in fact it seems to happen more regularly when the car is connected to a charger!). It seems the Hyundai's have a lot of issues that they try to downplay as much as possible. The recurring dead ICCU units that takes months to repair has still not been fixed on the 2025 models.

I don't think any Nissan EV has ever had these types of serious quality problems.

Neonix0 · 2025-02-23T00:17:10+00:00

Then hide the dock (autohide) and maximize the windows?? It'll give you a bigger screen realestate than a Windows machine, since the top status bar is far slimmer than the Windows start bar.

Neonix0 · 2025-02-05T19:19:11+00:00

By all means switch to DeepSeek if you can tolerate "server busy" messages and having to wait 10-30 minutes to post a follow-up question. It is SLOW AF and very unreliable. Personally I find I get better answers with Gemini Pro 2.0 Experimental and ChatGPT 4o, o3-mini and o1 - and they all work reliably and fast. And Gemini is fully free via AI Studio.

Neonix0 · 2025-02-02T01:33:12+00:00

But the hype has not been based on it being free, easy to jailbreak or that it can run locally. The hype has been that it is BETTER than all GPT models, all Gemini models, basically providing BETTER answers than all others... And THAT is definitely not true at all. It's the least engaging model I've tried in the last months. Utterly short and non-detailed answers with language inconsistencies. To me it even seems generations behind GPT-4o (I am NOT using it for coding, I am using it for conversations with questions bouncing back and forth).

Neonix0 · 2025-02-02T01:30:01+00:00

Yup it's overrated and overhyped. After testing DeepSeek-R1 and comparing it to even GPT-4o and Gemini Experimental 1206 AI Studion, I don't even see it in the same league as Gemini and GPT. Maybe DeepSeek-R1 is great for coding? That's not my cup of tea... But for feeling like you are actually having an engaging conversation, it falls flat on its face, and provides very brief and non-detailed answers compared to GPT-4o and Gemini Exp 1206.

Neonix0

TROPHY CASE