Looking for recommendations for linux based laptop

[donkey35]

Hi All,

 

Hoping for some recommendations on some linux based laptops. It will be used for programming and general use (videos + browsing web). I know of a company system 76 which I see recommended a lot, but I'm not sure I understand why they have so many different models. Seems like their pricing may be a little high. I've also stumbled upon Tuxedo, which seems similar.

 

Some people recommend clevo or Tongfang. Are there any companies selling these in Canada?

 

 

[svmlegacy]

34 minutes ago, donkey35 said:

Hi All,

 

Hoping for some recommendations on some linux based laptops. It will be used for programming and general use (videos + browsing web). I know of a company system 76 which I see recommended a lot, but I'm not sure I understand why they have so many different models. Seems like their pricing may be a little high. I've also stumbled upon Tuxedo, which seems similar.

 

Some people recommend clevo or Tongfang. Are there any companies selling these in Canada?

You can install Linux on most x86 laptops without much trouble. I'd reccomend this route. You don't have to buy it with Linux pre-installed.

[RONOTHAN##]

Honestly for what you seem to want, get a used Thinkpad like a T480. They're cheap on the used market, especially considering their build quality, and Linux support on them is very good (for the most part, there are a couple models that have some small issues). You will need to install your own OS on it, but if you can't figure out how to do that, you probably shouldn't be running Linux. Besides, even with those ones with preinstalled Linux, I don't know what you but I'd immediately format the drive and install my own distro of choice rather than whatever is installed by defauly. 

[rikitikitavi]

As previously mentioned, used laptop is a good idea, just check if everything works 'right out of the box' with your distro.

 

Also I suggest looking into previous gens macbooks air/pro (retina), as they should be cheap enough with good build quality.

[donkey35]

28 minutes ago, svmlegacy said:

You can install Linux on most x86 laptops without much trouble. I'd reccomend this route. You don't have to buy it with Linux pre-installed.

Thanks! I may just go that way, seems these pre-built ones are on the pricey side.

 

26 minutes ago, RONOTHAN## said:

Honestly for what you seem to want, get a used Thinkpad like a T480. They're cheap on the used market, especially considering their build quality, and Linux support on them is very good (for the most part, there are a couple models that have some small issues). You will need to install your own OS on it, but if you can't figure out how to do that, you probably shouldn't be running Linux. Besides, even with those ones with preinstalled Linux, I don't know what you but I'd immediately format the drive and install my own distro of choice rather than whatever is installed by defauly. 

 

Thanks man! I may actually go this route. Looks like it should do the trick and there seems to be a lot of used ones available for prices i'd expect. Do you know if leveno has a 15" or 16" laptop similar to the T480?

 

4 minutes ago, rikitikitavi said:

As previously mentioned, used laptop is a good idea, just check if everything works 'right out of the box' with your distro.

 

Also I suggest looking into previous gens macbooks air/pro (retina), as they should be cheap enough with good build quality.

Yea, it's a good idea. I already have a 2013 macbook that still works great, however, I prefer development on ubuntu for various reasons. Still going to keep the mac, but looking for a dedicated programming laptop. Ronothan suggested a used T480 which looks like a good fit

[RONOTHAN##]

11 minutes ago, donkey35 said:

Thanks man! I may actually go this route. Looks like it should do the trick and there seems to be a lot of used ones available for prices i'd expect. Do you know if leveno has a 15" or 16" laptop similar to the T480?

Yup, it's the T580. You can find some really good prices if you're willing to wait for the right deal to come around (I know a guy who snagged a T480 for $240 US a few weeks ago). If you want to go newer, you can see if you can find a T590 or T15 (Gen 1 or Gen 2), or if you want to go older you can get a T560 or T550, though I wouldn't go too much older than that. The basics for Lenovo's naming scheme (so you have an idea what you'll be getting without having to google it) is as follows:

1.) The first letter denotes the series. E- is their more budget oriented models (though still very well built), T- is their business series, very solid model, P- is their workstations, same with W-, X- is their top-end thin and lights, L- is their lower end thin and lights/convertibles, etc. 

2.) If it's a 3 digit name, the first number is the screen size, 3 being 13", 4 being 14", 5 being 15" etc. If it's a newer 2 digit name, the two numbers are the screen size. If it's an older 2 digit name, they're really all over the place and you shouldn't really be looking at that old for a daily use laptop.

3.) If it's a 3 digit name, the second number will be the generation. A T480, for instance, will use 8th gen Intel CPUs. A T550 will use 5th gen CPUs. There are some exceptions, for instance some E580s used 7th gen Intel rather than 8th and most if not all -9- series laptops used 8th gen CPUs with a refreshed design, but this is a general rule to go by. If it's a newer 2 digit name, there will be a generation after it, where 1st gen is 10th gen Intel or Ryzen 4000 and 2nd gen is 11th gen intel or Ryzen 5000 (usually, there are again a few exceptions).

4.) If it's an X1 Carbon or any other variant of that, ignore most of what was already said, those things are weird with how they're named and how the generations work

[donkey35]

1 hour ago, RONOTHAN## said:

Yup, it's the T580. You can find some really good prices if you're willing to wait for the right deal to come around (I know a guy who snagged a T480 for $240 US a few weeks ago). If you want to go newer, you can see if you can find a T590 or T15 (Gen 1 or Gen 2), or if you want to go older you can get a T560 or T550, though I wouldn't go too much older than that. The basics for Lenovo's naming scheme (so you have an idea what you'll be getting without having to google it) is as follows:

1.) The first letter denotes the series. E- is their more budget oriented models (though still very well built), T- is their business series, very solid model, P- is their workstations, same with W-, X- is their top-end thin and lights, L- is their lower end thin and lights/convertibles, etc. 

2.) If it's a 3 digit name, the first number is the screen size, 3 being 13", 4 being 14", 5 being 15" etc. If it's a newer 2 digit name, the two numbers are the screen size. If it's an older 2 digit name, they're really all over the place and you shouldn't really be looking at that old for a daily use laptop.

3.) If it's a 3 digit name, the second number will be the generation. A T480, for instance, will use 8th gen Intel CPUs. A T550 will use 5th gen CPUs. There are some exceptions, for instance some E580s used 7th gen Intel rather than 8th and most if not all -9- series laptops used 8th gen CPUs with a refreshed design, but this is a general rule to go by. If it's a newer 2 digit name, there will be a generation after it, where 1st gen is 10th gen Intel or Ryzen 4000 and 2nd gen is 11th gen intel or Ryzen 5000 (usually, there are again a few exceptions).

4.) If it's an X1 Carbon or any other variant of that, ignore most of what was already said, those things are weird with how they're named and how the generations work

Thanks man!