I’ve noticed in the Linux community whenever someone asks for a recommendation on a laptop that runs Linux the answer is always “Get a Thinkpad” yet Lenovo doesn’t seem to be a big Linux contributor or ally. There’s also at least six Linux/FOSS-oriented computer manufacturers now:

So what gives? Why the love for a primarily Windows-oriented laptop when there are better alternatives?

      • Dudewitbow@lemmy.ml
        1·
        2 years ago

        yes. Companies goal is to essentially take in e-waste and used stuff, sort through it and pull out decent laptops/desktops wipe(or destroy) hard drive based on instructions, and resell. The company that gives us the goods gets a cutback of what’s being sold. everything else that is junk is then sorted and recycled to their respective correct facilities. Gotta use the second R in the 3 R’s and the third for whatever is considered old. What’s considered old goods is still very desirable to another company, especially companies outside of the U.S where computers may be more expensive, especially when you’re trying to get them in bulk.

        the work laptop I use is definitely used goods, in fact relevant to thread as it is a 8th gen Thinkpad T490.

        • miss_brainfart@lemmy.ml
          1·
          2 years ago

          With everything I hear about good stuff going to waste, I highly enjoyed reading that.

          Keep doing what you do, your workplace is cool

  • arthurpizza@lemmy.worldEnglish
    19·
    2 years ago

    In the US a lot of business use them. It’s not uncommon to see a pallet of “old” ThinkPads at the swapmeet selling for less than $200. We’re talking x1 Carbons. These machines have upgradable SSDs, Wifi, and battery. For less than $300 you can get a BEAST of a machine that runs Linux very very well.

  • sLLiK@lemmy.ml
    13·
    2 years ago

    Secret sauce: it’s much easier to get an employer on board with buying you a Thinkpad as part of a bulk order than it is to get them to spring for any of these more obscure models as a one-off.

  • MXX53@programming.dev
    13·
    2 years ago

    I usually grab a 3-4 year old Thinkpad every year or so for anywhere from free to 300 bucks. I pick them up from old corporate liquidation lots. Usually grab one that is a little dirty or beat up and then just clean it up and install my own SSD and upgrade ram from my stockpile.

    I like some of the others on that list, but with how cheaply and easily I can get a Thinkpad, I just can’t be bothered to spend more. I use my laptop mainly for code, and I do a lot of low-level programming so performance is usually way more than enough. The programs I write are extremely small and very efficient. Any processor from the last 20+ years will run what I am usually working on.

    When I want to spend big bucks on a computer, I put that money towards my desktop where I do more gaming and some digital artwork.

    • Surreal@lemmy.world
      1·
      2 years ago

      Would love a reputable Canadian source for a T series. Importing anything kinda sucks in terms of brokerage fees and additional tax levies, etc.

      • MXX53@programming.dev
        2·
        2 years ago

        The T series is probably my favorite. Currently I am running a P52 I got for free that was a recycle. A little big, but plenty of performance. Prior to this one I had a T460s with the i5 I got for free, it was just missing one of the two internal batteries and had a couple screen imperfections. Maybe in a year or two I will get lucky and get another T series.

  • erasebegin@lemmy.world
    13·
    2 years ago

    Thinkpads tend to have excellent build quality, solid firmware and well thought out design. Price to performance on second-hand models is always outstanding and their popularity ensures hardware compatibility with Linux.

    Of the brands you named, I just don’t trust the hardware. Tuxedo computers for example uses Tongfang white-label computers that they just slap their logo on. Quality control isn’t as thorough as Lenovo’s, firmware is sketchy, TDP tends to be all over the place and keyboard quality doesn’t come close.

    Thinkpads also have-- and I can’t stress the importance of this enough-- a nipple. I don’t really use it, but if you try to take it away from me I’ll bite you.

  • Agent641@lemmy.world
    12·
    2 years ago

    Heck, why buy a pre-made laptop anyway, just take this bag of microchips and this spool of solder and compile your own!

  • chi-chan~@lemmy.world
    9·
    2 years ago

    It saddens me to say this, but don’t buy from Purism. My Librem 5, after 2 years, still didn’t arrive.

    • vim_b@lemmy.mlEnglish
      1·
      2 years ago

      I opted for the Fir model, knowing version 2 would probably be 5–7 years away. My wife joked that we would have a school-age child before I got it… except it’s slowly becoming not a joke (and we didn’t even have kids when I preordered).

  • jg1i@lemmy.world
    9·
    2 years ago

    I bought a Framework once. The build quality was better than System76, but not great. However, Framework is not a Linux laptop. They designed it for Windows and only afterwards they were surprised to find that people wanted it for Linux.

    A lot of Linux laptops don’t have HiDPI displays because they’re not really compatible.

    Example Framework: https://community.frame.work/t/tracking-state-of-hidpi-on-linux/8301

    For years people have been trying to work around Framework’s poor display choice. And they’re still trying.

    If you have a regular DPI display, you get to avoid a whole class of bugs and issues.

    If you wanna have a good time with Linux, you need some mechanical sympathy.

    Btw, tbh, brb, I’ve had good success with the Dell XPS 13 and the Lenovo X1 Carbon. System76 build quality was meh.

    • Gecko@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      2 years ago

      As someone running a Framework 13 with Fedora 38 with 1.5 fractional scaling using Wayland I cannot say I experienced the same issue. Everything kinda just worked out of the box.

      Personally I couldn’t go back from HiDPI screens. The lower resolution just makes stuff look blurry IMO.

  • Oscar@programming.devEnglish
    7·
    2 years ago

    My thinkpad model officially supports linux, so there is no problem there. It is also much cheaper than any of those brands, and it’s also available from the regular stores.