| Steve Litt on 14 Oct 2016 14:22:31 -0700 |
[Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]
| Re: [PLUG] Linux Laptop |
On Thu, 18 Jun 2015 16:52:05 -0400 Anthony Martin <anthony.j.martin142@gmail.com> wrote: > I was wondering what everyone's opinion on a laptop specifically for > linux. I know of system76 and the laptop we got my father-in-law from > there is a nice machine but I wanted to know what options there were. My opinion of system76 is you pay $400 for a good Linux machine, $100 for guaranteed Linux, and $200-$500" for feelgood that you "kept it in the family." I walked into Costco today, and they're selling a laptop with an AMD quad processor with 12GB of RAM for $399. Costco's guarantee is you can return the thing within 90 days, pretty much no questions asked. So if you can't load Linux on it, you can return it. In order to get tech support on a laptop that came with Windows, you need it running Windows, so you can either dual boot (difficult these days) or swap in 512GB SSD and keep the original disk in case you need to jump through tech support's hoops with Windows diagnostics. An SSD drive improves the computer's speed on disk-bound processes, and uses less power for longer battery life and lower temperature operation. Don't forget to use the fstrim command often. When the laptop goes out of warranty, you can use the original disk wherever you need a disk like that. When it becomes impossible to turn off secure boot on hardware, system76 will have some relevance for those willing to spend a few hundred dollars to guarantee use of their favorite "non-standard" Linux (Void, Alpine, PCLinuxOS, etc). And even this assumes that system76 gives a computer capable of disabling secure boot rather than just using an Ubuntu certificate. Until then, in my opinion, buying system76 is giving to a private company and thinking you're giving to a cause. Here's a 512 SSD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4RE2X48460 SteveT Steve Litt September 2016 featured book: Twenty Eight Tales of Troubleshooting http://www.troubleshooters.com/28 ___________________________________________________________________________ Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce General Discussion -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug