Laptop recommendation

JohnMee

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Hi all. Apologies if this has been asked before. I searched but didn't find an answer.

I have used Linux (and Windows) a few years ago and am comfortable with installing and re-installing both operating systems.
I currently use Mac OS but want to familiarise myself with Linux again. I want to buy a laptop with Windows installed and dual boot it with Linux - I intend to try a few distros. I won't be using it for anything mission critical - it is purely to play with the os. - maybe with an intention to change over fully in the future.

I don't need/want the very highest spec machine but do want one that capable of running any distro and is somewhat future proof. I've been looking at Dell and Lenova. One thing I do absolutely want is a good build quality laptop. I don't want anything that feels cheap and plasticy.

Reason being, I want it to stand the test of time - like my MacBook. I want a laptop that's well built and capable of running Windows and any Linux distro I can throw at it.
Any suggestions? And thanks.
 


Hi & Welcome to Linux.org.-:)

Are you on a budget?

Maybe have a look at what Micro Center and Tiger Direct has.



Also, maybe do a search on Dell's vs. Lenovo and see what folks are saying online about their performance and durability.

A Linux friend of mine has 2 Dells and his Linux distro's run well.
 
Thanks for your reply.

I'm in Europe so importing from the US would incur extra taxes. Forgot to mention budget. I'm looking at about €600. The 2 concerns I have are build quality and that all components will work with any distro.
 
One thing I do absolutely want is a good build quality laptop. I don't want anything that feels cheap and plasticy.

I want a laptop that's well built and capable of running Windows and any Linux distro I can throw at it.
Any suggestions? And thanks.
Want a tough laptop ain't no better.


 
I want a laptop that's well built and capable of running Windows and any Linux distro I can throw at it.
all components will work with any distro
You expect perfection, and that is not available. Sorry. Some distros (Debian, Fedora, others) are very much into providing only free software. Debian does have non-free versions, but they don't advertise them very well, so you have to know about them and hunt them down. The free software distros very often will not make your built-in wireless work, and maybe your sound, and maybe more. They can usually be made to work by downloading and installing (sometimes compiling from source) the proprietary drivers that are needed. For many Linux newbies, this is difficult.

Ubuntu and its many flavors (Kubuntu, Xubuntu, MATE, etc), and also its derivatives (like Linux Mint, Linux Lite, Peppermint, Zorin, LXLE, and others) usually include non-free drivers right away. This usually, but not always, makes everything work right out of the box. Usually. But you can scroll through this forum, or any other, and find people complaining about what is not working in Linux. (Oh, but it works in Windows!) Drivers are made primarily for Windows. Linux does a good job of keeping up, and some manufacturers even provide Linux drivers too, but you cannot expect perfection from every distro.

I take "components" to sometimes include external devices too, like printers, scanners, WiFi dongles, even keyboards and mice. These may be even more tricky. Before buying the latest-greatest external hardware, look to see if it is compatible with Linux. Some are, and some are not.

And finally, you have to consider the issue(s) related to UEFI and Secure Boot. UEFI is the motherboard firmware that "replaced" the older BIOS firmware... but many people still call it BIOS. UEFI has been included on motherboards for about a decade now, but it still continues to give some Linux distros trouble. That is, some Linux distros will not install if UEFI-only is enabled on the motherboard. Fortunately, there is usually an option to disable UEFI, also described as "enable Legacy mode" or "enable CSM mode." Secure Boot is one of several new features with UEFI... some Linux distros can work with Secure Boot enabled, but some cannot. Just about every computer manufacturer does UEFI differently, and this complicates the problem(s) even further.

You just need to be aware of these things. You can make Linux work on practically any new computer, but it may take some effort on your part. Your best bet is to use one of the Ubuntu flavors or derivatives for Linux, but you still need to consider the big picture of the system you envision. If you want to dual boot Windows and Linux, you will probably buy Windows pre-installed, and it will probably be UEFI enabled and Secure Boot enabled. If you want to leave those settings alone, Ubuntu and Linux Mint are probably the best choices, but that is still not a guarantee. Be flexible. Good luck!

Cheers
 
Yea, I came across the UEFI issue a few years ago on an Asus laptop. I don't mind "getting my hands dirty" with installation - this is one of the reasons I want to have a look again at Linux.
Thanks very much for your considered reply. lots of info i need to think about here.
 
Hi all. Apologies if this has been asked before. I searched but didn't find an answer.

I have used Linux (and Windows) a few years ago and am comfortable with installing and re-installing both operating systems.
I currently use Mac OS but want to familiarise myself with Linux again. I want to buy a laptop with Windows installed and dual boot it with Linux - I intend to try a few distros. I won't be using it for anything mission critical - it is purely to play with the os. - maybe with an intention to change over fully in the future.

I don't need/want the very highest spec machine but do want one that capable of running any distro and is somewhat future proof. I've been looking at Dell and Lenova. One thing I do absolutely want is a good build quality laptop. I don't want anything that feels cheap and plasticy.

Reason being, I want it to stand the test of time - like my MacBook. I want a laptop that's well built and capable of running Windows and any Linux distro I can throw at it.
Any suggestions? And thanks.
If you can find one of these - it is the BEST laptop I have found for running Linux!
Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575-52JF - 15.6" - Core i5 6200U - 4 GB RAM - 1 TB HDD - US International Part Number: NX.GE6AA.007
I purchased mine used from a college student. She just could NOT conform herself to Windows 10. Decided to buy a Mac.
I had to do some jumping through hoops to get Linux Mint to install on it but once I got that figured out everything has run smooth as silk! I did replace the HDD with a SSD and noticed a great improvement in boot up and shut down times. This laptop is the smoothest, most coolest running machine I have ever had. The wireless card in it was "flaky" under Linux so I use a micro usb wireless dongle - works perfectly.

I have been looking for one of these laptops for the wife but was quite surprised at how much they cost.

Best little laptop I have ever had. Did I mention how cool it runs? :)
 

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