Looking for suggestions for laptop

[tallkyle]

I'm looking for some suggestions for a laptop to run Ubuntu. I'd prefer a refurb unit (if I had the cash, I'd just buy a preloaded machine and be done with it).

My 2008 Macbook 5.1 has run various Linux flavours over the years but I think I'm starting to hit a wall.

Not married to Apple stuff, but I understand it can be a good option? I also gather that used ThinkPads are popular, as well as Dell equipment?

My use is mostly for some basic business functions (nothing outside of LibreOffice really), web browsing. A little graphics and web editing. TV streaming. No gaming though.

Seeking something reliable, not flashy. Located in Canada. Budget range is around $400, plus or minus $100.

Thanks all.

[TheFu]

New M1 Apples aren't not widely supported, so avoid those for a few years as project teams decide whether they want to support it or not.
Thinkpads and Dell are usually standards compliant, but not all devices like fingerprint readers should expect support.

Last week, I remember seeing a Dell 14 inch Core i3 for US$330 on a deal site. Almost bought it as a spare. The deal link: https://slickdeals.net/f/15503248-de...hback-free-s-h Adding more RAM is easy on that model - same for swapping the SSD. Have an Asus Core i5 (8th gen) with 8G of RAM and it works well (besides the fingerprint reader). The keyboard needs replacement. I got that Asus used for $305 2+ yrs ago. For me, the 15 inch size is too large.

I've had 10, 11, 13, and 15 inch laptops. 11 is too small. 15 is too large. 13-14inch seem about right, provided they have 1080p or higher resolution.

Just saying "laptop" really doesn't narrow down all the options sufficiently.
https://blog.jdpfu.com/2010/04/23/bu...-stuff-to-know lists some important things to consider.

Size, weight, type of keyboard (do you want US or French?), external ports, external video output, is USB2 fine or do you wan the latest USB3.2? Don't expect any thunderbolt or other proprietary Apple stuff and you won't need to buy apple-only cables for $30/ea either. Wired ethernet is very useful. Optical drive internal or do you already have a USB optical drive? Stuff like that.

As for wifi chips, I'd stick with the main brands - intel usually just works. Most of the others can have issues.
Coming from Apple, you'll be surprised/dismayed with all the choices. Make the wrong choice and either there will be problems or it will never work.

And if battery life matters, I'm a firm believer in Intel CPUs over AMD. For home desktops/servers - I want a Ryzen to make upgrades cheaper, but for laptops, intel CPUs and iGPUs and battery management is just better.

And if you travel internationally, weight and size is a big consideration. I miss the size, weight, and battery life of a Toshiba I had a few years ago that was 13.3 inch, sub-2lbs, 1080p, with a Core i3. Two bad things about it - 4G of RAM (soldered in) and the keyboard failed after just over 2 yrs. Loved that laptop. Everything else about it was fine to good. It was a Chromebook that I wiped the OS off, voided the warranty with non-ChromeOS firmware and used hard for 2+ yrs.

Make a list of the things you deem important and order those in your list. Then start looking at models that match the top 5 needs. 4G of RAM is just a little too small. 8G has always been fine on my laptops. 768p resolution drives me crazy. Feels like I'm missing 400 pixels in the vertical. I'm used to 1200p on my desktops. We each have our own needs.

[TheFu]

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022...ars-web-calls/ is new for new Lenovo laptops. May be helpful to other people. Generally, it is a bad idea to get brand new CPUs/GPUs and some NICs if the intent is to use Linux. Best to get last year's model to avoid the bleeding edge issue common in Linux.

[pantazi]

I was in your position 3 years ago after using an old Thinkpad for a year to get the hang of Ubuntu. I bought an HP 8460p for £250 with a new 240gb SSD, i5 and have never looked back.

It is an ex corporate laptop and despite now being 10 years old (immaculate) and using it around the parameters you describe, it is blindingly fast and completely reliable although my wife describes it as a house brick compared to her Starlabs i7 labtop.(Not a spelling mistake.)

Unless you need an IPS or HD screen, these machines take some beating for the price.