Hello /g/,
I'm looking into getting a cheaper laptop that I can put Linux on and use for simpler things like writing papers and watching TV. Im pretty sure I'm going to go the used thinkpad route but are there other options I should consider?
>>/SQT/
Thinkpad T420.
thinkpad t420 is generally the recommended laptop on /g/
>>53871485
1. define cheap
2. t420 doesn't have the best screen although it does everything else well
>>53874134
Got a thinkpad last week with a 1600x900 screen and I don't see anything wrong with it. Maybe because I've lived all my life with shitty panels but this thing is fucking amazing.
OP, I would suggest that you look at the business laptop category rather than any specific brand or model. They all share a few common traits that set them apart from consumer laptops:
Modularity
Ease of disassembly (well-planned construction and extremely usable repair manuals)
Ruggedness.
OEM parts availability.
Linux compatibility.
Price - used business laptops depreciate like Chrysler cars. Businesses will buy 100s of new laptops at once and liquidate the old ones.
Most are dockable, which can be extremely useful.
Some downsides are:
Bulky/heavy
Not great screens in general.
Usually not sleek or "trendy"
As an example, I had a HP laptop that shit the bed last summer. I needed something immediately, so I bought a thinkpad t410 for $100 on eBay. It didn't have a hard drive, but it did come with a power supply and battery. I installed a 128gb ssd and put Linux on it and it has served me well for this past year of college. The screen is shit but I don't game or watch videos on it aside from YouTube; it suits my needs. The battery lasts 3 hours or so.
As far as build quality goes, the main thing I noticed is that it doesn't flex. If you pick up most consumer laptops, you can easily flex it with your hands. Due to the magnesium subframe, my t410 is extremely rigid. The keyboard is excellent compared to other laptops I've owned. I have disassembled it before to tighten the display hinges and it was a breeze. The factory service manual is available on the lenovo website and it is very well written.
I say that so you will have an idea of what it's like to "daily drive" a $100 used business laptop. The hp elitebooks and Dell latitudes should be similar. If all of this sounds like something you would find usable, go ahead and buy one. If you do any photo editing or gaming you probably don't want a laptop like this.
