Would you purchase a computer from a Linux system maker?

[gugalcrom123]

For desktops I built my own, and for laptops I will choose a ThinkPad or Latitude, because these have Ubuntu or Fedora options, meaning they should run with Mint too.

[coffee412]

For desktops I built my own, and for laptops I will choose a ThinkPad or Latitude, because these have Ubuntu or Fedora options, meaning they should run with Mint too.

I like your LM icon.

I build my own computers and don't care much for laptops. They just do not have a place in my life really.

[MurphCID]

I have a desktop, but I like laptops for using in places where I need a computer and I am not at the desktop. Plus laptops allow me to go out and about and have a computing device with me. So for my particular use case laptops work well. But I prefer the 14" laptop size more than other sizes.

[shedyed]

My answer would be Yes
and I might consider getting a used one from them, even, before I go building one on my own.

[MurphCID]

Das Geek did this for a Gazelle (their low end gaming system): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG98ChT4HFg I am sure there are a number of them on eBay.

[MurphCID]

Dedoimedo posted his latest review on his Slimbook Executive and so far he seems impressed. https://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/sli ... ort-1.html

[wwblm]

I just think it is incredibly wonderful to take advantage of crazy depreciation and use Mint to have a fantastic computing experience for next to no money. Typing this on a Lattitude that I picked up from a guy who specializes in re-marketing business computers. Many companies regularly upgrade their machines and basically discard their existing equipment when they do. To me, a 4 or 5-year-old reasonably high-spec business laptop with a fresh SSD and Mint is an excellent machine. Many brand-new machines with typical consumer specs will actually perform worse!

As a bonus, the places I buy from sell with a clean Windows installation. Of course, I pull that drive immediately, replace it with a fresh SSD, and do a Mint install. The pulled Windows drive can be put in for tax time and otherwise remains safely disconnected from any machine where it will not be able to frustrate anyone;-)

The bang for the buck with this approach is off the charts so I just can't see myself purchasing from a system maker.

[MurphCID]

And I can both appreciate and understand your approach. Mint (and Linux) does make older computers feel fresh and new. Plus there is the cost factor. Since I put kernel 6.5 on my Galago, I am using it one heck of a lot more, it feels great, and has a wonderfully nice keyboard.

[Human_63]

I chose "Other" because while I'm open to a prefab Linux computer, I have always had upgraded Windows hardware. The most recent one is a Dell Latitude 7490 business laptop that I bought with Linux Mint installed. The seller was kind enough to include a USB recovery drive, which I have used to upgrade two other Windows laptops. One I made into a dual boot system and the other is Linux Mint only. There's a certain sense of satisfaction in rescuing good hardware from a bad operating system.

In terms of hardware, I've never built a desktop computer and I've used laptops exclusively for the past decade. I doubt I would ever go back to a desktop, but I like the setup I have at work--big monitor with a built-in docking station, keyboard and mouse, so that my laptop functions as a desktop when I'm in my office, but I have the receiver for my Logitech keyboard and mouse combo plugged into the laptop instead of the docking station, so I can unplug the USB-C cable from the laptop, grab the laptop and the mouse, and I'm ready to roll. This will come in handy next semester when I'll be splitting my time between two campuses with an office on each.

[MurphCID]

For laptops, I really have come to prefer ones made by Linux system builders over the repurposed Windows laptops, although I just repurposed my old HP Spectre 13.3" for a buddy with Mint, and he loves it.

[MurphCID]

Currently it is possible to choose decent laptop produced by Dell, Lenovo, HP, Acer and others and install random Linux OS on them without additional efforts and without need to use any additional drivers and ppas. On the contrary "a Linux system maker" laptop reduces user options and ties it to custom distribution or to necessity to use a manufacture's ppa and install custom drivers and settings using other distributions. Nowadays 99% of computer characteristics are concentrated in the CPU and CPU chipset and any custom additions to the motherboard is the potential source of future problems. I think target group for buying Linux laptops are not the advanced users but people with limited computer skills, which, obviously, don't want to use Windows but can't install OS on their own and do not know that they may receive help on the forum like this one.

To an extent that is me, but I have installed Linux on many, many laptops, some were very successful, others less successful. I installed Mint on a buch of System 76 systems, and had put the PPA, but now that the OEM kernel is out, I do not use the PPA from System 76 at all.

[AZgl1800]

I will use almost any laptop, EXCEPT one made by HP.

one of those was enough for me, I will not allow another locked BIOS pc on my property

when this one breaks, I am ordering one from Penguin
https://www.thinkpenguin.com/catalog/de ... -gnu-linux

[TaterChip]

I will use almost any laptop, EXCEPT one made by HP.

one of those was enough for me, I will not allow another locked BIOS pc on my property

when this one breaks, I am ordering one from Penguin
https://www.thinkpenguin.com/catalog/de ... -gnu-linux

I haven't run into that issue, but I'll add it to the reasons I'll never own another HP product. Louis Rossman covers a lot of those reasons on his channel.

I checked out the link you provided. Kinda blows they only offer one laptop. Curiosity got the best of me so I configured one of their 15 inch laptops similar to the 17 inch gaming laptop that I currently own (I do like the extra screen real estate for productivity). The price was almost the same. I bookmarked the link because there was things I liked about the machine, though. Thanks. I'll look more into it when it's time to replace my MSI.

[AZgl1800]

my current laptop is a 17 inch ASUS TUF FX705GM gaming laptop.

chosen because at the time, it offered the best non-reflective screen, super fast cpu, gpu, and other goodies.

it has been a very good pc for me, but unfortunately, the case is made of plastic that is meant to stay on an office desk permanently.

I take it every where I go, and one day, it was left on a side table with the Lid opened up, and our feisty dogs got to playing and knocked it onto the floor. shattered the back of the lid, and broke nearly all of the screw boss retainers in the bottom of the case.

I have to use an External USB kybd with it, because all of the keys have lost their letters, and half of them no longer respond to keystrokes.... kind of useless that way, all of the home keys no longer work....
I am a touch typist, and can sometimes hit 120 wpm, and I hit the keys hard.... they don't like that...


it now looks like a patch work plastic/steel quilt, because the hinges are broken on both sides.





couple weeks ago, the 1TB SSD ran out of free space, so I installed a 4TB SSD to get it to hold me until dooms day, when I can buy that Penguin in the 17 inch model.


here is one corner of the bottom case cover, I had to use a Dremel side cutter wheel to get the case off.
it is so loose now, that I had to use a Hot Glue gun to make the case stick together....
it is sealed in glue now.

[Neophyte]

My Linux boxes (other than my Raspberry Pi) all just started as old Dell machines that I got for cheap (or free) without a HDD. Then I just tossed a HDD into them, added more ram, (and in one case upgraded the CPU and added a discreet GPU) and put Linux on them.

[MurphCID]

I think that for those concerned that Linux system makers keep you locked in to "their" distro, I think this has been found to not be the case since I am running all my System 76 laptops with Mint. Yes, they had issues with other distros like MX and Debian, but worked also with Manjaro (until Manjaro self destructed), so for me, at least, I like the concept since the hardware will generally work with Linux.

[MurphCID]

I have been doing a little unscientific research on the cost of laptops, and generally Linux laptops from Linux system makers are $100-$400 more expensive than their windows equivalents for new computers of comparable specs. But the Linux devices with very very rare exceptions are also user upgradable where many, if not most Windows laptops have the ram and in some cases the drive non-user upgradable due to be soldered on the motherboard.

An example is the System 76 Lemur Pro (8gb soldered, 1 open slot 40gb max), vs the Lenovo X1 Carbon which require you to pick the ram and it cannot be upgraded.

[AZgl1800]

I have been doing a little unscientific research on the cost of laptops, and generally Linux laptops from Linux system makers are $100-$400 more expensive than their windows equivalents for new computers of comparable specs. But the Linux devices with very very rare exceptions are also user upgradable where many, if not most Windows laptops have the ram and in some cases the drive non-user upgradable due to be soldered on the motherboard.

An example is the System 76 Lemur Pro (8gb soldered, 1 open slot 40gb max), vs the Lenovo X1 Carbon which require you to pick the ram and it cannot be upgraded.

i agree with you on this.
that is why my next laptop will NOT be anything that has Windows on it OEM.

I have made up my mind, I am going with Penguin

System 76 is over priced IMO

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...System 76 is over priced IMO

Way overpriced! And their desktop computers and cases are poorly designed.

[MurphCID]

System 76 is expensive, I will politely disagree that they are too overpriced, they are expensive, but compared to non-Linux systems, they are within $100-400 of their close competition. Plus there is scale of manufacturing to take into account. Most Linux system makers are what in the old days we referred to as "Boutique" computer makers since they essentially, like say, Falcon Northwest, or the old Alienware, before Dell bought them, in terms of making a system. How many here have a device from Falcon Northwest, Vooodoo Computers (now HP Omen), or pre-Dell Alienware? Linux makers are actually less expensive than those companies.

https://www.falcon-nw.com/

https://www.originpc.com/

https://xoticpc.com/

https://www.ibuypower.com/