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Ask HN: Cheap and Cheerful Laptop for BSD/Linux: what are my options?

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Re: Ask HN: Cheap and Cheerful Laptop for BSD/Linux: what are my options?

#11

Post by S4M »

Alupis wrote: post #8
taurenk wrote: post #2

I have been using a dell XPS 13 (got it on a deal for $500) and currently dual boot Ubuntu and Windows 10 Preview. I highly recommend the XPS 13 and you can even buy it will Ubuntu pre-installed.

Sadly, the pre-installed Ubuntu version (Sputnik) is $100 more expensive than the Windows version. (I suspect some sort of back-room deal with Microsoft). With that said, it is a great choice for a Linux laptop.

Can't you just buy the Windows one and then wipe the hard drive? That's what I did with my Dell.

Re: Ask HN: Cheap and Cheerful Laptop for BSD/Linux: what are my options?

#12

Post by Alupis »

S4M wrote: post #11
Alupis wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sadly, the pre-installed Ubuntu version (Sputnik) is $100 more expensive than the Windows version. (I suspect some sort of back-room deal with Microsoft). With that said, it is a great choice for a Linux laptop.

Can't you just buy the Windows one and then wipe the hard drive? That's what I did with my Dell.

Absolutely can. But you don't get Dell support :/

Re: Ask HN: Cheap and Cheerful Laptop for BSD/Linux: what are my options?

#14

Post by serf »

dutchrapley wrote: post #9
epsylon wrote: post #6

A second hand Lenovo is what you seek. X or T series, I'd recommend staying in the 220 series or earlier, if you really want cheap. They are indestructible as laptops, have great keyboards, decent specs and good Linux support out of the box (depending on distro, of course).

I saw this deal recently - $399 Refurbished: Lenovo T420 Intel Core i5 2520M 2.5GHz 8GB / 128GB SSD http://www.neweggflash.com/Product/9SIA3TX2064547?icid=WP_0_... Edited: price.

Nice deal.

I have a T420s that was bought new and I love it as a computer -- but when I go to grab a laptop to work on 'on-the-road' I nearly always grab my old X201s + big battery that I bought on ebay for 80 bucks total.

If I was to buy a T420 now-a-days i'd check out eBay. Great deals on older hardware, especially if you don't mind repairing small problems yourself.

Re: Ask HN: Cheap and Cheerful Laptop for BSD/Linux: what are my options?

#17

Post by S4M »

Alupis wrote: post #12
S4M wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't you just buy the Windows one and then wipe the hard drive? That's what I did with my Dell.

Absolutely can. But you don't get Dell support :/

I did actually. In 2012 I wiped my hard drive to install Linux on it. 6 months later the screen of my computer started to act funny, and I could use the guarantee to have my screen replaced.

FWIW it was in UK, maybe in other countries the regulations are different, and probably they would have refused to change, say, my hard drive if there were a problem with it.

Re: Ask HN: Cheap and Cheerful Laptop for BSD/Linux: what are my options?

#18

Post by dutchrapley »

serf wrote: post #14
dutchrapley wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I saw this deal recently - $399 Refurbished: Lenovo T420 Intel Core i5 2520M 2.5GHz 8GB / 128GB SSD http://www.neweggflash.com/Product/9SIA3TX2064547?icid=WP_0_... Edited: price.

Nice deal. I have a T420s that was bought new and I love it as a computer -- but when I go to grab a laptop to work on 'on-the-road' I nearly always grab my old X201s + big battery that I bought on ebay for 80 bucks total. If I was to buy a T420 now-a-days i'd check out eBay. Great deals on older hardware, especially if you don't mind repairing small problems yourself.

Yeah, I was tempted to pull the trigger on that. I recently acquired a Dell Precision M4400 for a good deal and put an SSD in it, so I'm using that with Xubuntu as my primary now.
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