Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: I Want to have a small Linux laptop. What are my options?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 85 posts

Re: Ask HN: I Want to have a small Linux laptop. What are my options?

#41

Post by ghostpepper »

sandworm101 wrote: post #14
AlexeyBrin wrote: post #4

I have an 11" Chromebook (Intel CPU) with the Linux extension enabled (you get a Debian VM), I can run any Linux program on it, even programs that require graphics. It is perfect for travel (battery is good for about 8 - 10 hours, depending on usage). If you decide to go on this route, make sure that you buy a supported machine (as in it will receive updates for at least a few years from now).

I also have a windows VM on my laptop. That doesn't make my laptop a windows machine. A from-the-bios-up linux install is a fundamentally different security scheme than having the ability to run linux software in a VM.

In this case I'd argue the Chromebook is much more secure from the firmware up

Re: Ask HN: I Want to have a small Linux laptop. What are my options?

#42

Post by i2cmaster »

Older 13 inch Intel MBPs are great. I'm on a refurbished Thinkpad 11e that I paid $60 from NewEgg for upgraded to the max 8GB of ram and I'm happy with it.

Obviously if you want to run something heavy like Twitter or g++ or Gnome you'll want something expensive.

Re: Ask HN: I Want to have a small Linux laptop. What are my options?

#43

Post by GlibMonkeyDeath »

wing-_-nuts wrote: post #13

The dell xps 13 is a really nice laptop, and it's fully compatible with linux because dell even has a 'developer edition' of the laptop that ships with ubuntu.

I love my Dell XPS 13 running Ubuntu - yes, a lot of things (docking stations, video conferencing tools, etc.) that "just work" on Windows and Mac need some TLC to get working, but once over that hump it's been great.

Re: Ask HN: I Want to have a small Linux laptop. What are my options?

#44

Post by wing-_-nuts »

jokethrowaway wrote: post #26
wing-_-nuts wrote: post #13

The dell xps 13 is a really nice laptop, and it's fully compatible with linux because dell even has a 'developer edition' of the laptop that ships with ubuntu.

This is the flimsiest laptop I've ever had. It's a big no for me.

Huh, I wonder if recent models have gotten significantly worse, cause the build quality on mine is quite good.

Re: Ask HN: I Want to have a small Linux laptop. What are my options?

#45

Post by sandworm101 »

ghostpepper wrote: post #41
sandworm101 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also have a windows VM on my laptop. That doesn't make my laptop a windows machine. A from-the-bios-up linux install is a fundamentally different security scheme than having the ability to run linux software in a VM.

In this case I'd argue the Chromebook is much more secure from the firmware up

That would depend on how much you trust google. I don't trust any vendor enough to lock myself into particular OS. I prefer the ability to ditch one flavor of linux for another on a moment's notice.

Re: Ask HN: I Want to have a small Linux laptop. What are my options?

#46

Post by tstrimple »

zdragnar wrote: post #21
wing-_-nuts wrote: post #13

The dell xps 13 is a really nice laptop, and it's fully compatible with linux because dell even has a 'developer edition' of the laptop that ships with ubuntu.

I was really unimpressed with mine. I've never quite figured out what got the XPS such a good reputation. By comparison, the lg gram Just Worked, though I don't know if they make a 13" model.

My last "PC" laptop experiment was a fully loaded XPS 15. It's probably the tech purchase I regret most in my life. I cannot fathom how that $3k laptop passes for high quality. Constantly runs hot so you're not even able to take advantage of the dedicated GPU since it's always throttling. Fans are almost always running full blast. Driver issues with what is supposed to be an amazing display ruined the entire experience. Not to mention the sleep / hibernation issues which require you to manually shut down your laptop before closing the lid or it's a 50/50 shot it will continue to run full power in your backpack cooking itself to death.

Re: Ask HN: I Want to have a small Linux laptop. What are my options?

#49

Post by joshrotenberg »

fsflover wrote: post #3

There are Librem 14, https://puri.sm/products/librem-14 , and Lemur Pro, https://system76.com/laptops/lemur .

The System 76 Pangolin might be an option, too, if 15" isn't too big. There is a decent, recent in depth review here: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/05/review-system76-pang...

Re: Ask HN: I Want to have a small Linux laptop. What are my options?

#50

Post by stavros »

vhodges wrote: post #6

I am quite happy with my 12th gen 13" Framework running NixOS. Everything I need seems to work out of the box (sleep/resume (not using hibernate though), Touchpad, camera, mic, etc) and seems quite stable. The 13th Gen (w/i7 only?) has a bigger batter so battery life should be better (a chief concern for some - though I am almost always plugged in). The new version also has an option for a matte screen. There's also…

Agreed, I love my Framework 13, though maybe you want to hold off for a month or two to get the new AMD option.
Post reply on HN