[kwlug-disc] laptops with Linux preinstalled

[Doug Moen]

On Sun, Aug 30, 2020, at 2:55 PM, Ron Singh wrote:
> The T470s is notorious for bad batteries though. A thing that I am experiencing, USB-C connectors are horribly crappy on every T490s/X390/X1Carbon that I have dealt with in the past year or so. Considering that USB-C charging is all the rage these days, a poor USB-C connector spells trouble down the road.

Thanks, Ron. Sounds like Lenovo has quality issues with ultra-slim laptops. Maybe I am better off avoiding that category.

An old Thinkpad doesn't work for me. I've got a 5 year old T450, and it is not something I want to use as my daily driver. The trackpad is bad, the keyboard is unreliable (I think because it is really easy for particles to get under the keys). Mainly, though, the graphics are not good enough. I'm doing GPU programming and 3D modelling, so I want an up-to-date GPU and an IPS screen with a 100% sRGB gamut.

If I avoid the ultra-slim models, then the 2020 T14 with AMD graphics looks like the best bet right now. This is an updated version of the 2019 T490/T495 (T14 is the continuation of the entire T4xx series). It will have better cooling than the skinnier and lighter T14s, which is an issue given that I want a relatively powerful GPU (with the power consumption that implies).

The T14 is a bit of a downgrade from earlier T4xx models: one of the two RAM slots is soldered in; the WIFI card is soldered in; it is harder to disassemble; the SD card slot has been downgraded to a tray-loading microSD card reader. On the other hand, the trackpad appears to be an upgrade from the trackpad on my T450.
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