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Why do people still recommend Thinkpads for Linux when there are Linux-oriented manufacturers now?

I’ve noticed in the Linux community whenever someone asks for a recommendation on a laptop that runs Linux the answer is always “Get a Thinkpad” yet Lenovo doesn’t seem to be a big Linux contributor or ally. There’s also at least six Linux/FOSS-oriented computer manufacturers now:

So what gives? Why the love for a primarily Windows-oriented laptop when there are better alternatives?

tal , (edited )
@tal@kbin.social avatar

Last time I was looking, they were one of the few laptops that I've seen that come with a trackpad with three mechanical buttons. Linux makes better use of three buttons than some other environments, and I like mechanical buttons.

There may be other vendors out there now that also do so.

fakeman_pretendname ,

Absolutely. It’s a shame that this has become so rare. Even the Framework laptop, which is put together in a modular manner, allowing pieces to be swapped in and out, doesn’t give the option of having a touchpad with actual buttons.

I could have a full rant about it, but based on their lack of availability, I suspect I’ve got a minority opinion.

TheButtonJustSpins ,

Right there with you. I’d love it if someone adapted the Lenovo ThinkPad trackpad into a form that would work to plug into the Framework 16. I strongly prefer physical buttons.

0xeb ,

They still do a good job with build quality and I use them for work. I also use framework 13 as my personal computer, it is great and I like it but it does not feel as premium as my work laptop. It is probably a trade off for modularity though

TheButtonJustSpins ,

My work laptop is dogshit, but I do love my personal P50. I’ve preordered the Framework 16 to replace it, though.

limelight79 ,

I bought a Lenovo last year to install Linux on. I’ve never heard of most of those, but I have been keeping an eye on System 76 for years and researched their offerings.

I don’t recall everything that made me go with the Lenovo, but after my last (Dell) laptop started developing issues that appeared to be related to it flexing, I wanted something with a stronger case, and System 76’s laptops appear to have plastic cases. I help run a trade show-type thing, and I sometimes walk around with the laptop, and I will occasionally balance it with one hand, while entering info with the other. I think the case started flexing, and the touchpad (I’m guessing) started giving spurious inputs, causing all kinds of headaches last year. So I wanted something with a solid case like my old aluminum body Macbook Pro had.

I recognize this is limited requirement, most people aren’t going to have this issue.

LemonGrease ,
@LemonGrease@hexbear.net avatar

Funny red nipple

spauldo ,

“Clit mouse,” per xkcd. And it’s a major reason why I buy them.

freagle ,

Exactly. Track point is the number one reason

Shinji_Ikari ,
@Shinji_Ikari@hexbear.net avatar

I literally spent my hard earned bucks on a Tex Shinobi from one guy in Taiwan just so I could get the trackpoint for the desktop with a mechanical form factor without having to source a 30 year old Model M.

It’s my favorite keyboard ever btw. Don’t sleep on the Tex keyboards.

TheButtonJustSpins ,

That looks super old school.

Shinji_Ikari ,
@Shinji_Ikari@hexbear.net avatar

The layout is based on an old thinkpad layout which is cool. I never use the number pad either so it’s perfect for me. The palm rests are so comfortable as well.

01189998819991197253 ,
@01189998819991197253@infosec.pub avatar

I mean… It didn’t NOT persuade me…

kaito ,

“Test of time” is not a valid argument anymore as there are newer ThinkPad models. To think there’s only one ThinkPad model is an illusion.

Also Lenovo laptops are so sharp you could m*rder someone with it

Muffi ,

Spare parts and resilience. Thinkpads are the most tanky laptops available.

bruhduh ,
@bruhduh@lemmy.world avatar

You don’t know yet about clevo laptops, my first laptop from 2015 and running good as new

library_napper ,
@library_napper@monyet.cc avatar

Because I bought a Linux laptop from one of those vendors. It came with QubesOS but ran awful for it. I tried to debug but it fucking broke after 4 days.

That was 6 months ago and I’m still waiting for them to refund me after I sent back the broken device.

Never again. Thinkpad has my money for life if they keep making durable hardware.

_cnt0 ,
@_cnt0@lemmy.villa-straylight.social avatar

one of those vendors

Which one?

TheButtonJustSpins ,

Looks like Purism is the only one of the six that has Qubes as an option for preinstall.

1984 ,
@1984@lemmy.today avatar

I don’t like thinkpads anymore. They used to be great but Lenovo decided to kill off their best feature - the keyboards.

My fingers actually hurt when typing on a ThinkPad keyboard now. They are so shit.

I think people are nostalgic and they remember what the brand used to be. But I’m not impressed by them anymore. They keep scoring top marks at notebookcheck reviews however, but every new ThinkPad has disappointed me with bad screen or bad looks or feel.

sentient_loom ,
@sentient_loom@sh.itjust.works avatar

I have an amazing screen on my T16. But I wish it had a better keyboard and more upgrade options.

filister ,

To be honest, they also made them less serviceable. But in the not so long past they used to be really great. You can easily find replacement parts, upgrade them. If I have to buy a new one, I would buy Framework, if second hand is an option, ThinkPad is unbeatable, but you need to do a small research which model doesn’t have soldered RAM and offers battery replacement.

TheAnonymouseJoker ,
@TheAnonymouseJoker@lemmy.ml avatar

Not that hard. Each ThinkPad model has a PSREF sheet you can download in 5 seconds, and check everything down to the screen brightness in nits, and all kinds of slots and ports on motherboard. This kind of standardised, easy to procure documentation does not exist for any laptop maker at all.

TheAnonymouseJoker ,
@TheAnonymouseJoker@lemmy.ml avatar

Ease of availability of third party repair/replace parts, and due to economies of scale, them being cheaper as well. Also I know that Lenovo will officially provide me the parts easily even 6-7 years down the line, no matter if I am a business or home/personal owner of a ThinkPad. The only complaints I am seeing are the newest fingerprint readers on selected models like Yoga being less compatible, other than that everything is as standard on Linux as it gets.

starclaude ,

yeah good luck getting those brand outside of US

rog ,

You can also find secondhand thinkbooks for very reasonable prices.

I havent bought a brand new laptop in over a decade now, dont think ill be starting any time soon either.

RagingToad ,

Tuxedo is German? I had a laptop from them and it was perfect:-)

(It was a company laptop, unfortunately had to return it when I got a new job)

estebanlm ,
@estebanlm@lemmy.ml avatar

yes, it is.

Zatujit ,

No problem getting a Framework in France

Aria ,

System76, Framework, Malibal and Purism are assembled or shipped out of the USA, which means they spy on users. So now you’re down to two manufacturers.

Promethilaus ,

While as a British person I’m naturally biased against the USA 🤣 not all US companies are bad and spy on their users come on this isn’t China

Aria ,

No they all do, it’s illegal not to. Were none of you paying attention to Snowden?

weshgo ,
@weshgo@lemmy.sdf.org avatar

for a lot of people (me included), a cheap second hand thinkpad (or dell pro) with a light distro would be more than enough to cover their computing needs for years.

sentient_loom ,
@sentient_loom@sh.itjust.works avatar

What king of dell pro compares to a thinkpad?

weshgo ,
@weshgo@lemmy.sdf.org avatar

not sure what you mean, but I find that Dells are also cheap (second hand) easy to find, reliable, solid and easy to maintain (like the hardware is easy to access for cleaning and replacing/updating).

edit : I’m using a latitude 5470 with lubuntu. I bought it second in a pawn shop a few years ago and added some RAM last year, it still runs like a charm.

imikoy ,

Since the regular points have already been covered by other people, I’ll add one thing that I like:

Two batteries. The external one is drained first, and it can be replaced while the laptop is running, because there’s an internal battery. I have 24Wh internal, a 16Wh external (it’s old, originallly it was 24Wh) and 72Wh external, in a 12 inch laptop (achievable because 72Wh battery sticks out and acts like a stand), giving me more battery life than anything else without an external power bank.

And I got mine for dirt cheap.

Rogers ,

Used thinkpads especially the older ones (t480 and older) have a ton of extra parts floating around, and you can get them cheap. I built a t480 with 8th gen i7 from parts for around $170 over a year ago, it has been a great experience. I upgraded the trackpad and keyboard and plan to upgrade the screen, cooling, and battery next.

devfuuu ,

It really depends on where you are located for the things to be worth it. I had to buy a new keyboard for my t470 a few months ago after dropping a full latte on the computer top - only the keyboard got fucked, drain holes worked awesome and only need a little of internal drying and cleanup - and just that cost me 100 €.

It really is the best laptop I ever had and I had on my hands a much more recent X1 and currently a Dell XPS, both which I hated.

What I can say and be happy is that after all these years I can still at least find parts and buy them, any other computer I simply wouldn’t be able to find any parts or after market for it.

But in my country basically impossible to find market for it or parts and only recently did people were able to order some few models from their online store, the thinkpads simply weren’t sold besides business deals around here.

sLLiK ,

Secret sauce: it’s much easier to get an employer on board with buying you a Thinkpad as part of a bulk order than it is to get them to spring for any of these more obscure models as a one-off.

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