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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?

scytale ,

Side question since a lot of people knowledgeable about Thinkpads are here. What’s a good used thinkpad model that can support remastered classic games like StarCraft and Quake II? All my linux distros are on HP and MSI hand-me-downs that are starting to break down, and I’ve been wanting to get a cheap, used thinkpad.

moist_towelettes ,

I bought a System76 Pangolin 11, then replaced it with a ThinkPad X13 within a few months because the battery life was trash. Total workhorse but it would die on me in meetings if I was sharing my screen.

Marduk73 ,
@Marduk73@sh.itjust.works avatar

Look at the prices.

Revan343 ,

$$$

Certainity45 ,

I hope nobody recommends Thinkpads manufactured after 2020. They’re pure garbage in so many ways, that there’s no point to list them all.

morhp ,

Framework has some quality problems, not everyone is a fan of the keyboard, and it’s relatively expensive.

Tuxedo is quite good, but they often use stock Clevo models and customize them, so they might be cheaper and not that well designed than one by a “proper brand”.

Not sure about the rest.

There’s very little alternative if you want a ThinkPad style keyboard and track pad/trackpoint for the price of a used or older ThinkPad.

fedorafan ,

One factor is that laptops need a little more design work to build out main boards and validate relative to a desktop, especially considering that you optimizing for power draw and that very little of the design is socketed. As a result a good chunk of the Linux laptop market uses OEM provided designs and then tailors their software around it. Last I heard system76 was working to bring that design work in house.

canis_majoris ,
@canis_majoris@lemmy.ca avatar

Thinkpads are cheap and accessible basically everywhere. They are business-grade devices and you can get one when folks retire their machines. A lot of places practically give them away. They were just gonna get thrown out anyways.

Framework is dumb expensive - a 16 even skimping out on RAM/HDDs comes out to over 3k CAD, and that’s for a disassembled kit – pre-built with full components comes out to easily over 3.5k, which is like a MacBook price for the promise of upgradability down the line.

System76 are rebranded shitty components from Chinese manufacturers. They’re not better for Linux than any general consumer laptop, and their entire position is basically branding regarding freedom and 1776. Ironic that a company so deeply American in nature basically just resells garbage from China.

ksynwa ,
@ksynwa@lemmygrad.ml avatar

Not everyone can spend +1000 dollars on a computer.

20gramsWrench ,

those manufacturer either have to charge thouthands, or use the cheapest possible hardware they can find to be interesting compared to the thinkpads of old, which can take a punch or two and get replacement parts

Grant_M ,
@Grant_M@lemmy.ca avatar

I’ve never met a Thinkpad that didn’t like Linux :)

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