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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?

KIM_JONG_JUICEBOX ,
@KIM_JONG_JUICEBOX@lemmy.ml avatar

Didn’t Lenovo like 15 years ago make a line of desktops that shipped with some redhat derivative installed? Or am I thinking of something else?

FiskFisk33 ,

i think I saw a few only a couple of years ago

techognito ,
@techognito@lemmy.world avatar

They still sell with Fedora pre-installed

raven ,

Do any of these have:

  • As nice a keyboard, that I don’t have to worry about spilling a cup of coffee on.
  • Track point or similar.
  • Ability to survive a fall down a flight of stairs.
  • 4:3 or 16:10 aspect ratio.
  • Ports.
    While being built with repairability in mind?

I day dream about stuffing the guts of a modern laptop inside with a USB hub and an enormous battery, but that’s a huge undertaking.

MangoPenguin , (edited )
@MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Price, used thinkpads are cheap. I know I can get parts basically anywhere too.

nickapos ,

@const_void because of quality of construction. I have thinkpad a running Linux that are more than 10 years old and all this without vendor support. Being able to find parts even after so many years is also important.Do any of these Linux friendly vendors have similar quality and similar prices?
Whenever I think about getting one of those systems I really don’t know if the company is going to exist in the next few years.

qyron ,

The first machine I ever installed with a distro was an MSI Ultrabook and Linux, out of the box, visibly improved the overall performance of the machine, with no need for benchmarking. After tweaking and fine tunning, it only improved.

After that came a long series of Asus, a few HP, one or two Dell. Always flawless installs, out of the box. The only exception I can remember of was a very specific HP model where the modem had to be manually installed.

Having a hand full of companies designing and building for linux feels like being part of an exclusive, Apple-like club; the prices are high, the choice limited.

We should be pressing the industry to recognize the linux ecosystem for what it is: a stable OS, with an ever growing user base with money to spend that want quality support for the equipments they buy.

ExLisper ,

Also Vant and Slimbook from Spain. I own a PC from Vant and I’m happy with it but I would think twice before buying a laptop for 1.5k when I can just get a used lenovo for half that price and use it for next 10 years.

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.

someguy3 ,

I’ve heard the ThinkPad keyboard is excellent (I welcome input).

KnightontheSun ,

The olde ones are nice. Not sure about the newer ones. I have two T420s and one T430. The 420 was the last of the chicklet keys I think. Can swap CPU/RAM as well. The 430 has the CPU soldered in like most major brand laptops do meow.

MonkderZweite ,

I have some preferences in hardware (Vendors are still riding the 4k-in-laptop-size bandwagon) and Thinkpad has good customizability.

Just looked into Malibal, they have no less than WQHD currently and i get a top of the line customized Thinkpad for less than their 2000+.

gerdesj ,

I tend to use other people’s cast-offs at work. Win 10 slow? JG gets an upgrade! I whip the SSD or M.2 or whatever I’m using out of the old one and pop it in the “new” one.

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.

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.

Revan343 ,

$$$

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.

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