New Laptop?

#1

I need a new laptop and I don’t really know what to do.

Here’s my problem: I’ve had a MacBook Pro since 2009. I’m happy with it, I like MacOS, it’s the only Apple product I actually own. It is getting old, slow, etc and I think after 7 years it is time for a new laptop. I have been waiting months for the new MacBook Pro line up and now it has been released I am not that impressed. Especially with the £500+ price increase. BUT, I like Mac OS X, the build and style of the MacBook.

So, what alternatives could I go for? I’ve been looking at ‘Ultrabooks’, or thin laptops as they are. If I get a non-mac laptop I will be installing some kind of Linux distro. I’ve looked online at Dell’s XPS range, looks nice. The main issue I see is having a laptop that is fully compatible with Linux.

Does anyone have any other recommendations? Any particular laptops/brands work well with Linux?

Thanks

#2

Have you upgraded ram and put in an SSD?

#3

Yes, 8GB RAM and SSD.

#4

Thinkpads are always a strong favorite in the Linux community.

I know at red hat the base laptop used to be a lenovo running fedora, so there is a lot of support for this hardware.

the Carbon x1 gen 3 are a top of the line ultrabook. The Gen 4s are out but you will have better luck getting a gen 3 ex lease on ebay for under £500.

Otherwise there are ubuntu certified desktops/laptops

https://certification.ubuntu.com/desktop/

#5

I’d think about a refurbished mac book pro if I had the money, any model that isn’t the current model…

#6

If you stick to Macs –

The MBPs really jumped in performance in the late 2011 models, when they went i7 quad core. If you want something cheap, get a second hand non-retina i7 from then on and swap your SSD across.

If you want retina, your choices are more constrained as you can’t upgrade the SSD. Don’t get the first gen of those models as the graphic cards of the time were barely up to pushing that amount of pixels.

If you’re buying second hand get the model without discrete graphics. There’s less thermal stress, so more likely to last.

#7

Thank you for the link to Ubuntu’s certificated pcs. That’s really useful. I will have a look.

The idea of refurbished MacBook never entered my mind. I saw the previous model of MBP 13 for £1060 on the apple store which seems far more better value than the latest model. Looking on eBay too, looks ok.

Thanks

#8

Hi Stuart,

What do you use your machine for? Do you have needs that require a powerful machine?

I have a late 2011 15" Macbook Pro that is still going strong. It was one of the last generations that allowed you to upgrade RAM and I have gotten a lot of mileage out of it. Strongly agree with @tobyspark on the non-discrete graphics cards. They are subject to an extended repair program that finished next month (which you can read about here if you are interested further here.)

I’ll be going Linux for my next laptop. I liked the look and feel of the Google Pixel chromebook but it seems to have been delisted from their website so I guess they aren’t making it anymore.

#9

ive installed various linux flavours on a bunch of diff machines laptops etc, the only problem i ever had has with lubuntu and that was on a fairly old little asus latop which was fighting with camera.
I normally install both windows and Linux n same machine and Linux always works far faster and with somthing like ubunutu installing stuff is easy

i often buy reconditioned dell laptops through dell outlet at a decent discount, never had any trouble with them as well.

i bought a chromebook and i regret it, its very very hard, i think impossible to change operating software.
the best u can do is run gnome desktop over the chrome OS.
Chromebook grand for surfing web, not good for customizing…
def not a regular laptop experience

#10

I don’t need a powerful machine, however I do want a fast laptop so it runs smoothly. I’m going to look into the MacBooks that have non discrete graphics.

I do actually have a Chromebook, which I do love, however it is my ‘travel’ laptop. I used it over the summer when I was in america for 3 weeks. It was so cheap (£125 new) and just easy for me to access almost everything I need. However, as you say, it’s just good for surfing the web.

#11

Oops, forgot to say I think The Guardian read my mind:

#12

I have a HP x360 spectre and it runs smoothly with linux and windows , is a convertible , you can flip the screen and it became a tablet, it does have some sensors inside (guroscope, accellerometer) which are supported by ubuntu (not out of the box btw) , the screen is nice and the battery last aroun 6-7 hours, if you want an alternative to the macbook pro, that’s your machine :wink:

#13

I’m also thinking about a new laptop. The Guardian article was useful.

My current Dell is over 5 years old, but has been a great workhorse. It could almost certainly get a great boost from an SSD and perhaps more RAM…

My pressure is a business one: I’m deregistering for VAT so can save 16.66% of the cost of a new one.

But my instinct is to run the old one into the ground!

#14

Having had Mac for most 12 years I’ve often found the build quality of other brands of notebook to be very poor, often only lasting a 18-24 months because of plastic construction and poor thermal design.

I’ve also found other notebooks to have frustrating trackpads and poor quality screens, and be very noisy when doing anything CPU intensive, or have USB ports in stupid places.

Have things moved along, or is this still an issue with most manufacturers?

#15

The new Precision Touchpad is a huge improvement

And handily linked from that article, a well-built thin aluminium laptop with thunderbolt3 and precision touchpad

Not realy a Pro replacement though. Core M processor.

#16

Waaa! Get a SSD in there. shudders

1 Like
#17

Which version of the HP x360 Spectre did you go for? I’m thinking of getting a new machine.

#18

is a 2015 version , both 2016 and 2017 are wonderful machines :

#19

Is this hard to do? I have the same issue with a 2009 bog standard MacBook.

#20

You should. We can guide you.

First step: exactly what model do you have?
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201608