[LAPTOP] Linux-friendly laptops?

[Zeikcied]

My Uncle's laptop died a week ago. It was a 15.6" Acer we bought a few years ago, and now we need a replacement. He only uses it for email and web browsing. Probably the most processor-intensive thing he does is Flash-based Facebook games.

The problem is that I know how finicky Linux can be with new laptops, and I'm trying to keep the price down because he really doesn't need a lot of power or hard drive space. I don't know a whole lot of sites for computer shopping other than the big-name stores as well as Newegg and Tiger Direct, and I haven't had much luck finding a lot of good, cheap systems. And I don't know which brands are best, and then there's the problem with whether or not Linux will run. I would prefer a new system (as opposed to used or refurbished) as it would hopefully last longer.

Can anyone help me out here?

[oshunluvr]

My wife's old cheap Acer worked perfectly from 9.04 to 10.10 when it died. $249 at Best Buy. Our Dell has a couple issues so I can't recommend it. even though it was available with linux installed.

[Zeikcied]

9.04 to 10.10? That's not even two years. We can't replace laptops that often. The one that broke lasted three years, and the tech who looked at it seemed to imply that Acer isn't a good brand.

I guess maybe we could look at refurbished computers. I just get the feeling from those that they had issues to begin with, and I wonder if those problems are all fixed or if it's like a ticking time bomb (figuratively, I hope).

[vinnywright]

if it's just e-mail and flash games ,,,,,,check out a chrome book $2-300.00 I'm on a HP-G62 I got a few years ago and it works great (all intel)

VINNY

[Zeikcied]

He's used to using Thunderbird for email and local file storage (of documents and stuff). I don't know much about Chrome OS, other than most stuff is supposed to be done "in the cloud" with Google web products. I assume it would be easy enough to install Kubuntu over Chrome OS, assuming that's even possible (I'm sure it is).

Edit: I searched about installing Linux on a Chromebook, and I'm seeing a lot of stuff about Crouton and ChrUbuntu, and neither seem to get rid of Chrome OS completely. Is it possible to completely erase Chrome OS from a Chromebook and install Kubuntu?

[NoWorries]

For Laptops, I prefer ASUS. I have an ASUS F3Jr which was purchased in June 2007 and the only problem I have had with it is a cooling fan which became noisy and I replaced it. I also have an ASUS R501VM N56VM which was purchased in December 2012 and no problems to report. I chose ASUS because they have been very reliable and I had heard good reports on their reliability. Both systems have Kubuntu installed and I have also replaced the Hard Disks on them by SSDs.

[oshunluvr]

9.04 to 10.10? That's not even two years. We can't replace laptops that often. The one that broke lasted three years, and the tech who looked at it seemed to imply that Acer isn't a good brand.

I guess maybe we could look at refurbished computers. I just get the feeling from those that they had issues to begin with, and I wonder if those problems are all fixed or if it's like a ticking time bomb (figuratively, I hope).

You assumed the hardware lasted the same as the OS installs. Once I get my wife's computer working the way she wants, i usually stop upgrading it. The laptop lasted 4 years total and was still working when I sold it.

[oshunluvr]

He's used to using Thunderbird for email and local file storage (of documents and stuff). I don't know much about Chrome OS, other than most stuff is supposed to be done "in the cloud" with Google web products. I assume it would be easy enough to install Kubuntu over Chrome OS, assuming that's even possible (I'm sure it is).

Edit: I searched about installing Linux on a Chromebook, and I'm seeing a lot of stuff about Crouton and ChrUbuntu, and neither seem to get rid of Chrome OS completely. Is it possible to completely erase Chrome OS from a Chromebook and install Kubuntu?

There's one forum member who's done this and posted a thread about it. I think the cheaper chromebooks are a pretty good deal.

[Zeikcied]

From what I can tell, assuming I got the right post, is that he still had to use ChrUbuntu. So I guess there's no way of removing Chrome OS completely.

Anyway, is Toshiba at all a Linux-friendly brand? I did a search and I found a post from a few years ago on Toshiba's support forums about it not being easy to get Linux working on their laptops, so I'm guessing not.

[GreyGeek]

Toshiba, HP, Acer, DELL, Lenovo, etc... Pretty much all of them have models which work well with Linux, and models which don't. To add to the problem the latest versions of all of them have Win8 and UEFI, which is a mixed bag to be sure. I'd focus on a machine which has Win7 preinstalled. (I guess your price limitation leaves out the low end System76 machines).

The failure of Win8 and the move by Joe and Sally Sixpack to the tablet forms has reduced demand for laptops, so I suspect that their prices will be rising from now on as demand drop and corporations are the main buyers. The current price for low end machines at Amazon start at about $400.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_p_...rnid=562215011

I've been using Acer's since 2005, except for one Sony VAIO laptop I bought for myself as a retirement gift. My current Acer is an Aspire V3-771G, bought in 2011, IIRC. My wife has been using her Acer Aspire One 0D521 netbook for three years and it is running like a champ. I upgraded her from an Acer 3609Li laptop, which she gave to our son. The people whom I support have Acers, HPs and Dells. Acers give the least problems and are the most compatible with Linux.

The techie who said Acer's weren't very good was blowing smoke, IMO. But, if you buy the cheap, low end stuff you'll get what you pay for. I got my wife's netbook on an After xmas sale, at half price, for $245. The low end Acer netbooks used to retail at $250 or so. My Acer V3 was a Black Friday purchase for $495. It is currently retailing at $900.

If you are going to get a cheap laptop I'd still go with Acer, but I'd get a cheap $10 USB keyboard as well so that he can spare his chiclet keyboard's lettering, which rubs off fairly quickly, and is easier to type on if one is not used to the chiclet keyboards feel and spacing.

There still may be some good after Turkey Day prices available on good quality laptops, or one can check out the after xmas sales.

[oshunluvr]

Funny you mention the keyboard - the one part of my wife's old Acer that I had to replace. Wasn't difficult or expensive...

[Zeikcied]

Well, we settled on an Asus laptop, model X502CA-BCL0901D. I know it's Win8 and thus probably has UEFI. But I kind of hope Asus would be more Linux-friendly, especially since they make Android tablets and stuff.

[charles052]

I'd go with HP myself and I'd definitely go with Windows 7 if you want to dual boot. If you go with a Windows 8 computer, just disable UEFI and what not, then do a clean install, wiping out the entire drive. WARNING: Unless you manage to grab the key from the BIOS, you'll never be able to reinstall 8 since they did away with the sticker on the bottom with the key (or you can simply copy the activation files than replace them and activate them later).

Anyways, Newegg has some pretty good deals right now on laptops with Windows 7 OSes. Just put you preferred brand name in the search bar along with "Windows 7", pick laptops for the category, and you'll have your pick of goodies.

[SteveRiley]

HP laptops may have thermal issues with Linux -- they use cheap and poorly-designed heat sinks. Personally, I've found Lenovo to be the most trouble-free laptops.

[perspectoff]

I have Kubuntu Precise on all my Toshiba (including a brand-new one), HP, and Acer (brand-new) laptops (I have 6 in the family). No problems.

The HP fan does blow, though, so perhaps that's the heat issue. Still, that particular laptop is 5 years old (I've had several versions of Kubuntu on it), and I don't think I've ever had a laptop where the fan doesn't blow at some point (after heavy use). Webcam on the HP has never been an issue -- it works perfectly (the right way 'round).

One daughter used her Toshiba for gaming and I also ended up replacing the keyboard after a few years, but it only cost $9 and took 15 minutes to replace -- so not a big issue. (I doubt any laptop used for heavy gaming will not need a keyboard replacement, eventually.)