Looking to buy a new laptop. Help appreciated

[xh1]

One time only, I bought a refurbished machine. The keyboard felt like some kind of sticky liquid spilled on it in the past and I hated it. Some keys had to be hit 2-3 times before the character showed. I ended up giving it to my daughter who was in middle school back then, not really caring if she was going to break it. After that experience I prefer not to buy used, but I do understand the point that you folks are making.

Any thoughts on places where to get the best deals on new computers?

[j2mcgreg]

Your profile puts you in New York so come up to Canada and buy it here. This $600.00 HP 15 with the current exchange rate would be $425.00 in $U.S.
https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/hp ... 1/17981255

[T3KN05H4M4N]

Since 2021 all the laptops I have bought are used ThinkPads, they are built with Linux compatibility in mind from the planning stage.

Get them when they are coming off corporate lease and the price to value is excellent.
Make sure you get an Intel 8th gen or a newer AMD if performance matters.
Look for the best screen available when you buy.
RAM and SSDs are usually easy to upgrade, if you can use a screwdriver.

ThinkPads are great! Those and Dell are easier to work on than say HP! They're also pretty cheap refurbished on eBay!

[T3KN05H4M4N]

One time only, I bought a refurbished machine. The keyboard felt like some kind of sticky liquid spilled on it in the past and I hated it. Some keys had to be hit 2-3 times before the character showed. I ended up giving it to my daughter who was in middle school back then, not really caring if she was going to break it. After that experience I prefer not to buy used, but I do understand the point that you folks are making.

Any thoughts on places where to get the best deals on new computers?

You have to really do your research before buying a refurbished computer! Always check the going price, read the full description, look at the pictures very keenly, plus read the seller's reviews and ratings! If it's bought at a brick and mortar store then get them to boot it up and let you try it out. If they won't do that then hopefully they have a warranty. If you want to buy new, it just depends on the hardware specs you're looking for but like I said I find the best deals on ebay but I might buy one from Temu just to see what the prices and quality are like. Walmart sometimes has good deals. Amazon usually overcharges and Best Buy is hit or miss.

[LinuxSpring1]

Hi,
I'm looking to buy a new laptop mostly for internet browsing (including videos), normally with quite a few windows/tabs open. My price range is $300-$400. I'm not interested in a Chromebook or any other "computer" with similarly imposed limitations.

I have a few questions:

In this price range, what CPUs should I consider and which CPUs am I better off avoiding. I'm looking to maximize performance and minimize wait times.
Also, if you could possibly share the kind o laptop brands/makes that you personally prefer and those which you rather avoid.

I have been limiting my search to Walmart, Amazon and Best Buy. Are there other websites where I could possibly find better deals? I want to take advantage of Black Friday if I can.

Thanks for your help

Black Friday would be the best time to get good deals.

Look for Acer or Dell. Dell has generally higher quality than Acer. Acer are fantastic value for money. Dell and Acer are easier to repair compared to their counterparts, especially HP and Lenovo. I stay away from HP, Lenovo and others. Asus can also be looked at. If you are okay with Linux being your prime OS then look at Tuxedo laptops too. But be prepared for limited after sales support.

A few important points.
Stay away from 13th and 14th Gen Intel CPU based machines. If you are fine with AMD or Qualcom based CPUs then that should be good enough for your need. But please note that AMD based systems are not as powerfull as Intel.
Additionally stay away from laptops which have NVidia GPUs if you plan to install Linux on it. Now or in the future. If you plan to use only Windows then you should be fine.

Additionally if you do not need mobility, i.e. carrying the machine from one place to another then MiniPCs and MicroPCs could also be looked at. Old used Mac mini, those based on Intel Silicon can be had and they are a steal. But you will need a monitor for this. Some of those Mac minis can run linux too.

Kudos for avoiding Chromebook type laptops.

[T3KN05H4M4N]

It seems we have mixed suggestions here which may only just confuse xh1. All great suggestions nonetheless! Some say Lenovo, HP, Dell or Acer. It really comes down to personal preference. I've put Linux on many different kinds of computers in the past and they all worked great! Some i had to do some tinkering with but nothing too complex. I'd say get something that's easy to work on, upgrade parts etc, and that is most likely to be Linux compatible. As far as hardware specs go, you could actually get something decent within your price range @xh1 if you take the time to shop around and compare deals on the specs and models you're looking for. There's going to be lots of great deals online due to Black Friday. Don't forget, there will also be deals the following Monday for Cyber Monday! Best of luck to you! I hope you find something you'll be satisfied with!

[xh1]

Additionally if you do not need mobility, i.e. carrying the machine from one place to another then MiniPCs and MicroPCs could also be looked at. Old used Mac mini, those based on Intel Silicon can be had and they are a steal. But you will need a monitor for this. Some of those Mac minis can run linux too.

Kudos for avoiding Chromebook type laptops.

It's funny you mention - initially I actually thought about a Mini PC. My main concern was possible compatibility issues between the PC, monitor and keyboard, not knowing if, for example, image sharpness or video skipping could be a problem.

I don't need mobility so I can certainly go that route. The specs are certainly better for Mini PC than they are for laptops.

[chrispop99]

It's funny you mention - initially I actually thought about a Mini PC. My main concern was possible compatibility issues between the PC, monitor and keyboard, not knowing if, for example, image sharpness or video skipping could be a problem.

I don't need mobility so I can certainly go that route. The specs are certainly better for Mini PC than they are for laptops.

I have several Intel NUCs that work well with MX Linux.

Chris

[j2mcgreg]

@xh1
If you do decide to go the minipc route, make sure that you research your chosen model for Linux compatibility before you purchase because not all minis are equal or made well.

[lars_the_bear]

Kudos for avoiding Chromebook type laptops.

I've used some great Chromebooks, and they can be terrific value for money, if you shop around.

The problem, of course, is stripping all the horrible Google rubbish off, and installing a real Linux. Even now, there's no good documentation (that I know of) for this, nor even an up-to-date list of which models work. The last time I installed Linux (Ubuntu, IIRC) on a Chromebook, I had to dismantle it and bridge two pins on the motherboard to enable the bootloader to be unlocked. It was a horrible job, although I believe it was easier on some models.

I wouldn't rule out a Chromebook if you know of one that can have a proper Linux installed. But I guess the only way to be sure, is by the personal recommendation of somebody who's done the same thing on the same model.

BR, Lars