Which laptop for Linux 2026 in Cape Town?

RustyJacobz

RustyJacobz

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2023
Messages
28
Reaction score
18
Location
IP 127.0.0.1
Hello. I am from Generation Jones and a Linux user for 25-odd years. I need to upgrade to 16" 4K display, or at least 15.6"4K.

Use case typically would include heavy spreadsheets, presentations, word processing plus 4K video editing in KDEnlive, which uses CPU and not GPU.

Would you recommend Wootbook? Lenovo? ASUS? Acer?

Arch Linux here, but Ubuntu, Debian, LMDE6, MX Linux or even Manjaro all welcome. I love KDE Plasma nogal.

HW:
Ryzen 9
>16GB DDR5 +++
2 TB SSD
RJ45
SD card reader
HDMI

What would you propose, and why? Do consider Linux compatability. Wake from sleep, keyboard backlights, etc.
 
Last edited:
What is your budget? I have wanted to try the wootbook but we mostly buy lenovo at this point and most people seem happy.
 
Lenovo and Dell are popular for compatibility. If you are buying from a physical shop then you can ask them if you can try a live boot just to check everything works.

BTW: is that display you mentioned going to be part of the laptop spec, or is it going to be an external display?
 
PatchTuesday said:
Does Linux work differently in Johannesburg than Cape Town?
Click to expand...
No. But different distros work differently with different hardware. #25yearsexperience

Display is ideally laptop spec, but I might get a Galaxy Tab S whatever Ultra instead, to use with DeX on a Samsung monitor, with external keyb & mouse + USB-C hub. 1TB microSD card. Saves me from buying the laptop, more convenient for rural travel.
 
garyc said:
Lenovo and Dell are popular for compatibility. If you are buying from a physical shop then you can ask them if you can try a live boot just to check everything works.

BTW: is that display you mentioned going to be part of the laptop spec, or is it going to be an external display?
Click to expand...
Not Dell, I've got a Dell now and they are actually a pain to get working with Linux distros.
Rather go Lenovo
 
Lupus said:
Not Dell, I've got a Dell now and they are actually a pain to get working with Linux distros.
Rather go Lenovo
Click to expand...
Is Dell still a thing in SA? I was told the Lenovo LOQ models aren't advised for Linux.

I can wait and import System76.
 
RustyJacobz said:
Is Dell still a thing in SA? I was told the Lenovo LOQ models aren't advised for Linux.

I can wait and import System76.
Click to expand...
Yeah it is, especially for business. LOQ is a gaming orientated laptop, look at Thinkpads
 
RustyJacobz said:
Decades ago, I sold Thinkpads and just never had a single comeback. T-series, X1 seem okay today? Or a refurbished T460/470/480.
Click to expand...
I had the t460 and the t580 really durable laptops, both ran Linux no problems. But they are old now. The T1 series is the newer ones look for the AMD version as the igpu should be better supported
 
Lupus said:
I had the t460 and the t580 really durable laptops, both ran Linux no problems. But they are old now. The T1 series is the newer ones look for the AMD version as the igpu should be better supported
Click to expand...
I used to run MXLinux Xfce 32-bit on a 23 year old Acer laptop with 2GB RAM as a mail mule until a year ago. Linux does old rather well.
 
Worked all night, drafted contracts in preparation for meeting with a client today, deleted my Arch iso and downloaded LMDE7 + Penguin Eggs to remaster the new system for corporate wide deployment, so that all of us have the exact same OS setup. I love doing this, in my mid-sixties. Pikabakup, Krita, Gimp, other productivity toys set up. My GenZ staff cannot do tech like my generation.

This Lenovo seems to be a good option. I had E series before, both cheap and nasty. The older T series units are excellent and fully compatible. I've never even heard of a Legion before.

Check out this product https://computermania.co.za/products/lenovo-legion-5-15iax10-intel-core-ultra-7-15-1-wqxga-16gb-ddr5-ram-512gb-ssd-rtx™-5060-8gb-eclipse-black
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X