laptop advice time...

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: Matt Price <moptop99-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>

| I'm looking for a replacement for my lenovo t410 (got wet!). I am
| considering getting one of the newer editions of the same (t430,
| t430s, t430u...), but I wanted to check in and see what machines y'all
| recommend.  I'm looking for:

Those are good.  But heavy and expensive.

Note that there are sometimes astonishingly good deals on thinkpads
(but not when you want them).  Over the years I've purchased three
such bargains.  There are EPP codes floating around to help.

I find the new ultrabook format attractive but have never actually
used one:

- svelte
- light (but not as light as they look)
- long battery life (some models)
- not upgradeable (battery, ram, disk are often not replaceable)
- chicklet keyboard

| - a really nice keyboard -- I spend most of my day typing.  Lenovo
| used to have the nicest eyboards around but I thin that has really
| changed.

The chiclet keyboards are apparently cool.  You've got to decide it
you love them, hate them, or don't care.

| - perfect Linux support for graphics, touchpads, etc -- I have a busy
| time coming up and I don't want to spend time futzing with this
| machine

Intel graphics is good enough for me.

nvidia graphics (discrete) is now combined with intel graphic (on
chip) on many ThinkPads.  The combinatino is awkward.  For low power,
you use intel; for heavy-duty graphics you turn on and switch to the
nvidia.  Supposedly this is automatic, but I don't think that it works
in Linux yet.  I use a BIOS setting to switch (requires a reboot --
not convenient).  Lennart referred to Bumblebee which is supposed to
do it better.

| - half-decent speakers would be nice too, as I watch movies & stff on my laptop.

Do you need a DVD drive?  That knocks out ultrabooks.

| That's really about all I need.  I really welcome your help!  Thanks,

My desire is for a lot of pixels.  That seems to seriously increase
the price of a notebook.  Lenovo usually has decent screen options for
ThinkPads (not cheap).

There are a million inexpensive notebooks that might be good enough.

Haswell chips (the latest generation of Intel processors) seem to
increase battery life significantly.  But that may be mostly while
they are idle (not sure).

SSDs have their place.  They make for fast boots.  Depends on your
capacity needs.
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