Hey lemmings!
I’m looking to get a new laptop in the near future but I keep getting lost in the details of what is good versus what I’d need.
I’m not really a gamer and already have a console for most games, but would like something that can at least run something like league of legends.
I also would be doing some light video editing but even so I don’t think I’d need some top of the line cutting edge option.
So I thought I’d ask Lemmy for their thoughts on what’s a good general purpose/workish laptop in 2023!
My next laptop will be a framework. They offer parts and manuals and it is built to be fixed and upgraded instead of thrown away like almost everything else now. https://frame.work/
I was going to say this. I don’t really need a new laptop but might get one when they release their gaming laptop and give my current one to my brother or something.
Same, I like the idea that I can just upgrade the Mobo+CPU for a cheaper upgrade, then can still use the old mobo+CPU as its own PC.
A nice idea I just wish there were more manufacturers taking this path. I’d be too worried about the company going bump and leaving me with what amounts to any other laptop
Same! I’ll definitely get a framework in the future
I like the idea in general with framework. But I don’t even upgrade my desktop gaming pc that I built anymore. I feel like we’re past the days when there would be an amazing rate of progress leaving everything you have completely obsolete after a few years. I’ve had a Ryzen 5 3600 build running since the week they came out and I have no desire to upgrade any piece of it. I finally just in the last 2 months traded up from a 2012 MBP to a 2017 MBP (I found used on ebay) and I don’t feel like there’s anything I’m missing out on. You get such longevity out of devices these days that I just don’t personally see the appeal of a thicker clunkier laptop that looks kind of cheap but offers upgradability. Buy something, use it for 5-7 years then sell it on ebay and buy something newer-ish.
You are the first person I’ve ever heard of that referred to the framework as thicker and clunkier. That’s good for you that you buy used and have had your desktop PC running with the same processor for 4 years but also that’s upgradable. You don’t need to get a new case or power supply to upgrade components. It’s not just about upgradability but reparability in case something breaks or you break something. Even supporting second hand market a macbook only has so much life. The hardware can go EoL and no longer get software updates but your screen and keyboard still work fine. Would be great to just upgrade your chipset instead of the whole laptop because the processor is so old that companies don’t want to support it anymore.
Ironically for a Laptop I would rather look for something that feels good in your hands and has a good design and build quality.
Focussing on performance is not ideal for laptops, because you could end up with a loud, overheating thing with a wobbly screen and mushy keyboard. Just check that it has an SSD and >8GB of RAM and you should be good.
I’d also like to add a robust charging port, it’s going to be the most used part of your laptop after the power button.
Totally agree. That’s what I tell any friend who asks me for buying advice. Go to the store, and see what you like, built quality and feature wise. Think about how many USB ports you need, what gimmicks you like, screen that you can fold over, or turn around and such things. Feel how heavy it is, how big the screen is compared to the overall size and how you like the keyboard.
Then go on the internet and get that base model with the best internals you are willing to pay for.
Exactly. Gaming laptops are terrible, I hate them
If you are a fellow Linux user, make sure you don’t get Nvidia, and i believe Dell and Lenovo have good compatibility and support Linux, but check that out in any case.
nvidia works fine in Linux, haven’t encountered any big problems ever in laptops. Just make sure that this is a discrete adaptor which will be used only for gaming or rendering (VAAPI, CUDA, etc.).
Yes, as main video adaptor nVidia isn’t that great.
As both. Arch user and a Nvidia fanboy This advice is barely valid just watch your Nvidia driver updates. I don’t let mine go until after reports are out on how it works
Used Thinkpads are usually the best choice. Very reliable and not expensive.
I love my used t470s.
My 8th Gen X1 Carbon is the best laptop I’ve ever had. The keyboard feel is incredible
Can’t really go wrong with a Thinkpad. Well, not sure of the situation right now, since my most recent machine is a t450.
Apple, honestly. I’m a windows and Linux guy primarily, but nobody makes a laptop that feels as premium, has incredibly battery life, and holds up over time as Apple.
After 20 years of shitty windows laptops (which I would inevitably put Linux on for better performance as the hardware degraded), we bought my wife an m1 MacBook air right when they first came out. Three years later and it’s still at 98% battery health, the keyboard and trackpad still feel great, and it performs as well as the day we bought it. I don’t play league so I can’t vouch for how it specifically runs but there are articles out there saying it’s possible
Bang for the buck, Macs. Solid builds, last forever. I had a 2013 Air that I finally replaced this year with an M1. No PC I have ever had ever stuck around that long.
Second this. I threw Linux Mint on a 2012 Macbook Pro and have been happy with it. Had to install wifi drivers, but it was the last model with ethernet, so it wasn’t a big deal.
I get mine off of woot.
You could consider getting a second hand laptop with a dedicated gpu, something with a 1050-1060 series or amd equivalent.
You won’t ever find yourself struggling with light/medium gaming or even editing.
The only thing to keep in mind when buying used laptops is making sure the battery life is decent. Try asking the seller to send you this https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-check-your-laptops-battery-health-in-windows-10
This may be an unpopular opinion around here: but the MacBook Air M2 is a phenomenal laptop if you don’t rely on windows only applications.
