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Re: Discussion item: choosing an appropriate laptop

  • Subject: Re: Discussion item: choosing an appropriate laptop
  • From: Richard Guy Briggs <rgb [ at ] tricolour [ dot ] ca>
  • Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2021 09:59:29 -0400
On 2021-06-14 09:39, J C Nash wrote:
> With possible opening up of travel and having laptops that are vintage 2014 and 2015,
> we're thinking of a new one for road trips.
> 
> Our considerations:
> 
> - 2 people sharing for email
> - need for plenty of storage for photos and family history information, plus
>   some technical projects
> - reasonably fast
> - robust
> - we find 14" screen about right balance between visibility and portability
> 
> Our experience:
> 
> - our 2 Asus Zenbooks (I7, >8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) are quite nice, but
>     -- the 3800 UHD screen gives lots of woes with apps that reset the
>        resolution. Zoom really messes things about on exit.
>     -- both have had hinge failure. Spent $200 to fix one, but have
>        made a frame for the other and velcroed it so hinge fixed.
>     -- batteries likely near end of useful life, and on the road
>        you sometimes need a battery
> 
> - our 2010 Asus UL30A still has nicely balanced features, though now
>   too slow and charging circuit beginning to be a nuisance. But a
>   1TB spinning disk has proved exceptionally nice for road trips, since
>   it can store a pretty well complete set of family photos etc.
> 
> Keeping watch on offerings, the HP machines
> https://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=710_1925_1912_1909&item_id=150936  $699  i5      1920
> https://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=710_1925_1912_1909&item_id=182955  $699  Ryzen 5 1366
> https://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=710_1925_1912_1909&item_id=182956  $849  Ryzen 7 1920
> 
> seem interesting. Had to look at specs to see that the cheaper Ryzen is only 1366 resolution.

I'm a huge fan of the commercial line of Thinkpads since 2001, in a 14"
you would be looking at the T series or the X series.  They have
recently started offering Ryzen processors too.  They are robust and
support Linux reasonably well.  They are the preference for RH's kernel
and Linux developers.

> Does anyone have opinions on these? Have not had a hands-on look, which will be important to making
> sure keyboard not "strange". Also to try to gauge whether hinge and rest of physical structure robust
> enough. However, they seem to offer reasonable bang for the buck. We're not stuck on HP, or Asus, or ...
> Mainly interested in reliable and long-term workhorse that we are comfortable using.
> 
> JN

	slainte mhath, RGB

--
Richard Guy Briggs               --  ~\    -- ~\             <hpv.tricolour.ca>
<www.TriColour.ca>                 --  \___   o \@      @        Ride yer bike!
Ottawa, ON, CANADA                  --  Lo_>__M__\\/\%__\\/\%
Vote! -- <greenparty.ca>_____GTVS6#790__(*)__(*)________(*)(*)_________________

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