I would like to start using Linux, specifically Ubuntu. I need a new laptop and wondering which would be a good fit for $500-$600 If there is a laptop for a little $$ let me know, please. I am not a gamer. I read an article on dual-booting Linux with Windows 10. I have to use W10 at work. I guess for right now I will continue using it. A couple of months ago I renewed my subscription for the right to continue using W10. I’m assuming it can be transferred to my new laptop, yes? Any suggestions best place to buy a laptop with preinstalled Linux w/W10?
Thanks
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I don’t know of any vendor that sells dual boot machines. In your price range though I would go with a referbished Think pad from say newegg.com It would be compatialbe with window/Linux but you will have to install linux on your own or with help from this forum.
newegg
Just make sure you get one with big enough HD to accomodate both systems SSD drive would be preferred. Good luck.
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Get a laptop with windows already installed. Thinkpads are a great choice. I’m using one now and have had several over the years. Everything on the Thinkpad works in Ubuntu except the fingerprint scanner (if there is one).
Get a laptop with ample SSD storage. You’re going to be sharing it between the two OS’s. In windows there is an easy set of steps to shrink the windows partition. In windows 10 you do not need any 3rd party software to do this, it’s done by windows itself. The smallest that win10 would let me make its partition was about 90 GB. The rest of the disk becomes unallocated and the Ubuntu installer will let you select and use it.
I suggest that you accept all the default choices that the Ubuntu install offers. Later on, when you are comfortable with Ubuntu you can go back an re-install with other choices if you prefer. I’ve done it both ways (defaults and custom choices) and it makes no difference that I can see in terms of using the laptop.
Here is a good article about this:
Preferably try getting one with an extra hard drive port, that way Linux can breathe without having to share the same hard drive as windows. In the past though that was windows 7 days, I dual booted on the same drive and found that windows started encroaching onto my Linux side. On my main Gaming rig I have Windows on a separate drive. I also have a Laptop that came with Windows on a M.2 drive and it has a slot for up to 2TB SSD or hard drive 2.5" bay.
I stuck a 2TB SSD drive inside it and got rid of Windows, put Linux Mint XFCE on the M.2 drive, which is not a proper M.2 drive, as it runs quite slow. Upgraded the Ram to it’s max of 32GB, whoosh it goes and use the 2TB drive for gaming in Linux at work on. I work night shift, need to do something to keep me awake. There are lots of choices out there, but as you’re not a gamer, you’ll still need something with a bit of Oomph to it, at least 8GB of Ram.
I’d go with Lenovo Thinkpad It’s in my opinion to get the best business specked one, the one on the right at £679.99 looks good and can have up to 24GB of ram. If you’re using this for work as well, then you’ll need something to get the job done, quickly.
Thank you for your advice. Much appreciate. The laptop I have right now I bought from Newegg. A def on the SSD drive.
Thank you all for the good advice and much needed information plus the Beginners Guide. I’m sure I will be asking for more advice in the future. A Think Pad, huh. I don’t know that I would have chosen that one only because I’m stuck and have not read up enough on them.
A friend is waiting to see how I do switching off big tech. This should be an interesting journey.
Other brands of laptops can work well, too. Do some internet searching on a particular brand to make sure there are no issues. For example, sometimes there is no Linux driver for a particular brand of WiFi card. The reason that the Thinkpad fingerprint readers usually don’t work in Ubuntu is because of lack of a driver. There are lists of Ubuntu compatible hardware. Here’s one: Ubuntu Desktop certified hardware | Ubuntu
My experience is limited in this matter but I can share what happened with a 14-in HP laptop that I tried to switch to Ubuntu; it did not go well. The reason was that the only hard disk driver supported by the hardware was a disk array driver even though I had a single drive. Disk array driver is not supported by Ubuntu on an inexpensive laptop; it’s for servers. The computer that you select must have a SATA drive.
Many Linux website may have recommendations for laptop so it’s worth checking. Good luck!