I don’t think lemmy has an equivalent /r/suggestalaptop community, but feel free to let me know if any.
I really like my acer Chromebook c720 because its easy to carry around and doesn’t feel heavy when placed on my lap. Google no longer supports this model, so i turned it into a Linux machine via Arch Linux and Sway as the WM. This setup really fits my needs. However, it is underpowered with only 2G and old cpu. There is another model (4G + i3), but i cant find it anywhere in my area.
Is there a laptop you can suggest that has very similar dimensions, but higher specs (up to 8G ram if possible) and has good compatibility with Linux? I use my c720 for almost all stuff - watching movies, studying some web dev stuff, etc. but not gaming. I’m not really asking for any links on where to find them, but just a suggestion. Already tried 14-15in laptops, but i would still prefer around 11-12 (maybe because of small hands?).
Dell Latitude 5310. Cheap on ebay, 10th-gen Intel i5, often comes with 16GB RAM and has the capability to go to 32GB RAM, can upgrade the ssd, wifi, and RAM, and it has a 60Whr battery. It will literally go all day on battery. You may have to replace the battery due to age, but otherwise for a 13.3" laptop it is very good and still performs. It also supports Windows 11, but I suppose you will Linux it. It’ll do it either way.
I love how all the answers so far are for 13-14 inch laptops.
Look at the Surface line. The Pros are 12.5 inches and the Gos are 10.5. There’s a lot of used ones out there that can be had cheap.
My Go 2 gets terrible battery life running Linux, 2-2.5 hours, I’ve heard is a lot better on Windows but I never tried.
I thought I would hate the kickstand and floppy keyboard, but it works better than I thought.
How about an old macbook air 11in?
https://youtu.be/ipJceL253Fo?si=CaHtN9mqVD0hye-J
Here’s an 11” Air w/ Ubuntu. Pros & cons…
Thanks. Macbooks are really good builds. Wondering how long a 10yo Air will last if I bought one today?
The battery and hard drive are an easy upgrade. Linux runs great on it. A cheap one goes for $100 on eBay.
Yeah. 11in laptops are a world of a difference in size from a 13in.
I recall hp and Sony used to make laptops this size before tablets took off.
Nowadays I’d recommend a Microsoft Surface or a tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard.
Not sure if you could get a off brand tablet and flash the OS with a Linux distro. That light be the path forward.
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mNEpAse
In general, I try to stick to ThinkPads. They come with a bit of a price, but well worth in my experience.
What thinkpad do you own now?
It’s a bit dated already, but still going strong for my workload: theT530
In general, I tend to look at the business lines from the big laptop brands, and get them used. Never fared me wrong.
