I currently have a low end Windows gaming laptop that I was planning to upgrade to Linux before Win10 goes end of life, but my HDMI port stopped working, so now I’m debating buying a new Linux laptop instead. Can anyone provide any recommendations?

I would prefer to have something preloaded with linux. On my current laptop I don’t play anything too demanding because it can’t handle it, instead I either stream more demanding games from my desktop or Xbox. I would likely run a VM with Windows because I need to use MS Office for school and I assume I could use that for streaming Xbox games as well.

I would prefer something that can handle a moderate game load without going nuts on fan noise. I would like to have a decent amount of storage (at least 1-2 TB), so either preloaded with that or easily upgradeable would be important.

I’m still figuring out my budget, it depends on what happens with work this summer. I will either be looking for something below $1k or possibly up to $2k if it seems worthwhile. I haven’t really used Linux very much before and not at all in the last 10 years. Any ideas?

  • sic_semper_tyrannis
    4·
    7 months ago

    Maybe the Framework 13. I’d suggest an AMD APU. Something with the 7840U/HS or the 8840U/HS. It’s iGPU is very potent. Use the Bazzite OS and OnlyOffice with Microsoft fonts installed is a fantastic MS Office alternative.

    • BuckenBerry@lemmy.world
      2·
      7 months ago

      How’s the battery life?

      I’m planning on getting one but I’ve heard the battery life is only decent if you use windows and abysmal if you use Linux.

      • sic_semper_tyrannis
        1·
        7 months ago

        I don’t know personally as I don’t have a FW13. I would like one. I just have experience with the other stuff. Look on the FW forums, it’s quite active.

      • hasanhaja@lemmy.mlEnglish
        1·
        7 months ago

        I don’t know personally either. I’ve been doing some research to get a FW13 to put Linux on it, and from what I can see the biggest battery life issues are due to standby power management in Linux not being great. It looks like “fixing” that requires jumping through a lot of not-so-well documented hoops. I’m still not sure about battery life differences under load.

        If it’s just hibernate/suspend not working well, I got used to that with a work thinkpad I had with Ubuntu. For my use, it was a little annoying but I was happy to deal with it because I could daily drive Linux