I would like to get a cheap(ish) laptop and install a linux distro on it.
I tried to search for a similar thread and I think there is one that is several months old but I couldn't find it again.
1) I am not sure whether it should be AMD (Turion?) or Intel (Core Duo or Core 2 Duo)
2) Which graphics chip? Nvidia or ATI? GeForce Go 7150? Something like that? I suspect the ATI chips in the cheaper notebooks are problematic. Is that accurate? I doubt whether I'd be able to buy a notebook with the HD2400/HD2600 chips. I already bought a 2nd desktop system (still building). The other possibility would be the integrated Intel graphics chip. How do these notebooks work under Linux?
3) Any wireless chips to go after? 2200BG? 3945?
I was thinking of a cheap refurbished laptop, configuring a cheap Dell or going after a Thinkpad T40 series. However, for $200 more I could consider a Toshiba, HP or Acer which may have more options and more power. But, I would like to assess the 3 options above and determine whether there are certain configurations to pursue (based on ease of use in Linux).
I appreciate all recommendations, advice etc.
Lastly (4), I was wondering if a particular distro should be used with a (an older) laptop. I prefer it to be debian-based but it's not necessary.
Thanks in advance for any assistance.
(P.S. I'd be lending the notebook to a Linux *ultra* newbie but it's a good opportunity to spread the word about Linux! ;-) ).
I tried to search for a similar thread and I think there is one that is several months old but I couldn't find it again.
1) I am not sure whether it should be AMD (Turion?) or Intel (Core Duo or Core 2 Duo)
2) Which graphics chip? Nvidia or ATI? GeForce Go 7150? Something like that? I suspect the ATI chips in the cheaper notebooks are problematic. Is that accurate? I doubt whether I'd be able to buy a notebook with the HD2400/HD2600 chips. I already bought a 2nd desktop system (still building). The other possibility would be the integrated Intel graphics chip. How do these notebooks work under Linux?
3) Any wireless chips to go after? 2200BG? 3945?
I was thinking of a cheap refurbished laptop, configuring a cheap Dell or going after a Thinkpad T40 series. However, for $200 more I could consider a Toshiba, HP or Acer which may have more options and more power. But, I would like to assess the 3 options above and determine whether there are certain configurations to pursue (based on ease of use in Linux).
I appreciate all recommendations, advice etc.
Lastly (4), I was wondering if a particular distro should be used with a (an older) laptop. I prefer it to be debian-based but it's not necessary.
Thanks in advance for any assistance.
(P.S. I'd be lending the notebook to a Linux *ultra* newbie but it's a good opportunity to spread the word about Linux! ;-) ).
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