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Question

Best laptop for Arch Linux, programming, movies, schoolwork?

Jan 7, 2015 10:30AM PST

I'm preparing to leave for college after years of living at home and relying on my home-built desktop. I'm looking for a laptop with the following characteristics, preferably for under $500, although my maximum budget is actually $1000. I have no laptop-buying experience.

-durable, long lifespan (I'd like it to last for at least 4 years)
-long battery life (at least 8 hours)
-small, lightweight, portable (something that would fit comfortably on an airplane tray table)
-keyboard/touchpad that will make schoolwork comfortable
-CPU, GPU, and memory powerful enough to handle Linux (probably Arch), Eclipse IDE and other programming-related software, movies, etc. (no games)

Any advice?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Frankly? None last that long unless
Jan 7, 2015 11:13AM PST

We are looking at those Toughbooks. Also, the 8 hour battery time makes this an unicorn hunt. That is, the battery will age so to get 8 hours at one year old we need a laptop that started at 16 hours to take account for battery wear.

NO Touchpad has been acceptable by anyone I know.

While I think the usual top 10 lists are fine, your list pushes it into the hunt for unicorns.

-> Some new to this folk think that such is out there. If so, your school will have a list of machines that fit your uni's requirements.
Bob

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Toughbooks are slightly beyond my budget
Jan 7, 2015 10:53PM PST

While the Toughbooks seem like my dream laptops, I wouldn't be able to buy one without digging into college savings, and that's just not worth it. As for my battery requirements, aren't there any laptops with replaceable power supplies so I could just buy a new battery once the old one degrades? I don't need to go four years on one power supply.

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There's still your other requirements.
Jan 8, 2015 1:17AM PST

At the top of the forum are links to the usual top 10 lists. But your list makes it one of the unicorn hunts. But there is an out. Let's say these are your uni's requirements. They will know which models do this.
Bob

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No Requirements
Jan 8, 2015 5:31AM PST

These are personal preferences. My school will not have requirements for its students' computers.

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Let's try this another way.
Jan 8, 2015 5:35AM PST

Share any model that came close.
Bob

PS. Just updated the CNET Laptop Buyers Advice Forum Sticky with some new Top 10s.

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Ended up buying an old Thinkpad
Jan 9, 2015 11:20AM PST

After several hours of fruitlessly searching for the perfect laptop, I've decided to wait until the summer before I go to college to see what new laptops have been released, especially in light of Intel's recent unveiling of its new 5th generation processors. In the mean time, I've purchased a $170 Lenovo Thinkpad T400 just for the fun of it.

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Yes there are 200ish good laptops now.
Jan 10, 2015 2:20AM PST

Thanks for sharing where you ended up.
Bob

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Answer
Let me share what the office supplied.
Jan 8, 2015 5:37AM PST

It fails your 8 hour battery wish but battery time for me means I pull out my Asus T100.

It's the about 1K buck Lenovo Y510 with 16GB RAM, 1TB HDD, 1080 display. It's quite the screamer and is very nice. For Linux I run that in Virtual Box. Now this is now outdated as Lenovo rolled out the Y50 and CES has them rolling out Broadwell models.

For 14 inches, look over the Y40's.
Bob

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Answer
A list of laptops over 8 hour batteries.
Jan 8, 2015 5:50AM PST