I like running Windows and linux on my 14 year old laptop. I think it's about time to get a new one.

I'm not a gamer, don't need a $1,500 machine. This will be for general use, so I don't want to spend to much. I could get a "buget" laptop, but some are to much buget. Want to get a middle laptop.

My laptop is heavy, I want one that's light.

I like to look around and get the best deal when it comes up.

We have a costco here, I found one I really liked but after doing research, the ram was soldered on the motherboard. Nothing was, "serviceable by the user."

Anybody know a good deal on a decent Laptop that can dual boot linux without problems?

Thank you for any suggestions.

It's not so much the laptop which prevents dual booting (for now ... that's on the way thanks to "Secure" boot). It's that Windows never plays well with others. So if you're going to waste effort keeping Windows around as dual-boot you might need hardware with two SSDs, one for GNU/Linux and one for the legacy operating system.

Another options is that you might consider putting Windows inside a VM so that you can take advantage of snapshots and be able to always start with a known-good system any time you do decide to boot it.

As for hardware, except for their choice of Nvidia, the company System76 has very good hardware and can be recommended.

Other than that, it is a matter of shopping around since the market and the availability of devices is always changing.

I haven't run Windows outside of a VM for years and I haven't bought a Windows machine for that long either, but many of the members of my LUG favor Lenovos.

Hardware Compatibility: Check the hardware compatibility of the laptop with the Linux distribution you want to install. Some hardware components, such as graphics cards and wireless adapters, may not work well with certain Linux distributions.

UEFI and Secure Boot: Make sure the laptop has a UEFI firmware with Secure Boot disabled or the option to disable it. Some Linux distributions do not support Secure Boot.

Processor: Choose a laptop with a processor that can handle both Windows and Linux. Intel and AMD processors are generally good options.

RAM: Make sure the laptop has enough RAM to run both Windows and Linux smoothly. At least 8GB of RAM is recommended.

Storage: Choose a laptop with a solid-state drive (SSD) for faster boot and application loading times.

Screen size and resolution: Choose a screen size and resolution that suits your needs. Higher resolution screens are better for productivity, while larger screens are better for entertainment.

Budget: Set a budget and look for laptops within that range. Consider the features that are important to you and choose the best laptop that fits your budget.

Based on these considerations, some good options for a Windows laptop that can dual boot with Linux are:

Dell XPS 13: This laptop is known for its hardware compatibility with Linux, fast performance, and long battery life.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon: A high-end laptop with a durable design, fast performance, and good hardware compatibility with Linux.

HP Spectre x360: A stylish laptop with a 2-in-1 design, good hardware compatibility with Linux, and long battery life.

Asus ZenBook UX425: A lightweight and compact laptop with a sleek design, good hardware compatibility with Linux, and long battery life.

Acer Aspire 5: A budget-friendly laptop with good hardware compatibility with Linux and decent performance.

Remember to research the specifications of the laptop you're interested in to ensure it meets your needs and is compatible with the Linux distribution you plan to install.

I was getting windows preinstalled because I couldn't really avoid it so I specified that they split my nvme. The rest is Linux. It's there if my friends want it, but I only boot it periodically to get updates. If you do a split, give windows ≤40% as it has extra partitions wasting space.

happydog500,

Why buy new and waste money?

Get a recent used lightweight Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon Core with an SSD and W10 Pro.

See if Amazon Renewed have anything suitable available.

Dual-boot to your heart's content.

NB Depending on what Windows programs you wish to run, you may be better off just using Linux and then installing Bottles.

To run Windows programs in Linux, try using Bottles instead of Wine:
https://usebottles.com/

Download from:
https://usebottles.com/download/

Tutorial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpnNFTUNWMw

Thank you for all the very good suggestions. Hoping you can answer as quick as you can because I want to order ASAP.

The X1 carbon has bad reviews. Site says Core i7, but specs say AMD A8. Several have been sent defective. There is a Lenovo Thinkpad T470s 14" FHD Touchscreen Laptop, Intel Core i7-7600U, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, Backlit Keyboard, HDMI, Type-C, Windows 10 Pro (Renewed) with very good reviews.

What's the difference between a thinkpad and a carbon?

happydog500,

I was not aware of bad reviews for the Lenovo X1 Carbon but if the T470s has the spec you require at a good price, then go for it.

I have a Lenovo 440s with an SSD and it is simply brilliant with Linux. Good reliable kit.

For clarification, it's not the "carbon x1" that has bad reviews, a place has a batch of used computers. They put out that batch and has a lot of complaints. Another place has a "batch" of used computers that has no bad ones. It's the place that has them, not the computer itself.

Can you pleae answer two questions.

#1. I want to get a thin, light laptop. Is the Lenovo Thinkpad T470s 14" FHD Touchscreen Laptop, Intel Core i7-7600U, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, Backlit Keyboard, HDMI, Type-C, Windows 10 Pro (Renewed) a thin light laptop? I will upgrade the 256GB HD.

#2 Since I've never had one, in pictures these thinkpads look so similar, what's the main difference between a T470 and a Carbon X1?

The place I'm at specifically, get a nice T470 at a very cheap price. Or, pay $200 more for an Carbon x1. (carbon has a little better specs but I can always upgrade the SSD to 1TB since I have one here. Also the X1 has a better processor but a core i7 7600 on the 470 is good enough).

Thank you,

happydog500,

The T470 weighs 3.48 lbs and the Carbon X1 weighs 2.6 lbs.

Look at various reviews and customer feedback on both.

SSDs are generally fairly cheap these days.

Good luck with whichever one you choose. They will both work fine with Linux.

OK, I thought it's only money. I bought a,

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 7th Gen Business Laptop, 14.0-inch FHD (1920 x 1080), 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8565U, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Webcam, Fingerprint Reader, Windows 10 Pro for $429.

This is so interesting. At work I drove a guy who works for IBM. He was telling me about "the only laptop" thinkpad. I told him I thought the little red button was stupid. Now, I can hardly wait to get used to it!

Kind of scared about the 7th gen. On Lenovo site had lots of problems right out of the gate. I will post back when I get it and check it out.

Thank you for all the really nice suggestions. Figures I'd get into a thinkpad with the red button from a linux site.

Going from a Z570 to a X1 Carbon! 2.6KG down to 1.08KG.

happydog500,

One of many reviews:
https://www.stuff.tv/review/lenovo-t...th-gen-review/

Do you want to dual boot on the internal hard drive or just on a usb flash or dvd or such?

Any chance you can run a VM on windows?