blog/data/2015-07-05-new-laptop.txt

   1 Title: New laptop - some more clues and ideas based on feedback
   2 Tags: english, debian
   3 Date: 2015-07-05 21:40
   4
   5 <p>Several people contacted me after my previous blog post about my
   6 need for a new laptop, and provided very useful feedback.  I wish to
   7 thank every one of these.  Several pointed me to the possibility of
   8 fixing my X230, and I am already in the process of getting Lenovo to
   9 do so thanks to the on site, next day support contract covering the
  10 machine.  But the battery is almost useless (I expect to replace it
  11 with a non-official battery) and I do not expect the machine to live
  12 for many more years, so it is time to plan its replacement.  If I did
  13 not have a support contract, it was suggested to find replacement parts
  14 using <a href="http://www.francecrans.com/">FrancEcrans</a>, but it
  15 might present a language barrier as I do not understand French.</p>
  16
  17 <p>One tip I got was to use the
  18 <a href="https://skinflint.co.uk/?cat=nb">Skinflint</a> web service to
  19 compare laptop models.  It seem to have more models available than
  20 prisjakt.no.  Another tip I got from someone I know have similar
  21 keyboard preferences was that the HP EliteBook 840 keyboard is not
  22 very good, and this matches my experience with earlier EliteBook
  23 keyboards I tested.  Because of this, I will not consider it any further.
  24
  25 <p>When I wrote my blog post, I was not aware of Thinkpad X250, the
  26 newest Thinkpad X model.  The keyboard reintroduces mouse buttons
  27 (which is missing from the X240), and is working fairly well with
  28 Debian Sid/Unstable according to
  29 <a href="http://www.corsac.net/X250/">Corsac.net</a>.  The reports I
  30 got on the keyboard quality are not consistent.  Some say the keyboard
  31 is good, others say it is ok, while others say it is not very good.
  32 Those with experience from X41 and and X60 agree that the X250
  33 keyboard is not as good as those trusty old laptops, and suggest I
  34 keep and fix my X230 instead of upgrading, or get a used X230 to
  35 replace it.  I'm also told that the X250 lack leds for caps lock, disk
  36 activity and battery status, which is very convenient on my X230.  I'm
  37 also told that the CPU fan is running very often, making it a bit
  38 noisy.  In any case, the X250 do not work out of the box with Debian
  39 Stable/Jessie, one of my requirements.</p>
  40
  41 <p>I have also gotten a few vendor proposals, one was
  42 <a href="http://pro-star.com">Pro-Star</a>, another was
  43 <a href="http://shop.gluglug.org.uk/product/libreboot-x200/">Libreboot</a>.
  44 The latter look very attractive to me.</p>
  45
  46 <p>Again, thank you all for the very useful feedback.  It help a lot
  47 as I keep looking for a replacement.</p>
  48
  49 <p>Update 2015-07-06: I was recommended to check out the
  50 <a href="">lapstore.de</a> web shop for used laptops.  They got several
  51 different
  52 <a href="http://www.lapstore.de/f.php/shop/lapstore/f/411/lang/x/kw/Lenovo_ThinkPad_X_Serie/">old
  53 thinkpad X models</a>, and provide one year warranty.</p>