Hi everyone!

I need to buy a new laptop to replace my 12 years old laptop. I didn't look after hardware for a while for some personal reasons.

I will buy something new. My needs are:

  • photo editing
  • video editing
  • vector graphics editing/creation
  • good battery life (I don't want to worry about)
  • web navigating, docs, spreadsheets
  • USB-C charging would be nice

I don't game, and Framework isn't available where I live.

I would be happy to have some recommendation on what is a good hardware for this use and good brand.

Thanks!

  • throwawayish@lemmy.ml
    ·
    6 months ago

    My two cents; if you want to use Linux on it, then do yourself a favor and pick a laptop from a Linux-first vendor. So the likes of NovaCustom, Star Labs, System76, Tuxedo and others found on the link over here come to mind. Besides that, it's important that the device in question either has a dedicated GPU (or at least supports eGPUs). Furthermore, choose a device with relatively high battery capacity; they go up to ~99 Wh, so pick something that's at least relatively close to that number.

      • throwawayish@lemmy.ml
        ·
        6 months ago

        They said they don’t game.

        GPUs aren't exclusive to gaming (as you should know).

        Why GPU?

        OP mentioned the intent to do video editing on the device. Unfortunately, the amount of good video editors on Linux is currently limited to just Davinci Resolve(; sure, the likes of Kdenlive (etc) exists, but none of them are very suitable for professional usage[1]). While I'm thankful that Davinci Resolve works on Linux, it's -according to their own documentation- simply not possible to make use of it without a dedicated GPU (at least on Linux). Thus, warranting the need for a dedicated GPU.

        That’s horrible for battery.

        I'm aware that that's a concern. Thankfully, there are workarounds. And if all else fails, there's always the possibility to make use of eGPUs; which I've actually explicitly mentioned in my earlier reply for this exact reason (without mentioning explicitly for which reason it was mentioned*).

        1. OP might not even need it for professional use, but I assumed they did*.
  • SapphironZA@lemmings.world
    ·
    6 months ago

    I would favour an AMD Ryzen 7000 based laptop. Much better battery life than Intel and better graphics performance.

    Lenovo ThinkPad T and P series are excellent build quality.

    Asus Zenbooks or Expertbooks with OLED screens are also excellent. Displays are on par, or superior to Macbooks. Excellent colour accuracy.

    Make sure you get something with at least 16GB of Ram, or 32GB if available.

  • Extras@lemmy.today
    ·
    6 months ago

    I know you don't game but a dedicated GPU will be a godsend for video editing. Depending on the budget I would get a used gaming laptop like an Omen or a legion 5

    Edit: worst case wait a year for parts and laptops to be really cheap haha.

    • cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de
      ·
      6 months ago

      A dedicated GPU will mean reduced battery life. If you are only going to edit video at your desk, I would suggest getting a laptop with a thunderbolt 3 or USB 4 port and an external GPU. Make sure the port provides 4 PCIe lanes, not all of them do.

  • rodbiren@midwest.social
    ·
    6 months ago

    I constantly check out dell refurbished for deals on workstations. Pretty good Linux compatibility in my experience, workstation hardware, and they have 50% deals all the dang time. The precision line of workstations looks like it would meet your needs.

  • patchexempt@lemmy.zip
    ·
    6 months ago

    it's easy to recommend a ThinkPad for Linux, and something in the T or P series laptops might suit you. video editing is a potential difficulty though, as that feels a little more workstation-grade than the rest, and you'll probably want to go big on RAM (32GB would be best) and be sure to get at least an intel i7. I've not had great luck with battery life on AMD (shame because everything else is great) but perhaps others have tips for doing better.

    you could also go for the ThinkPad yoga models (make sure they're still ThinkPad though! they also sell a different model line just called "yoga") if you wanted a tablet/convertible for graphics work.

    anyway look at the T14, P14s, or P16 if you want something bigger. whatever the latest generation of those models is.

    • const_void@lemmy.ml
      ·
      6 months ago

      Lenovo build quality has been shit lately. My IT dept is constantly returning Thinkpads for various issues.

      • monsterpiece42@reddthat.com
        ·
        6 months ago

        I work in a computer repair shop and we rarely see any Thinkpads of any age.

        Far from shit. And they have among the best warranty options in the biz