I’m a Linux user since 1998 (my main desktop PC runs Debian), however I do have a couple of Macs around because I love their hardware (not so much the software though). In fact, I have three old MacBook Airs (mid-2011, 2012, 2015), all running Linux. The moment I got them, I erased MacOS and installed Linux pronto!

But my main laptop is a MacBook Air M1 with MacOS because it’s much faster than these older Intel-based MacBook Airs. Modern web browsing and video editing requires a lot of processing power.

So, I want to move to have my main laptop running Linux too. I DON’T want to install Asahi Linux on my M1, because I don’t consider it a proper solution for my needs (I want to run Resolve, you see, and most foss apps that I use would need recompiling). Also, I don’t like that Asahi is dependent on MacOS to exist, because you can’t boot with a usb to install it.

My issue is that I can’t find ANYTHING on the PC market that is as slick or full featured as a MacBook Air (minus its limited ports). What I need is this:

  1. Screen no larger than 13.3" inches, Full HD at least, preferably good color gamut (but not a must). I still need the laptop to be portable though. Basically, I’m not even asking for HDR, as the MacBook Air features.

  2. Keyboard to have backlight, without the numpad (I hate these laptops where the touchpad is off center).

  3. The touchpad needs to be glass or of equivalent feel. The Apple touchpads slide/glide with ease. I find every PC touchpad I’ve used so far to be “sticky”. My finger on some Chromebooks and Dell/Lenovo laptops is doing a “grrrkkk, grrrkkkk” when I slide my finger! There’s something special about Apple’s touchpads, I dunno.

  4. Intel 13th+ gen CPU, with passmark points over 17,000 on multi-threading. My M1 scores about 12,000 points, and it’s 5 years old. So obviously I’d need something faster than what I have now.

  5. Intel GPU (no AMD or Nvidia please, I need Intel’s superior video decoding abilities). On a Mac that isn’t a problem, because Apple does support these 10bit 4:2:2 codecs I need, with hardware acceleration. But on the PC side, only Intel provides good support for these without headaches (only the newest nvidias support that, but I don’t want to use Nvidia for too many reasons – AMD is a disaster on that video front btw). I don’t play 3D games.

  6. I need speakers that sound good. Every single PC laptop I’ve tried, had the worst sound ever. I need it to be hear-able on YouTube and not sound as if you’re listening via a can. I bought a Thinkpad x280 a few months ago and I can’t use it because its speakers are so bad! DELL (from 5 years ago that I tried) aren’t better either.

  7. I need a (supported) fingerprint reader!

  8. 32 GB of RAM.

  9. 1 TB of storage.

  10. Below a $1800 price tag. That’s the price I can get with a MacBook Air for all that.

Now, you might think that “well, it seems that you just want a new MacBook”, but that’s not true. I want a PC laptop so I can run Debian Linux instead of MacOS. But I need it to be a laptop that is “proper” by my own standards. The quality of the interaction between my palms, fingers, eyes and PC laptops IS NOT the same as with any Apple laptop I’ve ever used. The reason people buy Apple hardware is NOT because “MacOSX is lickable” (as it was suggested many years ago by Jobs). I’ve actually researched the “why”. It’s because the INTERACTION of your senses and the laptop’s design/quality FITS. It’s like a glove for one another. It’s difficult to explain but I know it now to be true. It was never MacOSX itself (although MacOSX’s gui smoothness helps the overall experience).

So the question is: am I missing that special, Linux-compatible, PC laptop somewhere? If you know that such a laptop exists, please reply with a link. I’ll buy it in a heartbeat.

This is a serious post btw. I spent the whole weekend trying to find that mythical PC laptop, and I can’t. I’m frustrated.

  • tiz@lemmy.ml
    0·
    12 hours ago

    Yup. At this point, I’d just want to run Linux like normal on modern MacBook. Man my m1 MacBook Air is still a beast and with all good hardware.

  • oOAlteredBeastOo@lemmy.world
    0·
    1 day ago

    I really like my Framework 16 laptop. I’ve been using it for about a year now. The modular ports and easily upgradeable design were a major selling point for me. Video workflows work well via Kdenlive and ffmpeg, but you can also install Davinci Resolve with some additional configuration. I purchased the GPU upgrade (https://frame.work/products/16-graphics-module-amd-radeon-rx-7700s) and a handful of different port modules. My only dislikes are that it can get really hot from time to time and the GPU fans are pretty loud when they kick on. A coworker of mine has a Framework 13 laptop and seemed very satisfied with it. Best of luck in your search!

  • Zucca@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    0·
    2 days ago

    My issue is that I can’t find ANYTHING on the PC market that is as slick or full featured as a MacBook Air (minus its limited ports).

    Hi. Typing this on M2 Air, running Gentoo. 👋

    The limited ports drive me crazy too, but what’s maybe EVEN MORE frustrating, is the glossiness of the screen. It is not that good to be used outside, especially because it is dust and finger print magnet. I’m constantly wiping the screen. The touchpad is needlessly big, but isn’t really a problem. My wrist can’t bend so that I could move my finger easily from corner to corner. :D Touchpad haptic stuff is nice when dragging. Keyboard is… meh. Nothing special. Then there’s the money problem. You have to spend ridiculous amounts of money to jump off from the base model. I have 256GB/8GB model. The least I should have accepted is 16Gigs of RAM. I got this Air for only for 300 euros (luck was involved), so a money well spent to get to know current Apple HW. But still… I feel I barely made a good deal. I’ll keep using this until I cannot cope with the amount of RAM anymore.

    Battery life, performance and passively cooled CPU are the main highlights. Oh and the DAC can drive high impedance heaphones (I have Beyerdynamic DT-770 250 Ohm). I’m most disappointed to the display. The LCD under the glass is fine, but the glass itself is just horrible design. From now on: I choose only matte displays.

    I think you’re much better off with Framework. I think that’ll be eventually my choice too.

  • unfinished | 🇵🇸@lemmy.ml
    0·
    2 days ago

    I was in a very similar situation when shopping for my current laptop so here are my thoughts: I set out looking for a lightweight and relatively powerful 13" Linux laptop and ended up with an M4 MacBook Air. Despite what a lot of people wanna say, the MacBook Air is one of the best deals you can get for an ultrabook, especially on these newer generations, as others I’ve looked at struggle to compete in performance per watt while at the same price point and with lower build quality. Seems to me that with the requirements you’ve listed, you will have to compromise on a few things if you want the advantages of running Linux.

    The FW13, best fit I can think of, is a wonderful machine, you will probably have a good time with it, but it certainly does not have as good of a build quality, battery life nor UX refinement as a MacBook. The difference isn’t massive but it is there. These are common compromises when you buy into more ethical tech.

    • www-gem@lemmy.ml
      0·
      2 days ago

      I was about to suggest the framework as well, but I don’t have to :)
      I would just add that the build quality is at least equal to any mainstream brand like Dell or Lenovo, and you also gain in readability/upgradability which will make this laptop last forever (every single piece is replaceable) or upgradable for a fraction of the price of a new laptop.

      I wrote a first impression and 2.5 months review if you’re interested.

  • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
    0·
    2 days ago

    Modern web browsing…requires a lot of processing power.

    It definitely doesn’t. What it does require is a bit of RAM, which Apple intentionally sold in insufficient quantities for thousands of dollars, and judging by local classified boards, that’s almost exclusively what everyone bought.

    Intel 13th+ gen CPU, with passmark points over 17,000 on multi-threading.

    AMD is and has been the superior processor for quite some time now, both in speed and efficiency.

    Intel GPU

    Well…you are severely limiting your options there. I’ve never even seen Intel mobile GPUs, personally.

    I need a (supported) fingerprint reader!

    Yeah that’s gonna be very tough also.

    Below a $1800 price tag. That’s the price I can get with a MacBook Air for all that.

    You’re looking for a niche product, which, if it even exists, will have niche pricing.

    I spent the whole weekend trying to find that mythical PC laptop, and I can’t. I’m frustrated.

    Unless you’re willing to make compromises somewhere, I don’t think you’re going to.

    I can tell you I recently got a Lenovo Yoga Pro, and it rivals Apple in terms of build quality. It has the best laptop keyboard I’ve ever used, by a longshot.

  • beeng@discuss.tchncs.de
    0·
    2 days ago

    Dell Precision 5570

    Its what I got from work, its pretty nice quality I have to say.

    Usually a functional thinkpad guy, but the screen, trackpad, build, specs, all very good. Keyboard could be better but if you’re coming from a Mac then it will be just fine.

    5480 is the 14" apparently.

  • HumanPerson@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    2 days ago

    FW13 seems to check all the boxes. Speakers are not great but usable, and I heard they improved them with the new keyboard that rattles less.

      • steeznson@lemmy.world
        0·
        2 days ago

        Refurb models come with i5 processor at 3.5Ghz and 4GB RAM but has another slot you can put another chip into (or replace both with 8GB RAM chips). The processor is also replaceable so you could hit a higher clock speed. Everything in a thinkpad is modular including the screen so you can pretty much do what you want with it.

        Edit: Yeah, tbf I skimmed over your spec list. Not sure why the apple hardware or the CPU generation is important, especially for the latter where the clock speed is what really matters. Could probably put 16GB RAM in each slot.

        Edit2: X1 Carbon or something from that series would probably match the lightweight requirement although they are less modular. No replacing the CPU.

        • Eugenia@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
          0·
          2 days ago

          The CPU generation is important because older ones don’t clock faster than my M1 macbook. If I’m going to buy something new, it better be faster than what I already have. GPU is also important, because before the 11th gen, 4:2:2 10bit video didn’t have video encoding/decoding, which I need. Also the trackpad is terrible (I have an X280 thinkpad), so is its speaker quality afaik. Thinkpads were great laptops for an older generation. I bought one because everyone was raving about them. Except its screen and keyboard, everything else sucks on it. It won’t even support some usb-c chargers (while other laptops don’t have an issue).

          • steeznson@lemmy.world
            0·
            2 days ago

            I’d be tempted to stick with macOS and get an M3, then run linux in a VM with QEMU or whatever. Given your focus on ergonomics I don’t see any other hardware that will match your expectations.

            • Eugenia@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
              0·
              2 days ago

              I understand. BTW, I am running Linux on my M1 macbook with UTM Qemu, and linux is really, really slow under emulation (faster if you run arm versions). Even on M3/M4.

  • Ecco the dolphin@lemmy.ml
    0·
    2 days ago

    I bought a refirb Chromebook with an Intel CPU for $150 and put Debian on it.

    Its a piece of shit, but I feel like a technology racoon. Its also lightweight. I do my homework on it.

    Speakers don’t work tho, but it’s OK thats what headphones are for.

    You could just go cheap until u find something perfect.

    • Eugenia@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
      0·
      2 days ago

      I already have 5 laptops. Laptops that range from 2800 passmark points to 5500 points (older Chromebooks usually clock between 1400 and 4000 points, so yours is probably in that range). I use these laptops as testbeds mostly, not as my main laptops for work/browsing. I need something faster than my M1 Macbook Air (which clocks 14,000 points – and that’s already 5 years old). So a 6th refurbished, old, slow laptop won’t do the job.

      In fact, funnily enough, I’ve done the same mistake with video cameras back in the day. I was buying cheaper stuff, thinking that one feature here, or one feature there would make out for not buying a more expensive camera. They weren’t enough. I had to wait to 2024 to actually find the video camera that I was looking for in 2011.

      Same for phones. Even after the popularization of the iphone and android, I still didn’t like them. I had to wait until about 2018-or-so, to feel that they had matured to the level I envisioned them 15 years earlier!

      I guess I have certain ideas on what I want from hardware and anything less doesn’t cut it…

  • Ulu-Mulu-no-die@lemmy.zipEnglish
    0·
    2 days ago

    Unfortunately I believe Apple hardware is unsurpassed when it comes to solid builds, care into details, functionalities and beautiful appearances.

    I’ve been using Linux for over 20 years, never had problems making my desktops look good and work fine with the right cases and components, but laptops? meh

    Only once in 20 years I found one that I like aesthetically and has all the compatible hardware (full Intel only), I got it at half the price because they weren’t making it anymore…

  • magguzu@lemmy.ml
    0·
    2 days ago

    Dell XPS 13 checks all your boxes except good speakers.

    I have the XPS 15 9510 model. Intel 13th gen i7, backlit keyboard, great trackpad, sleek design. It came with 16GB ram but I replaced with 32.

    I bought it “refurb” on eBay last May SPECIFICALLY because I wanted the most Mac-like PC. Running Arch Linux from day one and it’s been rock solid and super fast. The speakers aren’t great and the mic is pretty bad. But I usually use headphones or external speakers when docked.

    I honestly am very happy with it and it was only like $550.

    I spent a bunch of time before this comparing new computers; between Thinkbooks, Framework, Tuxedo, XPS. In the end I decided what I wanted didn’t require it to be new. I was only concerned about degraded battery but I can replace that myself when the time comes.

    I don’t want to plug the seller but they’re constantly selling these on eBay so you’ll probably see them if you search.

    Side note I disabled the NVIDIA GPU and only use the Intel iGPU which has saved a lot of battery.

    • Courant d'air 🍃@jlai.lu
      0·
      2 days ago

      Second the XPS, I have a 9310 and I’m super happy with it! The touchpad isn’t glass like though but I personally like it

    • Eugenia@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
      0·
      2 days ago

      btw, can you really replace the ssd/ram on these xps 13s? I found one afor $1700, and in greece they ask for $2500 if you spec it with 32gb of ram. But if I can replace it myself easily, that would be nice.

      • magguzu@lemmy.ml
        0·
        2 days ago

        Yes SSD and RAM are simple to replace. There are two SSD NVME slots in fact, and only one is used by default so you can add another.