Advice about computers

~rrraksamam

Hi.

A few days ago, one of our patrons asked for advice about computers.
And a good patron gave some recommendations.
I checked them out.

I won't go into the details now, but suffice it to say, that I'm
not a tech guy.
The limited knowledge I have about technology is purely out of
interest.

A brief background on why I'm making this post is that many years
ago, I went to buy a computer, and I got ripped off. I didn't even
realize that until I talked to my brother, and he got visibly upset.

The three "brands" listed:

How do you identify a good computer purchase?
1. Core specs - CPU, GPU, RAM, Storage type, size and speed. I use
the Specs term very loosely and specifically for these 4 
components; whereas specs generally includes everything on this 
list.
2. I/O ports - the more ports, the better. Lack of ports would 
force you to purchase and carry a dongle
3. Battery capacity
4. Display - screen size, resolution, refresh rate, pixel density,
brightness, color gamut/sRGB,  PWM/Screen flickering etc
5. Upgradability
6. Backlit keyboard
7. Speakers
8. Cooling/Temperatures

I won't bore you with a lecture explaining each of these points,
but I've arranged them in the priority that I would have when
making a purchase.
That being said, everyone's needs are different.
A creator would focus on the laptop display and I/O ports.
A developer would prioritize the core specs, backlit keyboard,
battery life etc
A media consumer would mainly look at the display, speakers
and storage.
A gamer would focus on the core specs, cooling, and display.

The Penguin T4 GNU/Linux Laptop looks good.
I used it as the basis for comparison.
Intel i5-1335U, 8 GB RAM, 250GB NVME SSD, 15 inch display.
$992 with the optional Bluetooth adapter.

I'm going to skip to the Minifree laptops.
Libreboot T440p fully spec'd up.
Intel Core i7-4700MQ, 16 GB RAM, 2x960GB SSD, 14 inch screen.
£558.00.

Libreboot X230 fully spec'd.
Intel Core i5-3320M, 16 GB RAM, 2x960GB SSD, 12.5 inch screen.
£458.00.

Coming back to the Technoethical laptops.
Technoethical X200 Laptop.
Intel Core 2 Duo P8400, 4 GB RAM, 120GB SSD, 12.1 inch screen.
€560.

Technoethical X200s Laptop.
Intel Core 2 Duo SL9300, 4 GB RAM, 120GB SSD, 12.1 inch screen.
€540.

Technoethical T400s Touch laptop.
Intel Core 2 Duo SP9400, 4 GB RAM, 120GB SSD, 14.1 inch screen.
€970.

Technoethical T500 Laptop.
Intel Core 2 Duo P8400, 4 GB RAM, 120GB SSD, 15.4 inch screen.
€730.

Anyone with a keen eye would notice that the Technoethical 
laptops are priced too high.
There may be several reasons to justify that; one of them
being that the laptops cater to a very niche market.
But the fact is, I wouldn't recommend them to anyone.
It's not just the price, but the laptops are way too old
for modern standards.
These laptops aren't for your average user.
Even modern Linux distros have become bloated. You don't 
want to be stuck with a slow machine if it's your daily
driver.

Here's a comparison between the Core 2 Duo P8400 processor
featured in two Technoethical laptops vs the Intel i5-1335U
in the Penguin T4 laptop.

From the details above, I'd say the Minifree laptops offer
the best bargain for the specs, the Penguin T4 offers the 
best processor, and the Technoethical laptops are well, a
collector's item.

It's good to support small entrepreneurs that are taking a
stand against giant corporations in respecting user freedom
and privacy.
By all means, do it if you can.
If your budget is too low, however, you can get something 
for cheaper elsewhere,
and install GNU/Linux with a little guidance from the
internet.

One of the patrons mentioned buying a Thinkpad T60 for $50
which is an amazing deal.
These old Thinkpads were built like tanks. They were meant
to last for a really long time. Which is hardly what someone
can say for modern laptops.
Companies have really cheaped out on build quality in the
modern era.

What's the lesson from all of this?
Do your research.
I think that's the most important thing. Look around, 
search for options and alternatives, and weigh in the price
vs specs.