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Best laptop hardware? (programming.dev)

submitted 1 day ago by Moussx@programming.dev to c/linux@programming.dev

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Hello! For work (where I'm compiling a big Rust monorepo in a loop), I'm on a Thinkpad T14 Gen 4 and it's getting a bit annoying.

My only constraint is that I'd like a 13-14 inch device

The AI memory situation is probably to blame, but after sending a LLM fetch specs and GeekBench results, it seems that for sustained multicore performance, the only thing that comes close (within 10% but still lower) of a M5 MacBook Pro (currently ~3200 EUR), is the HP Elite G1a (ARM linux is OK), but its list price is much higher (up to 4900 EUR for 64G memory and 1TB disk) for arguably worse speakers and battery on top.

So right now it's hard to justify not getting a MacBook and that makes me sad...

Is there a laptop you're using right now that comes close enough to a MBP in long compilation jobs, but runs Linux and doesn't somehow cost more ?

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[–] sbeak@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

The closest comparison to the Macbook Pro is probably the Framework 13 Pro with Intel Core Series 300. The newest Panther Lake chips are close to Apple's M series silicon in terms of efficiency (and therefore much better battery life than previous models) and competitive when it comes to performance. They even market it as the MBP for Linux users.

The 13 Pro has excellenr build quality and a haptic touchpad, just like the Macbooks. And unlike the Macs, it's super repairable, upgradeable memory, has modular ports, and supports Linux really well! And especially when you spec it with more RAM and storage (even in memory crisis), the Framework is incredibly close to the price of the equivalent base M5 Macbook (it goes more to show how obscene Apple's memory pricing is really).

Alternatively, you could get an older M1 or M2 Mac and run Asahi Linux (but then you can't upgrade the RAM or storage)