Title: I am looking for a laptop to use for Linux development. There have been a number of &quot;Ask HN&quot; topics about this, but this one is a little different - I am not looking for a brand-new, top-end machine, but rather something to use alongside my MacBook Pro (which runs macOS and Windows via Boot Camp). My budget for this machine is only around $300.<p>If I spend the money on another MacBook (Air or 13&quot; Pro) I am probably looking at a machine of 2011&#x2F;2012 vintage. Unfortunately I&#x27;m not sure the Air machines will be sufficiently powerful for my needs (low-voltage CPUs, only 4GB non-upgradable RAM). Also, all of the the pre-retina MacBooks seem to be let down by their screens: glossy, TN panels with (except for the 13&quot; Air) at most 800 vertical pixels.<p>Another option is a Lenovo ThinkPad, again probably from around 2012 (with the traditional 7-row ThinkPad keyboard). The ThinkPad X220 seems good, but is let down by its poor quality &quot;clickpad&quot; and, again, poor screen resolution (but at least IPS is an option). The T420s has a more traditional ThinkPad trackpad and better screen resolution, but no IPS and inferior battery life.<p>So, all of these machines have downsides. For my needs, I think the T420s is probably the best compromise.<p>Would you recommend (for or against) a ThinkPad T420s for use with Linux?<p>Is there another machine available for around $300 that I should consider?
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