HN Explorer

Industrial (durable) laptops with matte screen and without manufacturer malware?

8 points by hellbanner ↗ HN
Lenovo thinkpad is a great laptop. But I want something without malware and just as industrial: Metal frame in the body, matte screen, drop-proof casing.

Where do I find this?

9 comments

[ 2.7 ms ] story [ 47.3 ms ] thread
Something1234
A Panasonic toughbook would come closest, but I haven't used one. I just saw youtube videos and ads abusing them. You could also get an old thinkpad(T420, W520). Other than them I don't really have any ideas, although googling `ruggeredized laptop` might bring some results.
farnsworthy
If someone would build a *nix-based laptop with a Mac-like hardware feel and OS integration experience (meaning stuff just works), that would be great. Can I have that right now, please?

Until then, the story remains "MacBook: The Worsening."

andrei_says_
Maybe I lack imagination but I don’t see how it can get worse after reducing serviceability to zero, removing all useful ports and introducing dongle hell. Oh, and the terrible keyboard and the touchbar abomination.

I am hoping my old MacBook Pro lives forever.

kfrzcode
I just sold my last Apple product ever - a mid-2016 Touch Bar, top-specs. The machine itself wasn't a problem, great form factor and beautiful design... but your points about serviceability, useful ports and dongles is so painful I can't stand it!

I had to purchase a $300USD dock from Elgato just to get full speed from an ethernet connection. I had to pay way more than cost to get a larger SSD and upgraded memory. The only thing the MBP 13,3 had over my Thinkpad E560 is a better graphics chip and slightly better Core i7.

The keyboard blows, the touchbar is kinda useful but only the 5-10% of time I'm not at my desk with the lid closed and the dock.

None of this is to mention the proprietary software.

Old MBP was leagues better. My #1 requirement for a laptop is "can I upgrade the hardware myself"

andrei_says_
OS X is still more secure and privacy friendly than windows. This is the main reason for me.
jimmies
Get a thinkpad, install coreboot+GNU/Linux on it and call it a day?
pravula
nowhere. Both Intel and AMD have processor level "malware".
kfrzcode
I'm on the search for a new laptop as well.

After the Spectre/Meltdown debacle, it's hard to say if any system is free of severe vulnerabilities (unless one is an expert).

At any rate, my plan is to buy either a Dell or Thinkpad direct from manufacturer and install "libreboot".

Alternatively, Purism is attempting to create this type of product: https://puri.sm/products/

borplk
As far as I know sadly there is nothing comparable to Lenovo today in the market.