Which new laptop under $300 with upgradeable parts should I be looking at? - eviltoast

Hi,

A problem I have been coming up against is that a lot of the newer, budget Windows laptop (which I will immediately replace with my distribution of choice upon receipt) have memory soldered on the motherboard. This is a decision which brings the utmost distate to my mouth; I’m looking for budget laptops around the $300 mark (new) that let me upgrade their parts. Which models should I be looking at?

I am aware that the used market is fairly decent right now but I’d like to take a look at what’s coming up alongside looking at used gear. Thanks.

  • Pasta Dental@sh.itjust.works
    19·
    8 months ago

    Thinkpads will get you what you want. A T480 can be found at around that price and is basically fully upgradable and Linux compatible

    • BennyHill500@lemmy.ml
      12·
      8 months ago

      Yes this, everything new at that pricepoint is complete garbage, ewaste straight out the factory.

      The T480, while getting a little bit up there in age now, is still very capable having a quad core CPU, if you get both the internal and largest external battery it will rival M1 macbooks in battery life, two ram slots.

    • MigratingtoLemmy@lemmy.worldOP
      2·
      8 months ago

      Thanks, and yes I’m looking at the used Thinkpad market. I was just curious if I could purchase anything of the sort new in my budget

      • Jumuta@sh.itjust.works
        4·
        8 months ago

        new budget computers are horrible. don’t get them. they’re old designs sloppily put into tacky new looking chassis for a higher price.

        hell there’s probably a $300 budget laptop that’s slower than my fucking <$100 11yo thinkpad t430