Searching for a good deal on a Libreboot-able Laptop
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Hello, thanks for your time.
I want to get a laptop that can be as free as possible. Want to get a laptop with Libreboot. I don't have a lot of money, so i thought i would search for a Thinkpad X60-X60s or T60. I prefer an X60-X60s model because it's gonna be used as a library companion, going to write a lot, and read various digital books. I believe that these laptops are 32-bit's. So:
1.- The machine could handle Emacs with LaTeX and very light browsing ?
2.- Can i install Trisquel or Parabola and use some 64-bit software ?
And finally, searching on my country internet merchants i found some possible laptops:
*X60 $72
-2GB RAM
-80 HDD
(Don't have real pictures)
*X60s $82
-1GB RAM
-80 HDD
(In the pictures looks in good shape)
*X60s $75
-2GB RAM
-120 HDD
(Looks like 3 keys have lost details on it's symbols)
*X60s $104
-4GB RAM (Only 3 available)
-160GB HDD
-Allegedly New Battery
(Looks ok, except for one little scratch near one display hinge)
Do you think that any of these could be a good deal ?
I'm inclining in favor of the X60's $104 one, or the X60 $72
There are some Macbook's 1,1 and 2,1 but in my country having the fruit icon makes a computer an status symbol, so the cheapest one used it's at $140. The cheapest Asus Chromebook C201 it's at $260 and it's way too far from my budget. However even if i had the money i still prefer a Thinkpad.
So, what do you think ? Do i wait for something else ? Do i get another thing ? Is the EOMA68 an option ?
The best is to order a Purism’s ‘Librem’ laptop using Bitcoins, which credits cards are always shitty nonfree. :)
Those laptops are very expensive to me, gonna search about buying things with bitcoin since i don't know nothing about it. Thanks for answering.
If you want to flash libreboot yourself, the X60 will be easiest as libreboot can be flashed internally. If you have the knowledge, equipment, and desire to flash libreboot externally, the X200 and T400 are options and have better specs than the X60.
There are both 32-bit and 64-bit X60's, so I would ask the merchants which they are selling. I have a 64-bit X60 running Trisquel 8, and it is it more than sufficient for the uses you describe. The only thing it's unsuitable for is demanding 3D games. A heavy DE like GNOME 3 might not run very smoothly either. Apart from that, I've run into no limitations. I never run out of my 2GB RAM.
If you want to just buy a laptop that has already been librebooted, there are several vendors who sell X200's. Since money is a factor, I recommend Minifree, as they are the least expensive I know of. https://minifree.org/
EOMA68 is a great project to support if you can, and it is just as free as a librebooted laptop. However, unless you are content with either buying the computer card to use with your own monitor/keyboard/etc or are able/willing to print and/or assemble the laptop housing yourself, it will be expensive.
gd_scania mentions the Purism Librem. The Librem is freer than many laptops, but less free than librebooted laptops or the EOMA68 laptop. Purism's marketing may seem to imply that the Librem has a free BIOS, but it does not. It uses Coreboot, which has proprietary blobs. It is also overpriced, around $1500. The specications are better than those of EOMA68 or a librebooted X200, but the only reason people think they need those specs is because they use unecessarily bloated software. See Wirth's Law: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wirth%27s_law
All of the laptops listed are 32-bit. I think that i will keep searching and keep saving a bit for a 64-bit to avoid some future issues updating software. Maybe someday i order an X200 from Minifree, hope i get a good price. For the EOMA68 i prefer to build my own hybrid laptop case out of wood, 3D printers are rare in my country, so the computer card or maybe the Micro Desktop Housing would be enough. Thanks for your time.
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