cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/39088745
Lenovo or ASUS? Trying to figure out which laptop to go with.
Which company has a better reputation (in quality, privacy…), or are they both bad?
EDIT: I have come to the conclusion that both Lenovo and ASUS are extremely terrible, anyone who sees this post should go straight to framework laptop
As a ThinkPad User i am biased…
I like used thinkpad. Was sold after I picked up a t480s for real cheap and impressed by the keyboard on it. Then put Linux on it. So route I’ll take going forward is ThinkPads for cheap once warranty ends and businesses start offloading them.
I think Lenovo has the worst with their spyware and adware built into their BIOS. Video from Louis Rossmann I have very bad experience with Lenovo’s business laptops hardware and software but Asus laptops aren’t very different either. Asus’ quality control seems to be garbage and their customer service even more garbage. Choose your enemy.
Or go with Framework if possible. ⚙️✨
Don’t know if this is true, but I have decided to go with framework
and i doubt you made an uninformed decision :)
my advice would’ve been a 10yr old thinkpad with coreboot - which won’t work for everyone
Lenovo’s ThinkPad line has a sterling reputation. Among the best in terms of quality, service, repairability, and Linux support.
As for the largely consumer-grade options of ASUS and Lenovo’s consumer-grade IdeaPads, they’re rather similar in reputation and quality. Not exceptional, but they’re both perfectly fine options as long as you avoid the budget laptop segment (plastic chassis, broken hinges, etc.)
Any difference in privacy would come down to the pre-installed software, which is irrelevant if you plan on using Linux. If you will be using Windows, it’s always better to install your own fresh copy to purge any potential spyware and bloatware installed by the manufacturer. The activation key for whichever edition of Windows it comes with is embedded in the BIOS, so it’ll activate automatically after a fresh reinstall.
I think Lenovo has the worst with their spyware and adware built into their BIOS. Video from Louis Rossmann I have very bad experience with Lenovo’s business laptops hardware and software but Asus laptops aren’t very different either. Asus’ quality control seems to be garbage and their customer service even more garbage. Choose your enemy.
Or go with Framework if possible. ⚙️✨
Don’t know if this is true, but I have decided to go with framework
Interesting, had no idea until now that there’s such a thing as first-party malware loaded with the BIOS. Admittedly I’m caught in an ivory tower with my Corebooted ThinkPad. Although I haven’t purchased one yet, I’d say you made the right choice going with Framework.
Lenovo is cheaper than ASUS. Also I feel their Linux support is better than Asus’s. Recently installed an EndeavourOS on my friend’s Lenovo, and every single thing is working as expected.
Good to know! thanks!
I thought ASUS was cheaper than Lenovo. To me, ASUS is better known as a brand that offers good value and more affordable options. and Lenovo like Legion is usually more expensive
No. Lenovo is really good. Try buying on Black Friday or Christmas, they usually have offers. Also Lenovo has ‘Build your own spec’ kind thing for all their models. These are even cheaper. Also if you’re buying through their website, try staying in their cart page before checkout for about 5 mins, sometimes they will give you a small discount coupon, fearing you’re indecisive.
thanks!
Lenovo is generally cheaper then Asus, but they both have high end brands for gaming, Legion vs ROG
Both have products with varying degrees of quality. Don’t follow companies around, follow specific named model lines instead.
thanks!
IMO, Lenovo. Have had Lenovos in the past, no issues. I know someone who had an ASUS and the hinge broke. Also, don’t go through Staples - their warranty is garbage.
Also, don’t go through Staples - their warranty is garbage.
thanks!
Never be loyal to companies. Ever.
That said, I’ve usually had good experience with Asus motherboards and the routers have served me well as well. Being able to throw merlin on them was very important to me.
I have bought both Lenovo and Asus multiple times. I always felt I got more for my money with ASUS. Never used customer support though. In UK, we have a 1 year electronics warranty with retailer so can take straight back if any problems.
Thanks, but I have come to the conclusion that both Lenovo and ASUS are extremely terrible, anyone who sees this post should go straight to framework laptop
🥲
I think Lenovo has the worst with their spyware and adware built into their BIOS. Video from Louis Rossmann I have very bad experience with Lenovo’s business laptops hardware and software but Asus laptops aren’t very different either. Asus’ quality control seems to be garbage and their customer service even more garbage. Choose your enemy.
Or go with Framework if possible. ⚙️✨
Lost faith in all of them, framework is the best
deleted by creator
I guess don’t buy a laptop then 🥲
This doesn’t seem like a deal breaker though, they are simply supporting another open source project they want to use, that’s all I’m reading from the post.
Up to each one to decide, really. Fw had really interesting products and seem to treat Linux as a first class citizen.
The CEOs non-answer and amazingly loud continuing support to a pointless script by a known problem developer is weird and unfortunate. Monetarily small, but visually loud, as these things tend to be.
AFAIK the ad/spyware wasn’t BIOS level, it was “only” bundled with the preinstalled windows. Also, while it doesn’t exonerate lenovo, the spyware doesn’t exist anymore.
Get a nice Xiaomi laptop, install your favorite Linux distro on them. You will have an amazing build quality, oled screen and hardware for an unbeatable price. The closet thing would be a MacBook pro at 4x the price.
Which would you recommendend? I could just find the xiaomi book 14, which has a 12the gen i5. Not too impressive, depending on waht you want to do
True, i haven’t looked at the recent lineup. They seemed to have dropped some of the pro models. I have the mi notebook pro 2 2023. It had dedicated graphics. If you need graphics power they might be the wrong choice.
First time I see anyone recommending that
Probably lenovo.
Asus’ products are overpriced because a lot of times you end up paying extra for cringe aesthetic.
thanks!
Idunno, but in terms of Lenovo just stay with the thinkpads.
I know it’s an anecdotal evidence, but my friend bought a Lenovo Ideapad (or some other non-thinkpad), where the motherboard just died (he couldn’t boot at all) so it was replaced under warranty. Just before the end of warranty, the same issue arisen so it was replaced again, and I kid you not this new motherboard died AGAIN.
I think Lenovo has the worst with their spyware and adware built into their BIOS. Video from Louis Rossmann I have very bad experience with Lenovo’s business laptops hardware and software but Asus laptops aren’t very different either. Asus’ quality control seems to be garbage and their customer service even more garbage. Choose your enemy.
Or go with Framework if possible. ⚙️✨
Don’t know if this is true, but I have decided to go with framework
I like Asus. They’re older than people think. They used to be Pegasus but they sucked then. So they rebranded. I’ve had nothing but good luck from a laptop they made plus a bunch of parts I built PCs with.
Lenovo is Chinese and they bought Motorola and part of IBM I think? So they have some good stuff. But I’m more familiar with Asus and I like what they’ve made.
thanks!
Lenovo is a former branch of IBM. Lenovo.
No they’re not. IBM sold the brand and supply chain off. Not sure how many employees were kept, transfered, or axed, but the concensus has long been that it wasn’t enough to justify your claim.
IBM had their ThinkPad laptops line until 2005. They sold it off, the entire PC business, which was a part of IBM, to Lenovo, a Chinese company. Lenovo bought the laptop designs, the tech, all, except the IBM name, obviously.
I never mentioned anything about employees, but if you know anything about how manufacturing companies with production lines work, well, then you’ll know how all assets, including employees with their know-how and experience, are transferred to the new company when sold. Whether they remain with time is another matter.
I do know what I am talking about.
You can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ThinkPad
That was 20 years ago. Few, if any of those employees would still be with the company today. “Knowing” means nothing to the passage of time, particularly in the tech sector.
What are you even arguing about!?
You know what nevermind…
If you go with Lenovo make sure to get one with a real barrel power jack not just a USB-C. Several models with only USBC are plagued by multiple problems from possibly frying the board to mosfets literally coming unsoldered.
I bought one with those issues. It’s still a great laptop, but it stopped charging till I took it apart and did a hack soldering job shorting the mosfets lol
thanks for the tip!
I use a Lenovo Thinkpad T495s, and everything works fine … except for the fact they put the “fn” key where “ctrl” should be. I’m also not at all a fan of the USB-C charging port.
I think Lenovo has the worst with their spyware and adware built into their BIOS. Video from Louis Rossmann I have very bad experience with Lenovo’s business laptops hardware and software but Asus laptops aren’t very different either. Asus’ quality control seems to be garbage and their customer service even more garbage. Choose your enemy.
Or go with Framework if possible. ⚙️✨
Don’t know if this is true, but I have decided to go with framework
