Hi guys. Would like to buy my first Librem. I’m not a computer geek and I dont understand the memory options. There is memory, then 2 different storage options with drop downs and I really dont know what I need. I dont need to go super cheap since my laptops tend to last a long time, and also I got some extra bitcoin laying around to play with. But also I dont want to overkill the storage either because really I just plan on using the computer for normal stuff, nothing super heavy. Research, trading, storage of all my photos and crap. Although I am sort of interested in doing some crypto mining but not sure this is the right way to go for that. Any way please give me some insight, I’d like to get rid of this old windows laptop soon! Thanks
Well first of all, if you’re “not a computer guy”, I have to say I love Linux but I don’t think I can recommend it to someone that doesn’t really know much about computers.
You’ll find yourself having to do things using the command console and stuff. You’re not going to have a user-interface for everything and the experience will not be as easy, streamlined, and seamless as using Windows or OSx. However there are Linux distros that make it as easy as possible… but I still don’t suggest it to total newbs usually. You have to go in with a determination to learn, at least.
Anyway, for what you’re suggesting:
Before giving you suggestions, I’d want to know how much hard-drive space you really need, because the most expensive thing is definitely harddrive space, considering they only use SSDs (and that’s a good thing, I despise HDDs as they’re so slow and prone to failure).
All I can say right now is that if money is really no issue, I’d go ahead and max-out the Memory to 16GB.
As for the hard drive:
- If you really don’t need much storage space, I’d get a 250GB M.2 SATA drive.
- If you need more storage than that, go for a higher capacity.
- M.2 NVMe drives cost far more than SATA, but they’re the hot and sexy high-performing thing.
I personally am planning to make one with a 512GB NVMe Pro drive. My current computer uses 256GB so I figure I’ll be fine with double the capacity. My Linux machine will only be used for serious stuff, browsing, and communication, so I won’t be storing movies and games on it like I do my Windows machine. Hence, it doesn’t really need more than 128GB but I’m happy to have the extra room just in case.
The speed of NVMe Pro is incredible though, which is why I’ll be choosing it.
+1 on this point. Librem laptops are really a developer’s mac book.
That’s nonsense, it all depends on what you are accustomed to. I setup Arch linux on my neighbour’s laptop and he used it for years without problems. Once Skype support got really terrible, I had him switch to Windows, and he hated it, he couldn’t find his way around with Windows.
Cool, then go with 16 GB RAM. If you really want to spend out, go with M.2 storage: nvme or nvme PRO, if not, go with 2.5" SATA 3.