> Linux support on Lenovo laptops is pretty good overall

T series and X series sure. I'm not sure that the same applies to Lenovo's consumer laptops. For example, some of last year's models initially only supported Windows, although a separate Linux BIOS was issued later.[0]

[0] http://www.pcworld.com/article/3139812/laptop-computers/afte...

ThinkPads are probably fine. It's the IdeaPads that are usually terrible even with Windows.

Typing this from a ThinkPad E545 running Slackware. Works like a charm (though OpenBSD was far less successful; the installer kernel panics pretty much immediately after the bootloader).

I saw the Yoga, but I wanted to spend around $250 or less on this. I have 2 laptops and a desktop which are great for programming, but I wouldn't want to risk bringing an expensive laptop to this trip, I want something portable and cheap in case I get robbed or something, with the convenience of a tablet when I just need to read an ebook or browse some webs, and the ability to do more advanced stuff with a keyboard as a desktop, even programming.

Maybe a Chromebook with Linux? Mine lasts around 9 hours, has a tablet mode, and was about $250-$300. Chromebooks really are the best bang for your buck for a Linux laptop IMO.

What about a second-hand Yoga 2 Pro? This should be in that price range now, roughly.

I've been using this for a couple of years now and was quite happy. It's a good trade-off between performance, weight and size in my opinion. Except some minor inconveniences[1], my Linux/Windows dualboot setup works quite well.

Heads-up: If you consider it's successor, the Yoga 900, make sure you don't get one of the series not supporting Linux (Google is your friend).

[1]: The biggest issue I've faced is inaccuracy of yellow colors on the display; they're dark and pale. Lenovo published a BIOS fix for Windows, but this doesn't work for Linux. However, if you don't plan to do any visual work like photo editing or designing color palettes, you should be fine.

I still use a yoga 2 pro. It's a decent machine, with 8gb ram. If you can find it at a low price definitely go for it.

I see. Perhaps a tablet (can't recommend any, I've never owned one) with a bluetooth keyboard is a solution?

Myabe you can also find a used Yoga or use two devices; a cheap laptop and a cheap tablet?

I feel like a hybrid laptop/tablet is a bit cumbersome as just an e-reader anyway? Not sure...

Seconded. I have a T440S which go for around 300 used. Decently thin and light with 100pct linux support and one of the last "real" lenovo typing friendly keyboards. Note the Yogas, Carbon, etc. all have chicklet keys now.

>> one of the last "real" lenovo typing friendly keyboards

And the terrible buttonless trackpad

True.

I get around that with a little synaptics hackage in the x.org vicinity to minimize palm touches and give me three buttons.

The T440s has chicklet keys. And that's not what makes a keyboard good or bad for typing.

I used to like Lenovo, but after all the Spyware controversies, I don't feel right supporting them. Can you recommend an equivalent to the T series?

Bit late, sorry.

No, I can't recommend an equivalent to the T series. I did some research about laptops before deciding to buy the T460s, and my conclusion is this: all laptops are terrible and laptop-makers are consistently moving in the wrong direction.

The T460s is the least bad laptop I could find. That's why I bought it. And I actually like it a lot more than I thought I would, but a few things still aren't the way I want them, like being unable to easily (hot-)swap batteries, which was possible in the 450 generation. And the T460s still has two batteries. Just not easily removable. See what I mean?

Anyway, honest recommendation: get a Thinkpad. Don't put Windows on it. After you do your own research of course; maybe look at Dell XPS laptops?

if you want ultra-cheap, the lenovo ideapad 100s is a good candidate. i bought it specifically to be taken to places where theft or damage are likely. as a performance benchmark: running visual studio by itself is snappy, but add firefox with a few tabs into the mix and you start to notice the lag. i usually run (without lag) atom, firefox (~10 tabs), 2 ssh sessions, and xampp localhost http server. it's $180 new, and ships with windows 10. terrible linux support, can't enable windows subsystem for linux.

If you want to go this route, go with the acer cloudbook 11" instead. Model: AO1-131-C9PM

I am running linux on it, but getting it up and running was a bit of a chore (you have to futz with the bios, close lid to suspend does not work, resume from suspend only works 90% of the time).

However, Acer rates it for 8 hours under windows 10. With "sudo powertop --auto-tune" it consistenttly exceeds that under linux.

The screen is passible for a low res tft, and there is no fan. Keyboard is fine (unlike most ultrabooks I have used). The touchpad really wants you to set up libinput instead of the synaptics drivers (palm detection isn't great under synaptics, but even with that, the touchpad is better than many ultrabooks I have used)

It is based on a braswell soc, which is probably why the Linux compatibility is so good (most of the peripherals are in one standardized chip...)

However it is a netbook. I'm not sure how android emulation would perform.

Is the keyboard backlit?

T460s owner checking in. Can confirm the awesomeness!

Screen is great (make sure to use the HiDPI one)

Touchpad works very well (better than Windows)