Here’s a picture of the devices sitting next to my easy chair that I get to choose from to satisfy my computing needs:
Starting from the back on the right side there’s Windows 10, Chrome Flex, MacBook Pro, and Linux (Mint Cinnamon). And from the back on the left side there’s Windows 11, a Lenovo Chromebook, an iPad and a Lenovo Duet (Chromebook tablet). And to write this post, Linux was selected to do the job.
At different times, and for different reasons, every one of these devices sees active duty. I’ll explain… so let’s start at the top.
- Windows 10 – This is an older laptop that will never run Windows 11, but it has a touch screen, runs the Chrome browser and Microsoft productivity apps really well. This laptop will always be my go to machine for in-person PowerPoint presentations and it never disappoints. It has a new SSD and battery installed and performs better than it did when new.
- ChromeOS Flex is an operating system provided by Google to turn an older Windows laptop or MacBook into a Chromebook. The device used for this purpose is a really old Dell laptop that originally shipped with Windows 8, but now easily runs Flex. This laptop gets used less than any other in this group, but it works well. And another interesting fact about Flex is that is uses all the keys on the laptop keyboard, where traditional Chromebooks have fewer keys and sometimes require ‘shortcuts’ to do simple functions like Caps Lock or Delete.
- There are times when a Macbook is the best tool in the toolbox, but I use it mostly to maintain familiarity with MacOS which many of my customers use. Truth be told, I’m a die-hard Windows PC and Android guy…
- And the current star of the show is Linux Mint ‘Victoria’ – Cinnamon Edition. I’m running Mint (a popular Linux distro) on a new 15.6″ Lenovo IdeaPad 1i. This IdeaPad has limited resources (4gb memory and 128gb storage) and ships with Windows 11 Home S Mode. I’ll talk about this machine running Win 11 below, but decided to blow Windows 11 away and replace it with Mint this time, and I’m very happy I did. Mint runs really well on this platform! A couple more things to point out about running Mint of this machine include my choice of browser (Mozilla Firefox) and office apps (LibreOffice). Since I usually run Chrome and Windows 365 on my desktop machines, integration with Firefox and LibreOffice will be an interesting test. Oh, by the way, this Lenovo laptop is only $149.99 on sale at Costco this week (11/20/23). This is a steal!
- Starting with the left group, the laptop in the back is also a Lenovo IdeaPad 1i, this one running Windows 11 (not in S Mode any longer). When I purchased this laptop, I converted it from S Mode so I could run non-Microsoft apps. You can find my write-up here: A $200 Windows 11 Laptop? (back then is cost $200, today the price is even better). One thing to note about my use of this platform is that with limited resources, I have chosen to not run the Chrome browser, but to stick with Microsoft Edge as my primary and only browser. I found Edge to be especially annoying until I figured out how to turn off some default settings, and now I’m finding with good integration with my Google account, the expereince is quite satisfying. Would I choose to run Edge on my other devices as default? No way! But running it here is necessary and satifying.
- Next up is a classic Chromebook. This is a Lenovo IdeaPad 3. The great thing about Chromebooks is that they boot and shut down quickly, are light and have great battery life, and simply do everything well without the fuss of a heavy-weight operating system. Of all the Chromebooks I have owned, this has been the best!
- Then there’s the essential iPad. iPads are great for reading, for Zoom sessions, and portability. I have used keyboards with the iPad, but what’s the point? I have choices and the iPad plays its limited role quite well.
- And finally, the incredible Lenovo Duet. The cool thing about the Duet in addition to it being very portable is that it’s a touchscreen tablet variant of the Chromebook. It comes with a detachable keyboard and has excellent performance. The Duet is an excellent traveling companion (with proper accessories)! The Duet sports a single USB-C port for charging and everything else. That’s why something like this USB-C to Everything Else adapter is essential:
To answer the obvious question, “Couldn’t I live with any one of these and be perfectly happy?”, and the answer is “Yes”. But what’s the fun and adventure in that? Besides, my customers have differing needs and I need to understand the strengths and limits of each.
So that’s my answer and I’m sticking to it. For right now, Linux Mint is my go-to machine until I discover its limitations. So far I’m pretty impressed, especially running on the Lenovo 1i…
