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Comment by quantumink | Hacker News Reader

Last I checked: the XPS was one of the few laptop product lines offering native Linux (Ubuntu) as an alternative default configuration option to order

It's how I got mine about 6-7 years back anyways, still works great (except the battery) ...never let windows get it's claws into the machine in the first place

Edit: to add, I realized over time that having a battery that lasts longer just can't seem to beat my older laptop experiences: being able to just swap an extra battery in and have full charge at will (without soldering and all that 'ish) In that sense I feel that the future is coming full circle to modularity, swapability, repairability - to the point they're becoming my primary considerations for the next portable computing select I will need to acquire.

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> Last I checked

I checked 10 seconds ago. The only models I can order in my country with linux are Pro Max and a Precision workstation.

If I pretend to be located in the US, an XPS 13 from 2024 becomes available at 200$ more than the Windows variant, and no OLED option.

What a weird marketing strategy from Dell...

Yeah... Took a moment to look it up now:

Apparently they stopped making the Developer Edition which came with Ubuntu in 2022-2023 (which was definitely cheaper by 100-200 bucks or so than the Windows version with exact same hardware, I recall the developer edition os discount very clearly)

Now the XPS line has fallen as well, as apparently even the SSD now gets soldered to the motherboard, no longer possible to service with basic tools really once it starts failing. My old 2018-ish XPS has an M.2 slot and a battery that is relatively simple by modern standards to replace with some screwdrivers and careful handling (something I think is vital for a workhorse computer, as batteries 'decimate' in capacity within 2-3 years or so in my experience)

I don't even know what's left out there anymore among major makers... when I have to look again, maybe framework... Been hearing about them for a bit now and they seem quite relevant to the discussion - haven't seen one live yet to be fair

Powerbanks fill that role well. We have USB-C PD now

While I concede that powerbanks may satisfy the proximal problem - literally making charging available on demand... Consider that it does not in any way resolve the distal problem of having a 'portable computing device', which heavily compromises on the 'portable' aspect - by forcing a state of permanent battery anxiety without external life support (i.e. no power source - dead in minutes of intensive work) The powerbank is a fine workaround to be fair, but as I see it: still a workaround at best. The ability to swap a battery without getting into things like soldering - allows for far more flexible functionality and longevity than a powerbank could.

That is without even mentioning the ultimate problem of parts sustainability and longevity. When you can swap individual components as they degrade, it's possible to use the rest of the machine for far longer than a degraded battery or a failing SSD would allow.

Powerbanks simply feel like treating symptoms, instead of rehabilitating the system itself (obviously still use them for phones and such of course)

Maybe like 0.01% of users ever did that, or did any upgrades to their laptops. Moving to recyclable but integrated components is the right move for the vast majority of people. I’m sure there are some compromised devices for nerds out there that still allow for swapping batteries etc

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