So, my 10 year old Chromebook has reached the end of the line and, because of [gestures vaguely around at the state of everything], I obviously don't want to buy another one. I am beginning the process of evacuating all my stuff from Alphabet's ecosystem specifically (mostly Google Drive) and other big tech generally.
Essentially, what I need is an inexpensive mid-tier laptop. No gaming, no need to run complex stuff like video/audio editing, nothing like that... I just need to be able to stream video, look at my email, check social media, download text and photo files, etc (so, running a web browser and saving files... that's it). I'd ideally like to have something I could setup once and then potentially not have to fuss with for years (outside of updates obviously)... like a Chromebook.
Coming to Lemmy because I just have no idea where (else) to get started.
Which distro do y'all think would be a good fit for this purpose? Should I play around with different ones? What laptop manufacturers should I look at? Which ones should I avoid? When I buy one, how do I get a machine that's just formatted without Windows already installed? Should I order direct from the manufacturer or would it be more prudent to buy from a retailer (for like shipping and returns policy purposes)? Has someone already built exactly what I'm talking about, written/vlogged about it answering all my questions, and I just can't find it because of the enshitifacation of search engines?
Any suggestions, tips, blogs to read, tech channels to watch, etc, are all greatly appreciated!
Skill Level Context
I have a little experience with building computers and setting them up from scratch. Twenty-ish years ago I was in a single semester high school "Intro to Computers" class where the final had us build a PC from parts provided and install Windows XP (then format the HDD and disassemble everything for the next person's exam). Since then, I've really done nothing like that and have forgotten everything except the very basics (also, a lot has probably changed). The last computer I have purchased is my gaming setup and I bought an it-just-works-out-of-the-box Windows machine off Amazon. It's an iBuyPower brand PC that I will likely be looking to replace with a Linux machine next year... maybe... this replace the Chromebook project is kind of a proof of concept for me before I attempt that.
that final idea is genius, not going to lie. Building a PC hasn't really changed that much aside from some ports being renamed.
From what you told, just putting in a very light distro to your current laptop (like debian or lubuntu) on a new SSD could do exactly what you want; but if you don't think it'll cut it; a used thinkpad could do the job just well. Though its specs will determine how performant your PC will work.
A decent-ish Core i3 or Ryzen 3 series processor (or higher if you want) will do the job well, 8GB RAM should pair well with it, As for storage, using an SSD would increase responsiveness a lot and make the boot times faster. Since you have another computer, you can just install Linux using a flash drive even if the computer you bought came with Windows. Do not get a Celeron/Athlon processor, they're manufactured e-waste.
Laptops with discrete GPUs tend to be on the heavier end (as in weight), be aware if you're planning to get one. They're definetly more performant in graphic demanding applications, but from what you told me you likely don't need it.
As for distros, choose whatever looks better and not complicated.
This Chromebook has some problems... battery life, charging port not holding onto the cable, a dead button under the touchpad, and a crack in the screen is what has me looking at all of this. I'm not very handy and, with everything wrong, it's looking like a used laptop might be cheaper than replacement parts.
Everyone has been suggesting used Thinkpad so that's the front runner right now. Thanks for the suggestions!