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Comment #1 posted on 2023-01-12 13:35:34 by ClaudioM

Good Review, but Still Avoiding Gaming Laptops

Really enjoyed the review of the laptop, especially the followup. Still, I've been turned off on all gaming laptops in spite of the temptation they provide. I once tried to buy an Eluktronics gaming laptop after reading good reviews from them, but after a botched purchase attempt, I decided to skip it and go with a used HP ProBook 4540s which had Radeon and Intel graphics, unbeknownst to the seller.

However, what really turned me off on gaming laptops is when I attempted to repair my son's MSI gaming laptop's keyboard. What a nightmare! I basically had to remove everything to get to the keyboard, and even then I wasn't able to replace the keyboard because the board with the ribbon was glued on. From that point forward, I decided I'd go with a gaming desktop in the future and stick with laptops that are more serviceable, something like the Framework. Buyer beware!

Comment #2 posted on 2023-01-13 12:59:37 by bookeyrmm

reply to claudio

In a past life I was a certified HP repair tech, They are very easy to work on. TBH, the primary feature I was looking for was the additional drive bays and graphics card, I don't actually do much gaming on the laptop. With 2 open slots for SSD/HDDs I was able to add a 128GB shared drive and a 1 TB os drive for my linux install. (Which is where I spend most of my time)

Comment #3 posted on 2026-08-10 09:19:47 by wevaba6950

A refreshing contrast between enterprise gear and low-power hardware

It’s rare to find a long-term review that actually covers two full years of daily use, especially for something as niche as the Pinebook Pro. I was particularly struck by the point about how the ARM architecture forces you to be more intentional with your workflow—knowing exactly what the hardware can and cannot handle before you even open a browser tab.
I spend most of my time working on the opposite end of the performance spectrum, usually configuring enterprise storage arrays with high-end Fibre Channel HBAs and dedicated RAID controllers https://serverorbit.com/hba-and-controllers/fiber-channel/raid-controller-en. In that world, everything is about maximum throughput and zero latency, so the idea of a $200 "daily driver" feels like a real shift in perspective. However, I’ve found that for simple tasks like monitoring a RAID rebuild or checking controller logs via SSH, you really don't need a massive workstation. There’s something very satisfying about using a low-power, fanless machine to manage a high-power server rack. It really makes you appreciate efficiency over raw horsepower.
After two years, do you think the battery degradation on the Pinebook has stayed manageable, or is it starting to feel more like a "desk-bound" laptop now?

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