My laptop specs:
System: Host: ThinkPad-11e Kernel: 4.4.0-77-generic x86_64 (64 bit)
Desktop: MATE 1.12.1 Distro: Ubuntu 16.04 xenial
Machine: System: LENOVO product: 20D9S00C00 v: ThinkPad 11e
Mobo: LENOVO model: Intel powered classmate PC v: SDK0J39690 WIN
Bios: LENOVO v: N15ET65W (1.25) date: 09/15/2015
CPU: Quad core Intel Celeron N2940 (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB
clock speeds: max: 2249 MHz 1: 2249 MHz 2: 1958 MHz 3: 2251 MHz
4: 2250 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Graphics & Display
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: [email protected]
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Bay Trail GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 12.0.6
Audio: Card Intel Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series High Definition Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-77-generic
Network: Card-1: Intel Wireless 7260 driver: iwlwifi
Card-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
driver: r8169
Drives: HDD Total Size: 500.1GB (2.7% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST500LM021 size: 500.1GB
Currently running Mate on a little Thinkpad 11e as you can see. I initially had some trouble with the kernel bug that causes random total freezes on Bay Trail processors, but the max cstate = 1 workaround described here stopped that. I believe this issue should not affect the current generation of 11e, since they aren’t using Bay Trail chips. With UM, the little computer runs fast enough for all my daily tasks—writing, web browsing, and programming.
So, yeah, it’s a cheap student laptop, but it gets a lot of work done. You don’t need a whale of a computer to have a very useful little Linux machine! 