Lenovo ThinkPad P53 Questions

[RogerWilco6502]

So I will be going to architecture school soon, and I will need a computer more powerful than my 2009 MacBook. I've decided to get a Lenovo ThinkPad P53, as it seems like it's a very capable machine with room to upgrade when I need it. I do have a few questions however.

First off, it has Lenovo's hybrid graphics mode. How responsive is the hybrid graphics mode and would it be better to set it to hybrid or dedicated? The reason why I ask is because I want to know when it will switch from the integrated graphics to the Quadro card that it has as its dedicated GPU, as I will eventually need to do CAD renderings and things along those lines and I don't want to have to worry about the rendering being slowed down by it not switching to the dedicated card soon enough.

My second question is which display I should go with. I am definitely going to get one of the two least expensive options, as I really don't need anything more. Both are HD IPS panels with an anti-glare coating. The biggest difference is that the least expensive is 300 nits and the display that is one step up is 500 nits. The better display also has Dolby Vision. Would you recommend the brighter display or should the 300 nit panel cut it?

My third question is more of an OS question. I have used Macs as my daily drivers for a long time now and so I never had to worry about being able to access a Unix shell. Even when I used PCs it was primarily Linux I was using. What is the easiest way to get a Linux installation? The computer is powerful enough to run VMs, but I know there is also the WSL. Is the WSL worth looking into or should I just virtualize a Linux installation (or branch out and do a BSD distro or something similar)?

Thanks!

I'll attach a PDF of how I have the laptop specced currently (I haven't bought it yet).

 

[Tekguy0]

So I will be going to architecture school soon, and I will need a computer more powerful than my 2009 MacBook. I've decided to get a Lenovo ThinkPad P53, as it seems like it's a very capable machine with room to upgrade when I need it. I do have a few questions however.

First off, it has Lenovo's hybrid graphics mode. How responsive is the hybrid graphics mode and would it be better to set it to hybrid or dedicated? The reason why I ask is because I want to know when it will switch from the integrated graphics to the Quadro card that it has as its dedicated GPU, as I will eventually need to do CAD renderings and things along those lines and I don't want to have to worry about the rendering being slowed down by it not switching to the dedicated card soon enough.

My second question is which display I should go with. I am definitely going to get one of the two least expensive options, as I really don't need anything more. Both are HD IPS panels with an anti-glare coating. The biggest difference is that the least expensive is 300 nits and the display that is one step up is 500 nits. The better display also has Dolby Vision. Would you recommend the brighter display or should the 300 nit panel cut it?

My third question is more of an OS question. I have used Macs as my daily drivers for a long time now and so I never had to worry about being able to access a Unix shell. Even when I used PCs it was primarily Linux I was using. What is the easiest way to get a Linux installation? The computer is powerful enough to run VMs, but I know there is also the WSL. Is the WSL worth looking into or should I just virtualize a Linux installation (or branch out and do a BSD distro or something similar)?

Thanks!

I'll attach a PDF of how I have the laptop specced currently (I haven't bought it yet).

It likely uses Optimus, a switchable GPU technology from nVidia. I would leave it in hybrid, as it is pretty good about switching the discrete card on based on load and applications. $25 for a much higher quality panel (better brightness and colors) seems like a no-brainer to me. If you have to save money anywhere, you may want to eliminate the HDD, as 2.5" HDDs can be bought in that capacity for cheaper. Looks like a nice config. I don't have much experience with Linux, so someone else may be able to answer your question.

 

[RogerWilco6502]

It likely uses Optimus, a switchable GPU technology from nVidia. I would leave it in hybrid, as it is pretty good about switching the discrete card on based on load and applications. $25 for a much higher quality panel (better brightness and colors) seems like a no-brainer to me. If you have to save money anywhere, you may want to eliminate the HDD, as 2.5" HDDs can be bought in that capacity for cheaper. Looks like a nice config. I don't have much experience with Linux, so someone else may be able to answer your question.

Ok, thanks! It's not absolutely necessary I save money by downgrading the display, I just wanted to know if the next level up was worth it.

 

[grmlin]

If you want to try Linux, give Pop!_OS a try. It offers a version with Nvidia drivers baked in that should work well.

 

[RogerWilco6502]

If you want to try Linux, give Pop!_OS a try. It offers a version with Nvidia drivers baked in that should work well.

Ok, thanks! I have a lot of experience with Linux and do prefer it for most things but I need Windows for the CAD programs and such that we're going to be using. I want a Linux environment that I can run on top of Windows, but I don't know how to best achieve that.

 

[grmlin]

depending on your needs you should absolutely try WSL 2 then. It works really well these days and you can even use a Xserver in Windows to use GUI applications.

 

[RogerWilco6502]

depending on your needs you should absolutely try WSL 2 then. It works really well these days and you can even use a Xserver in Windows to use GUI applications.

Ok, thanks