i think that linux should work with most any laptop hardware with the
exception of the new video cards that switch between the high end and
low end for performance / battery - i don't know whether there is linux
driver support for this yet. that said, i haven't checked the
documentation, so the devs could have surpassed my expectations here.
that said, since i just bought a laptop, when i was looking, i didn't
check the documentation to narrow anything down. i went between a
thinkpad x301 (iirc), alienware, and mbp. the alienware was too heavy,
and the thinkpad was more than the mbp with half the battery. this made
up my mind - not linux's hcl.