Some recommendations I would suggest are: -Linux-specific laptops (HP Dev One, System76, etc.) as they are built specifically with running Linux in mind. -Framework Laptops, as Framework has worked hard to make sure Linux works well with their devices. -ThinkPads, as their hardware usually tends to work really well with Linux.

I personally use the Framework Laptop 13 running Debian, and I love it!

For the software side I would recommend Linux Mint as a great simple starter distro with good support and a nice community. The overall design paradigm is about maintaining familiarity while also making sane defaults and simplifying processes. Because it is Ubuntu based it is also easy to get documentation and support because what works for Ubuntu also works for Mint.

For hardware it really depends on your budget and locality as well as use case. Laptops vary much more country to country than you may think, so it may be worth thinking about what is local to you. For example, I live in Australia so System76 is a bad choice here, same with SlimBook (I think that is the name, European KDE laptop that advertises with that French(?) YouTuber, they don't ship here.

Also, when looking at laptops the RAM configuration is important. If you have two RAM slots but only one RAM stick you will have really slow memory access. This will bottleneck for both the CPU and GPU if you are using both at the same time, say during gaming or doing AI work. Swapping out the single stick for a matching pair or just adding one more stick that matches what it already has will let both ports work together, making everything faster. Also when I say matching I mean in terms of size and speed. If you put 3200MHz and 2400MHz in the system at the same time the 3200MHz won't just down tune to match, they will both go slower as far as I am aware. Best to match not only the speed but if possible the brand and ideally model, there are lots of little differences between RAM sticks and honestly it has never been worth the trouble in my experience to have mismatched sticks, I just replace with a matching pair.

I use an asus rog g15 from 2021. It actually has pretty great linux support with asus-ctl but I can't recommend it in good concience for professional purposes, it is decked out with rgb also asus has a pretty bad reputation of customer support.

If you're looking for something that can handle AAA games, I've had a great experience with my Dell G5. Linux Mint had everything working out of the box, including the dedicated Nvidia GPU (though I agree with others, AMD is easier in Linux).

My laptop also has the advantage of allowing you to do weight training every time you move it, so there's that to consider.

Not a laptop, but I replaced my old laptop with a micro PC from minisforum EM680 and I'm very happy running Linux Mint in it. If you tend to use your laptop on the same spot, it's a great way have a more performing and ergonomic PC for the same or lower price.

I can power it from my monitor, so I can have only one cable at the desk. Bluetooth and wifi working out of the box.

At any rate, I suggest you stick to AMD graphics as they have native open source support.

Pinebook Pro seems like a good option. It's like a netbook. But it's much more free than your average netbook and uses an ARM processor.

Debian Stable is a good distro for a beginner, in my opinion.

Avoid Lenovo. At least, I have not had great experiences with the ThinkPad T14s AMD, both gen 1 and gen 2.

Gen 2 came with an Aetheros (sp?) bt/wifi card that would never wake up after suspend, had to get an Intel replacement, thankfully the bad one wasn't soldered in and I could replace it.

Trackpad has glitches that had to be mitigated in the kernel - mitigated well enough that it doesn't bother me but it's still silly

And both gen 1 and 2 still cannot reliably wake from suspend, and experience unreasonably high battery drain while suspended

Then again that could be a problem with all modern laptops..