Edit: I’m glad so many of you have had no issues with multiple monitors. My set up is a little unusual (3rd display is an infrequently used large tv hooked through the receiver) and is definitely solveable but will take some effort (and honestly, I’d rather spend my spare time outside or with friends, so who knows when I’ll fix it.)
The trick is to buy linux-approved hardware.
For example, there are specific machines which are approved by ubuntu as officialy working with ubuntu.
Thinkpads are generaly good to use.
Consumer Thinkbooks (Shitbooks) like the 16 G7 IML are NOT at all compatible.
You gotta work your hardware around linux a bit.
So have money.
I have two extra monitors, one of them is technically a small low res LCD TV, another is in an elderly monitor that I can only turn on and off by plugging and unplugging it because its power button work’s 1 out of 1000 times its pressed. They work, why spend money to replace them, they are just used to monitor temps, music players, and Discord.
Also this flies in the face of sustainability. I’d figure sustainability is also a major motivating factor of Linux, given its association with other progressive tech movements like right to repair. If I have some random jank old hardware, it’d be nice to not have to just throw it away for the sake of switching to Linux. In fact, Linux does save some hardware of course and gives them new life sometimes. I’ve revived some old laptops before with it.
I say this as a Linux advocate, I use Windows due to current necessity. I also use Linux (Not just on a Steam Deck, but yes on a Steam Deck). I’d stop using Windows entirely but I’d need to be richer or accept significant downgrades. I’m not the former and I wont do the latter.
Thinkbooks are actually decent (quality-wise), but the ideapads - fuck them, I’m never making that mistake again, I hate typing on practically rocks and having no upgrade path.
Pfft, L take, just learn linux from scratch and install linux on a pdf file, partition the machine, make it boot directly the pdf file, and have a working lfs, very customisable as well.
(In case it’s not clear, this is a joke, by which I mean, the part where I recommend this, the process I describe is for some reason an actually doable thing (technically can do it on a piece of salami if you’re rednecked enough))