> I've never seen laptop hardware that Linux "works out of the box"
Look for almost any Dell these days. I've used 6 (Vostros, Latitudes, Precisions) in the last couple years and all worked flawlessly from the start (except for the fact I had to uninstall Windows in all but one Vostro). I also use Linux on a small and light Acer "Cloudbook" (a Chromebook-like that comes with Windows). This last one was a bit confusing to install because of the UEFI/eMMC combo, but after understanding the peculiars of the installation, it worked perfectly ever since.
Look for almost any Dell these days. I've used 6 (Vostros, Latitudes, Precisions) in the last couple years and all worked flawlessly from the start (except for the fact I had to uninstall Windows in all but one Vostro). I also use Linux on a small and light Acer "Cloudbook" (a Chromebook-like that comes with Windows). This last one was a bit confusing to install because of the UEFI/eMMC combo, but after understanding the peculiars of the installation, it worked perfectly ever since.