Laptop recommendation wanted

[codedivine]

I was looking for recommendations on laptops with the following features:

1. Decent OpenGL support. Particularly 3.x
2. OpenCL support
3. Decent battery life (4+ hours) under Linux

As for pricing, the less the better. I am looking at some of the AMD Fusion E-350/Radeon 6310 powered notebooks as they seem to offer all the above at a great price but if there are any others that you can think of, that will be great.

[Panix]

Isn't Intel i3 and i5 better choices than AMD's offerings still? What's the update on laptop hardware these days?

I think that there's no compatibility with any Nvidia GPU chip combined with Intel i3 - i5 laptops still?

OP, I think an Intel gpu is probably the best bet for compatibility and the open source offerings with the Intel gpu should give some OpenGL and OpenCL support or development towards it?

Others in the know are better to say, though. I'm interested to know, myself.

[Zhick]

OpenCL support pretty much rules out all the open drivers, including Intel. And in extension every laptop with switchable graphics, as those can only be used with the open drivers.
Most modern laptops with nvidia-graphics are Optimus and thus not supported on linux, so that's not an option either.
So what you want is something with a low-power AMD-GPU, so your Fusion choice definitely makes the most sense.

[skeetre]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834115987

Core i5 with GT Nvidia 540M.

Not sandy bridge, but still an i5.

[codedivine]

OpenCL support pretty much rules out all the open drivers, including Intel. And in extension every laptop with switchable graphics, as those can only be used with the open drivers.
Most modern laptops with nvidia-graphics are Optimus and thus not supported on linux, so that's not an option either.
So what you want is something with a low-power AMD-GPU, so your Fusion choice definitely makes the most sense.

Thanks for the clarifications!

[LinuxID10T]

Definitely something AMD. Fusion would be a nice choice. OpenGL 4.1, OpenCL, the works.

[Zhick]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834115987

Core i5 with GT Nvidia 540M.

Not sandy bridge, but still an i5.

Optimus. You most likely won't be able to use the nVidia-GPU at all. It's just going to sit there and draw power without doing anything.

[skeetre]

Hmm, weird. I read the reviews.. it doesn't say it's an optimus, but it is.

I wonder how that would work with linux... if you load the nvidia driver would it just use nvidia all the time and ignore the integrated? Since Optimus doesn't work on Linux (right?)

I have an i7 laptop with nvidia 425m and I love it. It works great with linux and I've been using it to play oilrush on high settings at an avg of 25fps.

What's the deal with the Definitely something AMD? Why?

[Zhick]

I wonder how that would work with linux... if you load the nvidia driver would it just use nvidia all the time and ignore the integrated? Since Optimus doesn't work on Linux (right?)

Because of the way Optimus works (the Intel graphic is connected with the display at all times, the nVidia card renders it's image in the memory of the intel card), you can't even just use the nVidia card and ignore the integrated. You're stuck with the Intel IGP.
That's why Optimus really is not an option. And there aren't many not-Optimus notebooks anymore (though evidently there apparently are some as you appear to have one). A not-Optimus notebook with nVidia graphic might be an option, but I doubt there's one which manages to do 4+h battery lifetime.

[Panix]

AMD Fusion E-350/Radeon 6310 = super slow and AMD problems in Linux.

One positive: good battery life.