Need advice Linux laptops

[niniendowarrior]

Hey,

I need some help from you Linux gurus. I'm looking for a budget friendly Linux compatible Laptop that has nvidia onboard graphics and wifi. I am at a loss at where to look so kindly help this poor soul.

Thanks.

[Michael]

Have you looked at any from Lenovo, Acer, or ASUS? I know they have some lower-end ones with NVIDIA graphics but should be nice build quality and work with Linux. Or are you looking more at the Eee-type PC?

[niniendowarrior]

Well, I was hoping to have wifi, nVidia graphics and an Intel Core Duo processor. But I'll be doing mostly intense database stuff. I'm virtually broke so I'm wanting to have a good balance for power kind of laptop. I don't need ultra portable, just something that has a little umph.

By the way, I did try to check Lenovo, Acer and ASUS... even Dell... but then checking for a laptop with good specs, then checking Linux compatibility, and then the price is a real headache. So, I'm hoping you guys could give me some recommendations.

Please help.

[ivanovic]

If you don't really need much 3D, go for a Laptop with integrated Intel graphics. I currently bought a Thinkpad X60 Tablet. It works perfectly with gentoo, basically everything I tested so far works, even suspend to ram. The hardware quality is really great and it works.

[niniendowarrior]

I'd rather have that little bit extra in 3D, which is why I'm specifically after nVidia boards.

Keep the suggestions coming, because I'm going to have to buy one fairly soon.

About Thinkpads, at first I was thinking of getting R61, until I found out it was a pain to install Linux. Dang Lenovo!

EDIT:

I'm looking at this one. What do you guys think?
ASUS A8JM
http://www.notebookreview.com/defaul...84&review=Asus
http://www.linlap.com/wiki/Asus+A8Jm

[ivanovic]

Originally Posted by niniendowarrior

I'd rather have that little bit extra in 3D, which is why I'm specifically after nVidia boards.

Keep the suggestions coming, because I'm going to have to buy one fairly soon.

About Thinkpads, at first I was thinking of getting R61, until I found out it was a pain to install Linux. Dang Lenovo!

After having a short look at the thinkwiki, it does look like it is supporting linux:
Linux Install Instructions for R61
Regarding the gentoo instructions things seem to work rather nicely with recent distributions. Regarding quality, the ThinkPads are probably among the best hardware available.

Loking at the compatibility listing at http://www.linlap.com/wiki/IBM-Lenovo+Thinkpad+R61, I would say that it should be no real problem. The wireless driver is by now even available directly in the kernel as of kernel 2.6.24.

Originally Posted by niniendowarrior

I'm looking at this one. What do you guys think?
ASUS A8JM
http://www.notebookreview.com/defaul...84&review=Asus
http://www.linlap.com/wiki/Asus+A8Jm

To be honest: No idea how good the asus laptops are. I heard from some people that they would be quite good, from other I heard that they were almost as bad as the ones from Acer. The same regarding quality seems to count for "non-Thinkpad"-Lenovo devices. Their quality might be questionable... I just know that in general all laptops that are directed at business users (like ThinkPads and many others) tend to provide a rather good manufacturing quality.

[Huenengrab]

What about the HP Compaq 6720S? It has a Core 2 Dou 1,6Ghz, 1024 MB RAM (easily upgradeable up to 4GB), 120GB SATA-HDD and Intel GMAX3100 with up to 384MB Video-RAM (taken from the mainboards RAM) and Intel Ethernet/Wireless and a Lightscribe DVD-RW- and CD-RW-drive from TsstCorp.

I like it quite well. After a BIOS-update, everything worked like a charm. In Germany I paid about 550€ for it and it was worth the price. I don't know if its performant enough for your tasks.


It looks like this*:



* Picture not taken by me. I can provide you with pictures from any angle of the Laptop, if you'd like.

[niniendowarrior]

I recently spoke to two of my Linux-savvy friends.

One of them says, if you want Linux friendly laptops, you cannot get any better than Dell lappies, which will most likely bust my budget. He also makes mention that onboard nVidia graphics don't appear on middle-ranged laptops, so it's hard to find a balance. He does suggest I pick up either an Acer or Lenovo.

He also planted an evil seed and told me to get a MacBook and install Ubuntu through VmWare, which is starting to sound like a sweet deal.

The other friend is pro-Dell mostly and anti-Apple.

One thing is for sure, these choices are driving me nuts.

About the ThinkPad, seems like I'd have to patch Alsa to get the sound working. At this point in time, the less I compile and build stuff, the better. I think I can buy myself some time before actually splurging on it, but it's woefully difficult to make the choice.

If it's a MacBook, I can live with an Intel, primarily because I don't have a choice. If it's a non-Apple one, I'd want to have nVidia graphics. I just gotta have it when I get one.

Thanks about the suggestion on the HP Compaq. My friend tells me though that HP Compaqs are generally overpriced and underpowered, well at least in this country.

[Huenengrab]

Which country do you live in?

For Germany the price was really good, even if I have to upgrade the RAM. The Intel X3100 ist fast enough for a composited desktop and that's everything I need, when I'm on the road. I'm in no need for games on a laptop.

[niniendowarrior]

Philippines. Anyhow, I'd want to pay a little extra for a little bit more power. I'd rather not have an intel graphics card.