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Ask HN: Best current Linux-compatible laptop?

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Re: Ask HN: Best current Linux-compatible laptop?

#71

Post by adfadf »

einrealist wrote: post #18
secure wrote: post #5

The ThinkPad X240 will work. Alternatively, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon (perhaps in its 2014 edition) with an adapter for VGA.

I have one with all configurable components. The clickpad is not working properly out-of-box and needs to be configured in the xorg.conf. The Ericsson WWAN also has issues, requires a line in udev rules. I did not try fingerprint reader, NFC and the card reader, yet. There are also issues with the Ultra Dock. After a firmware update VGA/DVI is working, but no HDMI/DisplayPort. The sound jack of the dock is not workin…

I got my x240 a couple of days ago and am trying to get the wwan card to work. What rule is needed for udev? And did you get the gps function to work as well?

Re: Ask HN: Best current Linux-compatible laptop?

#72

Post by herokusaki »

secure wrote: post #5

The ThinkPad X240 will work. Alternatively, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon (perhaps in its 2014 edition) with an adapter for VGA.

How do you find the keyboard compared to that of the X220 and earlier X series laptops? It's the one thing that makes me reluctant to consider the newer devices of the series.

Re: Ask HN: Best current Linux-compatible laptop?

#73

Post by janvidar »

davb wrote: post #33
janvidar wrote: post #9

I've used several ThinkPad x-series laptops in the past. My current machine is a Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition, which ships with Ubuntu pre-installed. Good battery life, excellent performance and nice size/weight - comparable to a 13" Macbook Air. You'll ned a mini-DP to HDMI/DVI converter cable though.

I'm using a Dell XPS 13 too and really like it. My biggest gripe is how hot it gets. So much so that it's uncomfortable to use on your lap (with the air vents all along the bottom). I've cleaned the inside, verified the fan operation and speed. It's just a machine that tends to run quite hot.

Really?

I have the 2014 edition, mine never gets uncomfortably hot, and I rarely hear the fan running. I routinely compile lots of code on it (C/C++ and some Java).

Re: Ask HN: Best current Linux-compatible laptop?

#74

Post by maguirre »

hadoukenio wrote: post #16

Ctrl+F ThinkPad. I guess the search count should show you something. I'm on a W530. It's a beast and everything works. And I'm talking Debian!

I am on a W520 and things worked fairly well until I decided to connect an external monitor. Has this problem gotten anywhere in the past year or so?

Re: Ask HN: Best current Linux-compatible laptop?

#75

Post by LocalMan »

I have a Dell Inspiron laptop that's about 1.5 years old. It runs 14.04 LTS just fine. With one exception: The external USB CD/DVD drive is not supported. The built-in CD/DVD drive works like a champ, so it's okay.

Sometimes I boot the Windows-7 partition.

My spinning rust is a 500 GB drive.

How you should buy your machine also depends on what country you are in. Local suppliers often give much better support than mail-order.

Re: Ask HN: Best current Linux-compatible laptop?

#76

Post by blueyed »

sergiosgc wrote: post #32

I'm definitely skewed towards Thinkpads, having carried one with me since '03 when I bought the first. My current laptop is an X1 carbon, and I can only say nice things about it. The only nitpick is that they messed the home/insert/end/Del key island. No problems whatsoever running Linux on it.

> My current laptop is an X1 carbon

Is this the second generation?

Re: Ask HN: Best current Linux-compatible laptop?

#77

Post by sergiosgc »

pcx wrote: post #50
sergiosgc wrote: post #32

I'm definitely skewed towards Thinkpads, having carried one with me since '03 when I bought the first. My current laptop is an X1 carbon, and I can only say nice things about it. The only nitpick is that they messed the home/insert/end/Del key island. No problems whatsoever running Linux on it.

I've heard very good reviews for the X1 Carbon. The only cons are: 1)weird keyboard layout 2)low-quality mousepad. Except for that the X1 Carbon seems to be a perfect Linux laptop. My friend's running Arch and it's working like a breeze.

It has a chicklet type keyboard, not the ones you find on previous thinkpads. I like it better than the old ones. Layout-wise, it has the weird layout of the home/insert island, and a stupid positioning of the print screen key. Other than that it's standard qwerty.

As for the trackpad, I'm not a good reviewer. I use the red trackpoint exclusively. My previous laptop (X61t) didn't even have a trackpad. Between the trackpoint and the touch screen, I don't ever use the trackpad.

Re: Ask HN: Best current Linux-compatible laptop?

#78

Post by tbmatuka »

Until recently I was using a Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E530 for sysadmin work. It was ridiculously cheap for a ThinkPad, everything worked under Arch Linux and best of all it had a numpad, which I needed. It was mostly sitting on a desk and not moving around much, so the weight and size weren't a big deal.

I just took a look and the newer model E540 can be ordered with a full HD screen (15") which weren't available on the older ones.

Re: Ask HN: Best current Linux-compatible laptop?

#79

Post by sergiosgc »

blueyed wrote: post #76
sergiosgc wrote: post #32

I'm definitely skewed towards Thinkpads, having carried one with me since '03 when I bought the first. My current laptop is an X1 carbon, and I can only say nice things about it. The only nitpick is that they messed the home/insert/end/Del key island. No problems whatsoever running Linux on it.

> My current laptop is an X1 carbon Is this the second generation?

No. It was bought last August. First-generation.

Re: Ask HN: Best current Linux-compatible laptop?

#80

Post by dsr_ »

pan69 wrote: post #26
glitch273 wrote: post #22

Take a look at System 76: https://www.system76.com/laptops/model/galu1 The specs are very well chosen for most developer users at a very reasonable price. From your requirements, I believe the only thing missing is native VGA support, which I'm sure you can easily fix with a simple adapter.

I'm really interested in these but I've heard reports on flaky casings made of cheap and thin plastic. Do you have experience with these yourself and if so can you share your findings?

We've bought several over the last five years or so. The cases have always been perfectly adequate -- not single-billet aluminum, but you're not paying MacBook prices, either.

They ship with Ubuntu and are generally comfortable with Debian.

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