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Microsoft builds MacBook Pro rival with NVIDIA-powered Surface Laptop Ultra

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Re: Microsoft builds MacBook Pro rival with NVIDIA-powered Surface Laptop Ultra

#122

My first thought on seeing this was that it could be great for Linux. If the hardware is a little more standard than Apple's, it wouldn't need all the tricks Asahi has figure out. Finally you could have the best performance without compromising on fine details.

Honestly I was ready to mock this thing out of existence, but I think you're on to something as there is a contingent that wants the Macbook Pro style laptop to run Linux and I think they'd be happy to settle with a copycat.

Alas, it is a laptop from Microsoft so hardware support in Linux is probably going to be painful as always.

Hard to say whether you'll get the Macbook Pro experience though.

Re: Microsoft builds MacBook Pro rival with NVIDIA-powered Surface Laptop Ultra

#123

Will this help strengthen the ARM Linux ecosystem?

Most commenters here are focused on the Microsoft hardware, but the article mentions systems from several other manufacturers using the same hardware. Some of them, Dell and Lenovo in particular, have good Linux support. Nvidia has also supported Linux well in general, so let's hope there's an attractive Linux option soon! Personally I'd be just as happy with a small form factor desktop with the same hardware.

Nvidia has also supported Linux well in general

I don't really know, maybe in recent times. All I'm reminded of is Linus giving Nvidia the finger.

Re: Microsoft builds MacBook Pro rival with NVIDIA-powered Surface Laptop Ultra

#124
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back when Macs were suffering under poor Intel chips there were valid competitors in battery life and size and weight from Dell. Except they ran Windows, and the trackpad was never as good as a Mac, and you'd find yourself searching for driver updates for things like the built in camera, which also wasn't very good because Dell doesn't have an entire division building amazing tiny cameras for phones. Microsoft maybe…

I mean, yeah ok? Not sure what your point is? This isn't directly related to this machine though. First Nvidia SoC and a much better vertical integration with now non trivial amount of experience in hardware stands to offer something that wasn't avaliable before.

[dead]

Re: Microsoft builds MacBook Pro rival with NVIDIA-powered Surface Laptop Ultra

#125

For many, the appeal of a Mac is that it isn't running Windows. I'm not seeing how this won't be a repeat of the OG ARM Surface, just with a higher spec'd GPU.

>For many, the appeal of a Mac is that it isn't running Windows Pretty much. I broke down and finally bought my first Windows machine in over a decade to play Subnautica 2. It was so infuriating to use I returned it a week later. You literally have to hack it with shell commands to bypass Microsoft login now. Never again.

> You literally have to hack it with shell commands

Well on macOS you need to do the same to install and/or run applications so its not that fat ahead.

Re: Microsoft builds MacBook Pro rival with NVIDIA-powered Surface Laptop Ultra

#126
post #63

Unusable website. Can’t get past the full screen consent dialog (iPhone)

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Re: Microsoft builds MacBook Pro rival with NVIDIA-powered Surface Laptop Ultra

#127
post #37

I will never buy a Surface device ever again. I've been using an SL4 for the last four years with Linux on it, thanks to the surface-linux kernel. It's awful. It feels like it's actively refusing to work properly with Linux. Fair - it's not for Linux, and clearly that is expected with a Microsoft device. I've recently had to call their support for missing rubber feet. I figured I could get the replacement mailed(that…

In recent times support is part of what I consider when I buy Apple products. It is by no means the best but I can always get a human at whatever time of day and they will listen to my problem and attempt to address it.

But as for getting rubber feet, I'm sure it's some backwards process with Apple too, if at all possible.

Re: Microsoft builds MacBook Pro rival with NVIDIA-powered Surface Laptop Ultra

#128

If it's still based on the chip in the DGX Spark, idle power draw remains a problem to be solved. My Spark pulls down 40W when doing nothing under Ubuntu.

It might be more of a Linux problem than a chip problem…

For the DGX Spark and OEM variants a big issue is that the ConnectX-7 is just not designed to have low power idle but instead to be efficient when loaded.

NVIDIA already lowered power draw at idle by 18W with a currently out of tree driver leveraging PCIe hotplug for the NIC earlier this year.

I think that quite a bit more people bought those to use them without the ConnectX than what NVIDIA expected.

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