Jump to content

Which Laptop to buy?


Recommended Posts

I'm getting a 12" laptop from www.transtec.ch - it comes with linux preinstalled (novell/suse enterprise desktop 10) and the same hardware with MSWin would set me back almost 300CHF more (~250US$), so I'm certainly not paying the WinTax...

It's a Core 2 Duo, fully linux supported and certified.

 

Transtec can also be found as www.transtec.de .co.at .co.uk and as ttec.nl and then some.

 

Hi, Artee I'm also thinking in order one transtec laptop. Have you already installed mandriva on yours?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 76
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Guest patrickrea

I have been using laptops for what seems like forever. My first was a Toshiba 8086 class machine with a huge 20MB drive. From there I went to luggable machines which I kept upgrading whenever I would find a motherboard that would fit inside the case and could handle the display properly. I have had AST, Toshiba, Sharp and IBM machines. The ONLY machines that I will buy nowadays are the IBM Thinkpads although I do want to try out the new Panasonic Toughbooks ( I sail and want to run GPSDrive on the boat).

 

My first Thinkpad 380XD is still running and has been upgraded to Mandriva 2006. I sold it this past year to a writer who doesn't do anything but text and email. The battery is toast but everything else is just like it was on day one. Every key still works, the red IBM pointer has never been replaced, the floppy still works.

 

At the moment, I am using my T23 with Mandriva 2007. Everything works execpt the modem and those I don't care about. Sound, DVD, cd burning, USB, hibernation, wireless; it's all good. I have installed Mandriva 10.1, 2006 and now 2007 on 5 different T23s and they all work beautifully. Bang for the buck, the best machine around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been using laptops for what seems like forever. My first was a Toshiba 8086 class machine with a huge 20MB drive. From there I went to luggable machines which I kept upgrading whenever I would find a motherboard that would fit inside the case and could handle the display properly. I have had AST, Toshiba, Sharp and IBM machines. The ONLY machines that I will buy nowadays are the IBM Thinkpads although I do want to try out the new Panasonic Toughbooks ( I sail and want to run GPSDrive on the boat).

 

My first Thinkpad 380XD is still running and has been upgraded to Mandriva 2006. I sold it this past year to a writer who doesn't do anything but text and email. The battery is toast but everything else is just like it was on day one. Every key still works, the red IBM pointer has never been replaced, the floppy still works.

 

At the moment, I am using my T23 with Mandriva 2007. Everything works execpt the modem and those I don't care about. Sound, DVD, cd burning, USB, hibernation, wireless; it's all good. I have installed Mandriva 10.1, 2006 and now 2007 on 5 different T23s and they all work beautifully. Bang for the buck, the best machine around.

Good point.... My friend had a gateway and the battery became toast... but it won't even start without a battery with some charge, even when plugged in! I actually have the old laptop she threw out and when I get time will rip it open and see if I can't defeat the built in obsolence but this rather illustrates the difference between the top notch and "disposable" ones...

 

p.s. check out the Mac laptops too....

The IBM's are solid and have the advantage of being useful in a fight... someone tries to steal it hit em with it and you'll do serious damage... (to them not the laptop)... whereas the Mac's are just lacking that weight :D

 

Anyway... as I have said before... the most important thing for a laptop is fitness for intended purpose as patrickrea illustrates....

For instance I have a friend who's main reason for buying a laptop is limited space and they have to clear the dining table to use it... battery life is not an issue since it can be plugged in... and I'll bet the IBM patrickrea sold would have done her fine... her primary concern was to be able to take it off the table in one go...

 

every laptop is a compromise so working out what you want in terms of features is the most important issue IMHO

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Hi, maybe you can help me. :)

I'm going to work for a month in another country, so I'll be needing a laptop,

alas I've never had one and haven't tried to install Linux on one.

 

Have a budget of about 600 GBP

 

I need a laptop with a 15.4" screen and at least 3h of battery life. Oh and wifi to work too.

And it must not be problematic to install and run Linux on one (Mandriva, Fedora, Kanotix, I don't care).

I've no problems with editing some start up scripts, but please no kernel recompiles or edits.

 

15.4 screen, because I want to watch a film now and then and 3h because that's how long two lectures at the university last.

 

Please tell if you have anything suitable in mind! :thumbs:

 

 

-----

edit: Found something - HP NX7400 - http://ms.lv/?q=UutRzyfnz8xPa2LPr8wPlyfnzB...2LNzuxBeynPz8C=

Edited by solarian
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As long as the components have some Linux support you should be OK. I have difficulties with my new work laptop, a Toshiba Tecra A8 which has a Core Duo. The Intel High Definition Audio doesn't work, and not been able to get it to work with Mandy, Fedora, Gentoo or Arch Linux. Regardless of how new alsa is. My Intel Pro Wireless - ipw3945 doesn't work either. Well, it works that I can see access points, I just can't connect!

 

I'm waiting for a new version of the necessary modules to come out to add support, but I can use my laptop no problem. I have a Netgear wireless usb adapter, that worked fine with my old Toshiba laptop before it got replaced. I used it with ndiswrapper. Can't use ndiswrapper with the ipw3945 as it kills my machine dead.

 

Acer's are good for supporting Linux, but build quality isn't the greatest. HP should be OK. Visit the Red Hat site and check their hardware compatibility list or there might even be a generic one somewhere. HP are usually good for Linux support though.

 

For the battery, go for something Centrino based.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Hi everybody,

I have to buy a new laptop and I'd like to switch to linux (I used windows before); I looked at some distros, asked for some advice and Mandriva is the one I'd like best... but wich laptop should I buy?? :P

My favorites are Toshiba Satellite A100-117, with intel core duo 2 t5200 and geForce Go 7300, and an Asus, I cannot remember its code but it always has intel core duo 2 and nvidia geforce.

Do you know if there are any known problems with their hardware? I looked a bit around the net but often I cannot find neither good nor bad news...

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tosh laptops are traditionally bad and break often, avoid them.

When looking about compatability with Linux, check the wireless card the laptop is using, because most of the time that's the biggest problem.

Broadcom wifi cards are a disaster, Intel are mostly painless.

 

Don't know about core duo, as I have never had a computer with that.

 

Please find the code for Asus and we might know something more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As long as the components have some Linux support you should be OK. I have difficulties with my new work laptop, a Toshiba Tecra A8 which has a Core Duo. The Intel High Definition Audio doesn't work, and not been able to get it to work with Mandy, Fedora, Gentoo or Arch Linux. Regardless of how new alsa is. My Intel Pro Wireless - ipw3945 doesn't work either. Well, it works that I can see access points, I just can't connect!

 

I'm waiting for a new version of the necessary modules to come out to add support, but I can use my laptop no problem. I have a Netgear wireless usb adapter, that worked fine with my old Toshiba laptop before it got replaced. I used it with ndiswrapper. Can't use ndiswrapper with the ipw3945 as it kills my machine dead.

Newer versions of ipw3945 are much better, and there's a brand new module, which will be merged, that is far better.

 

As for intel hd audio, there's improvements and support added on every release of the kernel, so 95% of the intel hd audio boards out there *do* work fine. If yours continues to not work, it might well be a good idea to file a bug on the kernel bugzilla, rather than continually complaining.

 

Acer's are good for supporting Linux, but build quality isn't the greatest. HP should be OK. Visit the Red Hat site and check their hardware compatibility list or there might even be a generic one somewhere. HP are usually good for Linux support though.

 

For the battery, go for something Centrino based.

No brand in particular is any good at supporting linux, unless they say so explicitly. All brands either take an Intel or AMD attack, the intels will work on linux nearly every time, with minor bugs in some, and AMD's should work better now than they have.

 

The minor bugs in them, are irrelevant to the vendor, and occur across different models by different vendors.

 

Most consumer grade hardware out there is supported by linux, but it's just that some take more effort.

 

James

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've settled for ACER Aspire 5610ANWLMi (Intel Core Solo T1350)

It comes bundled with some kind of Linux and suits my needs,

I'll just upgrade the 60GB hd to 100gb.

 

I have an Acer Aspire also although a different model. From what I've read Acer Aspire's all use Broadcom Air Force One wireless, Is this the card you have or do you have a different one? Mine has been a nightmare in Mandriva so I switched to Debian and was able to solve my wireless problems.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I have ordered for an HP dv9000t which has an Intel Wireless 3945 card and I think that I'm going to land up in trouble over that. I'm planning to have Vista dual booted with Mandriva 2007 Spring. Really want to have wireless working, otherwise, I would not even consider giving a go for any Linux distro. Im currently using Mandriva Spring (no Windows) on my Presario V3000z notebook and everything works very well now. Hope, wireless works out of the box in Mandriva for the Intel 3945 card.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share


×
×
  • Create New...