# The Ubuntu Forum Community > Ubuntu Specialised Support > System76 Support > [other] New Gazelle Professional Laptop Thread

## braddock

I am extremely excited by the new Gazelle Professional laptop model released today.  I'm hoping this will be my next laptop.

Are there any third party reviews of the new model available or has anyone seen one yet?

Does this model require special drivers for a fresh Linux install like prior models?

I do wish System76 didn't name all their versions the same, it makes finding reviews impossible.

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## isantop

> I am extremely excited by the new Gazelle Professional laptop model released today.  I'm hoping this will be my next laptop.
> 
> Are there any third party reviews of the new model available or has anyone seen one yet?
> 
> Does this model require special drivers for a fresh Linux install like prior models?
> 
> I do wish System76 didn't name all their versions the same, it makes finding reviews impossible.


I know that we have one going out for review soon. If you're looking for information, you can also search by the model number rather than just the name; the current Gazelle is the GazP7.

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## Maghik

Does anyone know if the new Gazelle supports two hard drives in the hard drive bay? I know you can install one in the space of the DVD drive but I'd rather have the DVD.

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## isantop

> Does anyone know if the new Gazelle supports two hard drives in the hard drive bay? I know you can install one in the space of the DVD drive but I'd rather have the DVD.


No, there is only room for one hard drive, besides the optical drive bay.

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## Maghik

> No, there is only room for one hard drive, besides the optical drive bay.


Ok Thanks isantop.

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## mgolden

I own the old Gazelle Pro, having purchased it in October.  I note that the new one is a little bit of a step down when it comes to the connections it has.  It has VGA rather than DVI video, and it lost the line-in audio and the optical audio out.  IIRC, the old one could be upgraded to 32 GB of RAM, this one only 16 GB.

It has Intel 4000 rather than nVidia graphics, though I am not sure how much difference this makes.  Intel is in some ways better supported by Linux.

On the plus side I note that the new one is quite a bit lighter than the old one, so that might be a plus.  Also, since it only uses 90W, the power adaptor is likely to be considerably lighter than the brick I carry around.

I wonder, is there going to be a new machine with specs more like the old Gazelle?

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## johncatral

> Does anyone know if the new Gazelle supports two hard drives in the hard drive bay? I know you can install one in the space of the DVD drive but I'd rather have the DVD.


You can a secondary hard drive with the optional caddy.  My Gazelle Professional is arriving on Wednesday so I can't wait to check it out and give a brief review.  :Smile:

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## jaylittle

I own the panp9 model myself and I have been very pleased. The new Gazelle laptop appears to use the same chasis so I will go ahead and give you all the low down on it.

[a] Chasis only supports a single hard drive.  S76 support was extremely helpful and told me which optical hd caddy to buy so that I could add a 2nd one (after I asked).  I boot off a 120 gb SSD and keep another 500 GB HD around for storage and I wasn't willing to give up either.  The machine boots great off the $35 USB2 dvd burner I bought from NewEgg.

[b] If you purchase a model with a 3rd Gen Core I7 processor - you'll get the Intel HD 4000 graphics.  My 3610QM is an extremely fast processor.  My last machine contained a 2230QM and this one appears to be a substanial upgrade in terms of speed.  Both the graphics and the processor perform admirably.  The HD 4000 is able to play pretty much any indie game I throw at it and can handle most AAA games of yesteryear along with a handful of today's brand spanking new games at low detail.  Diablo III plays on it at low details and still looks good.  As a self styled retro and indie gamer, the HD 4000 is a perfect fit for me.

[c] Although System 76 in no way officially supports Windows beyond providing a few driver downloads, Windows does work great on the machine.  I'm currently dual booting between Arch Linux and Windows 7.

[d] Now in terms of Linux compatibility, that can be a bit rough.  Which seems mostly due to the fact that the hardware is quite cutting edge.  Ubuntu 12.04 and Mint 13 RC install without issue.  Rolling distributions (the ones I prefer), tend to have issues however as their installation discs aren't updated very often.  Arch's official disc was updated last August and doesn't work with the wireless hardware in the machine.  The latest nightlies have a bug that renders the installation impossible to complete. I ended up installing ArchBang to get around this and that appeared to solve my problems as their install disc was just updated late last month.  Other rolling distros like Linux Mint Debian would boot off the live CD fine but as soon as the graphics drivers were loaded, the screen would get corrupted. I'm sure these situations will resolve themselves in one way or another over the course of the next few months, but it is still better to be aware of them in advance.

[e] Misc items: The panp9 is extremely quiet and runs very cool.  Occasionally I can get it bothered enough to fire up the side fan, but beyond that, it's really very well behaved in that respect.  The machine seems to last about 3 hours on battery regardless of which OS I am booted into.  The case design is very slick and has received numerous compliments from people I know who have seen it.  In addition the machine is extremely easy to get into (which is a huge change from the Asus G53SW I owned).  Oh and one last thing, if you order yours with bluetooth, it will ship in an "off" state.  You have to turn it on using the Fn-F12 key combination.  Anything else won't do  :Smile:

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## Arioch

That's it! I am moving to Ubuntu!   :Wink:

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## norfair

I placed my order for the new Gazelle Pro last Monday, and received it today. Quite surprised I was in having it shipped out so soon, but appreciative all the same. Thanks, System76!

I will say that I was a little hesitant in purchasing this laptop given that it's rather new to their laptop scene, though it did check most of the proverbial boxes with respect to what I was after in this, my first laptop.

The matte screen is pretty lovely, and a welcomed option - and the sole reason I chose this over the Lemur. Though, I still have the protective sheet over it as a figure out my feelings regarding the machine overall (in terms of keeping it). So, it'll probably look even better once fully revealed. I'm just hyper gentle with things I buy that have even the slightest potential of being returned so that should I, whatever is returned shall be received in mint condition. 

The laptop itself has a nice look to it, though the plastic feel kind of cheapens the effect once picked up. Then again, the reduction in weight in using plastic is perhaps an okay end result. It's a little thicker than I'd like, and a little heavier too, but I knew all of this going into it so I can't complain too much about that now. No fault to System76 for this, as this was kind of sort of out of their control. 

The keyboard is nice, though a backlight would have been awesome, and the Ubuntu sticker covered Windows button is a little tacky looking, as the sticker showed immediate signs of age in that once removing the laptop from its protective plastic bag, there was a ring of dust around the sticker's edge. Not a huge deal, but it would be nice if System76 could have someone manufacture specific Ubuntu keys for their Clevo laptops. My typing speed and accuracy on this keyboard, I must note, is perhaps better than with my desktop Logitech keyboard. So, this is a welcomed bonus.The if you split the keyboard in half, the left side is performs with delitcate ease in sound, while the right produces vibration from whatever is below. Kind of an annoyance this is, when it's almost perfect in touch and sound. Perhaps unavoidable given what is below the right side, but then again, I haven't a clue as to what could be causing the not-so-smooth sounding keystrokes. I just know it isn't uniform, and that's no fun.

The laptop stays warm once engaged, but not exceptionally so. Probably average in feel to experienced laptop users. However, the trackpad is just above the heat source, thereby making a warmer than preferred fingertip sensation. And speaking of the trackpad, its location does allow for accidental palm pointer movement. Just in typing up this message, my palms have moved the cursor all over the place, resulting in my typing in places I didn't intend to. However, I have read that I can disable the trackpad when typing. I will look into that, and not a big deal all things considered.

The DVD/CD drive is pretty cheap, with my uttering such as soon as I pressed the eject button. I'm not sure what I expected, but yikes. Not a fault of System76, per se, but I certainly have no great expectation of it lasting, and given this, I wish I would have opted for a hard drive in its place (though the option for such wasn't made available until the day following my order). Perhaps this kind of drive is the norm, but the laptops I have used (though not owned, but borrowed), have had the much preferred slot drives.

Not to dwell on the negative, but the speakers are rather ho-hum and shallow sounding, despite the boastful THX branding and quality claims. The sound would probably be much better had the speakers been placed atop the chassis and not below. Perhaps the sound is good for a laptop of this class, but I'm not impressed. I will listen to music and such through external speakers, as what's on board simply won't do if you have a penchant for quality sound. I'm kind of a snob in this regard.

The system is also virtually silent - surprisingly so. That being said, I have not taxed it too terribly. However, when trying (and failing) to watch a DVD movie (as a test), the fan kicked in and the DVD/CD drive became unbearably noisy. I still can't get a movie to play (even after downloading some stuff from the store), but I'm sure it's just a temporary thing. Well, that and the eject button wouldn't work after the movie failed to play. Only when pressing eject via the running DVD program did the drive eject.

The battery life has been the only true major bummer (other than the super cheapo DVD/CD drive and speakers). Then again, I'm not sure what I should be expecting. I fired the system up (after ensuring it was fully charged) at around 5:15p, and have had it running and in use ever since. Brightness at the default 50% for about an hour or so, and then about a half hour ago, I cranked it up to 100%. I watched a few short videos, downloaded some stuff from the store, listened to some music (via YouTube), and perused the internet. It is now 7:00p, and the system is telling me I have about 28min left. So, 2hrs for moderate to low use? I'm not sure if that'll do. But, we'll see how things improve after a full discharge and full recharge. I just expected more from a laptop running an efficient processor, integrated graphics, LED screen, and SSD drive, all the while doing simple tasks.

Oh, and most surprisingly of all, I actually like 12.04. GASP! Though, I plan to get that bottom panel activated post haste. I have to have it!!

Overall, at this early stage, I'm somewhat satisfied (with the emphasis on somewhat). If I paid half as much, I'd be nearly completely satisfied, I would think. We'll see what later tonight or tomorrow brings. I just wanted to update as early as I could, should my input be of any interest at all. 

More as it develops.

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## norfair

Early morning update... (aka Dear Diary)

Well, I fully charged the battery last night, after fully discharging, powered it up, and the little battery indicator stated that I had right at 2:15hrs remaining. Well, actually it said I  had 1:42, then 1:58, and finally stopped at around the 2:15 mark. However, now that I have been using it (internet and wifi only, at full brightness), it states that I have about 1:44hrs left. Hmm...

Also, I was greeted with the message: system running low on graphics (or something like that), before fully booting. It wouldn't let me start up unless I chose an option (such as, open in boot mode or in low graphics mode), however it wouldn't let me choose any option - either by trackpad or keyboard. I had to force shut down, and power back up. Doing so got me back in, but soon after I was in, I received a system message again wanting me to report my error. I did so, and then it acted as though I'd have to restart in order to diagnose and continue. Yet, it did its reporting, and let me continue without further notice. So, I have no idea what is going on. I haven't made any changes to the system, only downloading official programs through the store, and using none just yet.

As I watch my battery life dwindling faster than I can type this quick reply (it's down to 1:25 now), coupled with errors and my other qualms, my somewhat being satisfied comment above is turning to a feeling of being somewhat dissatsfied. But, it's still early, and perhaps I'm being too picky. Though, this keyboard noise is kind of getting on my nerves (as is the smell of warming plastic)...

More as it develops.

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## jaylittle

norfair,

Sounds like you are having a rough time of it.  I can't speak for Ubuntu 12.04 but in Arch - I seem to be doing pretty good in terms of battery life.  I've been using my panp9 on battery power all morning and it's about 1.5 hours in and I have 61% battery life remaining.  Keep in mind my Arch installation is still incomplete so I"ve been downloading and compiling new packages all morning to whip it into shape. Currently I'm running Cinnamon (a Gnome 3 mod by Mint) in accelerated mode with no issues, so I can't really speak for Unity here either.

I'm curious though - which processor did you get your Gazelle with?  I've not experienced any real heat problems myself with the 3610QM processor, but I could see how some of the faster ones might effect that experience negatively.  I only ask because my wife will need a new laptop soon and I was considering getting myself a new Gazelle Pro with a faster processor and giving her my panp9, so any info you can share on your specs would be most appreciated!

EDIT: It's worth mentioning that I've removed the optical drive on my panp9 and replaced it with a second harddrive and am booting off an SSD, so those things may be effecting my power usage a great deal as well.

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## norfair

Hi, jaylittle. Thanks for your comment. 

I have the same processor as yours, the i7-3610QM. I didn't feel the need to upgrade the processor from the default selection given that this laptop had no option for discrete graphics. In my mind it made sense to stick with the default, as why beef up the processor without the option to beef up its graphics capability. So, I kept it basic. Though, I did upgrade the RAM and the hard drive to a SSD one (thinking doing so would help battery life). Though, the SSD does seem to provide lightening fast startup times. 

I should note that in checking out my system specs upon first boot, I lost 20GB from my SSD. I guess Ubuntu needs this much now? I suppose such isn't that unreasonable, but greedier than I thought/hoped.

Overall, I guess the system is _okay_, just not what I expected for the price paid. Had this been a desktop replacement kind of system (discrete graphics and such), I'd be _somewhat_ okay (though probably not really) with its subpar battery life. But with this machine being a still rather portable one, it should be able to remain in its mobile, cord free state for longer than it can - especially doing the menial tasks I've been throwing at it. Coupled with the other issues and quirks at hand, the negatives (for me) outweigh the positives. For now, anyway.

I haven't fired up my new laptop yet since arriving home, so I am not sure what I will face this evening. Hopefully I will warm up to it and find a way to overlook its flaws, as I want to like it. I really do. I respect what System76 is doing, and would say that 75% of my issues are hardware related, and the other 25% a mix of a variety of things. I know Ubuntu has always struggled in the power management department, but I had hoped that with the newest operating system release, this area would be better addressed. Though, perhaps Unity is just too power hungry for its own good. 

Oh, and if you do get the Gazelle Pro (don't let my potentially overly critical words sway you against it), I highly recommend the matte screen option - if only to help support and show the world that matte screen users are more prevalent than glossy-screen pushers think. Unless, of course, you're a fan of glossy screens.  :Wink:

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## adroitster

After reading norfair's review I am bit relieved as well as sad lol. Releived because now I know that I am not the only one with problems/concerns nrofair has mentioned and sad because now I cannot ask System76 to replace my laptop and hope that it won't dissatisfy me.

I am returning this laptop as soon as I get some free time next week to back up my data and wipe the hard disk. I spent almost my entire day setting up this laptop. :/ I really tried to like this laptop and overlook somethings which I didn't like but the heating problem and battery backup is an absolute bummer.

*Here is my review :*

After using Ubuntu for many years I finally decided to buy a laptop made especially for Ubuntu. My previous laptop was a Lenovo Y550 , which is not working anymore. 

*My personal experience with System76:*
I am really impressed with their website, the feature to directly contact support from your account and the fact that conversation threads are saved in your account, their customer and sales support, timely responses and speed of operation.

*Hardware :*

*Body* – The body of the laptop is made of plastic. Though it doesn’t feel very plasticy. It has a textured metallic look to it. But I won’t say that this is the best plastic body I have seen. The side edges are a bit sharp. Though they give nice aesthetic appeal they can be a bit painful if you end up grabbing your laptop with one hand. The four small legs at the corners of the base could have been a bit smoother around the edges as well.*Screen* - The display quality is excellent. Image and text look great. Ubuntu never looked so beautiful on my previous laptop. It seems like the hinges are not very sturdy. When the screen is very gently tapped from a top corner it shakes rather than staying firm. This will be more clear after using the laptop for couple of days.*Optical drive* – It would have been better if it were a slot drive since the tray feels a bit flimsy when taken out. If you are buying the optical drive as an accessory then for $55 you would expect a better quality. More on accessories, optical drive and caddy case pricing at the end.*Keyboard* – It’s a chicklet style keyboard and feels pretty good while typing. Though the keys could have been softer. Volume, brightness, hardware switches are multiplexed with function keys. It would have been great to have dedicated volume keys but that’s just my personal preference.[B]Touchpad[B] – Major problem here ! *The entire touchpad and area on it’s left gets quite warm. After a certain period of time it becomes bit uncomfortable for the left palm.* The right side of the touch pad remains at normal room temperature. This might make me return the laptop. This is a multi-touch touch pad with two finger scroll enabled by default.*Cooling* - As mentioned before the touchpad area gets quite warm. The base of the laptop on the left side close to the cooling vent also becomes warm. Though I have seen many laptops getting warm in that area but with this laptop sufficient base area gets warm in that region. *Cooling is where this laptop really needs a lot of re-design.**Speakers* – The sound quality is "okay" but the volume is very low. I went into sound settings and increased the volume above 100% and it was better.*Webcam* – It’s a 1.3 MP webcam. The quality is good for video chat or for recording a quick video. There is NO webcame LED to show whether the webcam is on or not.*Microphone* – Microphone is on the left of the touch pad under the keyboard. The voice clarity is good but if you try to type while voice chatting there is a chance that you might end up covering it with your left palm. My friend told me that each time when I typed, she felt as if I am talking from some distance. Though according to her it wasn’t a major problem since my voice was still clear to her.*Battery* – The battery lasts for roughly around 2 hours 15 minutes. I have tested this three times after a full recharge. 

*Software :*
*Ubuntu* – Since this laptop is made for Ubuntu it comes pre-installed with Ubuntu. On first start it asks you to select language , timezone and to create an user and set a password. It then installs Ubuntu on your system. This is slightly modified installer where you are not asked to modify your partitions or other such advanced settings. After installation on first boot Ubuntu installed some kernel updates and then Unity became unresponsive. On next restart the wifi couldn’t establish a connection even after multiple attempts. On third restart the system gave a graphic error and asked me if I want to start in low graphic mode or want to reconfigure graphic settings. When I chose reconfigure it didn’t do anything and kept coming back to same window. When I pressed cancel it sent me to the terminal. On fourth restart everything worked fine ! These are problems associated with Ubuntu and not with system76.*Windows* – Using Ubuntu live CD I re-partitioned the hard disk. Drivers for windows are available on System76′s support page. Windows cannot configure wifi or ethernet by itself so make sure you download those drivers before installing windows.

*Accessories, upgrade options and pricing :*

I am not very satisfied with System76′s pricing for their accessories and upgrade option.

In accessories section they have listed Optical CD/DVD drive for $55 and caddy case for second storage for $49. On laptop’s configuration page they have an option to upgrade the base system with a 60GB SSD + caddy case for $140. Now the important point to notice here is that the base system which is for $899 already includes an optical CD/DVD drive which is for $55. Now the same 60GB Intel SSD is available for $90-100 online. So it’s pretty clear that when upgrading to SSD+caddy case System76 should deduct the price for optical CD/DVD drive from the final total. But they don’t do that.

So effectively if you are customizing your system76 laptop and upgrading to SSD+caddycase you are being charged for the optical CD/DVD drive as well but not going to receive it. *It makes sense to not upgrade the optical drive and buy the caddy-case separately and then buy an SSD from some other place.* I have asked system76 and they have confirmed that installing caddy-case yourself won’t void your warranty. Though they didn’t comment much about this pricing problem and said they cannot offer it that way.

*The Good :* Ubuntu works out of the box [ after couple of restarts as in my case  :Wink:  ] Excellent display quality. Intel 3rd Gen processor along with HD Graphics 4000 makes using Ubuntu a breeze. Brilliant display !

*The Bad :* On upgrading to SSD+caddycase the user ends up paying for the optical drive as well. Buying the caddy case from the accessories section is a better idea. Battery backup is roughly between 2-3 hours. From a laptop without discreet graphics card I expect more battery backup.

*The Ugly :* There are serious problem with cooling in this laptop. The touchpad, area on the left of touch pad and base area near the vent become warm enough and it get’s bit uncomfortable after some time.

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## jaylittle

Question:  Do you have an SSD or an HD in your laptop? I ask because directly underneath the left side of the touchpad is where the SSD/HD sits.  I have an SSD that I already owned prior to purchasing my panp9 (a 120 GB Intel SSD) and I notice no heat at all from that part of the laptop.  I expect that this is due to the fact that since an SSD has no moving parts it produces no heat.  This probably also influences the lack of heat I have noticed from the side vent as the two primary heat sources requiring ventilation will be the processor and the HD.

Now on the flip side, I do have an HD installed where my optical drive used to be, but since it's just used as a secondary data source (games, MP3s, etc), it doesn't get quite as much use as the SSD does.  So it's not producing any heat at all either.

As for the case - is the top portion actually plastic?  I thought so at first, but a friend of mine seems to think its Magnesium.  I don't know enough to say one way or the other however.

EDIT: Blah - the HD actually sits on the right side.  Hmmmmmm... nevermind all that hogwash.  Question - did you remove the bottom panel at all from the laptop?  If so, did you remember to plug the fan on the bottom back in before screwing in the panel?

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## adroitster

Hey jaylittle ! Thanks for replying. Yeah the HD is on the right side. That was the first thing I checked for when the touchpad area started to become warm. 

My friends HP laptop had this problem and we resolved it by replacing the HD. 

In this system76 laptop the right side actually remains cool. So I believe the heating is because of some design flaw in the cooling system. Whatever is underneath the touchpad area shouldn't be there. 

I wonder how guys at system76 didn't notice it while testing the product.

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## isantop

> As for the case - is the top portion actually plastic?  I thought so at first, but a friend of mine seems to think its Magnesium.  I don't know enough to say one way or the other however.


The Gazelle, Pangolin, and Lemur currently use cases made from polycarbonate. The texture provides a nice aesthetic while reducing fingerprints.




> Hey jaylittle ! Thanks for replying. Yeah the HD is on the right side. That was the first thing I checked for when the touchpad area started to become warm. 
> 
> My friends HP laptop had this problem and we resolved it by replacing the HD. 
> 
> In this system76 laptop the right side actually remains cool. So I believe the heating is because of some design flaw in the cooling system. Whatever is underneath the touchpad area shouldn't be there. 
> 
> I wonder how guys at system76 didn't notice it while testing the product.


I'm actually guessing that your problems (both software and heating) are due to a one-off manufacturing defect in your specific system. In our testing the entire top of the laptop remained cool, and never got uncomfortably warm. Our system was actually configured higher than yours (assuming I've found the correct order), and should have been warmer.

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## johncatral

Received my Gazelle Pro yesterday and everything seems to be great!  The screen isjust nice and crisp. Speed is exceptional so is the look of the laptop.  The chiclet keyboard feel great when typing.

The bad: 
I just started noticing this today but I am also experiencing the warmer than usual heat from the left palm rest.  I am now using one of those Logitech cooling pads to keep the heat a little more manageable.

Another issue I encountered is the two random freezes of the laptop where nothing responds.  Happened yesterday and it just happened again a few minutes ago.  I wasn't doing anything special just browsing the web and installing software.  I really hope this is not a sign of things to come.

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## adroitster

Hello isantop!

Well then I guess I am just unfortunate to receive a laptop with defect in it. Though I have heard the same complaints from couple of other users as well.

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## nll

> However, I have read that I can disable the trackpad when typing. I will look into that, and not a big deal all things considered.


You can do this by going to System Setting > Mouse and Touchpad > Touchpad > Disable touchpad while typing.

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## roadbug

I find all of this interesting, as I ordered a GAZP7 a little over a week ago.   I will let everyone know how my experience goes when I receive mine.

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## gvorik

Has anyone tried the Jupiter applet on the system76 laptops ??
More info here http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1854019
perhaps this will solve the overheating issue? If you do try  jupiter, please post experiences as others may benefit.

Regards

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## Thinkintuit

My *Gazelle Professional* from +System76 arrived last night, whoo-hoo!

My initial impressions are: the screen is *amazing*,  the sound is great, the keyboard is roomy and feels good, and the  machine orders of magnitude more powerful than my old laptop (which is a  4- or 5-year-old *Pangolin Performance*, also from S76). Its kind  of ridiculous how fast it's booting up. On the down side: Firefox froze  on it a couple of times (I just got an automatic software update for  that and some other things, so hopefully that will stop happening); the  fan is noisier than I would like (this is a thing that tends to bug me,  I'm very sensitive to noise.)

I opted for the 95% NTSC matte  screen, and I'm really glad I did! I was afraid the screen might seem  blurry or the colors muted (because it's matte), but the screen is quite  crisp and bright, the colors maybe a bit _too_ bright, as in a bit  oversaturated maybe? (My wife, who has better aesthetic discernment  than I do, thinks so.) This could be some kind of calibration issue,  I'll look into that at some point. I watched an HD episode of _Portlandia_, and it looked and sounded awesome. I also installed _Limbo_ from the latest +Humble Bundle, and it was also gorgeous (although, sadly, silent...hopefully I'll be able to fix that.)

I'm  definitely finding it a bit of an adjustment going from Ubuntu 10.04 to  12.04. I think that I will like the new "Unity" interface a lot better  once I get used to it.

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## isantop

> My *Gazelle Professional* from +System76 arrived last night, whoo-hoo!
> 
> My initial impressions are: the screen is *amazing*,  the sound is great, the keyboard is roomy and feels good, and the  machine orders of magnitude more powerful than my old laptop (which is a  4- or 5-year-old *Pangolin Performance*, also from S76). Its kind  of ridiculous how fast it's booting up. On the down side: Firefox froze  on it a couple of times (I just got an automatic software update for  that and some other things, so hopefully that will stop happening); the  fan is noisier than I would like (this is a thing that tends to bug me,  I'm very sensitive to noise.)
> 
> I opted for the 95% NTSC matte  screen, and I'm really glad I did! I was afraid the screen might seem  blurry or the colors muted (because it's matte), but the screen is quite  crisp and bright, the colors maybe a bit _too_ bright, as in a bit  oversaturated maybe? (My wife, who has better aesthetic discernment  than I do, thinks so.) This could be some kind of calibration issue,  I'll look into that at some point. I watched an HD episode of _Portlandia_, and it looked and sounded awesome. I also installed _Limbo_ from the latest +Humble Bundle, and it was also gorgeous (although, sadly, silent...hopefully I'll be able to fix that.)
> 
> I'm  definitely finding it a bit of an adjustment going from Ubuntu 10.04 to  12.04. I think that I will like the new "Unity" interface a lot better  once I get used to it.


If the rest of the sound is working fine, then it might not be a problem; LIMBO is very quiet by design. It's supposed to make it more eerie. Definitely works, in my opinion!

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## Thinkintuit

> If the rest of the sound is working fine, then it might not be a problem; LIMBO is very quiet by design. It's supposed to make it more eerie. Definitely works, in my opinion!


Hey, thanks! After reading your comment I decided to play a little further, and realized there _were_ subtle sounds here and there (e.g the sound of my character being repeatedly decapitated).  

And you're right, it does make it more eerie. It's the visuals that really get me though--foggy and darkly dreamlike.

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## z_mikowski

I recently ordered a System76 GazP7 as a development and presentation device.  Upgrades include the higher-spec processor, full gamut screen, 8GB memory, and a 256GB SSD. 

Here are the details.  I will try to keep everyone posted:

Base System $899.00Ubuntu 12.04 LTS 64 bit5 Free GB of Ubuntu One Online Storage and Sync15.6" 1080p Full High Definition LED Backlit Display featuring 95% NTSC Color Gamut in Matte Finished Surface ( 1920 x 1080 ) $79.00Intel HD Graphics 40003rd Generation Intel Core i7-3720QM Processor ( 2.60GHz 6MB L3 Cache - 4 Cores plus Hyperthreading ) $165.008 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 2 X 4GB $45.00256 GB Crucial M4 Series SATA III 6 Gb/s Solid State Disk Drive $219.008X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi DriveIntel Centrino 1030 - 802.11 b/g/n Wireless LAN + Bluetooth Combo ModuleTargus 15.6" Clamshell Carrying Case $40.001 Yr. Ltd. Warranty and 1 Yr. Technical SupportNo Canada Warranty Shipping CoverageNo donation, thank youCalifornia LCD Recycling Fee ( Over 15" ) +$8.00

I fully expect to use KDE as my primary desktop, although I'm not sure if I will do a clean install of Kubuntu or just add to the Ubuntu install.

Cheers!

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## Carborundum

I just ordered one as well! Details:                              

                     Base System                                                                        $899.00                             Ubuntu 12.04 LTS 64 bit                             5 Free GB of Ubuntu One Online Storage and Sync                             15.6" 1080p Full High Definition LED Backlit Display featuring  95% NTSC Color Gamut in Matte Finished Surface ( 1920 x 1080 )                                                                                                                                        $79.00                             Intel HD Graphics 4000                             3rd Generation Intel Core i7-3610QM Processor ( 2.30GHz 6MB L3 Cache - 4 Cores plus Hyperthreading )                             8 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 2 X 4GB                                                                                                                                        $45.00                             128 GB Crucial M4 Series SATA III 6 Gb/s Solid State Disk Drive                                                                                                                                        $95.00                             500 GB 7200 RPM HDD + Caddy Case                                                                                                                                        $95.00                             Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235 - 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN + Bluetooth Combo Module                                                                                                                                        $20.00                             No Bag                             1 Yr. Ltd. Warranty and 1 Yr. Technical Support                             No Canada Warranty Shipping CoverageNo donation, thank you
Now I will just have to wait a month for it to be built and shipped to Sweden.  :Sad:

----------


## joe4ska

> 3rd Generation Intel Core i7-3720QM Processor ( 2.60GHz 6MB L3 Cache - 4 Cores plus Hyperthreading ) $165.00



 I'm curious what factors helped you decide to upgrade the processor to the next step?

I recently purchased a Lemur with the i7 that comes standard for the Gazelle. (below)

3rd Generation Intel Core i7-3610QM Processor ( 2.30GHz 6MB L3 Cache - 4 Cores plus Hyperthreading ) 

I figured it would provide better performance with an SSD and those extra 2 cores didn't hurt either  :Smile:

----------


## z_mikowski

> [/LIST]
>  I'm curious what factors helped you decide to upgrade the processor to the next step?
> 
> I recently purchased a Lemur with the i7 that comes standard for the Gazelle. (below)
> 
> 3rd Generation Intel Core i7-3610QM Processor ( 2.30GHz 6MB L3 Cache - 4 Cores plus Hyperthreading ) 
> 
> I figured it would provide better performance with an SSD and those extra 2 cores didn't hurt either


I upgraded because the speed differential might be useful for processor intensive tasks like compiling while the price bump wasn't too onerous, and besides, I was "satisficing" (make a reasonably informed decision without knowing all the facts).

But since you forced me  :Wink: , here are a couple of justification  
links:

http://compare-processors.com/core-i...7-3720qm/4693/

And

http://www.cpu-world.com/Compare/336...0QM_(PGA).html


The bottom line is I should see around 10-15% performance boost for CPU intensive tasks, and about a 10% performance bump in graphics.  Seems reasonable, but not fantastic  :Capital Razz: .

As for the 2.7GHz part, it seemed like a small bump in performance for a much larger delta in cost.  This was an educated guess, but now that you've put me on the spot, it is now confirmed:  http://compare-processors.com/ivy-br...7-3820qm/4642/

And I like to live on the edge without bleeding.

Cheers, Mike

----------


## z_mikowski

Another review of the processor.  It looks pretty impressive for its price range.  And me thinks it kicks my desktops 4 core 3.7GHz Phenom II to the curb (sigh).

http://www.techspot.com/review/535-i...ore-i7-3720qm/

----------


## joe4ska

It appears to offer a decent boost for the price especially for anyone like yourself compiling. Gentoo in your laptop's future perhaps?

It offers at least a 10% bost in speed. Given that you'd use the laptop for a few years that time savings will add up.

I opted for the Lemur with an i7 for similar reasons.

----------


## z_mikowski

My laptop shipped this morning, and should be at home waiting for me tomorrow afternoon.

----------


## joe4ska

Cool. mine hasn't shipped yet perhaps later this week

----------


## jakobcreutzfeldt

I've had my gazp7 for a couple weeks now:
 									3rd Generation Intel Core i7-3820QM Processor  								
 																												 									8 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz 								
 																												 									120 GB Intel 520 Series SATA III 6 Gb/s Solid State Disk Drive  								
 																												 									8X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi Drive  								
 																												 									Intel Centrino 1030 - 802.11 b/g/n Wireless LAN + Bluetooth Combo Module 


I'm really liking it. As others have mentioned, the matte screen is beautiful. The 3820qm _blazes_ and the HD 4000 graphics are quite respectable (with a bit of tweaking, you can get games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent running and looking nice). The keyboard is nice, though I find myself wishing that Home/End & PgUp/PgDn were not only available via the Fn key or when NumLk is turned off. That's a minor complaint, though. As for the optical drive, I don't see what the big deal is. It's of the same quality as any other optical drive I've seen on a laptop. It's a piece of plastic that slides out. If you're expecting a platter made of solid steel, you'll be disappointed, but otherwise, it's 100% fine.

The touchpad area does get a bit warm but it didn't seem like anything out of the ordinary for a laptop, to me (I've had warmer, in fact). Looking at the bottom of the case, you can see that it's nicely ventilated. You wouldn't want to put it directly on your lap, but with a laptop cooling stand it's perfectly comfortable. My bigger complaint with the touchpad is that its edges aren't well-delimited. I often find myself scrolling because another finger was brushing the edge of the touchpad.  								

I did have a dead battery upon delivery but System76 is helping me take care of that. Their customer service is incredible (especially compared to past experiences with other companies, who hire unknowledgeable script-readers).

*For all of you having problems with freezing, you should upgrade your kernel to version 3.3.6 or higher* (see this bug report). It's been extremely stable for me since I upgraded.

All told, I'm extremely satisfied with this computer and I'd recommend it!

----------


## z_mikowski

So my Gazelle Pro arrived today, and I have been playing with it.  Impressions so far:

Base System $899.00

Upgrades:

15.6" 1080p Full High Definition LED Backlit Display featuring 95% NTSC Color Gamut in Matte Finished Surface ( 1920 x 1080 ) $79.003rd Generation Intel Core i7-3720QM Processor ( 2.60GHz 6MB L3 Cache - 4 Cores plus Hyperthreading ) $165.008 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 2 X 4GB $45.00256 GB Crucial M4 Series SATA III 6 Gb/s Solid State Disk Drive $219.00

Observations:

Blazing speed.  It is maybe 4s to the login screen after post - which doesn't take that long either (maybe 4s).  Thanks SSD, fast RAM, fast CPU.  If you are ordering one, I'd *highly* recommend the SSD.  It's 2012, people.The upgraded screen is vibrant and beautiful.  Really worth the $79.  I have never seen a better laptop screen.  Puts my Dell Studio 1535 1920x1200 display to shame.  Great contrast, and very little bleeding around the edges.Love the keyboard.  Very nice key travel, really like the numeric keypad.Don't like trackpads and never use them, so I don't have much to report there.  I am so much faster with a mouse or trackpad.  Configured a logitech marble mouse, and it works great.Installed kubuntu-desktop, and now can switch between desktops.  Am pleasantly surprised with Unity and all the polish on Ubuntu, but I do like my KDE power user options too.  Will play some more.Graphics are ok.  Can play full-screen neverball with top settings, but perhaps at 30fps.  Turn off reflections, and the fps jumps to a full 60.Tweezed-off the Ubuntu sticker from the windows key.  Good idea, bad execution, and no big deal.Wifi performance is *really* fast (I am using G).  I'd dare say as fast as my wired 100T connection.  And the router is upstairs.Yes there is a warm spot on the left-hand side of the keyboard, but so far it is not significantly warm.  If it doesn't get significantly warmer than I've seen so far, I'd almost call it comforting.Installed chrome, and gimp 2.8.  Chrome from cold start is almost instantaneous.  Gimp 2.8 takes 1s.  Amazing.  Warm starts are all virtually immediate.Sound quality I find quite good, with distinctive base.  Far superior to any other laptop I've owned.

In all, so far I am quite pleased.  In fact, my fondness for the device has grown as I've configured it tonight.  Everything has just worked at blazing speeds.

My verdict so far: very good.  Highly recommended.

Required for excellent rating: discrete graphics, preferably nvidia.  In fact, if System76 got something like that on the market, I might have to upgrade  :Smile:

----------


## toddpedlar

I received a pair of GazP7 laptops last night, and they are quite beautiful machines.  Will really put them through the paces today as I install a bunch of work-related software.  

One issue that has occurred with both of them, though, that is disturbing.  I thought that, perhaps, it may have been only one of them that was doing this, but this morning the second one did the same thing.   Upon opening the lid of the laptop, after it had been put into suspend by closing it, I get the black screen with the mouse cursor and no wakeup. 

This happened with one of the laptops the first time I closed the lid to put it to sleep, and tried to wake it 10 minutes later by opening the lid.  I was worried it was a hardware issue with that laptop - but like I noted above, the same thing happened with the other one this morning when I tried waking it after being closed all night.

Is this a known issue with these Gazelles, with Ubuntu 12.04, and if so, what should I do about it?  I've never had wakeup problems with any of my Syst76 laptops before - except right when suspend/wakeup functions were first being supported in Ubuntu long ago.

I don't want to be crash-rebooting using the power button too often.  

Thanks,

Todd

----------


## isantop

> I received a pair of GazP7 laptops last night, and they are quite beautiful machines.  Will really put them through the paces today as I install a bunch of work-related software.  
> 
> One issue that has occurred with both of them, though, that is disturbing.  I thought that, perhaps, it may have been only one of them that was doing this, but this morning the second one did the same thing.   Upon opening the lid of the laptop, after it had been put into suspend by closing it, I get the black screen with the mouse cursor and no wakeup. 
> 
> This happened with one of the laptops the first time I closed the lid to put it to sleep, and tried to wake it 10 minutes later by opening the lid.  I was worried it was a hardware issue with that laptop - but like I noted above, the same thing happened with the other one this morning when I tried waking it after being closed all night.
> 
> Is this a known issue with these Gazelles, with Ubuntu 12.04, and if so, what should I do about it?  I've never had wakeup problems with any of my Syst76 laptops before - except right when suspend/wakeup functions were first being supported in Ubuntu long ago.
> 
> I don't want to be crash-rebooting using the power button too often.  
> ...


I'm thinking that this is related to the kernel issue we're seeing in Ubuntu 12.04 right now. We're currently waiting on a new kernel to be made available. Once it's ready, we will provide instructions on how to upgrade.

----------


## toddpedlar

> I'm thinking that this is related to the kernel issue we're seeing in Ubuntu 12.04 right now. We're currently waiting on a new kernel to be made available. Once it's ready, we will provide instructions on how to upgrade.


Alright - thanks.  It hasn't recurred today, but I've not been trying to make it happen either (i.e. no, I'm not sitting here opening and closing my laptops)  :Smile: 

TKP

----------


## ubuntu27

> Upon opening the lid of the laptop, after it had been put into suspend by closing it, I get the black screen with the mouse cursor and no wakeup. 
> 
> This happened with one of the laptops the first time I closed the lid to put it to sleep, and tried to wake it 10 minutes later by opening the lid.  I was worried it was a hardware issue with that laptop - but like I noted above, the same thing happened with the other one this morning when I tried waking it after being closed all night.
> 
> Is this a known issue with these Gazelles, with Ubuntu 12.04, and if so, what should I do about it?


I experience the same problem with my HP Pavilion laptop. I never had this problem until I upgraded to Ubuntu 12.04.

Everytime that happens I have to kill X by
*Ctrl + Alt + Backspace*

(This shortcut can be enabled in Keyboard Layout--->Layout---->Options---> Key Sequence to Kill X-Server)

----------


## toddpedlar

> I experience the same problem with my HP Pavilion laptop. I never had this problem until I upgraded to Ubuntu 12.04.
> 
> Everytime that happens I have to kill X by
> *Ctrl + Alt + Backspace*
> 
> (This shortcut can be enabled in Keyboard Layout--->Layout---->Options---> Key Sequence to Kill X-Server)


Okay - thanks!  It's helpful doubly - since I wasn't thinking in terms of this being an X-server problem, AND because I have a workaround  :Smile:

----------


## jaylittle

Yeah on Arch I'm not seeing any issues with the exception of the following:

[1] Wireless is having issues.  However this is a known kernel issue and there are ongoing issues to resolve it.  Since I'm using Arch though and things are a bit more cutting edge, I assume other distros are using older/patched kernels that don't exhibit the issue as I haven't heard any complaints about it.  Pro tip:  If you have the choice between 2.4ghz and 5ghz networks and you have the issue, use the 2.4ghz one instead.  I find that with 2.4ghz the connection auto restarts and I hardly even notice the issue whereas with 5ghz I have to use the wireless kill switch to shut off and bring back the networking. This is with the Centrino Advanced N-6235 card.

[2] Cinnamon tends to lockup on this machine (mouse still works - and killing Cinnamon from a virtual console deals with the issue).  However this seems to be a known Cinnamon issue and is happening across a number of distributions.  I haven't looked into it for awhile as I have settled into using xfce 4.10 and haven't looked back.  Still it's worth keeping in mind.

I love my panp9 personally and I would purchase one again given the opportunity (which I may get as my wife's Vaio is starting to exhibit the signs of age).

----------


## MarkID

Considering a new Gazelle Pro (or two) for work.  Both will be used for Skype/video conferencing, etc.  One (mine) might also be used for movies, etc.  (And, of course, all the other work stuff.)  I don't think I need to uograde the processor, but will upgrade RAM.  I assume the 95% NTSC screen is worth the upgrade.  How about the SSDs?  Why do the Crucial SSDs cost more than the comparable Intel SSDs?  Are the hybrid drives worth it (more storage, faster boot), or are they something that's has the disadvantages of both?  Are HDs on the way out?  I'm trying to find the  sweet spot in value and, to the greatest extent possible, as well as "future proof" the machine for the next few years.

----------


## pythonomicon

> So my Gazelle Pro arrived today, and I have been playing with it.  Impressions so far:
> 
> Base System $899.00
> 
> Upgrades:
> 
> 15.6" 1080p Full High Definition LED Backlit Display featuring 95% NTSC Color Gamut in Matte Finished Surface ( 1920 x 1080 ) $79.003rd Generation Intel Core i7-3720QM Processor ( 2.60GHz 6MB L3 Cache - 4 Cores plus Hyperthreading ) $165.008 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 2 X 4GB $45.00256 GB Crucial M4 Series SATA III 6 Gb/s Solid State Disk Drive $219.00
> 
> Observations:
> ...


How much of a 'matte' is it? i have a Lenovo T430S hot of the press and while the machine is very nice, the matte display is very 'heavy'. too much 'matte' for me. i am interested in the system76 but wonder about the matte? (don't like glossy)

----------


## isantop

> How much of a 'matte' is it? i have a Lenovo T430S hot of the press and while the machine is very nice, the matte display is very 'heavy'. too much 'matte' for me. i am interested in the system76 but wonder about the matte? (don't like glossy)


It's a very high-quality matte; if you look at it on an extreme angle (almost parallel) it almost looks glossy. Definitely not too glossy. 

It's actually very similar to the finish on many different LCD TVs.

----------


## capyba

There are several compromises I had to come to terms with to drop $1500 on the Gazelle (screen upgrade, SSD, 8GB RAM, 2 year warranty). Of course I want it all: a slim form factor with a great screen, performance, keyboard, battery life, fit and finish.

The Gazelle has the screen, keyboard, performance and elegant construction.

It doesn't have the battery life or slimness. It vents off quite a bit of heat, even if I'm not doing much. I know good battery life is possible, since I got 4-5 hours on an Acer Timeline two years ago.

Software-wise, I've had a few crashes, but Ubuntu tends toward stability after many updates so I'm not worried. My Acer was too slow for Unity, but the Gazelle is plenty fast. I use Synapse instead of Dash and I'm loving it. Since everything worked out of the box, I took the time to install and learn some ZSH instead of hunting down drivers and copy+pasting voodoo commands.

Very impressed with the screen, especially the brightness function keys. The machine gets both as bright and as dim as I need. Beautiful color, even better than the Macbook Air. There are many laptops I won't even consider due to the crappy 720p screens that have flooded the market.

The trackpad is surprisingly good. I don't feel the need to carry a mouse with me.

If the machine lasts, I'll be sure to buy again. My next purchase will be an ultraportable in the next six months, and I hope System76 puts something out there. The Lemur with its 720p screen and optical drive doesn't cut it!

----------


## pythonomicon

> It's a very high-quality matte; if you look at it on an extreme angle (almost parallel) it almost looks glossy. Definitely not too glossy. 
> 
> It's actually very similar to the finish on many different LCD TVs.


thank you for that info! i was down to a lenovo, an asus or a system76 and the system76 looks to be the one for me  :Guitar:

----------


## brentaar

I just order one yesterday. This will be the 3rd laptop I've owned 
17" iBuyPower beast that never got better than 45 min battery life13" Black MacBook that was purchased in 2008 and with its original still has decent battery life close to 4 hours

The specs for system I purchased are as follows:
Base System $899.00Ubuntu 12.04 LTS 64 bit5 Free GB of Ubuntu One Online Storage and Sync15.6" 1080p Full High Definition LED Backlit Display featuring 95% NTSC Color Gamut in Matte Finished Surface ( 1920 x 1080 ) $79.00Intel HD Graphics 40003rd Generation Intel Core i7-3720QM Processor ( 2.60GHz 6MB L3 Cache - 4 Cores plus Hyperthreading ) $165.0016 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 2 X 8 GB $199.00120 GB Intel 520 Series SATA III 6 Gb/s Solid State Disk Drive $159.00120 GB Intel 520 Series SATA III 6 Gb/s SSD + Caddy Case $220.00Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235 - 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN + Bluetooth Combo Module $20.00No Bag2 Yr. Ltd. Warranty and 2 Yr. Technical Support $100.00

I'm really hoping for decent battery life for internet surfing, video, and text editing.

I think the main reason I bought from System76 is Apple seems to be alienating me with every move they make, they have someone read & respond to my questions in a timely manner, and I want to support development of consumer hardware solutions that are made for open source software.

I will hopefully be posting multiple reviews, thoughts, and observations once i get the laptop and after time has pasted with the laptop.

Also, it was nice that when I added the comment that I was planning on dual booting the machine, System76 let me know that they wouldn't format the second drive.

----------


## GeneSalamin

I was thinking about buying a Gazelle in the next month or two.  My previous Dell laptop had a hard disk crash, probably from being driven on bouncy backcountry roads, and so I'm looking at an SSD for ruggedness, and in particular the 512GB Crucial SSD.  But now, that option is no longer listed.  Although it is listed as an option for the optical drive bay, along with a caddy case.  This SSD is one of the four features that make the Gazelle so attractive, the other three being the matte screen, i7 Ivy Bridge CPU, and Intel graphics.  Will the Crucial 512GB SSD be available as a Gazelle hard drive option?

----------


## z_mikowski

okay time for an update. I priced out a mac book pro with compareable specs recently. 8 gigabytes of ram, the mid grade processor, the 95 percent display, and the 256 gigabyte SSD.the mac has an inferior display: 1680 X 1050.  I have compared to others at work and the color reproduction and brightness seem better on the Gazpro, and the pixel count is obviously superior.  In the mac book's favor, its battery life appears to be around 4 hours versus 3, and the construction is sleeker.

If you are a developer looking for a trophy box to waste money on, the mac book pro is an excellent choice as the above configuration cost over 2700 dollars before adding in the cost of all the proprietary connectors and other hardware you will need. The gazelle pro cost 1400 dollars. And, if your development target is linux, the gazelle pro wins hands down in my opinion.

let me put it another way: if you purchase a gazelle pro in favor of the mac book, you can buy a fantastic desktop with invidia graphics and a quad core processor with the money you safe. Or, you might buy two gazelle pros instead of 1 mac book pro.

Oh, in side by side comparisons, the gazp certainly appears faster on everyday tasks.

----------


## GeneSalamin

Could someone from System76 answer the question I asked a week ago in post #48?  Thanks.

----------


## philbert

I have the same problem with suspend/resume black screen and only a curser that others have reported with 12.04 on a Gateway.

Just ordered a Gazelle Professional with these upgrades
3720-QM processor
16GB RAM
750 GB 7200 Drive
Matte Screen
I am concerned about the heating issue and will report on that once I get the laptop

----------


## isantop

> Could someone from System76 answer the question I asked a week ago in post #48?  Thanks.


Sorry that got missed. 

No, we don't anticipate the 512 GB Crucial SSD returning any time soon. If it's still listed as an option for the caddy case, that would be an error.

----------


## GeneSalamin

Why has the Crucial 512GB SSD been discontinued as a Gazelle option?  This drive is currently available from Crucial, and System76 continues to offer smaller capacity Crucial SSDs, so why is this particular size no longer available?  While it was not certain that I would purchase a Gazelle with 16GB RAM and Crucial 512GB SSD, it is now very unlikely.

----------


## isantop

> Why has the Crucial 512GB SSD been discontinued as a Gazelle option?  This drive is currently available from Crucial, and System76 continues to offer smaller capacity Crucial SSDs, so why is this particular size no longer available?  While it was not certain that I would purchase a Gazelle with 16GB RAM and Crucial 512GB SSD, it is now very unlikely.


We're waiting on Crucial for additional shipments. After further consultation, we are expecting new stock around mid-August, but the option has been removed from the website while we wait.

----------


## philbert

Just curious...
Where are the speakers on the Gazelle Professional?

----------


## capyba

The speakers are on the front black wedge, underneath. They sit directly in front of the rubber feet.

I don't find the sound quality above 60% to be very good, but I normally use external speakers or headphones.

----------


## b7j0c

I have been using this laptop now for a few days and while I was initially quite satisfied, I have experienced random system freezes, and I mean literal freeze: no input of any kind accepted, screen image frozen, etc. Nothing in logs upon reboot because it does not appear that it was a software failure.

Initially I thought this might be due to heat issues that others have reported, but I have been using a laptop chiller and watching the heat using lm-sensors.

Any advice from anyone here? Other than the periodic freezes, the laptop works fine.

Brad Clawsie

----------


## Carborundum

> I have been using this laptop now for a few days and while I was initially quite satisfied, I have experienced random system freezes, and I mean literal freeze: no input of any kind accepted, screen image frozen, etc. Nothing in logs upon reboot because it does not appear that it was a software failure.
> 
> Initially I thought this might be due to heat issues that others have reported, but I have been using a laptop chiller and watching the heat using lm-sensors.
> 
> Any advice from anyone here? Other than the periodic freezes, the laptop works fine.
> 
> Brad Clawsie


Known issue with a known fix, right in the uppermost sticky in this very forum.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2014669

----------


## b7j0c

> Known issue with a known fix, right in the uppermost sticky in this very forum.
> http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2014669


thanks Carborundum, sorry I missed the link, I appreciate your quick help

Brad

----------


## philbert

I received my new Gazp7 laptop two weeks ago and have had some time to work with it. 
My upgrades over the base configuration:
3720-QM CPU
750 Sata 7200 HD
16 GB RAM
Matte display

 My thoughts below:
Ordering Process - 
It was fairly straight forward ordering the system online. The customer service was excellent. I phoned in and the person  I spoke with was friendly and answered a number of technical questions quickly and confidently. After I ordered the laptop they then quickly responded on my inquiries on potential shipping dates. The laptop shipped two days after I ordered it. Both in voice, and in word, there was strong indication that they cared about my satisfaction and were enthused about the laptop I ordered. 
Shipping - 
The laptop arrived two business days after it was shipped and the shipping box was sturdy. 
Unboxing and setup -
The laptop booted up and I was running and on the Internet via hidden wireless network within fifteen minutes.  Over the next week  or so I tested the  web-cam, HDMI, eSATA, USB 2.0, SDMS, RJ-45,  and wireless interfaces successfully. I did not test the VGA or test the USB 3.0 connections with 3.0 devices yet. The Ubuntu installed simply worked out of the box. The only software I needed to install is codecs to play video, and lo-menubar to get HUD working for LibreOffice.

Display - 
The 1920x1080 matte display is awesome. If I have trouble reading a specific browser page, I simply Cntl + until it is readable. But I wanted this display because I wanted the real estate the 1920x1080 provides. As mentioned in other posts, I did not want to order anything with the 720p display and was even leery of ordering anything with 900p. 
Keyboard -
No problems with the keyboard. And a selling point for me was the numeric keypad. 
Trackpad - 
Still getting used it it. I does not feel as smooth as the other laptops I have used. But no real complaints either.
Speakers - 
They are laptop speakers, so I do not expect much. Although I would liked to see them on the top of the case by the hinges rather than  at the front and on the bottom of the case.  But that is a nit. And the sound quality when I plugged a pair of headphones in the audio output jack was excellent. I like that the audio input and output is on the right side rather than in the front. 
Interfaces - 
As mentioned earlier all of the interfaces worked. The USB drives, the USB mouse,. I believe I did have to reboot with the eSata NTFS drive connected to get it to mount however. But it did mount without having to manually mount it.
DVD Drive -
I played 2 DVD's and did not notice any issues or concerns here.
Performance-
I did not order  the SSD drives as I wanted the space so it is slower than systems that have these installed. But the system seems snappy otherwise and boots, and resumes from hibernation quickly enough.
Heat-
The left side on the side of the trackpad does heat up. I ended up buying a laptop chiller from Best Buy which is effective in cooling down the laptop when it gets uncomfortable for me. 
Battery,
 I get a little over two hours of battery time if I am Browsing  and simple Office Automation work and connected to the network via wireless, and with blue tooth off. 

Suspend from Hibernation issue-
I have noticed the screen locking twice in the last two weeks when resuming after hibernation. System76 did install the kernel update for fix this before they shipped the laptop. But maybe the problem is not completely resolved however. However, this is an Ubuntu issue and not a System76 issue.

Final thoughts- 
I was aware of the heat issues and battery limitations before ordering the product. But neither issue turned out to be worse than I expected. I am pleased  with the laptop and would purchase it again. I am also pleased with the interaction I have had with System 76 and would highly recommend them as a vendor.



Update - Tested a USB 3.0 thumbdrive  successfully over the weekend.

----------


## MarkID

I have two new GazP7 and the suspend issue has occurred on both of them.  Approximately one out of three or four times, when I open the lid, I get a black screen and a cursor.  The machines are less than a week old, so I assume they have the most current kernel. Any ideas?  Otherwise pretty slick machines, and with the SSD, boot and app start up times are almost instanateous.

----------


## isantop

> I have two new GazP7 and the suspend issue has occurred on both of them.  Approximately one out of three or four times, when I open the lid, I get a black screen and a cursor.  The machines are less than a week old, so I assume they have the most current kernel. Any ideas?  Otherwise pretty slick machines, and with the SSD, boot and app start up times are almost instanateous.


Make sure you have all of the latest updates installed, as that could be affecting it. 

Also, you can easily check what kernel version you have by opening a terminal and running this command:



```
uname -r
```

----------


## cprofitt

After much research I just placed my order for the Gazelle Professional (GazP7). I was able to confirm that it appears to be a Clevo W25AES w/o the Nvidia part.

These are the same laptops sold by iBuyPower, Sager and and a few other custom laptop manufacturers. The reason to go with System76 is that they make sure the specific options available to you work with Ubuntu and they continue to support Ubuntu (and Linux) moving forward.

The alternative to this was a Lenovo T530.

While the T530 would have allowed me to select the Intel Ultimate 6300 and a backlit keyboard... it did not allow for a Hybrid drive (they used an mSata drive) and I am not sure what LCD panel they have; the Gazelle has a 95% gamut matte screen. The Lenovo also came in at a price of $2589 (the System76 is $1352)

comment on the screen found on the owners forums:



> The screen looks amazing... can't even look at my old Asus N61Jq


There are some good comments about the machine using Linux... though it should be noted that w/o System76 the Nvidia card can not be turned off and would be running.

I am looking forward to getting the machine... will post a review when it gets here.

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## JeroenHoek

I received my Gazelle (gazp7) two week ago. So far, the experience has been quite satisfactory. I ordered the i7-3610QM, 4Gb RAM, 128Gb Crucial SSD, and with an extra 750Gb HDD instead of the DVD-drive. I upgraded the RAM to 16Gb myself.

What I like a lot:

The design. It lacks any superfluous round edges and has no gimmicky patterns or useless stuff on it (e.g., no fingerprint scanner). It's angular, a dark slate grey, and it feels inspired by the sets of a bunch of 1990s science-fiction television series. I like it.All hardware works out of the box. This may seem natural, but after so many laptops and desktop computers with no or proprietary drivers — that never really integrate well with the OS — this is such a relief!Most of today's Windows laptops come with NVidia's Optimus. Although it looks like project Bumblebee is doing a good job of supporting this, there are no guarantees, and finding a decent laptop that is known to work is quite tricky, especially if you want an i7 CPU and a FullHD screen.The price is acceptable.Excellent pre-sales support. Questions are answered by a competent staff.Open the box, start up the laptop, finish the Ubuntu install, and there you go; no bloatware, just Ubuntu 12.04.It's so fast…

A few minor points:

I upgraded the RAM myself, because the price difference between 4Gb and 16Gb RAM was too high to justify buying the RAM via System76. You are most welcome to a healthy profit, but keep it balanced.The extra 750Gb HDD was not formatted. I had to do this myself. I'm actually fine with that, but I expected System76 to format and mount it before shipping the laptop. Normal users should not have to do this themselves.Battery life is okay, but not very competitive in today's laptop market.No sales representative in mainland Europe. This means I had to pay the VAT (19%) at the door, in cash. The Netherlands is not a cash society, who keeps €190 in cash around?I am slightly worried about the cost of shipping in case of a warranty issue. Fingers crossed, hoping nothing breaks down.How about a European mainland power plug cable as option? Surely that must be manageable?The System76 logo and Ubuntu logo on the Super key look slightly flimsy and not very polished. This needs work.

In the future, I would love to buy a laptop with a more powerful videocard, but really, open-source drivers already make such a huge difference. I won't go back to NVidia or ATI until either they release open-source drivers, or nouveau reaches maturity for 3D acceleration. Intel is being an excellent hardware vendor with their well-supported Ivy Bridge/HD4000 platform. It is such a joy to be able to just plug in an external monitor and have the desktop just deal with it. I never managed to get this working properly with NVidia cards.

For the coming years, this laptop will serve me well. I am running Gnome-Shell on it with a bunch of useful extensions, and it all feels quite zippy and responsive.

System76: Please continue growing, and keep improving your products. There now is an alternative to overpriced Macs and bloated Windows laptops.

_edit_
The laptop's left side gets toasty, but not too hot.

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## Carborundum

> No sales representative in mainland Europe. This means I had to pay the VAT (19%) at the door, in cash. The Netherlands is not a cash society, who keeps €190 in cash around?


That's odd. I was able to pay it with my credit card.

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## JeroenHoek

> That's odd. I was able to pay it with my credit card.


UPS didn't offer any way to pay except with cash.

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## Yesterdayscamel

Is it known whether and when System76 will ship Gazelle Professionals with dedicated graphics cards? I'm torn between ordering now (and saving some money with the Intel HD graphics) or waiting for the next release cycle (unless that's really far off in the future).

The other issue that prevents me from ordering one right now are the reports about the casing getting warm, but I would hope that using something like XMonad rather than Unity as your window manager would mean less power-hungry consumption of system resources.

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## JeroenHoek

@Yesterdayscamel:

The part of the case left of the trackpad gets warm, but not hot. It doesn't bother me at all.

Whether or not Intel's HD4000 is good enough for you depends on your intended usage. For normal desktop work it certainly should be. I run Gnome-Shell on the Gazelle, and everything is smooth and fast, even with an external display active at the same time.

I guess the only time you would want a beefier NVidia or AMD card is when gaming is what you want with this laptop. I have tried to get Team Fortress 2 running with wine, but the performance is too poor to enjoy the game. That doesn't tell us much though, because with wine there can be dozens of reasons for something not running smoothly, including the exact version of wine, obscure registry settings, and various flags and arguments for the wine executable.

I bought this laptop with the express intent not to go back to dual-booting to Windows just for games (my old NVidia 9500M laptop still serves that purpose), so I can't compare the performance of the Intel card with games installed under Windows.

Edit:
Using an SSD harddrive makes a huge difference in terms of performance. I suspect that a laptop with an SSD and the Intel HD4000 will feel a lot faster than a laptop with a traditional HDD with a recent NVidia videocard in all areas except 3D gaming.

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## Ubun2to

> The other issue that prevents me from ordering one right now are the reports about the casing getting warm, but I would hope that using something like XMonad rather than Unity as your window manager would mean less power-hungry consumption of system resources.


Actually, the only heat you feel is on the keyboard and around the touchpad, which is great if you have sensitive fingers like me-when my fingertips get cold, it becomes hard to write, type, use a mouse, upgrade, fix, and build machines, etc. It provides just enough heat to keep them warm, but not enough to make them sweat.
And, the only time the fan turns on high is when I am doing tasks that would many any computer turn the fan on.

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## cprofitt

I made a wallpaper for the Gazelle Professional -- will be doing more in a few.

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## Yesterdayscamel

JeroenHoek and Ubun2to, thank you both for your replies. I may have to seriously consider getting a Gazelle, assuming that System 76 doesn't refresh their lineup soon.

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## Ubun2to

> I made a wallpaper for the Gazelle Professional -- will be doing more in a few.


Seems like a play on the new Purple Salad variation for 12.10. Nice. If I had a Gazelle Professional, this would be my wallpaper.

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