Want to know hardware options for Ubuntu 64

[tbrminsanity]

I'm thinking of doing a major upgrade to my main computer to Ubuntu 64 and I want to know what hardware will work? What x86 processors should I be looking at (AMD-64, Intel Core i7 Quad, or other), what motherboard would be best for this, What video card is fully supported under Ubuntu 64 (I've had nothing but greef from my current ATI Raideon card), and is there any other hardware that I should look into getting (DVD/CD Burner?)?

[jlc]

Here are two of my desktops. I also have a couple servers running x64 cpu's and have a Dell Inspiron 1420 that was running x64 but the laptop is dead.... :)

Intel Quad Core Q6600@2700
8GB DDR2800 @ 667MHz RAM
Nvidia 8800 GT
4x250GB SATA
MSI P35 NEO2


AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4000+
8GB DDR2 @ 667MHz RAM
Nvidia 7950 GTO
3ware 9500S-8
8x250GB Raid 50
ASUS M2V

[Skripka]

Just about any old x86 processor will work. I cannot speak for the i7 Intels as they are so new. But what do you WANT out of a motherboard? There are 1000s of system boards-and until you narrow down the field a bit you're going nowhere quick.

Some motherboards don;t play well feature wise with *buntu or Linux, but odds are it will boot and post and work.

I will say, most of the LGA1366 (i7 Core) boards I've seen have a terrible layout geography. Even ASUS boards, which normally have good geography are trying to cramp too much onto an ATX board.

Cards-Nvidias run well. ATi has a long history of BETA quality release drivers-though their Win drivers are currently quite good, their Linux drivers are quite primitive. ATi is currently open sourcing their drivers, so in the future we should see much better drivers from them, which is a shame because their silicon is quite good.

[mips]

Gigagbyte MB
Core 2 Quad or Core i7 CPU
nVidia GPU

All depends on how much money you are willing to throw at it.

Here is something I posted in another thread:

Here is multiple options for you based on price. All brands are excellent.

Core i7 CPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202

Motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128361
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128362

RAM:
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/MemorySupport/motherboard_memory_ga-ex58-ud5.pdf
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/MemorySupport/motherboard_memory_ga-ex58-extreme.pdf

GPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150326
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2%2050001669%2040000048%20106792634&name=GeForce%20GTX%20200%20Series&SpeTabStoreType=1
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2%2050001669%2040000048%20106792522%201067942536&name=GeForce%209800%20GT&SpeTabStoreType=1
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2%2050001669%2040000048%20106792522%201067942261&name=GeForce%209800%20GTX%2b&SpeTabStoreType=1

Case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112168
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129025

PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371017
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371018
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817194027
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817194020
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151030
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151031
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151028

HD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136260
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010150014%2050001305%201035424340%20103530113&name=400GB%20-%20750GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010150014%2050001306%201035915133%201035507776% 20103530113%201035424340&name=32MB

DVD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106280
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827131059

LCD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005109
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005112

Keyboard & Mouse:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126022&Tpk=Ultra-X
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104076
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104079
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104178
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104136

Wireless LAN:
Probably something with Atheros, Ralink, Prism & Intel chipset, do proper research!!! The first 3 have completely open source drivers/firmware. Intel has an opensource driver but not the firmware. They should all work fine though. Please see link below:
https://www.fsf.org/resources/hw/net/wireless/cards.html


Lol, after doing this list I wish I could build myself a Core i7 system from the above listed components but I got a Q6600 system about 6 months ago or so :)

[CJ56]

I've just built myself a new system using a Gigabyte mobo, I think it was a GA-M68SM-S2L - cost about £40, anyway - with an AMD Athlon 64x2 5400, 4Gb RAM from Crucial, plus an Nvidia 7300GT graphics card. HDD is 160Gb (I think) Hitachi, with an LG DVD writer. All easily obtainable mailorder stuff. It's running Ubuntu 8.04.1 64-bit

This is a fairly middle-of-the-road piece of kit, but it works really nicely for my (middle-of-the-road) purposes & was a breeze to set up. Ubuntu installed without any hiccups at all & is a pleasure to use.

I don't know how much it helps that the mobo uses an Nvidia chipset, along with the Nvidia card, but it doesn't seem to have done any harm...

[kevin11951]

Wireless LAN:
Probably something with Atheros, Ralink, Prism & Intel chipset, do proper research!!! The first 3 have completely open source drivers/firmware. Intel has an opensource driver but not the firmware. They should all work fine though. Please see link below:

Broadcom recently opened its drivers, so now nearly all cards will work...

[Skripka]

Gigagbyte MB
Core 2 Quad or Core i7 CPU
nVidia GPU

All depends on how much money you are willing to throw at it.

Here is something I posted in another thread:

Here is multiple options for you based on price. All brands are excellent.

Gigabyte MB & Core i7 CPU Combo, saves $20:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.147058
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.147057

Lol, after doing this list I wish I could build myself a Core i7 system from the above listed components but I got a Q6600 system about 6 months ago or so :)

FYI-your combo linkies are all toast.

[%hMa@?b<C]

pioneer dvd burners are the best. I'd go with intel atm, they are above AMD currently, but I do love my opteron, it has been very good but it is 5 years old.

[mips]

FYI-your combo linkies are all toast.

Seems the deal has expired. I updated the post with the two motherboards & cpu that was available in the combo deal. I stick with Gigabyte.

[Skripka]

Seems the deal has expired. I updated the post with the two motherboards & cpu that was available in the combo deal. I stick with Gigabyte.

Of all the LGA1366 boards I've seen on NewEgg that one has one of the best layouts....tis a good thing I'm not computer shopping anytime soon :)

[mips]

Broadcom recently opened its drivers, so now nearly all cards will work...

The driver for BCM4311-, BCM4312-, BCM4321-, and BCM4322-based hardware is open sourced & not the firmware (ala Intel) but it is a move in the right direction.

[mips]

Of all the LGA1366 boards I've seen on NewEgg that one has one of the best layouts....tis a good thing I'm not computer shopping anytime soon :)

lol. The gigagbyte boards are really good quality wise as is the components they use. The customer service is also first rate compared to other vendors.

[Skripka]

lol. The gigagbyte boards are really good quality wise as is the components they use. The customer service is also first rate compared to other vendors.

I've been surprised at even ASUS though-normally they have very accessible layouts...most of the LGA1366 offerings out have everything on top of on another-and you cannot use a PCIe slot on an LGA1366 sys board without blocking at least one header if not two or 3, or losing a PCI slot. Cripes, what's the point of including extra PCIe2.0 slots, if in using them you lose the ability have a sound or wireless card or headers or what have you....

[tbrminsanity]

Impressive list. I don't agree with your choice of keyboards and mice (I prefer egronomic keyboards and wireless mice) but I think I'm going to look into the XFX video cards.

[mips]

I don't agree with your choice of keyboards and mice (I prefer egronomic keyboards and wireless mice)

That very much comes down to personal preference. I purchaed an ergonomic keyboard once at great cost and hated it. The UltraX is the best keyboard (for me) I have ever used.