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hamstap85
May 31st, 2010, 03:48 AM
I'm planning on putting Ubuntu on a laptop and having Windows on my desktop, so I need to know what is the best make/model of laptop that runs Ubuntu. I'm open to any and all opinions, and specifically if anyone has any experience coding in Ruby using NetBeans, what would be specifically best for that.

I do have a price range, like something cheaper than $1000, but I do want a good processor (>2GHZ), nice graphics card, and good overall quality.

I had heard that Sony Vaio was good for this. Is this true?

Please complete my poll :)

BoneKracker
May 31st, 2010, 03:54 AM
Here's one option:
http://www.system76.com/index.php?cPath=28

hamstap85
May 31st, 2010, 03:56 AM
Here's one option:
http://www.system76.com/index.php?cPath=28

holy crap that was quick. thx.

Ozymandias_117
May 31st, 2010, 03:58 AM
Dell also offers some laptops with Ubuntu on them.

Rodney9
May 31st, 2010, 04:11 AM
I am using a Toshiba Satellite L500/08P with Xubuntu 10.4 and everything works sound, intel video, realtec wireless.

slooksterpsv
May 31st, 2010, 04:16 AM
Gateway NV53 it's $499 (if not less) and here's the specs:
AMD Athlon II X2 M300 - 2.1GHz
4GB DDR2 800 RAM
500 GB HDD
Integrated ATI Radeon 4200
HDMI Output
16:9 HD LED LCD
4 USB 2.0 Ports
DVD DL+-RW
DSUB (VGA) Output
Ethernet
Modem
Multi-in-1 card reader
Integrated Web Cam

EDIT: $479.99 - Ok, well it's on bestbuy.com and their site sucks for linking links. But yeah its the night-sky one.

EDIT 2: Here's screenshot of it

Windows Nerd
May 31st, 2010, 04:20 AM
Gateway NV53 it's $499 (if not less) and here's the specs:
AMD Athlon II X2 M300 - 2.1GHz
4GB DDR2 800 RAM
500 GB HDD
Integrated ATI Radeon 4200
HDMI Output
16:9 HD LED LCD
4 USB 2.0 Ports
DVD DL+-RW
DSUB (VGA) Output
Ethernet
Modem
Multi-in-1 card reader
Integrated Web Cam

EDIT: $479.99 - http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Gateway+-+Laptop+with+AMD+Athlon%26%23153;+II+Dual-Core+Processor+-+NightSky+Black/9732722.p?id=1218162980323&skuId=9732722
Damn that's several hundred dollars than my laptop which is not nearly as good as this one.

PS: The link is broken

chessnerd
May 31st, 2010, 04:43 AM
My laptop is a Gateway T-6330u (specs in sig) and it has a few problems.

1. The backlight doesn't work without a fix
2. Occasional full system freezing since Karmic
3. Occasionally GDM will start with black lines all over it

The sound works fine (in Jaunty it didn't), and the system is snappy and responseive. Overall, I'm very satisfied. The only real problem is the full system freezing, which happens every once and a while. It hasn't happened in over a week, but it does happen.

I would suggest System 76 laptops or Dell laptops designed for Ubuntu. Those are guaranteed to work. (Guaranteed by their makers, that is...)

YuiDaoren
May 31st, 2010, 04:53 AM
Peek at ZaReason (http://zareason.com/shop/home.php?cat=250). Specifically the Strata 3660 (http://zareason.com/shop/product.php?productid=16222&cat=250&page=1).

hamstap85
May 31st, 2010, 05:10 AM
Peek at ZaReason (http://zareason.com/shop/home.php?cat=250). Specifically the Strata 3660 (http://zareason.com/shop/product.php?productid=16222&cat=250&page=1).

yeah, i'm looking there now. i'm on zareason and system76 (and dell, though not really).

thanks to everyone who replied and voted :)

SunnyRabbiera
May 31st, 2010, 05:17 AM
I have both a Acer and a Toshiba laptop, both work fine with Ubuntu 10.04

hamstap85
May 31st, 2010, 05:49 AM
Okay. I'm now between the Strata 3660 (http://zareason.com/shop/product.php?productid=16222&cat=250&page=1) from ZaReason and the Pangolin Performance (http://www.system76.com/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=100) from System76. Suggestions?

The differences I see are as follows:


The Strata doesn't have an eSata port, but I'm not sure if I'd use that anyway
The Pangolin has only 3 USB slots vs 4, but no real worry there
Oh yeah, the price. Pangolin is $20 cheaper at $879
The Pangolin has an option of 1600x900 res, that could sway my decision
Pangolin only comes with Ubuntu, but I don't care because that's my decision anyway
The Strata sample pics feature a recent xkcd comic (okay, now I know I follow it a little too religiously)
The Pangolin has a 2.0MP webcam vs 1.3 in the Strata. This may also sway my decision, but not terribly


The more I look at it, the more I'm leaning towards the Pangolin. Anybody object? Anybody support?

Again, thanks to all for helping me out with this. Very helpful stuff.

chessnerd
May 31st, 2010, 05:57 AM
I'd go with the Pangolin. It also has a larger HDD (250 GB vs 160 GB) and you can upgrade that to a 320 GB 7200 RPM one for only $20 more, which would then be equal in price with a faster, 2x larger HDD compared to the Strata.

I usually don't find HDD size to be a huge issue, but it doesn't hurt to have more. It allows for more files, more programs, more music. Also, it would give you the space to easily set up a dual-boot with another OS if you want.

hamstap85
May 31st, 2010, 06:04 AM
I'd go with the Pangolin. It also has a larger HDD (250 GB vs 160 GB) and you can upgrade that to a 320 GB 7200 RPM one for only $20 more, which would then be equal in price with a faster, 2x larger HDD compared to the Strata.

I usually don't find HDD size to be a huge issue, but it doesn't hurt to have more. It allows for more files, more programs, more music. Also, it would give you the space to easily set up a dual-boot with another OS if you want.

yeah. i noticed that as well, though i'd put my money to upgrading other stuff than the HD. for my ubuntu computer i dont need it so big, so 250G is just fine :)

slooksterpsv
May 31st, 2010, 06:09 AM
Ouch, system76 only uses intel, same with zareason, is there any Linux Laptop maker that puts out AMD?

chessnerd
May 31st, 2010, 06:12 AM
yeah. i noticed that as well, though i'd put my money to upgrading other stuff than the HD. for my ubuntu computer i dont need it so big, so 250G is just fine :)

My emphasis was more on the fact that it was a 7200 rpm hard drive vs. the 5400 rpm for the 250GB, but I agree with you there. Hard drive size isn't really that important. I currently have Ubuntu installed on a 55 GB partition, and I am using only 14.6 GB, which includes my music and a good number of programs.

hamstap85
May 31st, 2010, 06:13 AM
Ouch, system76 only uses intel, same with zareason, is there any Linux Laptop maker that puts out AMD?

i dunno...i dont know enough to really say what would be better

hamstap85
May 31st, 2010, 06:17 AM
My emphasis was more on the fact that it was a 7200 rpm hard drive vs. the 5400 rpm for the 250GB, but I agree with you there. Hard drive size isn't really that important. I currently have Ubuntu installed on a 55 GB partition, and I am using only 14.6 GB, which includes my music and a good number of programs.

true. anyway, pangolin sounds like the way to go

Stancel
May 31st, 2010, 06:28 AM
"I use Ubuntu on a laptop and it has a lot of problems"

Do not get an Acer laptop and expect everything to work correctly with Ubuntu. I still don't know how to get the microphone and webcam to work properly like it does with Windows.

slooksterpsv
May 31st, 2010, 06:40 AM
i dunno...i dont know enough to really say what would be better

Everyone has their own opinions about AMD and Intel. I personally will take an AMD over and Intel any day, but I do a lot with Virtualization so low-end CPUs that can virtualize is awesome, Intel you have to buy a high-end to virtualize - but yeah everyone has their own.

AMD is cheaper in most instances.

hamstap85
May 31st, 2010, 05:33 PM
Everyone has their own opinions about AMD and Intel. I personally will take an AMD over and Intel any day, but I do a lot with Virtualization so low-end CPUs that can virtualize is awesome, Intel you have to buy a high-end to virtualize - but yeah everyone has their own.

AMD is cheaper in most instances.

ah. cool to know. i'd never heard of AMD before though

ulfj
May 31st, 2010, 05:51 PM
Toshiba here, and installed Ubuntu on a "dead" compac for my son a couple of years back and both work fine without any problems. Wireless didn't work on the compac so my son had to use a wireless stick, I did a clean install of 10.04 and the wireless works now.:P

Linux_junkie
May 31st, 2010, 05:56 PM
I use a DELL Inspiron and run Ubuntu through the liveCD. No problems but when I first used it I did have a problem of over heating but that has since disappeared (no longer over heats). I think the problem was that I didn't allow air to get underneath the laptop to help keep it cool now I do.

Ginsu543
May 31st, 2010, 07:08 PM
As you can see in my siggy, I run both a Dell Mini 9 and a Vostro A90 on Ubuntu 9.10 and they both work flawlessly, once the workarounds for the Broadcom wireless and suspend issues have been applied. Very satisfying computing experience.

slooksterpsv
June 2nd, 2010, 07:25 AM
ah. cool to know. i'd never heard of AMD before though

Yeah AMD has been around a long time, they've been around since 1969 I believe. They and Intel compete all the time, but AMD has the step-up where they and ATI are well the same company now.

The Intel integrated chipsets don't do well for gaming at all, but my integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200 comes with HDMI, and I can play games like Red Faction Guerilla (about 30fps, not bad, but not great) all on an integrated card. I have a Radeon 4850 and it's sweet, that with an AMD, the power is just amazing.

I'm an AMD fan though, they did have the first x64 processors for PC.

hamstap85
June 2nd, 2010, 04:03 PM
Yeah AMD has been around a long time, they've been around since 1969 I believe. They and Intel compete all the time, but AMD has the step-up where they and ATI are well the same company now.

The Intel integrated chipsets don't do well for gaming at all, but my integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200 comes with HDMI, and I can play games like Red Faction Guerilla (about 30fps, not bad, but not great) all on an integrated card. I have a Radeon 4850 and it's sweet, that with an AMD, the power is just amazing.

I'm an AMD fan though, they did have the first x64 processors for PC.

nice. now i also know what to look for when gaming :)

stephanvaningen
October 27th, 2010, 07:02 AM
I bought a Dell Studio XPS (1540?) which was delivered with Windhoze-7, but Ubuntu 10.10 runs nice on it...


Dell also offers some laptops with Ubuntu on them.

Old *ix Geek
October 27th, 2010, 07:54 AM
My current laptop is an HP dv6000 and (K)Ubuntu runs great on it. No hardware issues, including peripherals like my Logitech trackball and the card reader for my Nikon camera; wireless is great, too. My most recent previous laptop was also an HP, and (K)Ubuntu ran very well on it, too. So the moral of the story is that HP laptops are very *buntu friendly--at least in my experience.

andymorton
October 27th, 2010, 09:49 AM
I'm using Toshiba Tecra A9 without any problems at all.

imol
October 27th, 2010, 10:12 AM
I run 10.10 on my (now quite ancient) Toshiba Satellite A55.

This setup requires some workarounds due to the well-known 855GM video issues in X.

In 10.10 I had to move to the 2.6.36 mainline kernel to get any kind of stability, 2.6.35 was borked for this laptop, despite trying all the fixes that had worked well on 2.6.32 under 10.04.

Right now it's stable, compiz does not work well, but metacity compositing is working better.

BTW, desktop performance under the 2.6.36 kernel seems snappier than either 2.6.35 or 2.6.32.

So, bottom line, I've had some issues (not Ubuntu's fault) but have worked through them.

It comes with the territory with this laptop :)

IMoL

TNT1
October 27th, 2010, 10:19 AM
I've run (k)Ubuntu on HP's, Dells, Lenovo's and Toshibas. All worked fine. I love HP's, but I reckon the Lenovo's work the best of all of them with ubuntu.

Bapun007
October 27th, 2010, 10:45 AM
I buy dell vostro 1015 preinstall with ubuntu 8.10 . But now using lucid

Donalt2010
October 27th, 2010, 01:13 PM
Gateway NV53 it's $499 (if not less) and here's the specs:
AMD Athlon II X2 M300 - 2.1GHz
4GB DDR2 800 RAM
500 GB HDD
Integrated ATI Radeon 4200
HDMI Output
16:9 HD LED LCD
4 USB 2.0 Ports
DVD DL+-RW
DSUB (VGA) Output
Ethernet
Modem
Multi-in-1 card reader
Integrated Web Cam


EDIT: $479.99 - Ok, well it's on bestbuy.com and their site sucks for linking links. But yeah its the night-sky one.

EDIT 2: Here's screenshot of it


Very similar to my msi cr610 notebook. Bought from argos in the uk £400 reduced from £450. The only difference your hard drive is 500gb mine is 320gb.:popcorn:

linux-hack
October 27th, 2010, 02:48 PM
Works pretty good on macbook pros but I think it can run even better...

avion2007
December 10th, 2011, 10:19 AM
HP G62

Been running Ubuntu on this laptop since 9.04

Fresh install:
backlight issues, which needs you to fix in grub

fn keys have never worked
media keys have never worked

power consumption high.

hth

nothingspecial
December 10th, 2011, 10:22 AM
Please don't bump old threads to the top.

Closed.