Best Windows 7 Laptop for Ubuntu

[clooner]

I plan on buying a new laptop and I've been searching for some time already but I think it is hard to find a good match and be sure that everything will work. First, currently I am running a 13" Macbook Unibody. This is great but it's getting slower and slower and I need a update in overall speed and graphics.

I do some gaming therefor being able to run Windows 7 is a must. I mainly use the laptop for work therefor it needs to be durable.

I found the Lenovo Edge e420, core i5 with a decent amount of everything in it. It has the correct price and all seems well. Will it run Ubuntu without any problems? Also the newly released Hp Folio 13 will fit the bill. It's a bit pricier than the Lenovo but it has way better looks and an ssd what will help on the overal speed. Now my main concern is running Ubuntu without too much hassle and it must have Windows 7 by default on it, since I don't want to pay extra for the license, therefore ubuntu only laptops are out of the question.

I find it's extremely difficult to find a good match, let alone a perfect match. The minimum graphics requirement for sure is at least Intel HD Graphics 3000 or comparable speed, I don't mind to run either AMD or Intel. The screen size has to be between 13-14 inches.

Does anyone have suggestions?

[sammiev]

Toshiba Intel based only.

[clooner]

Toshiba Intel based only.

Any particular model or are all good?

[sammiev]

I'm using 2 L500 and 1 L650 right out of the box and all works great with no problems. Find the one for you and do a search on the forums with the OS version you prefer to use. Remember Intel based only as I haven't tested any others. :)

[papibe]

Toshiba Intel based only.

+1

I've had very good experiences with Toshiba laptops. Even better with a preinstalled Nvidia card ;)

Happy Holidays.

[clooner]

Got my mind set on a fast graphics card and although I said an intel hd graphics 3000 at minimum I would rather go with a faster class of graphics and toshiba doesn't seem to have it... Also the laptops I have mentioned earlier don't have it... Dilemma...

[cap10Ibraim]

I was searching too ,
everyone is marketing ultra-books but I don't care for slim and design that much
lenovo edge is a new design for thinkpad , there is also the T series with great reviews

[clooner]

I also keep coming back to the MSI X460DX-216US... seems to be that it has the exact specs I need just unsure about the ubuntu part!

[clooner]

Just found the Acer Aspire TimelineX AS4830TG-6450. This laptop seems to have all the things I need. Also it should run ubuntu pretty decent. The price is 250 USD cheaper than the MSI which gives me the option to buy an SSD for it.

[Mars11]

I'm using the ThinkPad Edge E420s. It runs Ubuntu without any problems, and Window$ is great on it. (If you can even call Window$ great...)

[wolfen69]

I have a Dell Latitude E5520, with all Intel chipsets, and Ubuntu runs great on it. It has HD3000 graphics. But they go for almost $1,000. :shock: The backlit keyboard is awesome though.

[clooner]

Thinking of going for the Acer, it has a gt 540m with a i5 and 8+ hours of battery for only 600 USD I will only need to upgrade the hdd to an ssd which I can easily do for 150-200 usd. That price is hard to beat, not sure about the quality of the acer though. I read some blogpost that the acer would run kubuntu pretty decent.

[TBABill]

I just got an Acer Aspire 5552-7677 and paid only $399. It has an AMD Phenom II x4 N970 quad core CPU, AMD HD 4250 graphics, 4GB RAM and works flawlessly on Linux. The power for the price was perfect for me after my Dell only lasted a year.

[neu5eeCh]

When you get recommendations from folks, and if you think you're interest in their laptop, make sure you ask the niggling questions:

1.) Does the microphone jack actually work? (If you use Skype or anything like it, this can be a deal breaker. Linux Distros are completely luck of the draw when it comes to microphones. If they don't work immediately, tweaking can quickly turn into an endless rabbit hole - even by rabbit hole standards.)
2.) Does the internal mic work? (In other words, does video desktop capture actually work with sound.)
3.) If the laptop has a cam, does it work once the distro is installed.
4.) If you need ports besides USB, do they work?
5.) How about all those function keys? I've had good luck with mine, but double check.
6.) Watch out for Video Cards. Google the particular card your computer might have and see what kinds of problems other users have. Don't trust what Canonical says - sorry. Not because they're evil but just because I've noticed "grade inflation".

If I think of more, I'll add them.

[neu5eeCh]

Oh, I almost forget:

7.) Make sure to find out whether the machine SUSPENDS and HIBERNATES without any issues.

I, personally, have vowed to buy my next computer from a Linux retailer (unless I'm absolutely positive I'm getting the same hardware from a standard Windows retailer) -- if so, then getting Windows on a Dell, for example (and as you've probably discovered), is cheaper. But I currently have two laptops that fall short - little problems that really annoy me, like a completely non-functional suspend and hibernate.

[Hydrathe]

And run away from Nvidia Optimus, even with bumblebee it's a nightmare

[nmaster]

to check if things will work properly, i'd suggest that you consult the list of Ubuntu Certified hardware: http://www.ubuntu.com/certification

this list has been very helpful for me in the past.