[waldojim]

I would like to start a thread listing laptops we use Linux on that is Linux compatible. The hope here, is that we can come up with a list of functional equipment to remove guesswork for people buying new machines. I don't know of any current lists, and it is near impossible for people to hunt for machines that work well. Please add to the list with a machine type, model, and any specifics you can offer. Also list the distro you are using and what does or does not work.

To start this off, I have three Lenovo products.

First, the Lenovo W520 4270CTO. Core i7, 8GB of ram, Nvidia Quadro 1000M (optimus), Thinkpad b/g/n wireless. Linux Mint 13 Cinnamon. All functions work. Webcam, wireless, and sound work by default. Suspend/resume is fully functional. USB 3.0 support is good. Battery life is about 5 hours. Optimus works with bumblebee.

Lenovo Z565. AMD Phenom X2 3.0Ghz 4GB ram, AMD 4200IGP. Linux Mint 12, Ubuntu 12. All functions work, no special support needed. Battery life untested. Webcam works with Skype as well.

Lenovo Z575. AMD A6, 8GB ram, AMD IGP, RALink Wireless 'N' card. Linux Mint 13 Cinnamon tested. All functions tested good. Webcam works with Skype, audio tested good, 3d support tested, wifi works.

Please add to it, and help other Linux users!

[StickyMick]

Acer Aspire 5335 works 100% with Ubuntu 12.x
Intel Celeron 575 2GHz
1GB RAM
Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset.
320GB WD SATA HDD
Pioneer DVD/RW

All functioning: WiFi, DVD/RW, Connects to my Nokia N900 via USB, BT & AdHoc WiFi.
Printing works through my Canon MP460 AIO.
Not sure about battery life = Not tested as yet & not tested the microphone.

[aaparsan]

waldojim, on 25 June 2012 - 07:17 PM, said:

I would like to start a thread listing laptops we use Linux on that is Linux compatible. The hope here, is that we can come up with a list of functional equipment to remove guesswork for people buying new machines. I don't know of any current lists, and it is near impossible for people to hunt for machines that work well. Please add to the list with a machine type, model, and any specifics you can offer. Also list the distro you are using and what does or does not work.

To start this off, I have three Lenovo products.

First, the Lenovo W520 4270CTO. Core i7, 8GB of ram, Nvidia Quadro 1000M (optimus), Thinkpad b/g/n wireless. Linux Mint 13 Cinnamon. All functions work. Webcam, wireless, and sound work by default. Suspend/resume is fully functional. USB 3.0 support is good. Battery life is about 5 hours. Optimus works with bumblebee.

Lenovo Z565. AMD Phenom X2 3.0Ghz 4GB ram, AMD 4200IGP. Linux Mint 12, Ubuntu 12. All functions work, no special support needed. Battery life untested. Webcam works with Skype as well.

Lenovo Z575. AMD A6, 8GB ram, AMD IGP, RALink Wireless 'N' card. Linux Mint 13 Cinnamon tested. All functions tested good. Webcam works with Skype, audio tested good, 3d support tested, wifi works.

Please add to it, and help other Linux users!

Isn't Linux Compatible on all Laptop's?

[LiveBrianD]

Not necessarily - plenty of them don't have drivers available for it.

[brainout]

Yesterday I shopped in Dell, and found a 6530 laptop which you could order installed with Ubuntu 11.10. I don't know how good that installation is. It's native on Win7 Professional, but could have been ordered with Ubuntu.

PC World had an article on ASUS and Ubuntu, but the configuration wasn't good. I made a post in reply to it, so if you want to find it, just search on my posts; I've not made many, am new to this forum, and under restrictions about the number of posts I can make (until I hit 30, I think).

[brainout]

Because I'm a nubie, I can't edit my posts the day after I make them. Here's another compatible laptop, Acer Travelmate 8573-9627, page written by a Linux user who tested it: click here. I found that page helpful, as I'm thinking of getting that laptop. It has all the right specs, comes natively with Win7 so it can employ DOSBOX for the gamers. Best of all, it has a dedicated keypad. I won't ever buy another laptop, without one.

15.6" seems to be the smallest size laptop you can get with a dedicated keypad. I have a separate keypad I can plug into my laptops, but it's not always a good idea to port around. Really important to have a dedicated keypad when keying in spreadsheets.

Now if only I can think of four more posts to make which are helpful. Then I can edit my PCWF profile, and stop posting.

[waldojim]

aaparsan, on 04 July 2012 - 09:28 AM, said:

Isn't Linux Compatible on all Laptop's?

I wish. Truth is, there are too many hardware manufacturers that think their company would be in jeopardy if they released driver source code. As such, most Linux drivers are reverse engineered as needed. Leaving the issue of partial compatibility, or none at all.

[waldojim]

brainout, on 18 August 2012 - 04:47 AM, said:

Because I'm a nubie, I can't edit my posts the day after I make them. Here's another compatible laptop, Acer Travelmate 8573-9627, page written by a Linux user who tested it: click here. I found that page helpful, as I'm thinking of getting that laptop. It has all the right specs, comes natively with Win7 so it can employ DOSBOX for the gamers. Best of all, it has a dedicated keypad. I won't ever buy another laptop, without one.

15.6" seems to be the smallest size laptop you can get with a dedicated keypad. I have a separate keypad I can plug into my laptops, but it's not always a good idea to port around. Really important to have a dedicated keypad when keying in spreadsheets.

Now if only I can think of four more posts to make which are helpful. Then I can edit my PCWF profile, and stop posting.

For what it is worth, the Lenovo Z5x5 series all seem to have near perfect Linux compatibility. AMD has excellent, top notch support these days, and the wireless cards are extremely well supported in those machines.

[LiveBrianD]

Interestingly, my Shuttle ST61G4 cannot run linux (Ubuntu anyway, I think it was 12.04) - AT ALL. I tried booting it off a linux thumb drive, and I get a blank screen with the cursor, and that's it. (every time) I have no idea why... (it runs XP and Win7 fine, though it doesn't have proper win7 drivers)

[brainout]

LINLAP <== that link is a kind of Grand Central Station of compatible laptops which looks like it is a wiki, as well.

[evti]

I am using a Dell Studio 1558 (Intel Core i3 2.27GHz, 4GB RAM), and run Ubuntu 12.04 LTS without a problem.