Laptop Recommendations

[eekscarykat]

I am currently using a HP Pavilion dv7-4070us laptop. I have no need for the two video cards and have had a devil of a time getting Linux installed on this machine. I'm tired of Windows and ready to run Linnux, but due either to video or something more, I even have a hard time getting Live CD distros running on this machine. Forget running F15! I am currently running F14 on here and it's oke, but after installing the PAE kernel, it doesn't want to boot, so back to the original kernel. I also dislike the BIOS on this laptop, so I'm pretty sure I'd be content not getting another HP laptop. I have more complaints and compliments after only having for a year.

This laptop is heavy, awkward, and huge. I would like to downgrade and possibly get rid of ATI graphics. I have a 4GB RAM stick that I will be ready and waiting to throw into my next machine, so RAM isn't necessarily a problem in purchase decisions, so long as it is 8GB expandable.

I've searched a bit in the forums for various people running the Fedora OS on laptops, but I'd like some honest opinions from others for what would be a good trade for this. According to BestBuy, I can trade this in for like 300 dollars, so I think I can find an ideal machine in that price range if I get some honest feedback from current users. I am going to try f16 before running and selling my laptop, but assuming that it doesn't do anything special for this system, I'd love recommendations.

Thanks for your time and hope to get some feedback!

[hadrons123]

anything with nvidia graphics without optimus would be very good choice if you plan on running more video Acceleration hungry applications.
If you want to downgrade to the level of intel IGP, you will have lot of choices with obvious graphics compromises.
but here there are some questions which shall help us to give a particular choice for you....
1.will you be happy with 15.6' screen ?
2.Do you need Full HD?
3.what is your budget range?
4.will you need more battery back up? or doesnt it matter at all?
5.how fast do u need your CPU range i3,i5,i7? or doesnt it matter at all?
6.do you prefer a thin sleek design than a thicker durable notebook,whatever screen size it maybe?
7.how often will you be carrying around this new notebook?
8.how many years of product service are you expecting?

[robvas]

You can't go wrong with a 'business' laptop like a Lenovo T-series or Dell Latitude.

[eekscarykat]

I've been reading pretty good things about NVIDIA drivers. I've yet to have any issues running Linux drivers on my desktop PC, which is quite flawlessly running Ubuntu 11.04.

1.will you be happy with 15.6' screen ? I'd be fine with a smaller screen. I just bought a huge monitor to use at home, so as long as the resolution will cooperate with the 23.6 monitor, I'll be happy.
2.Do you need Full HD? I don't need full HD, but would like the option if it wasn't a big deal in price/laptop availability.
3.what is your budget range? I have a pretty modest budget. I just know I paid around 1k USD for this laptop and, while it works, I'm sure I can find something that fits the bill for less money and better compatibility. If I can get the 300-something for this laptop through Best Buy or whatever through NewEgg, then I can go as high as 600 or so with trade-in credit. I may try my hand at selling through classifieds first, too.
4.will you need more battery back up? or doesnt it matter at all? I just need something that runs on the battery without freaking out in running. This one currently has issues, especially running the Windows side.
5.how fast do u need your CPU range i3,i5,i7? or doesnt it matter at all? I'm open to possibilities regarding this, so long as the machine runs fast and does what I want it to. RAM will be more functional in my uses, as I do web/graphic design in my studies. Eventually, I'll get a Mac when I start making money at doing my design work, but until then...
6.do you prefer a thin sleek design than a thicker durable notebook,whatever screen size it maybe? I prefer durable, as I'm rather clumsy. This is a heavy laptop, so I'm used to it.
7.how often will you be carrying around this new notebook? Every day. I have a very nice laptop bag through and don't sling it around too much. I take care of it. I use it for notes/work/everything.
8.how many years of product service are you expecting? Just general warranty for me. I work in IT and like to fix problems myself, when I can. Just enough to cover hardware faultiness within the first year should be sufficient. If I drop the laptop in water or onto pavement due to my own stupidity, I deserve what I get.

[hadrons123]

both have optimus which is a headache to turn off and on the intel or nvidia.if they had a swithing option in the BIOS it would be a better option.

[eekscarykat]

The BIOS in HP is terrible. One of the "Linux" guys at work tried to have me do something in BIOS to default to regular graphics and the option isn't even there. HP is definitely built for the layman in mind.

[hadrons123]

if you dont require graphics card then lenovo thinkpad T 520 is a good choice.but 200 $ above your stretch.

latitude is OK too without the nvidia

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto...latitude-e6520

[sea]

I've been working with HP (usualy good laptops, bad desktops), DELL (dont buy as private) and IBM/Lenovo (good choice) laptops.
Personaly, i favor Toshiba. Best, fastest and easiest hw support i've ever met!

Allthough i had 2 times a hdd crash, caused by.. accidents.. *cought*
The HW components are good and durable, the performance is great for this (1 year ago bought) mid-range laptop.

Have had less issues with linux than i had with windows on this machine

One last word, do NEVER buy Compaq, its the worst choice of them all! (imo)

[laytonn]

I think the notebook to be recommended to you would also stem out from what you need.

Personally, I would prefer a larger screen something like a 17 inch but still that would not suffice. You also have to consider what processor you want to have, the intel core i-line has something relatively new up their sleeves so you might want to check that out as well.

And most importantly, you have to specify you price range budget so the proper machine would be suggested to you.

[stevea]

17" laptop screens are IMO too big to be mobile. They are a headache on a plane for example. I believe in hi-res but smaller sized screens.

[sea]

As always it depends..

Me using a Laptop instead of a Desktop. So i have a 17.3" widescreen, its mobile enough to take it to a conference, or to use it as typewrite at a meeting.
However, too big and unhandy, to be used in bus, train, airplane or simliar.

For better mobility, a 15.6" is quite large enough, while beeing small enough to be mobile.

Nowaways, you have great options to get a laptop that fits your needs within your requirments and cash willing to be spent.

As said above, Dell only if your office pays it, and under no circumstances a compaq, they're just horrible.

[dextone]

I run F16 x64 smooth with Inspiron n4010.. Broadcomm wireless solved with rpmfusion repo added..

But.. if I was you with 1k USD for budget, I'd choose Latitude e6520 for sure.



Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[Fenrin]

for desktop computers the closed source driver of Nvidia is pretty good. But for notebooks I would prefer Intel or AMD APUs. Nvidia's Optimus doesn't work yet under Linux.

[BBQdave]

Originally Posted by sea

Personaly, i favor Toshiba. Best, fastest and easiest hw support i've ever met!

+1

I am running F16 (64-bit) Xfce on a Toshiba Satellite C655-S5503. Super fast machine, and Fedora was easy to install.

I got this machine at Best Buy, and they let me try a Fedora Live CD at the store. Good test run at the store, and when I got home, I booted directly into the Fedora Live CD (first power up of the new machine). Did a little more testing, and installed Fedora.

Smooth running, very responsive, extremely happy with this machine and F16 Xfce

[Fenrin]

I can recommend Clevo notebooks. It's a rather unknown brand, but they are one of the biggest notebook manufacturer. Clevo produces their notebooks themself, while Toshiba, Dell, HP and most other known brands let produces their notebook at producers like Quanta or Clevo.

Clevo notebooks are often named differently.

Here are guides, which also list some resellers of Clevo notebooks:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sage...ller-info.html
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sage...e-posting.html

it's especially a good option and very price competetive, if you want your notebook without Windows license.