Linux laptop question

[arig]

So i'll start off by saying i don't have a budget to buy several laptops and test so I thought I would ask and see other's experiences. I am thinking of buying something like a razer blade stealth 13 inch or a alienware 13 maybe this generation or last generation and running linux on it. I plan on using it mainly for coding and testing. Has anyone tried using either one of these for linux and if so is it a pain in the butt and buggy or work fine? 

 

Thanks in advance

[rtpb5642]

50 minutes ago, arig said:

So i'll start off by saying i don't have a budget to buy several laptops and test so I thought I would ask and see other's experiences. I am thinking of buying something like a razer blade stealth 13 inch or a alienware 13 maybe this generation or last generation and running linux on it. I plan on using it mainly for coding and testing. Has anyone tried using either one of these for linux and if so is it a pain in the butt and buggy or work fine? 

 

Thanks in advance

Thinkpad x1 ? The keyboard might be more coding friendly

 

But are you looking for a thin and light? budget?

[captain_aggravated]

I don't know about those particular models, but I am in the same boat regarding performance laptops and Linux.  I'm giving up on the concept and going to a performance desktop and a portable laptop.  I'm doing this for two reasons, and both of those reasons are graphics.

 

1.  Graphics drivers for Linux are a bit of a minefield.  While CPU integrated graphics are mysteriously reliable, discrete GPU graphics drivers are a train wreck, particularly on the AMD side.  I recently benchmarked my Integrated and Radeon graphics on my Linux laptop, the Radeon graphics scored 1/3 of the integrated graphics.  Nvidia proprietary drivers are alleged to be good; I've only ever run them on one computer a few years ago, but I seem to recall it actually working well.

 

2.  Hybrid graphics is a nightmare.  I can't get Linux Mint to even turn on my AMD GPU anymore, not the copy installed on my hard drive anyway.  I can do it from a live usb.  You know how Windows machines just seem to know when a program needs accelerated graphics and handles it?  Well, that's the user's problem in Linux, what with PRIME.  Practically speaking, you're either going to run on the integrated graphics all the time, or the discrete graphics all the time.  On a desktop, this isn't a problem.  Plug the display(s) into the graphics card and run on the discrete graphics 100% of the time.  On a laptop, that'll mean heat and short battery life if it works at all.  And if you do get it working, for the love of all things holy do not ever upgrade your kernel.  Every kernel update breaks your graphics.  Remember back when Wi-Fi and audio were just useless on Linux machines?  It's graphics now.

 

My main question for you is:  Why a gaming laptop for "mainly coding?"  Surely a business class laptop would better suit your needs?

[genexis_x]

3 hours ago, arig said:

snip

Might want a business laptop, better support (eg hardware driver)

 

Location? Budget? Any preference on weight and battery life?

[Abhishek Tyagi]

1 hour ago, captain_aggravated said:

I don't know about those particular models, but I am in the same boat regarding performance laptops and Linux.  I'm giving up on the concept and going to a performance desktop and a portable laptop.  I'm doing this for two reasons, and both of those reasons are graphics.

 

1.  Graphics drivers for Linux are a bit of a minefield.  While CPU integrated graphics are mysteriously reliable, discrete GPU graphics drivers are a train wreck, particularly on the AMD side.  I recently benchmarked my Integrated and Radeon graphics on my Linux laptop, the Radeon graphics scored 1/3 of the integrated graphics.  Nvidia proprietary drivers are alleged to be good; I've only ever run them on one computer a few years ago, but I seem to recall it actually working well.

 

2.  Hybrid graphics is a nightmare.  I can't get Linux Mint to even turn on my AMD GPU anymore, not the copy installed on my hard drive anyway.  I can do it from a live usb.  You know how Windows machines just seem to know when a program needs accelerated graphics and handles it?  Well, that's the user's problem in Linux, what with PRIME.  Practically speaking, you're either going to run on the integrated graphics all the time, or the discrete graphics all the time.  On a desktop, this isn't a problem.  Plug the display(s) into the graphics card and run on the discrete graphics 100% of the time.  On a laptop, that'll mean heat and short battery life if it works at all.  And if you do get it working, for the love of all things holy do not ever upgrade your kernel.  Every kernel update breaks your graphics.  Remember back when Wi-Fi and audio were just useless on Linux machines?  It's graphics now.

 

My main question for you is:  Why a gaming laptop for "mainly coding?"  Surely a business class laptop would better suit your needs?

So is using a lapoto on linux with discrete graphics card is useless?

1 hour ago, captain_aggravated said:

 

 

[IAmAndre]

As mentioned above, drivers issues are pretty common and you might encounter issues with even power management or screen brightness control. I would recommend getting something like a Dell XPS Ubuntu edition.

[arig]

I am going for a thin and light but ya the graphics deal is what I am really trying to avoid issues with. I have noticed some it just wont even attempt to work with so i know to avoid hp gaming laptops and linux out right. I choose gaming laptops above business ones because I tend to get better longevity out of them. Average life for my gaming laptops is about 5 years whereas the more business ones I have had last maybe 6 months. I currently use vms on my current laptop which is an alienware 17 r4 but at times its a pain in the butt to travel with.

[captain_aggravated]

I've never killed a laptop that quick that wasn't a lemon. My experience with Inspirons has been "this model fails after a few minutes of use, that model has been reliable for 4 years and going."  Now, if you get a machine with hybrid graphics, your worst case scenario is you just use the integrated graphics for everything and forget the GPU is even there.  For processor heavy/GPU light tasks like programming, you might find that acceptable.  I do a lot of 3D modeling, 3D scanning and 3D printing, so I can't stand it, I need my GPU to pull its weight. 

[genexis_x]

7 hours ago, arig said:

snip

You haven't answer:

15 hours ago, GeneXiS_X said:

Location? Budget? Any preference on weight and battery life?

Also, business laptops will last longer than gaming laptops in general (reliability, not performance)

[arig]

well location is any i plan on ordering it online. budget idk dont wana go over 2kish. Good battery life and as far as weight as light as possible and still cool well. .

[genexis_x]

32 minutes ago, arig said:

i plan on ordering it online

from where?

32 minutes ago, arig said:

2kish

what currency?

32 minutes ago, arig said:

Good battery life and as far as weight as light as possible and still cool well

Give a range in hours and kg/lbs

[arig]

honestly my 17 r4 is roughly 11 or 12 pounds with power brick so i would like to get it under 7 or 8 if i could. Sorry about not being more specific this specific spec is not as crucial as long as its lighter then what i have.

[genexis_x]

20 minutes ago, arig said:

snip

Please answer my question properly, otherwise I couldn't help you:

42 minutes ago, GeneXiS_X said:

from where? (online stores)

what currency?

Give a range in hours and kg/lbs

[arig]

atleast 4 hours on bat amazon or factory site and us dollars

[genexis_x]

Can consider 'true' mobile workstations like Thinkpad P52

[chibugamo]

i have run linux in dual boot on a alienware 17 and when i finally get it to work it was flawless. it find all drive natively(you should change the default for the propriatarie one) wish is easier than one windows. to be honest when i did that the hard part was instaling windows properly so if you buy new that isnt a probleme. 

[chibugamo]

with that said remember if you go all linux not all game play natively on it so i recomande a dual boot

 

[arig]

While i havent tried dual boot when i run a live disk i do notice that it works flawlessly which is why i thought of the 13 inch alienware as an option. But you have a 17 also so you know traveling with these things can be a pain in the butt. I will look into dual boot when i get a bit more space my os drive is maxed my steam drive is almost maxed and my data needs to be upgraded. Which drive did you install your dual boot to?

[chibugamo]

i dont think you should put your linux os on the same disk as your windows os unless you already have two partition. i know you can do it but i prefere letting my boot drive breath a little 
my final set up for my pc was two ssd to boot both systeme and a hard drive but that was long ago now ssd price have drop low enough if i where you i would buy a bigger ssd make a partition for linux os and a common partition for both of theme (you might want to tchec that out but i am pretty sur win installed game dont work on linux and vice versa

[chibugamo]

if you bought a new laptop and you are confortable with the "big drive" you can install linux on a hard drive it is light to boot and dont take much space

if you think you will need more space you already need to bought another drive and i recomande you go for a ssd (try nvme those cost more but omg they are fast)