• From: the Netherlands
  • Registered: 2010-03-07
  • Posts: 971

Topic: New laptop advice

I'm looking for a new 13,3" laptop, and now I would like some advice.

My choices are (for about 640 euros):

Asus 13.3" U30SD-RX135V-NL - i3 2310/4GB/500GB
NVIDIA GeForce GT520M - 1GB

or

Samsung 13,3" NP300V3A-S03NL - i5 2430/4GB/640GB
NVIDIA GeForce GT520M - 1 GB DDR3

Any experience with Samsung laptops?

Thanks,
Tuna

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  • From: inside Ed
  • Registered: 2011-07-25
  • Posts: 2,865

Re: New laptop advice

Bioth choices are bad, because of the Optimus thing. Support is still pending, so neither the Intel nor the Nvidia card will be of use.

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  • From: the Netherlands
  • Registered: 2010-03-07
  • Posts: 971

Re: New laptop advice

el_koraco wrote:

Bioth choices are bad, because of the Optimus thing. Support is still pending, so neither the Intel nor the Nvidia card will be of use.

Hey, that's not the answer i want!  hmm

Would the Dell Inspiron 14z be an alternative?
i5-2430M / 8GB / 500 GB / Intel® HD Grafische 3000

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  • From: inside Ed
  • Registered: 2011-07-25
  • Posts: 2,865

Re: New laptop advice

Yes it would. If you want to risk it with Optimus, go ahead. The support for switchable graphics with Nvidia is reverse engineered. In most cases, you can't disable either of the cards in the BIOS, so neither one works properly. Support will probably come, but it's not there yet. Plus, I'm guessing you're not buying a 13 inch laptop as a gaming and video production machine, so the HD300 should be more than enough to cover you. other than that, Samsung makes decent laptops in the low and medium price range, and I prefer Asus over the other two. Make sure your laptop doesn't have a Broadcom (Broadcrap) wifi card, or else you'll be messing around with stuff that should work properly to begin with.

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  • From: Santiago, Chile
  • Registered: 2011-10-26
  • Posts: 20

Re: New laptop advice

At least my Broadcom 4311 worked out of the box with Crunchbang...

I've made a huge mistake
  • ali
  • #! Die-hard
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  • Registered: 2010-05-31
  • Posts: 1,034

Re: New laptop advice

Tunafish wrote:

Any experience with Samsung laptops?

Thanks,
Tuna

i own a 15,6" samsung and it's simply amazing
their tech support sucks here in romania but as far as the hardware goes, it's a dream

Last edited by ali (2011-11-28 15:01:55)

openbox-logout exit on escape
  • Registered: 2011-10-17
  • Posts: 372

Re: New laptop advice

ali wrote:
Tunafish wrote:

Any experience with Samsung laptops?

Thanks,
Tuna

i own a 15,6" samsung and it's simply amazing
their tech support sucks here in romania but as far as the hardware goes, it's a dream

I own an Asus and can say pretty much the same about their tech support (my LED screen got broken, it was a nightmare dealing with them).

@Tuna: If you are going to exclusively use linux, I would recommend a laptop with an integrated graphics card (less resource hungry, better battery life, better drivers (imho) and etc.).

'Multiple exclamation marks,' he went on, shaking his head, 'are a sure sign of a diseased mind.', {Eric}
  • Registered: 2011-10-14
  • Posts: 141

Re: New laptop advice

Would a decent Toshiba or Sony of some sort work? They're supposed to have really good laptop offerings.

My dA. http://dfx4509b.deviantart.com/

Artistic, techie Otaku, and that ain't changing any time soon! smile
  • Registered: 2010-03-26
  • Posts: 82

Re: New laptop advice

Tunafish wrote:
el_koraco wrote:

Bioth choices are bad, because of the Optimus thing. Support is still pending, so neither the Intel nor the Nvidia card will be of use.

Hey, that's not the answer i want!  hmm

Would the Dell Inspiron 14z be an alternative?
i5-2430M / 8GB / 500 GB / Intel® HD Grafische 3000

I just bought a Dell v131 (13.3", core i5, 6gig ram).  The newer kernels support all the sandy bridge stuff now. The only thing that is not working on it is the fingerprint reader. But, it is showing up as a USB device. So, I think its just a matter of getting support for it.

One of the main things I wanted in a new laptop was a matte screen. Glossy screens drive me nuts! (we have a sun room I sit in a lot during summer. A glossy screen is basically unusable out there).

I looked and looked but didn't find many laptops with matte screens these days. So, if you like matte screens as well (a tip) most of the laptops I found with matte screens were in the vendors business line.

  • From: Kowloon
  • Registered: 2011-10-13
  • Posts: 407

Re: New laptop advice

NYbill wrote:

The only thing that is not working on it is the fingerprint reader. But, it is showing up as a USB device. So, I think its just a matter of getting support for it.

Have you tried this?

Order Free SIM card with £5 free credit

kowloonboy's Website

  • From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2010-07-02
  • Posts: 1,272

Re: New laptop advice

If you can find a Lenovo laptop with an Intel wifi and graphics card in your price range, I would go with that myself.
http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/cont … 73FE087F72

Last edited by mynis01 (2011-12-07 16:21:59)

  • Registered: 2010-03-26
  • Posts: 82

Re: New laptop advice

kowloonboy wrote:
NYbill wrote:

The only thing that is not working on it is the fingerprint reader. But, it is showing up as a USB device. So, I think its just a matter of getting support for it.

Have you tried this?

Yea, I did. I just don't think my device is supported yet.

Bus 002 Device 003: ID 138a:0011 DigitalPersona, Inc

I'm not too concerned about it really.  I just mentioned it for full disclosure.

  • From: Kowloon
  • Registered: 2011-10-13
  • Posts: 407

Re: New laptop advice

You can get Lenovo ThinkPad

Under 500 Euro

Over 500 Euro

Once you tried ThinkPad you will never want any other laptop. smile Also Lenovo is doing discount at the moment, I just ordered my x220 i7 (Hopefully it will arrive before Xmas)

Order Free SIM card with £5 free credit

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  • From: the Netherlands
  • Registered: 2010-03-07
  • Posts: 971

Re: New laptop advice

mynis01 wrote:

If you can find a Lenovo laptop with an Intel wifi and graphics card in your price range, I would go with that myself.
http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/cont … 73FE087F72

There's the L412: http://www.kieskeurig.nl/laptop/lenovo/ … es/959277/  for about 630 euros (which is fine for me).


The Edge E420 is about 1000 euros in the Netherlands. Too expensive for me.


The Acer Aspire TimelineX 4830T-2334G50MN has an Intel HD Graphics 3000 card.
http://www.laptopshop.nl/product/149358 … ifications   Would that be a good choice (for 550 euros)?

Last edited by Tunafish (2011-12-10 11:41:40)

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  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 306

Re: New laptop advice

Go to my website

http://shengchieh.50webs.com/tuxslinks.html
-> retailers
-> Linux pre-installed vendors (including laptops)

and you'll see a looonnnggggg list of linux vendors (some are desktop only, some are
product+support).

Sheng-Chieh

Tux's Links
http://shengchieh.50webs.com/tuxslinks.html
  • From: the Netherlands
  • Registered: 2010-03-07
  • Posts: 971

Re: New laptop advice

I found a rather cheap toshiba that I like...
My only concern is the wireless: Realtek RTL 8188CE
Would that be an issue?

I couldn't find any good solution:
http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/topic … lt8188cce/

Last edited by Tunafish (2012-02-02 18:01:03)

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  • From: the Netherlands
  • Registered: 2010-03-07
  • Posts: 971

Re: New laptop advice

Tunafish wrote:

I found a rather cheap toshiba that I like...
My only concern is the wireless: Realtek RTL 8188CE
Would that be an issue?

I couldn't find any good solution:
http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/topic … lt8188cce/

Edit: bought the laptop, upgraded to testing, installed firmware-realtek, wireless is great...
Thanks to Xaos52 for some advice on this.

Edit: Huge problems with the wifi... sold the laptop sad

Last edited by Tunafish (2012-02-27 10:00:32)

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  • From: the Netherlands
  • Registered: 2010-03-07
  • Posts: 971

Re: New laptop advice

I didn't have much luck with the Toshiba I bought...

So now I'm looking for something else:
It's hard to find out which wifi card is installed.

These are all around 500 euros, 500GB hd, i3 or i5, 4GB, Intel HD graphics 3000:
http://www.laptopshop.nl/keuzehulp/1024 … 3178=16806

Dell Inspiron 14z has Intel Centrino wifi card.
Lenovo Thinkpad L420 has Thinkpad Wifi (whatever that is)
Acer Aspire 5750-2434G50MN is a really good priced i5, I've send an e-mail to Acer about the wifi device, there's no information on their website.

I think best choice is Lenovo:
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 (NZ3GZMH)  (B960 processor, but only 400 euros)
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 NZ38QMH  (Intel Celeron Ci3/380M, 400 euros)

http://www.computerpirates.com/laptops/ … d-w7hp-ts/
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 NZ3GXMH  (i3-2350M, about 450 euros)

https://azerty.nl/producten/product_det … nder-.html
(93, Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000)

https://www.redcoon.nl/B341039-Lenovo-T … 29_Laptops

http://www.laptopshop.nl/product/174973 … 3gxmh.html
How can I be sure which wifi card is in the machine?

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  • Registered: 2011-06-12
  • Posts: 89

Re: New laptop advice

I love my Acer Aspire Timeline-X.  Just a suggestion.

mikhou

  • From: inside Ed
  • Registered: 2011-07-25
  • Posts: 2,865

Re: New laptop advice

Tunafish wrote:

http://www.laptopshop.nl/product/174973 … 3gxmh.html
How can I be sure which wifi card is in the machine?

You can call ahead and ask. Acers pretty much all have Atheros wireless. Thinkpads usually have Intel, but sometimes Broadcom. Toshibas are horrible in the low to middle range. Their high range laptops, like Tecra and Protege, are awesome, if a little pricier.

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  • From: A kingdom in transition
  • Registered: 2011-06-24
  • Posts: 2,138

Re: New laptop advice

I dare not recommend anything no more smile

Last edited by xaos52 (2012-02-27 13:38:32)

If you poke the bear it is going to come after you.
  • From: the Netherlands
  • Registered: 2010-03-07
  • Posts: 971

Re: New laptop advice

xaos52 wrote:

I dare not recommend anything no more smile

I'll ignore your advice anyway smile      <---- I'm joking, really.  (I always get into trouble when i try to make jokes on forums)

Don't worry... I sold my laptop to a friend, not much harm done...

Last edited by Tunafish (2012-02-27 15:34:30)

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  • From: su terminal
  • Registered: 2011-05-12
  • Posts: 1,643

Re: New laptop advice

If you're looking for an ultraportable, I recommend looking into asus U series. I have an asus UL30A laptop and I'm abl to squeeze atleast ten hours out of it.

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  • From: the Netherlands
  • Registered: 2010-03-07
  • Posts: 971

Re: New laptop advice

el_koraco wrote:

Thinkpads usually have Intel, but sometimes Broadcom.

Or realtek 8188ce
https://friendly.ubuntu.com/11.10/LENOV … s:IdD:BHs/ sad

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  • From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2010-07-02
  • Posts: 1,272

Re: New laptop advice

If you've got the money to spend, you could get one of these custom U24E-XH71 builds from xotic:
http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-u24exh71-p- … figure=yes. It can be customized with quad core i7, 8 gb RAM, Intel Wifi, etc.