[opensuse] Perennial laptop query - wanting to run openSUSE 11.2+
I am investigating getting a new laptop. For the most part I know what I should expect to work. Unfortunately, the graphics chip seems to be the tricky part. It seems to me that Nvidia is getting less and less common in laptops. At least the ones generally available here in Sweden. Like HP, Sony, and the like. All the laptops that I come across that have all the features I want (reasonable screen size, non-Sherpa weight, nice keyboard) seem to have ATI rather than Nvidia chipsets. Like Radeon HD 5850 or 5860. I know that there has been progress on the ATI driver front. My last use of an ATI card (a firewire GL that was not supported by the ATI driver), as well as general rumbling by other users, indicates that I should steer clear of ATI chips. Is this still the case? It is obviously a YMMV question. But how are others faring with similar ATI chipsets? I don't want a religious war. I know I will probably get one. But a simple "this ATI chipset works/fails for me with version X of the ATI driver" would be greatly appreciated. -- Roger Oberholtzer OPQ Systems / Ramböll RST Ramböll Sverige AB Krukmakargatan 21 P.O. Box 17009 SE-104 62 Stockholm, Sweden Office: Int +46 10-615 60 20 Mobile: Int +46 70-815 1696 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
I don't want a religious war. I know I will probably get one. But a simple "this ATI chipset works/fails for me with version X of the ATI driver" would be greatly appreciated.
My middle-aged Thinkpad R51e is a little flaky with Radeon Express 200M. "nomodeset" helped a lot, but the X server keeps crashing several times a day. -- Per Jessen, Zürich (8.1°C) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Op 20-10-10 16:23, Roger Oberholtzer schreef:
I am investigating getting a new laptop. For the most part I know what I should expect to work. Unfortunately, the graphics chip seems to be the tricky part.
It seems to me that Nvidia is getting less and less common in laptops. At least the ones generally available here in Sweden. Like HP, Sony, and the like.
All the laptops that I come across that have all the features I want (reasonable screen size, non-Sherpa weight, nice keyboard) seem to have ATI rather than Nvidia chipsets. Like Radeon HD 5850 or 5860.
I know that there has been progress on the ATI driver front. My last use of an ATI card (a firewire GL that was not supported by the ATI driver), as well as general rumbling by other users, indicates that I should steer clear of ATI chips. Is this still the case? It is obviously a YMMV question. But how are others faring with similar ATI chipsets?
I don't want a religious war. I know I will probably get one. But a simple "this ATI chipset works/fails for me with version X of the ATI driver" would be greatly appreciated.
There is a continuing issue with Intel chipsets that still has not been resolved, so avoid these. I know that doesn't answer your question, but experience learns that after two alternatives have been thoroughly checked and rejected a third will be adopted without questioning. -- Jos van Kan registered Linux user #152704 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Wednesday 20 October 2010 21:00:18 Jos van Kan wrote:
There is a continuing issue with Intel chipsets that still has not been resolved, so avoid these. I know that doesn't answer your question, but experience learns that after two alternatives have been thoroughly checked and rejected a third will be adopted without questioning.
Intel is one of the major players involved in MeeGo project, so that issue with Intel chips could be soon solved. -- Bogdan -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On Wednesday, 2010-10-20 at 21:36 +0300, Bogdan Cristea wrote:
On Wednesday 20 October 2010 21:00:18 Jos van Kan wrote:
There is a continuing issue with Intel chipsets that still has not been resolved, so avoid these. I know that doesn't answer your question, but experience learns that after two alternatives have been thoroughly checked and rejected a third will be adopted without questioning.
Intel is one of the major players involved in MeeGo project, so that issue with Intel chips could be soon solved.
Having a laptop with an Intel chip, I expect it will be solved, but certainly not soon. Perhaps openSUSE 13.4. I expect to be running 11.2 for a long time... - -- Cheers, Carlos E. R. (from 11.2 x86_64 "Emerald" at Telcontar) -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.12 (GNU/Linux) iEYEARECAAYFAky/ejMACgkQtTMYHG2NR9U4KwCeKn7aDfoeXa0mA/97M8GRaTAb ARYAoIqXvX9aJi9PFDCFe3cmN2qWGkrH =9bNm -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On 10/20/2010 09:23 AM, Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
I don't want a religious war. I know I will probably get one. But a simple "this ATI chipset works/fails for me with version X of the ATI driver" would be greatly appreciated.
The question with ATI is will there still be any support for your card in 12 months? -- or will ATI just drop support? With ATI your new gpu can suddenly become a 'legacy card' with no linux support. Once bitten twice shy. NVidia has been far more diligent on providing a continuum of support of for hardware - stellar performance as well. I have never seen intel performance come close to either ATI or Nvidia. That's the way the laptop gpu chipset issue pans out for me. -- David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E. Rankin Law Firm, PLLC 510 Ochiltree Street Nacogdoches, Texas 75961 Telephone: (936) 715-9333 Facsimile: (936) 715-9339 www.rankinlawfirm.com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On 20/10/10 10:23 AM, Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
I am investigating getting a new laptop. For the most part I know what I should expect to work. Unfortunately, the graphics chip seems to be the tricky part.
It seems to me that Nvidia is getting less and less common in laptops. At least the ones generally available here in Sweden. Like HP, Sony, and the like.
All the laptops that I come across that have all the features I want (reasonable screen size, non-Sherpa weight, nice keyboard) seem to have ATI rather than Nvidia chipsets. Like Radeon HD 5850 or 5860.
I know that there has been progress on the ATI driver front. My last use of an ATI card (a firewire GL that was not supported by the ATI driver), as well as general rumbling by other users, indicates that I should steer clear of ATI chips. Is this still the case? It is obviously a YMMV question. But how are others faring with similar ATI chipsets?
I don't want a religious war. I know I will probably get one. But a simple "this ATI chipset works/fails for me with version X of the ATI driver" would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Roger, Try if you can to get an nvidia graphics card. In my opinion, ATI just sucks. However, I heard Nvidia has bought ATI so maybe they would provide ATI drivers as well? Not sure on that one but sure would be nice. regards, Phil -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Wed, 2010-10-20 at 21:16 -0400, Phil Savoie wrote:
Try if you can to get an nvidia graphics card. In my opinion, ATI just sucks. However, I heard Nvidia has bought ATI so maybe they would provide ATI drivers as well? Not sure on that one but sure would be nice.
nvidia bought ATI? Perhaps you are thinking about AMD's purchase of ATI. In fact, the ATI name has just recently been replaced by AMD. So I really should be asking about the AMD graphic chipset. But I see that the consensus is still for Nvidia. Too bad the selection of laptops with nvidia chips seems to be on the fast decline. -- Roger Oberholtzer OPQ Systems / Ramböll RST Ramböll Sverige AB Krukmakargatan 21 P.O. Box 17009 SE-104 62 Stockholm, Sweden Office: Int +46 10-615 60 20 Mobile: Int +46 70-815 1696 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On 10/21/2010 03:33 AM, Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
But I see that the consensus is still for Nvidia. Too bad the selection of laptops with nvidia chips seems to be on the fast decline.
Good things come to those that take the time to look :p -- David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E. Rankin Law Firm, PLLC 510 Ochiltree Street Nacogdoches, Texas 75961 Telephone: (936) 715-9333 Facsimile: (936) 715-9339 www.rankinlawfirm.com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Thu, 2010-10-21 at 22:03 -0500, David C. Rankin wrote:
On 10/21/2010 03:33 AM, Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
But I see that the consensus is still for Nvidia. Too bad the selection of laptops with nvidia chips seems to be on the fast decline.
Good things come to those that take the time to look :p
I have been looking for months. This is a computer for work, and they are starting to get annoyed. I really want to see the laptop before I buy it. That is part of the problem. I am limited by what I can see in a store. I have seen so many sh*tt* laptops that I have no interest in taking a chance on what may arrive in the post. It is surprising how few retail stores in Sweden sell laptops. Or, to be more specific, that have any variety to what they have to show. Most all stores are selling the same tired models. For example, I would like to see a Thinkpad. Seems not a single shop in Sweden has one on display. I can order one sight unseen. But I don't really want to do that... -- Roger Oberholtzer OPQ Systems / Ramböll RST Ramböll Sverige AB Krukmakargatan 21 P.O. Box 17009 SE-104 62 Stockholm, Sweden Office: Int +46 10-615 60 20 Mobile: Int +46 70-815 1696 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
For example, I would like to see a Thinkpad. Seems not a single shop in Sweden has one on display. I can order one sight unseen. But I don't really want to do that...
I've had a few Thinkpads over the years, never ever saw them before I bought them. I haven't tried the newer Lenovo Thinkpads, but my wife's got one. -- Per Jessen, Zürich (9.4°C) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On Friday, 2010-10-22 at 14:28 +0200, Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
I have been looking for months. This is a computer for work, and they are starting to get annoyed. I really want to see the laptop before I buy it. That is part of the problem. I am limited by what I can see in a store. I have seen so many sh*tt* laptops that I have no interest in taking a chance on what may arrive in the post. It is surprising how few retail stores in Sweden sell laptops. Or, to be more specific, that have any variety to what they have to show. Most all stores are selling the same tired models. For example, I would like to see a Thinkpad. Seems not a single shop in Sweden has one on display. I can order one sight unseen. But I don't really want to do that...
You are absolutely right. It is also a problem where I live (Spain). Only in big cities like Madrid (or Barcelona, Sevilla, Valencia...) perhaps you can find real shops with real hardware. I bought my laptop on a department store, the kind that sell from groceries, clothes, and a few computers. They just chanced to have a nice, simple, laptop which I liked, so I stopped searching. I could have gotten a better one, but this was good enough. By the way, I noticed similar laptops been made with ati and nvidia. I mean, I could find both versions, or at least, in the catalog. And some with ati, nvidia, and intel. Maybe not all brands do the same. - -- Cheers, Carlos E. R. (from 11.2 x86_64 "Emerald" at Telcontar) -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.12 (GNU/Linux) iEYEARECAAYFAkzBjQ4ACgkQtTMYHG2NR9WJ8gCfQ4Tbq8/Pa1xBxgylHnHN3vN+ ghwAnRrcmo0ANKuHD+RBoWdeICPLwK9t =RtuA -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Carlos E. R. wrote:
You are absolutely right. It is also a problem where I live (Spain). Only in big cities like Madrid (or Barcelona, Sevilla, Valencia...) perhaps you can find real shops with real hardware.
Guys, you just have to buy more laptops, then the shops will (eventually) come to you. -- Per Jessen, Zürich (9.9°C) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Quoting Roger Oberholtzer
On Thu, 2010-10-21 at 22:03 -0500, David C. Rankin wrote:
On 10/21/2010 03:33 AM, Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
But I see that the consensus is still for Nvidia. Too bad the selection of laptops with nvidia chips seems to be on the fast decline.
Good things come to those that take the time to look :p
I have been looking for months. This is a computer for work, and they are starting to get annoyed. I really want to see the laptop before I buy it. That is part of the problem. I am limited by what I can see in a store. I have seen so many sh*tt* laptops that I have no interest in taking a chance on what may arrive in the post. It is surprising how few retail stores in Sweden sell laptops. Or, to be more specific, that have any variety to what they have to show. Most all stores are selling the same tired models. For example, I would like to see a Thinkpad. Seems not a single shop in Sweden has one on display. I can order one sight unseen. But I don't really want to do that...
In the US, I can find Thinkpads in stores in the US, but only the consumer grade ones. Join the linux-thinkpad mailing list and look at ThinkWiki. HTH, Jeffrey -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Friday 22 October 2010 02:28:44 am Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
On Thu, 2010-10-21 at 22:03 -0500, David C. Rankin wrote:
On 10/21/2010 03:33 AM, Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
But I see that the consensus is still for Nvidia. Too bad the selection of laptops with nvidia chips seems to be on the fast decline.
Good things come to those that take the time to look :p
I have been looking for months. This is a computer for work, and they are starting to get annoyed. I really want to see the laptop before I buy it. That is part of the problem. I am limited by what I can see in a store. I have seen so many sh*tt* laptops that I have no interest in taking a chance on what may arrive in the post. It is surprising how few retail stores in Sweden sell laptops. Or, to be more specific, that have any variety to what they have to show. Most all stores are selling the same tired models. For example, I would like to see a Thinkpad. Seems not a single shop in Sweden has one on display. I can order one sight unseen. But I don't really want to do that...
-- Roger Oberholtzer
OPQ Systems / Ramböll RST
Ramböll Sverige AB Krukmakargatan 21 P.O. Box 17009 SE-104 62 Stockholm, Sweden
Office: Int +46 10-615 60 20 Mobile: Int +46 70-815 1696
dell at least used to quote nvidia cards in laptops, for a few euros more, of course. has that changed? -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On 20.10.2010, Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
I am investigating getting a new laptop. For the most part I know what I should expect to work. Unfortunately, the graphics chip seems to be the tricky part.
It seems to me that Nvidia is getting less and less common in laptops. At least the ones generally available here in Sweden. Like HP, Sony, and the like.
You could try an Asus U45JC. In fact, I have one (Norwegian model) and it runs quite flawlessly on both opensuse and Fedora. It has Nvidias optimus technology, but this is not a real problem, as long as you don't use the nvidia proprietary driver. It's just the intel graphics inside the Core i5 that will be used, then. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Miércoles, 20 de Octubre de 2010 16:23:55 Roger Oberholtzer escribió:
I am investigating getting a new laptop. For the most part I know what I should expect to work. Unfortunately, the graphics chip seems to be the tricky part.
It seems to me that Nvidia is getting less and less common in laptops. At least the ones generally available here in Sweden. Like HP, Sony, and the like.
All the laptops that I come across that have all the features I want (reasonable screen size, non-Sherpa weight, nice keyboard) seem to have ATI rather than Nvidia chipsets. Like Radeon HD 5850 or 5860.
I know that there has been progress on the ATI driver front. My last use of an ATI card (a firewire GL that was not supported by the ATI driver), as well as general rumbling by other users, indicates that I should steer clear of ATI chips. Is this still the case? It is obviously a YMMV question. But how are others faring with similar ATI chipsets?
I don't want a religious war. I know I will probably get one. But a simple "this ATI chipset works/fails for me with version X of the ATI driver" would be greatly appreciated.
My laptop has an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 (M92 chipset) and it works fine with openSUSE 11.3, KDE 4.5.2 and the Catalyst 10.9 driver. Desktop effects are enabled out-of-the-box thanks to the open source driver (radeonhd I think). Nevertheless, if you want to play games you have to use the proprietary one to get more FPS (that could change in the future). I also have to say that it's not a 100% smooth experience like with any other graphics card driver. BTW, take a look at http://en.opensuse.org/HCL:Laptops ;-) Greetings -- Javier Llorente
participants (11)
-
Bogdan Cristea -
Carlos E. R. -
David C. Rankin -
Heinz Diehl -
Javier Llorente -
Jeffrey L. Taylor -
Jos van Kan -
kanenas＠hawaii.rr.com -
Per Jessen -
Phil Savoie -
Roger Oberholtzer