# Looking for a new notebook, any suggestions?

## braindead0

For example, should I stay away from Centrino processors?  Any other "more trouble than it's worth" hardware suggestions?  

I've ready many of the related linux laptop howto's, but I don't find much detail.  Seems to me I might be okay with a Sony VAIO or Toshiba, as I've seen references to specific drivers and the like for them.

Oh, and I've looked at linuxcertified and the like, but I don't buy notebook computers without getting my hands on them to try out the keyboard, mouse pad..etc.. I've got big hands and some just don't work out very well.

Thanks.

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## slestak

I have regretted buying my Toshiba 1735 Satellite.  I can find nothing on the ATI Mobility Rage P/M chipset.  I wont buy anything with ATI chipset again.

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## didl

braindead0,

I own a IBM Thinkpad T30 and this machine is simply great.

Everything works fine (with 2.4 kernel), including the modem using the

SmartLink drivers. I can highly recommend it !!

 :Laughing: 

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## Kristo

I'm new to posting (been lurking here ages) and yeah

I have a Dell D800 (from work) and it works fine (graphics, sound, usb, bluetooth, cd burning, hd dma), everything cept the wireless (which i dont really care about too much)...i got it running on the 2.6-test6 kernel, everything works great, 0 crashes. nice thing is that /proc/cpuinfo sees the 1meg of cache now (2.4 showed 0kb cache)

but yeah, it works great, real speed demon (Pentium M 1.6 512MB, 40gig)

also, my wife has a ibm t40 (the really lucious one, p-m 1.6, years of battery life) and it also runs gentoo great, no probs (of course, the wireless doesnt work and most likely wont any time soon) and yeah, its a really beauty.

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## braindead0

Thanks, does wireless work on anything?  I kinda need it...

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## a.zapatista

if your looking for something small, cheapish with good battery life i'd recommend an ibook

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## braindead0

I heard that Apple was planning something that would keep you from running Linux (or another OS for that matter).  Probably only applies to newer stuff, or isn't even out yet?

Sounds like MicroSloth to me.. 

It is possible for a Mac to run i386 linux binaries?

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## a.zapatista

really!! i hope they aren't but anyway there's something called qemu for running/emulating x86 but i haven't used it

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## braindead0

I've got several database apps that I'd need to run, might be difficult to do under an emulation layer..

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## xianx

As far as wireless goes, be VERY Careful on which one you go for (especially if its built in). The only thing i had problems with was my wireless card (SMC PCMCIA). I'm running on an Acer TravelMate 242.

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## slestak

the toshiba i was griping abt earlier does work well with its pcmcia wlan card.  I think it is a Linksys wpc-11.  Works well with gentoo 1.4 and  Damn Small Linux.  WHat abt taking a live cd or damn small linux live disk with you shopping?

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## pjp

 *braindead0 wrote:*   

> I heard that Apple was planning something that would keep you from running Linux (or another OS for that matter).  Probably only applies to newer stuff, or isn't even out yet?

 There's at least one confirmation that upgrading a tibook to OSX 10.2.8 does something to the firmware which prevented Gentoo from booting.

I was considering buying a tibook, but after this news, I won't ever be able to trust Apple (not that I did much before).

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## braindead0

Thanks again, hmm.. the Live CD idea is an interesting thought.. if the Live CD can detect and install the Wifi card, it'll work...

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## beejay

I would never give my Thinkpad R40 away  :Wink:  -- Complete ACPI-Support since Kernel-2.6.0-test7. Working CPU-Throttling, working Ethernet, Working 3D-Accelleration (however this NB is not intended for gaming-purposes), working sound.

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## flokno

beejay: what r40 do you have exactly? i mean which model number?

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## glimt

I highly reccomend the powernotebook c 3:16 with the prism 2.5 chipset based 802.11b card.  This laptop totally rocks.  I have a fully loaded Thinkpad t40p at work, but would take this laptop over the thinkpad.

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## cetzel

I have a Dell inspiron 1100 - 2ghz, DVD, 384MB Ram, Broadcomm NIC, Intel 845 chipset, 20 gig. Gentoo loves it and it loves Gentoo.

It was a gift from my boss for busting butt on a big project. I have to say, I am really pleased with it. 

It was like $799 before I upgraded stuff - in the end it ran less than $1100 and is a workhorse. I can run it on battery for a little over 2 hours before I have to plug it in.

I have big hands too and it has a HUGE area to rest your hands while you type.

I dont use wireless, but it has a PC slot, so if I needed to, I could.

DRAWBACK: Dell Tech support. They've outsourced it to a foreign country where the techs act all pissed off like you've inconvenienced them by calling for support. And you can hear them flipping pages in a notebook to troubleshoot your issues. But that's really for another post.. hehe.

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## TwinGears

Well I have owned 2 toshiba's over time and they all loved linux. Never actually bothered running windose on the machines actually. The hard drives were small back then and well - some thing had to go... :Wink: 

Anyways - I have also install Linux on Dell's and IBM and Compaq for other individuals and the only thing that actually bothers me is the feel of the keyboards and mice control. Toshiba and Sony feel nice even though I didn't spend that much time on the VIO I did like it. If the machine feels good then goto it. Compaq has strange BIOS's that can be a pain with Linux at times but hey linux runs on anything so what the heck.

The Toshiba Satalite 5200 is a very nice peice of work and someone out here all ready has it running Gentoo. Think you can find him http://www.buzzard.org.uk/toshiba/ some where off this site.

enjoy

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## gilesjuk

Just ordered a Fujitsu Siemens C1020, from reading the experiences of other Linux users it appears to be a very compatible laptop for Linux. It's also one of the cheapest branded ones I could find.

http://kmec.szm.sk/siemens/siemens-c1020.html

http://people.debian.org/~wouter/laptop2

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