# Recommendation for laptop

## drgenius87

I was just wondering which model and what brand of laptop should I be interested in buying if I were going to be using Gentoo Linux. We're not talking cheap laptops either, I want something good, so go ahead, don't mind yourself on the price of whatever laptop you think would run best with gentoo on it.

----------

## woolnough

Do you have a top price range in mind?

----------

## Phage64

desktop replacement, thin & light, or ultraportable??  I would definitely look at IBM, after a lot of research I bought a T42 (new dothan based thin & light thinkpad)  I would steer clear of Dell, they have some nice mainstream features but the construction is very poor.

----------

## Archangel1

Depends what budget you're on and what you're planning to do with it really. Sony make some nice gear, especially in the way of ultraportables, but they're not the cheapest.

A friend of mine's having nightmares with a Toshiba Tecra at the moment - and that's under Windows. Although to be honest, it couldn't really be any harder to make work under Linux...

----------

## deluxe

Maybe a apple laptop, they're fine and have a great autonomy. Mine is a dell, they use a lot of standart compoments, easy to configure.

----------

## cato`

I bougt a ASUS S5200N (ultraportable 1.2Kg), everything works as it should exept the cardreader (that I don't use).

Recommended

----------

## tomchuk

IBM T series

----------

## jhjessup

My research has pointed to an IBM t40/41/42

They can be found at:

(ibm web store)

(educational discount)

(Certified used - usually has several 'T' models)

(disclaimer: I don't have one - yet)

----------

## pem725

I don't know if the original poster is still in the market but let me chime in for others who consider installing Gentoo on a notebook.  I installed Gentoo on approximately 20 notebooks - IBM, Toshiba, Dell, Sony, Sager/Prostar, HP, ASUS , among others - and there a few caveats to all the suggestions.  First, check out this webpage for who makes what:

http://www.notebookcomputers.com/madebywho.asp

Next, consider what you want out of a notebook.  If you expect a desktop replacement then expect to pay a large stack of fun coupon$ for the notebook.  If you want a sturdy road warrior that runs Gentoo without incident then look to cut some corners and look for an adequately featured low-end notebook that remains cool.  

Finally, be sure you check the newsgroups for cooling problems.  Gentoo kicks the crap out the CPU and the fan must survive longer with greater stress than for a non-compiled system.

NOTE:  Personal opinion about to begin...no flames please

Now for my personal synopsis of the systems with Gentoo....I need a notebook for travel and wifi around the home.  My notebook is not a desktop replacement but rather a system that I frequently use to connect to my Gentoo desktop and run apps remotely.  I currently run a Dell 5100 that is feature rich and meets my pragmatic policy of never spending more for a notebook than I spend on my montly mortgate ($1000).  Anything more is wasted IMO.  My previous system was a Prostar that burned up in the middle of some data analysis.  The fan went out and Prostar claimed they were not responsible for the system death since I did not run Windows XP (the OS that shipped with the notebook).  Linux, they claimed, was the cause of the failure.  Ha!  I said and vowed never to purchase another off-brand notebook (see link above for the odd twist that awaited me with Dell).  Few if any notebooks will ship without XP or some version of Windows so expect to pay the M$ tax for your system (typically $100 or so).  

My experience with IBM have been nothing less than stellar.  I setup four systems over the past year for colleagues and each time I was impressed with the quality of the system.  They were sturdy, feature rich, and came with some crazy "we'll pick up the system at your front door and drop it off to you within 48 hours" warranty policy.  Try getting that from some fly-by-night notebook reseller like Prostar.  If money is no object, go for an IBM.  

Regarding Sony, I have yet to be impressed by their products.  The drivers were a headache, the system seemed flimsy, and the trials I went through to get everything to work just frustrated the hell out of me.  Mind you I am no beginner with Linux - started using Slackware at 0.54 via tape and have not used Windows since then.

Worse than Sony was definitely Toshiba.  I hate their proprietary oddities.  Their systems remind me of the Compaq desktops that required floppy disks to configure the darn system.  Two colleagues returned their Toshibas and opted for HP notebooks and were pleased with the exchange.

Once I looked at the HP's I could see why.  There were some odd things about them that were definitely meant as eye candy (e.g., lights around the buttons, touchpad toggle button, etc.) and Gentoo installed without a hitch.  I have yet to see them perform for lengthy periods but I suspect that they run just fine and will last the typical 15 months.

I was neither impressed nor discouraged by ASUS so I opted for my current Dell.  

In terms of heat, Gentoo cranks up the CPU fan on my Dell and keeps it running continuously.  If you do plan to use your notebook exclusively or even extensively, you might consider getting a Bytecc, aluminum, double-fan cooling platform (from Newegg of course*) and keep your notebook at least 20 degrees cooler while compiling source.  Those numbers are not a typo...I really mean 20 degrees F cooler.  There were times when it was a full 35 degrees F cooler on the cooling pad.  Well worth the $20 investment.

* Disclaimer:  I am not an employee of Newegg, just a satisfied customer who will purchase online from no other company.  Newegg rocks!

OK, end of review.  HTH

----------

## drgenius87

Well hey, been a while since I responded to my own post, but I'm back. pem725, I was already interested in IBM's for laptops, good to hear another was impressed by them. Also, I was wondering about an avaratec notebook i found on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=34-149-008&depa=3

My reason for liking this particular laptop is its small screen size. 12.1". I figure a laptop's a laptop, let it be portable, not clunky. Wondering on all of your opinions?

----------

