[ltp] Best laptop for Linux

[Martin Steigerwald]

Am Dienstag, 3. Januar 2012 schrieb Petter Hansen:
> Den 02. jan. 2012 22:01, skrev Phil Shotton:
> > I'm writing this on my trusty old T60p, brought out of retirement
> > after a 2-year switch to a Macbook Pro. I've recently trashed the
> > Macbook and need a replacement - I won't be going Mac again, even
> > after 2 years I find the idiosyncratic keyboard, the poor quality
> > apps, and the lack of openness to be a major headache.
> >=20
> > So now I'm asking the ltp fraternity, what's the best Linux laptop at
> > the moment. I love my T60p, but it's old and slow. I need something
> > that has good CPU power and high-res screen (I develop software so
> > need compilation speed and screen clarity). I also want good Linux
> > support without messing around - the T60p has the Atheros wifi
> > chipset which is a pain, and I want good graphics without
> > proprietary drivers.
> >=20
> > Doesn't have to be a Thinkpad, but I'm impressed with the build
> > quality of the machines I've had in the past.
[=E2=80=A6]
> I have this machine T-520 4243-3UG + (total 8 gig ram, Intel 320 ssd)
> I  first tried to install Ubuntu 11.10, but then it used so much power
> that the life of the battery was only 3.5 - 4 hours. (This is kernel
> 3.0 problem so it is not a distro problem. Take a look here.
> http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=3Darticle&item=3Dlinux_31_power_reg=
re
> ss&num=3D1 Or google a bit around "Power regression Sandy Bridge"
> chipset.) But everything functioned without tweak anything. I also use
> only Intel graphics, so do not know how it will be with Nvidia
> graphics.

merkaba:~> cat /etc/modprobe.d/i915-kms.conf=20
# Thorsten Leemhuis, Die Woche: Ungenutztes Stromsparpotenzial
# http://www.heise.de/open/artikel/Die-Woche-Ungenutztes-
Stromsparpotenzial-1361381.html
# Eugeni Dodonov, Intel Linux Graphics
# Following the open source road from Kernel to UI toolkits
# http://www.scribd.com/doc/73071712/Intel-Linux-Graphics
options i915 modeset=3D1 i915_enable_rc6=3D1 i915_enable_fbc=3D1 semaphores=
=3D1

merkaba:~> grep -A3 Energie /etc/default/grub=20
# Energiesparen: Siehe
# The Leading Cause Of The Recent Linux Kernel Power Problems
# http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=3Darticle&item=3Dlinux_2638_aspm&nu=
m=3D2
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=3D"pcie_aspm=3Dforce threadirqs"

(note the "threadirq" option is just playing around with new kernel=20
features)

Especially the effect of RC6 on quietness and battery life is astonishing.=
=20
6 to 8 hours with the 9 cell battery is absolutely possible. Even the 6=20
cell one should last 5 hours I bet.

=2D-=20
Martin 'Helios' Steigerwald - http://www.Lichtvoll.de
GPG: 03B0 0D6C 0040 0710 4AFA  B82F 991B EAAC A599 84C7