openSuSE compatible laptops and known retailers

I realise this is something that has been discussed many times but I am looking for latest info concerning which laptops are compatible with linux, and specifically openSuSE, and where I might purchase one?

I’ve purchased reasonably priced laptops locally (South Africa), which are claimed to be suitable for use with Linux (some having come pre-installed with Ubuntu) and I have never experienced any issues, all successfully having had openSuSE installed.

I am planning to return to the UK and am seriously considering buying something a little more up-to-date and better than the near entry-level laptops I have previously purchased. I would like something with a localised (UK) keyboard and don’t want to purchase anything with a pre-installed Windoze os, although I would be happy with something that has NO os loaded.

I am aware of the Dell XPS 13 with Ubuntu pre-installed but I consider £1,029 plus VAT to be a bit on the pricey side. There MUST be alternatives, can anyone point me in the right direction?

I see that Ubuntu, themselves, list supposedly compatible laptops but is an Ubuntu-compatible laptop assumed to be necessarily also openSuSE compatible?

Usually. The main issues of compatibility are whether the kernel will load and whether there are drivers for the various hardware features. And those details don’t vary much between linux distros.

On 2014-11-01 09:06, YeboElectronics wrote:

> I am planning to return to the UK and am seriously considering buying
> something a little more up-to-date and better than the near entry-level
> laptops I have previously purchased. I would like something with a
> localised (UK) keyboard and don’t want to purchase anything with a
> pre-installed Windoze os, although I would be happy with something that
> has NO os loaded.

It is curious, though, that you can find the same model, at the same
place, cheaper with Windows preinstalled than with Linux, because of
what/who subsidizes what.

I know that brands such as HP sell Linux only laptops, but I have been
unable to locate them, unless some points me to the exact link.

A web listing alternatives for Linux would be nice.

> I see that Ubuntu, themselves, list supposedly compatible laptops

Nice of them :slight_smile:

> but is
> an Ubuntu-compatible laptop assumed to be necessarily also openSuSE
> compatible?

Yes… with caveats. Sometimes these things come with a special driver
for some component, which the brand did not bother to upstream. Thus
even upgrades in the same distro gives problems with some piece, like
say, the wifi. I’m unsure either that ubuntu upstreams everything.

You can seek for laptops approved for SUSE SLE/SLED.
Years ago I saw a link :-?


Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)

I think the problem now is that so few laptops are not compatible with Linux that a list of unsuitable laptops would be much shorter. However, the main gotchas appear to relate to graphics; Intel graphics normally work out of the box though I recently bought a notebook for which there wasn’t a linux distribution that included the kernel version I needed. (openSUSE 13.2 Beta however worked fine on it.)

With other graphics, Google the graphics chip and see if anyone else has had any problems.

I’ve always bought a Windows laptop, copied the manufacturer’s user manual off it and then installed Linux on the whole hard drive. In theory you pay the Windows tax but actually all the companies who have paid to have trial versions of their software put on the machine lose out because I never even try them, let alone upgrade to them!

There are desktop PCs without an OS (or with FreeDOS) but I’ve not seen any laptops without an OS on sale in the UK.

Here is a no OS laptop…

http://www.ebuyer.com/644863-zoostorm-laptop-7260-9003

Noted on purchasing something that (unfortunately) has Windoze pre-loaded. I HATE the thought of paying Microsoft a PENNY!

I also appreciate that creating, and more importantly maintaining, a list of compatible laptops is no easy task. I’m not expert, but I have previously purchased two ‘linux’ laptops locally, both with Nvidia graphics cards, and I have never experienced any problems, both several years old, now, but still capable of running 13.1. They are just a bit long-in-the-tooth and are very slow, hence the desire to purchase something new and up to date.

I note the remarks concerning graphics issues, though. I’ve been using openSuSE exclusively for home and business for several years and by far my biggest problems have been graphics related. However, I also acknowledge that the problem appears to be much less of an issue, with every new version of the os.

Feedback from those that have personal laptop experience, especially where the model is reasonably new, and is running 13.1 (or even 13.2) would, I am sure, be of interest to many of us.

(Even a search on Amazon UK for ‘linux laptop’ tends to bring up several Windoze options, which isn’t exactly helpful!)

I have often wondered where I would stand, legally, if I went to one of the high street retailers and insisted I wanted to purchase one of their laptops, but without the obligatory Windoze installation and with an appropriate discount. With all the EU legislation, why must we be required to contribute to Microsoft when we don’t need it?

On 2014-11-02 10:56, YeboElectronics wrote:
>
> john_hudson;2672345 Wrote:
>> There are desktop PCs without an OS (or with FreeDOS) but I’ve not seen
>> any laptops without an OS on sale in the UK.
>
> I have often wondered where I would stand, legally, if I went to one of
> the high street retailers and insisted I wanted to purchase one of their
> laptops, but without the obligatory Windoze installation and with an
> appropriate discount. With all the EU legislation, why must we be
> required to contribute to Microsoft when we don’t need it?

The curious thing is that I have seen the exact same model cheaper with
Windows than without. Ie, they are paying ME, not me them for installing
Windows…

The “they” is actually the sponsors that put “try-me software” on the
machine. That’s perfect, they are wasting money, and I’m happy >:-)

Re legality, I understand it is perfectly legal (dunno your country).
THEY have to prove that you install something illegal. Of course, they
may think that you want to install a bootlegged Windows copy. They could
also think that you have a business contract with M$ that allows you to
install as many copies of Windows you wish on your company machines.

So check the prices. If without a system is more expensive, buy Windows
and ditch it. Better, ditch it and tell someone the license number, many
of us have use for them :wink:


Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)

That describes the computer I am currently using to reply.

I kept the Windows, though I only use it for testing dual-boot issues.

Hi
I like the HP ProBooks, gave away to the BiL my HP ProBook 4525s, still have two HP ProBook 4440s’s and a HP ProBook 4430s, only dual core 1.9GHz but all have 8GB of RAM, one has an SSD. They run 6Gb/s SATA ports and have one USB3 connector. HDMI -> DVI Monitor out works on them, two use the ath9k wireless driver the other a rt2800pci all connect at n 1x1 speeds to the router (150Mb/s).

The 4440s is secure boot ready, managed to upgrade the BIOS via efi/usb device, so didn’t need a windows install.

If the BIOS gets accidentally bricked, you can recover via usb device.

Did raise a bug for the 4440s with respect to the backlight, but that got fixed fairly quickly, aside from that everything works, including bluetooth on the 4430s. Do tweak the intel graphics for power management. Aside from that everything I chuck at them works for me.

http://store.hp.com/UKStore/Merch/List.aspx?sel=PBNB&ctrl=f&fc_sb_probk=1

I do have a HP 2000 Notebook which came with windows 8, it’s a dual core (APU?) AMD 1.7GHz with a Radeon HD 7340, dumped windows, it’s now a sever running a couple of lightly loaded kvm machines.

My wife has a DELL Inspiron with a 60GB SSD, 4GB or ram and upgraded the processor to a T6500, that run SLED 11 though. Then I have a Acer Aspire 7736Z (funky RTC, boots sometimes) and a IBM ThinkPad T42 which is only 32bit, it works fine, but destined for the junk box.

I have recently installed openSUSE on several Acer laptops, a few Toshibas, some HP laptops, Dell laptops, and Sony.

I have had not problems with any of the installs or serious issues (by the users I set up with it or on my own machines).

However, I have not installed on any machines new enough to have UEFI hardware. Eventually, I might, but I am retired and not in a hurry to get to those goofy-UEFI machines. :wink:

This is very useful feedback and certainly encourages me to enquiry with HP. What looks like a decent solution from them is about 60% of the Dell XPS 13 product price.

Any other first-hand feedback would be appreciated for other manufacturers. :slight_smile:

I can also confirm HP ProBook series. I use HP ProBook 4740s which was originally bought with preinstalled SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop.

Just an update… Still looking for a solution. The branded options, ie. HP, Lenovo etc all insist I have to take WITH Windoze OS >:(
I did find an interesting UK source (pcspecialist.co.uk) that appears to let you ‘configure your own laptop’, including removing the OS.
But I am thinking seriously about a high-spec, locally branded, locally assembled OEM solution that’s very similar to the branded options (15.6" HD+, i7-4700, 8Gb, 1Tb SSHD, Nvidia 760M) but 30% cheaper… and the best bit, NO OS (but they will install Ubuntu for me).

Am I correct in thinking that if Ubuntu works OK, then I am 95% there to getting 13.2 to also work?

That sounds right to me.

Last year I was looking for a desktop. So I tried Dell, and looked at what they had for linux (which is always ubuntu as far as I know). I found that I could get the same computer at a lower price with pre-installed Windows, so I went with that.

On 13/11/14 10:06, YeboElectronics wrote:
> Am I correct in thinking that if Ubuntu works OK, then I am 95% there to
> getting 13.2 to also work?

I would say so

There is an entry level HP laptop with Ubuntu pre-installed, was on
ebuyer recently