[lug] laptop video card Q

[D. Stimits]

Ken MacFerrin wrote:
>> Seems like nVidia is the way to go for cards, but that limits 
>> available 
>> non-monster-really-laptop-laptops-not-desktop-huge-replacements :P
>>
>> So...the video card genre seems good. Does anyone here have any 
>> comment on the laptops themselves...the Sony VAIO series or ASUS or 
>> Toshiba Tecras? I found some reviews that complain the Sonys are a bit 
>> flimsy, that the ASUS is well-built. Not sure about the other 
>> peripherals on each of these, as to whether they are linux compatible 
>> or not. Assuming I get a laptop, it'll probably have to last me the 
>> rest of my life.
>>
>> D. Stimits, stimits AT comcast DOT net
>>
> 
> I've had only one experience with a Toshiba laptop and it was not good. 
>   I picked it up on a great sale but the thing would lockup regularly 
> and it turned out there was a known motherboard defect that would have 
> required me to send the thing in for six weeks of repair.  I was lucky 
> enough to convince the retailer to return it instead of having to warranty.
> 

Do you happen to recall what chipset it had, or which video card? I 
wonder if that particular defect is still out in the wild, if it still 
gets sold on the VAIO's.

> I can't speak for any small form factors Sony's, but the desktop 
> replacement Vaio PCG-K35 runs linux just fine and has been reasonably 
> sturdy.  My three complaints are mainly due to the Pentium4 chip: 1) 
> it's hot, 2) battery doesn't last more than a couple hours, 3) it's hot  :)
>

I once had a borrowed HP laptop for work, but never owned one, nor used 
others. I had noticed it was too hot to place on the lap without some 
sort of insulator (which had to allow ventilation). I just wonder how 
many of the laptops/notebooks available and considered moderately high 
performance would actually be cool enough to sit on the lap without any 
special insulation. For all I know, that's the way it is with all laptops.

> I've never had any complaints with the T series IBM Thinkpads.  Most of 
> the configurations are well supported under linux (except the winmodems) 
> and they are well made.  I've also been very happy with Pentium M chips 
> as far as heat and battery life..

I was looking at these, and really like them. Sadly, the ones with 
nvidia video cards all seem to cost a huge premium over other brands and 
even over its own line of laptops with regular integrated video.

> If you want to check out hardware configurations that are tested with 
> linux you can check out a linux laptop vendor like www.emperorlinux.com.

Wow...those are some nice systems. I can't afford something like that, 
but geez, talk about drool power from a high end laptop :P One thing I 
noticed is that they only seem to sell nvidia cards on the really high 
end, and use the Quadro cards for most of them. Some of the very good 
performance cards which cost much less (like the 7400 Go) do not seem to 
be available on many of their laptops. Even so, I'm inspired by what I 
see in terms of brands and models that seem to work with linux.

I wonder if anyone has a suggestion on different places to buy Thinkpads 
with higher end video cards? I've seen many places that sell them with 
only integrated video, or with ATI, but the above emperorlinux.com is 
the only place I've seen which has nvidia video on Thinkpads.

Incidentally, I am curious about the Intel 945 graphics integrated on 
almost every one of the notebooks I've seen. Is the 945GM integrated 
video a good choice for low end notebook video? Or the Intel 915 GMS?

D. Stimits, stimits AT comcast DOT net