Buying a laptop for Linux / Beryl

Forums › Linux › Buying a laptop for Linux / Beryl - What to avoid?

weblordpepe

460 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

Topic # 12577 25-Mar-2007 23:11

Hello guys.

I'm looking at buying a laptop to dual-boot between XP and Ubuntu with Beryl & all that fancy pants graphics.

Now I know there is some issues with chipsets & things when it comes to AIGLX or Beryl. I was hoping some of you brainy guys could provide a list or two of things to avoid? Ie is there a certain chipset that sucks?

Are ATI graphics cards OK with AIGLX/XGL whatever?

I am looking around the $1000+ range for a laptop. Hoping to score a ~2ghz with 1gb ddr. I'm just unsure about the chipsets & compatibility.

nickrout

216 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 35

Reply # 65376 28-Mar-2007 22:53

Avoid ATi. Go for nVidia. I saw a number of laptops with nVidia graphics in Harvey Norman the other day. Can't recall the pricing on them. If you want to test beryl on it, take a sabayon DVD and ask to boot from it. If they won't let you, go to another retailer.

weblordpepe

460 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

Reply # 65385 29-Mar-2007 00:24

Woops too late. I was hoping you wouldnt say that. Got a laptop with a 9700 pro. 128mb though.

Cheers for your help.

bradstewart

4312 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 154

Mod Emeritus

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

Reply # 65388 29-Mar-2007 00:48

I have a 9700 in my Inspiron 9100. Very good card actually (I'm an nvidia fan)

weblordpepe

460 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

Reply # 65389 29-Mar-2007 00:57

Holy cow that was a quick response Brad for 1am!

Yeah I'd just looked at the Ubuntu site & Xorg should be OK for it. Yeah I'm a nVidia fanboy really but I've heard alot of good things about the 9700 Pro. It seems to be one of the famous good cards. Like the Geforce3. Long live the Geforce3.

cam34

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 67573 18-Apr-2007 17:36

Try Mepis 6.5 Its a live CD, but proberly requires HDD install for Beryl to work with ATI cards.
NVidia cards can run Beryl off the live cd with no HDD install neccessary.

www.mepis.org