OT: Advise me - shoping for new laptop.

[Robert Heller]

At Mon, 29 Dec 2014 02:41:43 +0000 (UTC) "Ubuntu user technical support,  not for general discussions" <ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com> wrote:

> 
> Hi folks,
> 
> My new laptop most likely will be Dell Precision M4800 Workstation. 
> After looking through forums and googling I still need more input to make 
> final decision (the damn thing IS expensive) on the components bellow.
> 
> Please, share with me your personal experiences and opinions: which is 
> better supported, will will give me less grief from offset and in the 
> foreseeable future?
> 
> Wireless card:
> -------------
> 
> Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260
> 802.11ac/a/b/g/n 2x2 Half Mini Card
>  vs.
> Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 802.11n 3x3 Half Mini Card

The Intel wireless are the *best* supported under Linux: the drivers are open
source AND supported by Intel (actually ditto for Intel wired NICs -- Intel's
decision to provide *supported* open source drivers for their NICs is said to
have pissed off Bill Gates). I don't believe *any* of the other wireless chips
have vendor support open source drivers. They either are reverse engineered or
communitly written. Or else closed source or are wrapped MS-Windows drivers.
The only issue with Intel drivers would be the firmware, but I believe Ubuntu
distributes the firmware as a separate package.

>  vs.
> Dell Wireless 1550 2X2 802.11ac + Bluetooth 4.0
>  vs.
> Dell Wireless 1601 2x2 802.11n+BT+60GHz (WiGig)
> 
> Graphic card (it's going to be 15.6" QHD+ (3200x1800) Panel):
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Nvidia® Quadro® K1100M w/2GB GDDR5
>  vs.
> NvidiaQuadro K2100Mw/2GB GDDR5

Nvidia graphics cards are something of bitch in terms of support.  Yes, Nvidia 
provides semi-closed source drivers, but you need to re-build them when you 
upgrade/update your kernel.  OTOH, if you can live with hardware accel, the 
open source (XOrg) drivers work well enough.  In terms of driver support, 
Intel video is better supported (see above).

> 
> Thanks.
> 
> 

-- 
Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933
Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services
http://www.deepsoft.com/  -- Linux Administration Services
heller at deepsoft.com       -- Webhosting Services