Re: [Hampshire] Help! I'm buying a laptop.
On Jan 12, 2012 11:10 PM, alan c aecl...@candt.waitrose.com wrote: On 12/01/12 22:05, Samuel Penn wrote: On Thursday 12 January 2012 17:28:41 Paul Tansom wrote: On a related note, does anyone have any experience of the laptops sold by Novatech? I'm considering whether to use them for a no-OS installed laptop to put Linux on, so if anyone knows of hardware issues with any current ones, or build quality issues - or perhaps how easy it is to get replacement batteries for them when the time comes. I'm thinking along the same lines, but haven't been able to find any good information on how well Linux works with them. I did think of popping into their Reading branch last weekend to see if I could obtain any better info, but dropped the idea when I realised that they don't seem to have many Laptops in stock in Reading. I think they do have a good range at Reading why do you think otherwise? I have on two occasions informally discussed with the (manager?) at Reading the possibility of using a Ubuntu Live CD with agreement, to check what the laptops can do - or not. It is an occasional but repeating problem for me. Also I would be in principle be happy to post reports on to the novatech linux forum if and when it happens. On both occasions the guy (whoever) said ok in principle. I am a returning customer: they can see on their system. They would, I think be nervous unless one of their guys could be part of the action - I guess their bonus is at stake re damage, and retail can be a bloody affair including from customers. So trust and competence is relevant. They recommended I think a very quiet time such as a Monday (morning??) I have not had the need nor the time yet to try it but I look forward to when I can. There are other approaches. You see a laptop you like. You then tell the salesman that you will not buy it unless you can put a test cd/flash stick in to generate a hardware report. I don't think it would be too hard for the LUG to host an automated Linux compatible hardware list. You would send the report to the lug server, and it would report the hardware compatiblity in a human readable form. If it could also take input from mssysinfo xml reports, you would not even need a boot cd. The method for working out the compatiblity list would be scanning the Linux kernel drivers for pci ids. That will give a list of all supported pci devices. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Help! I'm buying a laptop.
The older laptop now has cracked hinges If you can work out the manufacturer / model number, you can usually get hold of replacement hinges. Vic. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Help! I'm buying a laptop.
I've just done a bit more searching, and whilst PC-World hasn't in the past been known for incredible value, they have just occasionally come up with something impressive: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-pavilion-g6-1220sa-15-6-laptop-charcoal-grey-11361479-pdt.html This is quicker than the previous two laptops (at least from the benchmarks I've seen, which as I suggested in the first post of this thread, may be anecdotal), but it's also £50 cheaper. I didn't see much from Novatech which were really exciting for the price, but I know people who have had success with them for business. So many options, Tim B. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Help! I'm buying a laptop.
On Fri, 2012-01-13 at 09:23 +, Vic wrote: The older laptop now has cracked hinges If you can work out the manufacturer / model number, you can usually get hold of replacement hinges. They haven't actually failed yet, and the laptop is now quite old, so I may never worry about fixing it. I'll keep that in mind, though. A new battery would be more useful if that's feasible and cost-effective. Model number 259KI1. Googling suggests Uniwill and I quickly found some batteies at EURO 59 and UKP50, which is probably worth spending. I wouldn't get precious about it, though. IIRC it's a Celeron M single core, and by current standards very slow. It's main use now is on my boat as a navigation planner, and also to run Pianoteq, so I can have Yamaha and Steinway Grand pianos on board :-) I'll match your concertina and raise you an M3. :-D G. -- Gordon Scottwww.gscott.co.uk 01256-476547 0794-1958207 -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Help! I'm buying a laptop.
On 13/01/2012 09:23, Vic wrote: The older laptop now has cracked hinges If you can work out the manufacturer / model number, you can usually get hold of replacement hinges. And there are a bunch of us on here and on SurreyLUG who are part of http://tvrrug.org.uk/ Who would be prepared to print platic parts that are no longer available :-) Jacqui -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Help! I'm buying a laptop.
AMD A6 3400 vs, the Intel i5-2430 Well, The Toshiba is quad core @ 2.3 / 1.4GHz. 4MB cache (1MB per core) a Radeon 65xx series GPU. These tend to be pretty purdy, even my 5400 mobile GPU is quite nice. The ASUS is dual core, 4 threads per-core @2.4GHz can turbo upto 3GHz. It even supports enhanced features (on-die AES crypto accellerator), carries 3MB cache (1.5M per core) houses an nVidia GTX520M which are mouth watering. IMPO, i'd hit up the i5 (ASUS) - You will get far better load handling as you have more cache on this CPU as well as far better multi-threading per-core. Also, the ATI GPU (Toshiba) will most likely steal some of your RAM for the graphics. nVidia tend to ship theirs with it's own memory. Both these CPU's are rated 35W - so price-for-price, the i5 is more bang for your buck. happy hunting, Ian On Wednesday 11 January 2012 22:24:38 Tim Brocklehurst wrote: Hi guys! I realise I haven't posted anything on the list for ages, and that most of you will think that's a good thing. However, I need a little help... For a while now I have thought that my 2.4GHz P4 has been a little underpowered, and was considering replacing it with a big desktop rig. However, I now find myself reasoning thus: I am going to be doing more mobile computing, presentations etc. A laptop is more useful for mobile development (ie. at LUG Meets). A laptop is still going to be several times faster than my current desktop. Unfortunately, I don't have limitless money. Consequently, I'm after the best bang for my buck, and here's the problem. Having identified two laptops (below) which look good, and are a sensible price, how does one choose between them when all the information available (benchmarks and user reviews) seem to be either sketchy or very similar (and sometimes wildly different for no adequately explored reason). Therefore, if anyone has either of these laptops, could you run the Byte benchmark for me, over 1,2,3 and 4 copies? If not, does anyone have any general advice? Toshiba L750D-14F (AMD A6-3400, 6GB Ram) http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.215-7397.aspx ASUS K53SC-SX307V (Intel Core i5-2430, 4GB RAM) http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.213-9815.aspx Byte Unix Benchmark v5.1.3 http://code.google.com/p/byte-unixbench/ For reference, Byte records the following speed indexes for my current machines (overall results): Copies/Threads 1 2 3 4 TS7550 - ARM9 SBC 15.6 Pentium 4 - 2.4GHz447.3 Intel Atom D525 (Server) 389.7 637.7 698.0 770.1 Yes, that does mean that my server is quicker than my desktop on well-threaded tasks for about 1/3 of the power consumption (educated guess). The TS7550 is an intentionally low-power system, so the low result is not surprising. Any help would be much appreciated, Tim B. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Novatech - Ubuntu good news?
On 13 January 2012 12:50, alan c aecl...@candt.waitrose.com wrote:
With a current thread I have seen about laptop buying in mind, I
called in to Novatech Reading on my travels. I spoke to the Manager
Alex Burrows. I had discussed Ubuntu etc with him on a previous
occasion or two over the years and received agreement in principle to
try out Ubuntu on specific kit by arrangement (at non busy times).
This time I was happily surprised to find that if I (or anyone else)
wanted to try Ubuntu on any particular product then he had it already
on a USB stick ('firestick' was the term he used). I mentioned the
larger range of laptops available at the Portsmouth store - there were
6 laptops on display at Reading but a lot more on the web site
(Portsmouth, I guess). Alex then added that the (Area/store) Manager
at the Portsmouth store (John Leslie) would be also happy to fire up
Ubuntu, again, preferably by pre arrangement for non busy times.
Alex thought that most kit would work ok with Ubuntu although the most
obvious reservation he had was about any internal 3G cards, which he
thought might not always work.
He knew of a number of customers who used various Linux based OSs.
What I realised in this conversation was that for the first time in my
contact with Novatech, they seemed to have a basic 'procedure' with
which to deal with Ubuntu. I like this, and they had a USB stick with
Ubuntu, specifically for testing.
I still think it might be useful to take along your own (Ubuntu)
version because Alex seemed to have a lot of confidence that even if
earlier Ubuntu versions worked, then later versions would also work.
This has not -always- been my own experience though.
I think it is a good idea that they have their own firestick.
1) A customer will not introduce a Virus
2) A customer can see a distro of Linux, that will at least be similar
to one they choose, working or not on the Laptop.
Most device drivers are based in the kernel, so are likely to be much
the same on the various distros.
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Re: [Hampshire] Novatech - Ubuntu good news?
On Friday 13 January 2012 12:50:12 alan c wrote:
With a current thread I have seen about laptop buying in mind, I
called in to Novatech Reading on my travels. I spoke to the Manager
Alex Burrows. I had discussed Ubuntu etc with him on a previous
occasion or two over the years and received agreement in principle to
try out Ubuntu on specific kit by arrangement (at non busy times).
This time I was happily surprised to find that if I (or anyone else)
wanted to try Ubuntu on any particular product then he had it already
on a USB stick ('firestick' was the term he used). I mentioned the
larger range of laptops available at the Portsmouth store - there were
6 laptops on display at Reading but a lot more on the web site
(Portsmouth, I guess). Alex then added that the (Area/store) Manager
at the Portsmouth store (John Leslie) would be also happy to fire up
Ubuntu, again, preferably by pre arrangement for non busy times.
Okay, many thanks Alan. This is good news, though suffers from the
problem that non-busy times are likely to be whenever I'm at work.
It does sound like it's worth my time checking out which of their
laptops I'm most interested in, and contacting them.
--
Be seeing you,Games: http://www.glendale.org.uk/
Sam. Posts: http://www.google.com/profiles/samuel.penn
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Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk
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Re: [Hampshire] Help! I'm buying a laptop.
It was late. Give me a break! Had enuf that night to sink a boat. I am sure a few can empathise at least Damn badgers On Jan 13, 2012 5:18 PM, hants...@googlemail.com wrote: On Wednesday 11 January 2012 22:54:50 Peter B. wrote: My main point is to trigger the thing in your head that made u say - Linux is the way. Outsourcing is good sometimes. Maybe a rent-a-box and run it fRom home solution. could b the key for u. Then u can turn that box into Wat u need. do Wat the hello u like and if all goes pear u can ask 4 a reboot. If u need links And in English??? Please, don't let's start to write on the list in Gobbledygook. Pretty please? Lisi -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk -- -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
