Top products from r/linuxhardware

Sure, here's a super cheap SSD of equivalent capacity:

SanDisk SSD PLUS 240GB Internal SSD - SATA III 6 Gb/s, 2.5"/7mm - SDSSDA-240G-G26

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F9G43WU/

If you want to get a different SSD, just make sure it's a 2.5in SATA. I like SanDisk, Samsung and Intel brand SSD's.

Here's a 4gb Stick that should be compatible (don't hold me to that, and make sure you can return it if it isn't):

Lenovo 55Y3711 RAM Module - 4 GB - DDR3 SDRAM - 1333MHz DDR3-1333/PC3-10600 - ECC - 204-pin SoDIMM

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BC5ZBI/

That will get you up to 8GB or 6GB, depending on if it comes with 1 4gb or 2 2gb sticks. Either will be better than 4.

And here's some generic info and resources I like to give new Linux users:

The biggest change from the Windows world will be the different interfaces to choose from. While they're one of the best features of Linux, the number of choices and strong opinions on the matter can be overwhelming to new users. And everyone in the community is certain that theirs is the best. Don't stress out about picking the "right" one. You can always change it later (especially if you choose something Ubuntu based). Pick one that has a large user base, good community, and excellent documentation.

Linux comes in many different flavors, or "Distributions". Often shortened to "Distros". The most obvious difference between Distros is the interface (or "Desktop Environment" or "DE"). It's not the only thing that sets them apart, but it's the most noticeable.

I would recommend Ubuntu or any one of it's variants. The best variants (in my opinion) are Linux mint and Linux Lite. Linux Lite having the most "Windows like" interface. Linux Lite also has additional tools to install common programs that Windows users are accustomed to. Ones that don't come with other Distros by default.

Until recently Ubuntu used an interface called "Unity". As of the last couple of releases, they have switched to Gnome. However, they've made gnome look a lot like Unity, so you should be able to follow instructions you find on the internet without too much trouble.

Gnome has a ton of customizations available via the "Gnome extensions" website. If you're willing to relearn how to interact with your computer's interface, it's a good fit for someone who wants customization.

Here's a good article with the basics of getting up and running with Ubuntu.

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/migrating-from-windows-7-to-ubuntu/

Here's Ubuntu's website for downloading and documentation:

https://www.ubuntu.com/desktop

The official "Getting starting" guide:

https://tutorials.ubuntu.com/tutorial/try-ubuntu-before-you-install#0

Here's the list of official Ubuntu Distributions:

https://www.ubuntu.com/download/flavours

Here's a great article explaining the difference between the official Ubuntu Distribution (written by an awesome Redditor Killyourfm):

"Forbes: Linux For Beginners: Understanding The Many Versions Of Ubuntu":
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2018/11/28/linux-for-beginners-understanding-the-many-versions-of-ubuntu/

Here's the official install guide:

https://tutorials.ubuntu.com/tutorial/tutorial-install-ubuntu-desktop#0

An install guide for Dual Booting:

http://linuxiumcomau.blogspot.com/2018/04/installing-ubuntu-along-side-windows-ie.html?m=1

And here's Linux Lite's official page:

https://www.linuxliteos.com

Gnome extensions:

https://extensions.gnome.org

Like /u/ulgreswo, I used a different card; the Xonar DG. In my case, it did work under linux alright, but I'd always have to tamper with a setting under alsamixer in the terminal to get it to output sound on any fresh install of linux. Not sure if the DGX would be any different in that regard.

Also the audio-quality wasn't really all that spectacular, as I would still get buzzing and beeps due to interference from the LAN port.

In the end, I sold it and instead replaced it with this external USB DAC (Digital to Analog Converter), which was very affordable, and put out excellent sound. This particular DAC interested me due to the well written review on the Amazon page from Jayteck, where he describes replacing the capacitors on the board for even better sound quality. I followed the instructions contained in the comments, and found that it does indeed sound quite superb when these modifications are done (though it sounded better than the Xonar DG even without the mod).

Alternatively, I've also read great things on various audio enthusiast forums about this Behringer DAC, which is also quite affordable.

Due to using USB, both of those DAC's are plug-n-play with Linux, and require absolutely no configuration to get working. The only potential downside is that they do not have microphone inputs, and only output stereo audio.

A few tips:

1. You do not have to use Clevo Control Center. Obsidian PC has developed a utility for that, Control Station, which you can fetch here. You can reach the developer on NBR for more info on the tools, and the threads there concerning these facilities.
   
2. For Linux, you could use Tuxedo's fan control and keyboard backlight utilities. If you need help setting that up, I'd be glad to help. See this and these gists on how I set up these tools on my former Eurocom Q6, based on the Clevo P955ER chassis.
   
3. For thermals, a repaste will do. Personal recommendation: Use Phobya Nanogrease Extreme. It's composition (and viscosity) renders it the same advantages of the likes of Gelid GC Extreme, and is easy to apply. The longevity is also quite outstanding. One to avoid: The HeGrease variant. Its' garbage.
   
4. On BIOS and EC firmware: If you're considering a Clevo system in your purchase, get it from one of the Premamod Partners, such as XoticPC. The advantages of the Prema BIOS mods are self explanatory, including access to advanced BIOS settings and in-BIOS voltage controls (such as under-volting).

> Throw any strange thing you can at me.

The first thing I thought of was the Sharp Wizard OZ-770. A PDA of yore. Best small keyboard I have ever used and I have used many. I still miss this PDA. Battery life (a couple of AAs) was insane - I'm talking monthly with extensive use. Terrible suggestion, just wanted to give this device a shoutout:-)

A more reasonable suggestion would be a 7" Android Laptop as far as "low power, light weight and affordable" goes. Goes without saying: read the reviews.

You also have the Zagg Autofit Folio Case that will turn (nearly) any 7" Android Tablet into a laptop. I have the 10" version - keyboard isn't that great (keys just feel cramped) but love having my tablet actually behave like a real laptop, plus the Android specific buttons are fantastic.

Bunch of older clamshell devices running through my head right now but I think they're more trouble than they're worth in terms of sharing local data, connecting to other devices, keyboard issues, Windows CE (limited), etc.

Wow. Yeah. This LG Gram looks great. I tried to get some info on Linux compatibility. It looks like it "works" but that really means different things to different people. Do you know if audio works? Suspend and Hibernate? Battery life under Linux? I'll probably make another post but thought I'd ask. Also, I can't seem to find for sure if the USB C is capable of charging the laptop either. Any idea?

Thank you very much. This is probably "The One".

Edit: fixed link.

The only thing I'd add to that is AMD GPU, for that sweet FOSS driver. Unfortunately, for that GPU performance bracket and AMD GPU, I've got two choices, and they are both huge 17inchers:

• Asus ROG STRIX with a Ryzen 1700 and RX580
  
• Acer Predator Helios 500 with a Ryzen 2700 and Vega 56
  
  Nowhere near 15", slim, or thin-bezel. You can get those with the Dell XPS 9575, but you give up the AMD CPU, upgradable RAM, and it falls about 35% short of the target graphics performance.
  
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  And, considering you can get a 7700HQ/1060 laptop for $1k pretty easily these days, all three options are pretty costly for the performance.

That price range is high enough that it's possible to consider new laptops. Something like the Thinkpad E495 should run Linux well and comes with 4 cores and pretty good integrated graphics.

Buying new gives you drastically better battery life compared to used. For your price bracket, you are paying a bit in build quality compared to some of the used buisness-grade laptops.

I have no idea, you didn't ask for 4k. I searched for "celeron hd graphics 4k" and found e.g. this box with Celeron N3050, searched for "Celeron N3050" and found that it is from 2015. Maybe it doesn't work that well with Linux, but you can search for that on your own, if this box is something that you might even like. Maybe it is too small (no room for 10 harddisks), maybe it doesn't have something else that you need. Maybe you already have a great HTPC but it can't play 4k, and now a GPU might help, and you don't want to replace the whole mainboard.

I was looking for something similar, and went for a Lenovo Thinkpad X230 with a 9-cell battery.

It may be a little big for your liking, especially with the battery jutting out, but it's worth considering.

With the 9-cell battery, and powertop, it can easily last 6-9 hours, depending on what you're doing.
Idling, it can last well over 14 hours.

Modmic is good and works well, I'd expect any 3.5mm jack mic to work but some USB ones might have issues.

This is an amazing mic and it's crazy cheap. Not quite as good as the modmic but it holds up by fair in price-performance.

While I don't have the Kayby Lake XPS I do have the Skylake XPS 13 (9350) and the WD15 dock (https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Dock-WD15-Adapter-Type-C/dp/B01C8PHWQY) and am also running Fedora 25.

I've got a keyboard+mouse+monitor hooked up to the dock. While it works, it doesn't work perfectly. The largest issue I have is that I can't use HDMI, I have to use VGA. The only way HDMI works is if I have the dock connected when I boot Fedora 25. VGA works fine.

Before I bought the WD15 dock I was researching the problems others had with it. I found many people who said the dock simply didn't work, and potentially a firmware update would solve it. When I bought the dock I was still uncertain whether it would work with my configuration, but I was pleasantly surprised that it did work to this degree.

When I connect the dock to my already-running laptop, with a screen connected via HDMI, I can see the display in xrandr, but after enabling output to it, the screen doesn't come alive. I haven't pinned down if this is a hardware or driver issue.

Side note: I don't have a 4k monitor attached, but I do have the touchscreen/HiDPI display. This presents an issue because X doesn't handle multiple DPIs well. If you have both HiDPI displays you could probably get away with a single DPI that would work for both the internal display and external monitor. (I've gotten around this by using xrandr's scale flag

xrandr --output DP-1-3 --right-of eDP-1 --auto --scale 2x2

I just bought one of these Panda dongles . According to my research it was the most advanced dongle that would definately 'just work' on Linux. I'm really happy with it. But I also look forward to the day when we have AC options.

If you go to the "view all reviews" section, there's a search box.. type in Linux and there are plenty of reviews that mention linux. I do this with most hardware.. it's a good tool to find info about linux compatibility for products with lots of reviews.

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Dock-WD15-Adapter-Type-C/product-reviews/B01C8PHWQY/

Quickly glancing, it seems there were issues early on, but it got better with firmware updates

I kind of wanted more ports so you do you think the WD15 Dell dock would be good?

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Dock-WD15-Adapter-Type-C/dp/B01C8PHWQY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502680701&sr=8-1&keywords=WD15

It looks like you're trying to format a word into a link. Try this instead:

> [This LG Gram](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7RQ46Q/)

Result: This LG Gram

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The 1st generation Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Tablet seems to be mostly working out-of-the-box, and fits the requirements you've listed. I haven't had any personal experience with the device though, and have no idea whether the 2017 (2nd gen) iteration and (or the upcoming 2018 iteration) will be compatible or otherwise.

If you want something with more reports of favourable Linux compatability, there's also the Lenovo Thinkpad X230T, though that's an old model that leans closer to the 'convertible laptop' design (keyboard is attached, monitor swivels around). The ArchWiki and Linux Laptop wiki provide a decent amount of information regarding what works or doesn't work with the laptop (most of which is pretty much out-of-the-box, with a few features requiring specific packages). You can probably find a used X230T for cheap online.

I can't say to that particular mic, (holy cow that looks cheesy) but I can say that the Samson GoMic condenser works fine in Linux natively, and sounds fan-bloody-tastic.

https://www.amazon.com/Samson-Mic-Portable-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B001R76D42

$127.99 Intel NUC NUC5CPYH

Has VGA, HDMI, 3x USB 3.0 (wtf is that yellow port?), 2x 2.5mm Headphone Jack.

$38.79 8GB RAM for Intel NUC (it doesn't come with any RAM)

$39.99 PNY CS311 120GB (it doesn't come with any drives)

Total: $206.77

Intel Celeron N3050, the NUC's CPU. Dual Core w/o Hyperthreading, max 8GB RAM, Burst (NOT Turbo) to 2.16GHz. Has VT-x, but no VT-d. 64bit.

Disclaimer: The only mini-PC I know of is this NUC, someone else can probably find even cheaper or with better hardware than I can here.

Just go with AMD. Can't go wrong with AMD. Bang for buck.

This is my daily driver: https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-PH517-61-R0GX-Processor-Graphics/dp/B07GWX5X26

I feel your pain. It's almost impossible to find a wifi adapter for 5GHz that works, and you only get the same generic answers from pretty much everyone. All of the ones suggested that work are 2.4 GHz. Unfortunately, that frequency is so cluttered now it hurts your speeds, especially if you're in a condo or townhouse. I can pick up 16 different networks from my living room. I keep hoping someone will provide a 5GHz compatible model.
This is the 2.4GHz model I use: TP-Link N150 Wireless High Gain USB Adapter (TL-WN722N), Version 2.0 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002SZEOLG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_D7oWAbDH7SG14

Here is the desktop version of your link

This Panda model also works out of the box with every distro I have tried (Fedora, Ubuntu, Manjaro, Arch).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U2SIS0O

I was actually looking at this just last night https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00PC9HFNY/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1479007644&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=4k+monitors&dpPl=1&dpID=41ZnstHfr%2BL&ref=plSrch

It's 24 inches, so I hope that's not too small.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01CVKKZ60/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478311580&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=n22+lenovo&dpPl=1&dpID=41VBmErzeQL&ref=plSrch

Found it

Edit: seems chromebooks have missing keys needed for Linux

I use this with Ubuntu GNOME daily. No config or software installation was necessary.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_-oU8yb19MESCZ

Im sorry to say, most netgear wifi cards are absolutely not gonna work on linux, I mean you could use ndiswrapper but its a complete pain in the ass if it doesnt work immediately. I would get one of these, I got one 4-5 years ago and still use it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000WXSO76/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1479015363&sr=8-2&pi=SL75_QL70&keywords=alfa+awus036h

It works out of the box on linux, and comes with a disk with install firmware and software for every OS that is compatable with it as well. Plus the range is amazing. I can pick up a signal from a regular suddenlink router/modem combo from the length of about 2 trailers.

Maybe.


I know they'll be sourceable for a while longer, but I do wonder what happens when the stock starts to get low.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00429N18S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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As far as the data you've already lost - I can't tell you how to recover it. But I would remove the drive from the computer until you have a plan.