Dell Puts Out Updated Ubuntu Linux Laptop

[Thaodan]

The 2012 13" MacBook Air is 0.03 inches thinner and wider/longer. The Dell wins on form factor:

MacBook Air (wikipedia): 12.8 in (325 mm) wide ? 8.94 in (227 mm) deep ? 0.11 in (3 mm) to 0.68 in (17 mm) high
XPS 13: 12.4x8.1x0.71 inches

Most Dell laptops are ugly and most Apple laptops are beautiful, but this specific Dell looks quite attractive. I also like getting something unique.

I'd believe that the Apple trackpad is probably nicer.

In my opinion Thinkpad look good cause of their simple design, just a simple black block.
The click touchpads from the newer Thinkpad are very good. I would like to see a black MacBook rather than the white one.

[DanLamb]

Yeah, but the MacBook Air is thinner, prettier and better build quality than the Dell.
Also the trackpad on the MacBooks are said to be superior to the trackpads on other laptops.

On the downside you get a ugly Apple logo that lights up and a device that looks exactly like every other laptop around you.

The 2012 13" MacBook Air is 0.03 inches thinner and wider/longer. The Dell wins on form factor:

MacBook Air (wikipedia): 12.8 in (325 mm) wide ? 8.94 in (227 mm) deep ? 0.11 in (3 mm) to 0.68 in (17 mm) high
XPS 13: 12.4x8.1x0.71 inches

Most Dell laptops are ugly and most Apple laptops are beautiful, but this specific Dell looks quite attractive. I also like getting something unique.

I'd believe that the Apple trackpad is probably nicer.

[Sarvatt]

If you don't want to be fucking around with patching and compiling your own kernels though you HAVE TO run Ubuntu or Arch. (I dont think even Gentoo has a kernel package...) Ubuntu has the default Sputnik kernel in the LTS releases. Arch has an AUR package which is latest rc of development kernel + the appropriate patch diff's from the Sputnik kernel release. No other distros has a package available for this laptop and you DO have to have them because atleast in the original model they fucked up the CPU/GPU hookup to where the backlight is really screwed up.

The backlight on the laptop doesn't hook into the right parameters of the i915 module, and if you adjust it by hand (with the default kernel) you get strobe-lighting from 0 brightness to 50% brightness, and pulsesating brightness from 50% to 90%. 90% brightness to 100% brightness works fine.

Unfortunately the changes to FIX the backlight issues break all other intel cards so until they come up with a proper fix you're either using a kernel that supports THIS laptop, or a kernel that supports OTHER laptops.

The safe backlight fix will be in 3.9 and is cc:stable, that shouldn't be a problem too much longer

[uid313]

I just configured a 13" MacBook Air with a i7 CPU, 8 GB RAM, and 256 GB SSD HHD just like this model. It's $1600 ($50 more) and the display resolution is 1440x900 which is quite a bit lower than this Dell (1920x1080).

This is expensive relative to larger non-ultrabook laptops, but this price is in line with competing ultrabooks from ASUS, Apple, and the rest.

Yeah, but the MacBook Air is thinner, prettier and better build quality than the Dell.
Also the trackpad on the MacBooks are said to be superior to the trackpads on other laptops.

On the downside you get a ugly Apple logo that lights up and a device that looks exactly like every other laptop around you.

[DanLamb]

Haswell is gonna rip Ivy Bridge to shreds (is my guess) Also for that price...I'd seriously get a Macbook Air first.

I just configured a 13" MacBook Air with a i7 CPU, 8 GB RAM, and 256 GB SSD HHD just like this model. It's $1600 ($50 more) and the display resolution is 1440x900 which is quite a bit lower than this Dell (1920x1080).

This is expensive relative to larger non-ultrabook laptops, but this price is in line with competing ultrabooks from ASUS, Apple, and the rest.

For an Ubuntu laptop, this is what I would buy if I was buying today. The quesiton is: when will Haswell models start shipping?

[uid313]

THe trackpad...could be better. I hate the trackpad quite honestly, I've got it running Arch Linux with 3.8rc6 with the Sputnik kernel's diffs (courtesty of the AUR) and palm rejection is basically non-existant. Touchpad is Cypress instead of Synaptic so linux support is..meh

If you don't want to be fucking around with patching and compiling your own kernels though you HAVE TO run Ubuntu or Arch. (I dont think even Gentoo has a kernel package...) Ubuntu has the default Sputnik kernel in the LTS releases. Arch has an AUR package which is latest rc of development kernel + the appropriate patch diff's from the Sputnik kernel release. No other distros has a package available for this laptop and you DO have to have them because atleast in the original model they fucked up the CPU/GPU hookup to where the backlight is really screwed up.

The backlight on the laptop doesn't hook into the right parameters of the i915 module, and if you adjust it by hand (with the default kernel) you get strobe-lighting from 0 brightness to 50% brightness, and pulsesating brightness from 50% to 90%. 90% brightness to 100% brightness works fine.

Wow, Dell really needs to fix this issues and then them pushed upstreams.

Or they wouldn't be selling their cheapest line of h/w for > $1500. Normally inspirons start under $400. Lately, they must be under increasing pressure to bring in the chips for their overlord (intel).

This laptop comes with the Intel Core i7 "Ivy Bridge", that is high-end stuff.

Intel Core i3 = Low-end
Intel Core i5 = Mid-end
Intel Core i7 = High-end

[mvaar]

Must be a cruel joke

Or they wouldn't be selling their cheapest line of h/w for > $1500. Normally inspirons start under $400. Lately, they must be under increasing pressure to bring in the chips for their overlord (intel).

[Ericg]

To anyone here saying "wait for Haswell version": Haswell laptops won't really arrive until half a year from now, and by then Microsoft might kill the Sputnik project anyway. Remember Microsoft got a stake in Dell now? I don't want it to happen, but it likely will happen.

That deal's on hold until its approved by the board and major shareholders, and most of them are saying "Hell no" and trying to finding alternatives.

[Ericg]

I would rather see 16:10 (1920x1200) rather than 16:9 (1920x1080).

Else the specs looks kind of nice.
But how is the build quality?
From the picture, it looks kind of plastic and tacky.

If its the same build quality as the original model, the build's amazing lol.

I treat mine pretty crappy, tossing it in a full backpack for class, throwing said backpack down on the desks, tossing it on my bed or slamming the lid closed and running out the door at a moments notice and I've had very few problems.

The screen is gorilla glass so it can take a beating. Things that would've DESTROYED my old laptop's screen only created small whitespots on here right where the impact was. (They're annoying to look at, but they dont affect usability at all). The edges of the aluminium top have a few scratches or chips right at the very edge, probably where I shoved it in my backpack and when I threw my backpack down it struck THAT corner specifically.

THe trackpad...could be better. I hate the trackpad quite honestly, I've got it running Arch Linux with 3.8rc6 with the Sputnik kernel's diffs (courtesty of the AUR) and palm rejection is basically non-existant. Touchpad is Cypress instead of Synaptic so linux support is..meh

Thermal venting could be a lot better under Linux... The only vents are on the bottom and right at the monitor hinge. So if you have this on your lap and you're doing something htat makes the CPU/GPU kick up to where the fans can be heard and your lap is blocking or partially blocking the vents, you may get the BIOS killing all power to save the CPU from burning up. (Its happened a few times until I figured out why)

Keyboard is great, all ports and hardware devices work just fine under Linux. Battery life could be a bit better though quite honestly... I can pull 3-4hrs on Linux (general use), under Win7 I was pulling 5hrs or so I think.

If you don't want to be fucking around with patching and compiling your own kernels though you HAVE TO run Ubuntu or Arch. (I dont think even Gentoo has a kernel package...) Ubuntu has the default Sputnik kernel in the LTS releases. Arch has an AUR package which is latest rc of development kernel + the appropriate patch diff's from the Sputnik kernel release. No other distros has a package available for this laptop and you DO have to have them because atleast in the original model they fucked up the CPU/GPU hookup to where the backlight is really screwed up.

The backlight on the laptop doesn't hook into the right parameters of the i915 module, and if you adjust it by hand (with the default kernel) you get strobe-lighting from 0 brightness to 50% brightness, and pulsesating brightness from 50% to 90%. 90% brightness to 100% brightness works fine.

Unfortunately the changes to FIX the backlight issues break all other intel cards so until they come up with a proper fix you're either using a kernel that supports THIS laptop, or a kernel that supports OTHER laptops.

[uid313]

16:9

I would rather see 16:10 (1920x1200) rather than 16:9 (1920x1080).

Else the specs looks kind of nice.
But how is the build quality?
From the picture, it looks kind of plastic and tacky.