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Ask Slashdot: What's The Best Cheap Linux-Friendly Netbook?
Seems like a good time to revisit this question -- assuming anyone's still using a netbook. Long-time Slashdot reader Qbertino writes:
I'm looking for a cheap lightweight netbook that is Linux-friendly, i.e. lets me install Linux without any shoddy modern BIOS getting in my way... The Lenovo 100S-11 looks really neat, but I just read about installation problems... Are there any alternatives?
And if there aren't, what experience do you guys have running Linux on a Chromebook using Crouton -- the Linux-parallel-to-Chrome-OS hack? Is it a feasible alternative to dumping ChromeOS and installing a 100% lightweight Linux?
His budget is around $200, and he ends his submission with "Many thanks from a fellow Slashdotter." So leave your suggestions in the comments. What's the best cheap Linux-friendly netbook?
And if there aren't, what experience do you guys have running Linux on a Chromebook using Crouton -- the Linux-parallel-to-Chrome-OS hack? Is it a feasible alternative to dumping ChromeOS and installing a 100% lightweight Linux?
His budget is around $200, and he ends his submission with "Many thanks from a fellow Slashdotter." So leave your suggestions in the comments. What's the best cheap Linux-friendly netbook?
I would clarify this to say:
Stay away from Bay Trail CPUs starting with Z (like Z3735F). Models starting with N (like N2840, N3050, etc.) are fine.
The Z ones all end up in systems with 64-bit CPUs and 32-bit EFI firmware; these are a pain to run Linux on because the bootloaders don't handle it properly. The N ones generally work fine with 64-bit Linux out-of-the-box.
https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Cl...
I bought 3 of these. 1.6 GHz Braswell Celeron N3050 processor, actually better than the new version that recently replaced it.
2GB DDR3 RAM, Ok that's just barely enough but it does work ok
32GB flash memory
This machine is totally silent, fanless and no hard drive. Well built with a good Intel 802.11ac wireless chip.
This was Microsoft's attempt to compete in the education market against Chromebooks. It failed because even 32 bit Windows 10 is too bulky to run well on this machine. I replaced Windows with 64 bit Ubuntu Linux using the XFCE desktop. I don't know if Unity will run on this machine but I don't like Unity anyway.
It's best to install Linux with the UEFI boot left in place. Ubuntu works ok with UEFI... you just have to follow the online instructions.
"He took a duck in the face at 250 knots." -- William Gibson, Pattern Recognition
One can wipe ChromeOS and just install certain Linux flavors.... but ChromeOS is for some and is about to get the Play store on many Chromebooks. And, using Crouton to run full blown Linux side by side is very easy to do. Plus there is a built-in self destruct since the CB needs to be in Developer Mode to run Crouton and thus it is easy to powerwash at start up when in that mode since it tells you press the space bar to leave DevMode which will delete everything for a clean install.
Reasonable 6-8 hour battery life, definitely less than $200 on eBay ($100-130) and you can crack it open to upgrade the storage to a larger drive, like 256GB. Hardware is fully supported with GalliumOS. Runs all your normal Linux software just fine, including Netflix streaming. Supports a FHD external display via HDMI port.
Chromebooks are pretty high quality and worth considering especially given the price. From experience:
ChromeOS is a nice idea but the web isn't there yet and Google's (slow) integration of Android, to a certain extent, is a surrender in recognition of that fact.
I wasn't impressed with Crouton. Well, know, wait, that's unfair: what Crouton does is impressive, but it's one of those things where you think "This is what you want", and you get it, and you realize that wasn't really what you wanted. Crouton offers a way to get a user session from Ubuntu (or whatever) to co-exist with your ChromeOS session, but it only really works if you want one of the major desktops on an older version of Ubuntu. And when you finally get it working, you end up asking yourself "Why? Why not have full Ubuntu, rather than just a user session?" and then you say "Ah, but this lets me switch between ChromeOS and half assed Ubuntu" and then you slap yourself and say "Why the f--- would you want ChromeOS if you're running Ubuntu anyway?"
So... the next step is chrx. chrx is a tool to actually install Ubuntu on your Chromebook - I mean, properly, not a subset. The process feels a little like installing Slackware on a Gateway 2000 PC from the late 1990s, which is odd because Chromebook hardware is more standardized, but, well. You'll need to patch your Chromebook's BIOS, for example. Oddly it's to support something called "Legacy boot", which raises an obvious question.
chrx does allow you to partition the laptop's SSD so you can keep ChromeOS for those occasions it might be useful. But otherwise you get to install either pure Ubuntu, or (the default) a modified version called GalliumOS which has its own "optimal" desktop. I'm running the latter, with Cinnamon, and it mostly works, except the multimedia keys don't do anything (so I can't adjust the volume easily), and the mousepad is always "tap to click" for some reason. Like I said, it's like installing Slackware on a 1990s PC.
If you have patience, a Chromebook is a good idea. Like I said, very high quality hardware for the price. But you need patience.
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
X201 is ridiculously easy to disassemble compared to many other notebooks. You can replace the WiFi MiniPCIe card in 5 minutes or so. The only problem is the BIOS whitelist, but a modified BIOS with the whitelist removed is not difficult to find.
"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
Seconded. The Asus X201E/F201E (X or F depending on where they were released) are GREAT. I have bought several of them on ebay, put in a cheap 120 GB SSD and installed Ubuntu. Perfect Netbook. It's cheap, it's solid, very lightweight, very good screen (although glossy), decent keyboard, even has a USB 3 (plus 2 USB 2). Battery is good for 4 hours of work or 1 movie (or 2 episodes). The power adapter is fairly small and light too. They even look decent. Fairly good build quality too. So far none of the 6 I bought have failed. Asus no longer produces them but they are available via ebay. Asus originally even offered a variant with Linux pre-installed (that's how I got my first one) There's 2 hardware variants: 2GB RAM vs 4 GB RAM. For most stuff it doesn't matter. I get the 4 GB variants just so I can play with kvm, lxc and docker. For just browsing, email, office work the 2 GB version is sufficient (I had that on my first F201E). The dual core centrino CPU is not powerful - but does the job. The integrated graphics is obviously not modern gaming capable (and a request for "Netbook" involves not requiring this) - but to my surprise it does run Age of Wonders III (obviously not on highest settings). Civ 5 is usable - but with noticable lag (even on lowest settings). Stuff like Baldurs Gate obviously has such low requirements compared to modern games that it runs without problems on this Netbook. But don't bother attempting anything fps depending. Duh. ;-)
I have given away several of them and everybody loves them.
There is still demand for them on ebay.
My guess is Asus discontinued these machines (and never offered successor machines) because they were a real alternatives for the much more expensive ultra book series for most everyday tasks.
These netbooks are perfect for getting stuff done on planes, trains or in a Cafe. That's what I originally got the first one for. But I used them far beyond my original plans.
Linux has 0 problems with these Netbooks.
Full disclosure: Every nth wake-up from sleep (I never turn them off, just close the cover and put it into standby mode) wifi doesn't wake up properly - that's the only time I bother to cold boot - half a minute later it's up again.
If you need more than 4 hours of battery - just get 2 of these. :-)