Ask Slashdot: What's the Best Linux Laptop?

Long-Time Slashdot reader sconeu is finally replacing his 10-year-old Toshiba Satellite laptop, and needs suggestions on the best current laptops for running Linux. I'm looking to run some flavor of Linux (probably KDE-based UI, but not mandatory) while using a virtual machine to run Windows 7 (for stuff needed for work). For me personally, battery life and weight are more important than raw power. I'm not going to be running games on this. I've been considering an XPS 13 Developer Edition, or something from System76, ZaReason or Emperor Linux. What laptop do you use? Do you have any suggestions?
It's your chance to share useful information, recommendations, and your own experiences with various brands of laptop. So leave your best answers in the comments. What's the best Linux laptop?

Comments

Asus UX305CA

[Lisandro]

Beautiful design, screen and battery life, plus it runs the latest Linux kernels without any issues whatsoever. I love mine.

Re:Asus UX305CA

[Dr. Evil]

Running the kernel is no problem.

Having working sound, volume controls, 3d support, wifi, touchpad w. multi-touch, Bluetooth, suspend, hibernate (and resume), etc, etc. is another matter.

For me, having a keyboard which doesn't mix up Fn and Ctrl (with no abilty to remap), or disposes of home/end/pgup/pgdn in favour of putting prtscr next to Ctrl, or forward/back buttons over the arrow keys, keeps function keys as function keys and possibly has a mouse with three buttons... these are the difference between an crappy Linux laptop and an ok Linux laptop.

Give it 8h battery life (genuine 8h, not pretend 8h), upgradable RAM, upgradable storage, and a high resolution display with good viewing angles, HDMI out (or similar)... then we're talkign a great Linux laptop.

This might only be the XPS13 or circa 2011 Thinkpads.

Re:I use Trump distro

[Anonymous Coward]

Remove systemd: make linux great again.

Re: My Dell XPS that came with Linux installed...

[ClickOnThis]

I'm typing this right now on a Dell laptop with Ubuntu 14.04 installed. I have never encountered a problem connecting to WiFi that was due to the software.

Throwing in my vote for a Thinkpad

[execthis]

Just throwing in my vote for a Thinkpad. I personally won't even consider a laptop that doesn't have a Trackpoint. NVidia drivers should pretty much work no problem with Linux however there can be issues with certain apps running under Wine with NVidia drivers to to be completely safe you might want to stick with an Intel graphics chipset.

Stuff I run on Wine: Kindle for PC, Adobe Acrobat XI, and Adobe Photoshop that latter of which has an issue with NVidia.

As for models it seems like all the most recent ones are getting pretty light with amazing battery life, but if you want ultra-light and great battery then get the X1 Carbon. Personally I would love to get one of the new P series.

Re:Stability

[AnthonywC]

I run Ubuntu LTS 16.04 (and briefly 14.04) version; wireless & video are both quite stable. System76 actually recommend to install their own driver so maybe that helps. I haven't had any driver break during upgrade but I did mange to break lightdm with a manual kernel upgrade but I think that was more of a kernel or lightdm bug. Ubuntu also has a stupid wireless resume from suspend bug that requires me to hack a script to fix.

Re: My Dell XPS that came with Linux installed...

[thegarbz]

I have never encountered a problem connecting to WiFi that was due to the software.

Hug wood. Do it now. Don't just touch it, or tap it, or knock it, make damn love to it.

You have never had a problem connecting WiFi under Linux on a Dell laptop? It's here. Our moment. THE SAVIOUR IS COMING! I got to run to church and pr