Debian compatible Laptops

[Eminent]

Hi,
I want to buy a laptop that can be compatible with Debian. I want to know which laptop brands are most compatible with Debian. I want to buy Asus VivoBook X540NA - E, Do you think it can be compatible with Debian? Please provide me information about this.

Thanks

[L_V]

Should be compatible, although not explicitly listed for the moment.
https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Asus

May be easier to list laptops which are "not" compatible with Debian.

[Eminent]

Should be compatible, although not explicitly listed for the moment.
https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Asus

May be easier to list laptops which are "not" compatible with Debian.

Can I make sure it is compatible with Debian?

[Head_on_a_Stick]

I want to buy Asus VivoBook X540NA - E

New machines and Debian (stable) do not work together well unless there has just been a new release because the software versions don't change and so new hardware won't be supported properly.

As we are approaching a new release in a few months then Debian 10 will probably support that machine fairly well (when it is released) but Debian 9 will only offer limited support and will require a newer kernel, firmware and graphics stack (and perhaps a few other things) from the backports repository to work well.

Note also that pretty much all wireless cards, both AMD & Intel CPUs and AMD, Intel & NVIDIA graphics cards will need non-free firmware to function optimally and this is not included in the official Debian release.

[L_V]

Can I make sure it is compatible with Debian ?

100% "sure" before trying is not that easy, unless you find someone who already installed Debian on the model you want to buy.
If you have access to this laptop in a shop, you can ask the permission to launch a Debian live CD to see what happen.

[GarryRicketson]

It seems contradictory :

by Eminent »
I want to buy a laptop that can be compatible with Debian. I want to know which laptop brands are most compatible with Debian.

Then:

I want to buy Asus VivoBook X540NA - E, Do you think it can be compatible with Debian?

If you are set on using ASUS, and it sounds like you are, Why ask about others ?
=====
I would not even consider Asus, all though it is listed here as 1 of the many others :
Listed here:
https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn

As all ready mentioned, really the only way to know for sure is to try, if the vendor is not willing to support that and let you try at least a Live CD or Usb device, then if it was me , I would not buy it, again, I would never even consider Asus as a option. But you could try asking them, and see what they say, if they have done any tests on that.

[GarryRicketson]

Just another comment here, I would not buy any new laptop that the vendors force me to have MS windows on it,..in other words, if they can not or will not install the OS of my choice, and still guarantee their hardware, then I would not buy it.
I did a little search foo for the OP and found this, :
https://www.cyberciti.biz/hardware/lapt ... preloaded/
There are many brands listed, but one would still need to contact the vendor directly and request installing Debian, or what ever OS. Or, request a laptop with no pre installed OS.
=========== and specially Debian, they have a very extensive list here:
https://www.debian.org/distrib/pre-installed

The companies listed on this page will pre-install Debian on your system. Besides saving you the time of installing the OS yourself, you also save by not having to purchase copies of other operating systems that most vendors force you to buy.

===
Amazing what a few minuets of searching can find.

[Hallvor]

Get a second hand computer with all-Intel parts. Getting a brand new one may be asking for trouble, at least if you want to run stable.

[Eminent]

What does mean non-free firmware?
Some hardware may not be known after upgrade the Debian to newer version?

[L_V]

=> https://wiki.debian.org/Firmware

[stevepusser]

That particular model doesn't have the best reviews on Amazon or notebookcheck, either. I'd look for another, myself.

[Eminent]

That particular model doesn't have the best reviews on Amazon or notebookcheck, either. I'd look for another, myself.

Thanks Steve,
I'd like to buy Dell or HP. What's your idea?

[stevepusser]

Dells seem to get the most votes and likes for Linux compared to HP.

I'm using an MSI GP63 8RD for package building for MX Linux that pretty much works out of the box with MX 18, though. I got it about a year ago for the powerful i7-8750H CPU and good cooling solution under 100% CPU stress, not for the weight, battery life, and gamer styling.

Here a report generated just now for it by hw-probe: https://linux-hardware.org/?probe=bf82fba8fd

[None1975]

Get a second hand computer with all-Intel parts. Getting a brand new one may be asking for trouble, at least if you want to run stable.

+1

[dotlj]

My wife has been running Debian Stretch on an Asus Zenbook UA550UX which is nicer that the Vivobook with no problems.
Used UEFI with secure boot off and everything worked from the Debian Stretch image on a USB flashdisk.
All hardware detected and working.
I have been using Debian on a number of laptops, currently on MSI which is about 3 years old, also an Acer which is 7 years old and an HP which is 10 years old. Before that I've installed and used Debian on other Acer and Asus computers, as well as Compaq before it was taken over by HP. I haven't tried Gigabyte yet, Razer or a few others.

As others have said, look at what others are using for Linux, try to avoid Nvidia, although most decent computers come with Nvidia graphics these days.

[shep]

Laptop's have inherent compromises. A separate high powered video card equates to shorter battery life and more weight to lug around. If I were in the market know, I would look at the newer AMD based Ryzen systems. AMD now has 14nm gpus that provide good video performance and battery life. AMD is soon to release a 7nm mobile gpu. Intel has has a number of setbacks and move their 10nm product release date back to the end of 2019.

If you want light and long battery life without needing gaming Video performance, the Intel gemini lake based laptops have come down in price. I picked up a HP Stream cb112wm refurbished during the last holiday sales for $139. Once you settle on your features then web search to see if anyone is running linux on that particular model. I bought it because I could upgrade the RAM and change out the wifi card if necessary.

I would also look at the following on youtube: techtablets and Lon TV. Both review laptops, including prying them open to see if they can be upgraded and if there are any issues with running linux.