After drawing the sad conclusion that 90% of all laptops come with 1366x786 resolution (see also this useless rant: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ts-all-912820/) it seems that the ASUS N53SV is available with a decent resolution. Models I am looking at are provided with the GT540M chip. Unfortunately I see some mixed reviews about this laptop when it comes to the graphics chips.

So is anyone able to comment on this:

• It seems that the switching between the Intel GPU and NVIDIA GPU doesn't work properly. Does that mean that the Intel GPU as such works and works in the correct resolution with the normal acceleration Intel provides?
• Is it a matter that the switching is not correct and that somehow the NVIDIA GPU can be enabled at boot time?
• If the NVIDIA GPU is used, does that have a adverse effect on battery life?
• I need to be able to connect to video projectors which often need a
  lower resolution. Is that managable even if I don't use the NVIDIA and their excellent GUI tool to set up the external VGA port?
• Any other comments on battery life, keyboard or wireless?

I intend to install Debian. Most likely Squeeze, maybe Wheezy if I have to. The laptop is intended for office work. I do need GLX for certain applications like 3Dwings.

I won't play games, nor watch movies on this machine. Occasionally I need to use the laptop on battery for an extended time so battery life is important.

I can live with not using KDE desktop effects or Compiz.

jlinkels

Checking here:
http://www.asus.com/Notebooks/Multim...specifications
I only see it having an nvidia card, no intel graphics. Nothing about optimus in the manual either.

The nivida card it has is supported and has vdpau support, so it looks good.

Either way, if it does turn out to have optimus, there does exist a linux project for it:
http://www.martin-juhl.dk/2011/08/ir...ting-for-duty/

The N53SV is the generic name for a series, like N53SV-XV1, NV53SV-EH72. The come with i3, i5 and i7 processors. The site you are pointing me to show exactly that. All Linux reviews I have read so far mention Intel/NVidia GPU's and associated problems, including this one: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ighlight=n53SV

I am considering the N53SV-XV1 or NV53SV-EH72 with a 1920 x 1080 screen. It might be true that some N53SV don't have an Intel GPU, saying that the N53SV doesn't have Intel, is not.

Furthermore I said I was not interested in watching movies on this laptop, so what is the importance of VDPAU?

jlinkels

Well, maybe you should get another laptop without nvidia or optimus, if you really want it to work without any problems.

Like I said, optimus is not officially supported in Linux, so it is kind of a gamble. Since you won't be needing an nvidia card, choose a laptop without one.

I wish I could find a decent one below $1000,- and preferably available at Amazon.com. (Other USA companies often reject credit cards of non-USA banks altough I have a delivery address in Miami-FL). Even up to $1100,- would be acceptable.

There are plenty of notebooks available in the $400-700 range, but they all come with 1366x768 screen resolution. That is not acceptable.

jlinkels

Looking over some laptops on amazon, I do notice a few facts:

All Full HD (1920x1080) laptops have an nvidia card (or ATI). This may be because Intel cards are just not capable of this resolution.
All Intel GMA laptops have a max resolution of 1366x768.
All laptops with an nvidia card (AFAIK) have optimus, even tho they don't say it. This may not be true, but it's very hard to find out.

So, there aren't too many options left.

You can take the gamble and get one with an nvidia card and optimus and use ironhide.
You can get one with an ATI card, these for sure don't have optimus.
You can give up on Full HD and get one with an Intel GMA card.

It's up to you, but it seems you can't have exactly what you want.

'Optimus' is not a 'switching' tech (the eariler 'switchable graphics' is). What is meant to happen is that all accelerated content is done on the nVidia GPU, all non-accelerated content is done on the intel video chip. Then the 2 signals are merged.

With some laptops, there was a BIOS switch to 'force' the nVidia GPU. That will slightly lower battery life in most situations, as the nVidia GPU uses more power than the intel video chip. BIOS switches are rarer now than they were, and even if you do find a laptop with a BIOS switch you could lose that option when you get a BIOS update.

Yes, 'optimus' will affcect your battery life. If you use windows and do lots of 3D and/or other acelerated stuff, battery life should be better with an optimus setup. If you only use 2D/non-accelerated stuff, battery life will be lower with optimus (due to the nVidia GPU using some current even when not running)

With linux it should be fairly similar, but due to the nature of the support that 'optimus' has with linux its hard know without testing.

Hooking up to a external display (be that a monitor, TV or a projector) should be no real problem in most cases, even using the intel video chip and drivers.

You will probably need to use testing/sid (or backport some stuff to stable) with 'sandy bridge' setups. Squeeze should run, but it wont have full support and is more likely to have issues than testing/sid.

No, no, and sort of.

There are 1920x1080 laptops running 'sandy bridge' (and earlier Intel video). While the intel 'sandy bridge' GPU is almost as much of a joke as earlier intel 'GPUs' its more than capable of 1920x1080 (should go to 2560x1600). See 2 examples of 1920x1080 laptops using nothing but the sandy brigde video here-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834198014
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834127463

AMD doesnt support optimus at all. Not that you will find many AMD/nVidia setups now. Not all intel CPUs support optimus, only the 'sandy bridge' mdoels do (core iX-XXXX). The eariler iX models (core iX-XXX) do not support optimus at all. There are also 'oddball' models with switchable gprahics/optimus setups, like you actually own H_TeXMeX_H....

Now, thats not true at all (unless you mean 'all from amazon')-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834115990

Yes, that is one you have already rejected. I really dont think there would be that much difference between a 7.26lb 17.3'' laptop and a 5.7-6lb 15.6'' laptop, especially once you count the bag, charger, etc..

Try finding some of the clevo/sager laptops, like from here-

http://www.xoticpc.com/custom-gaming...95_51_162.html

Yes, yes, 'gaming' laptops (an oxymoron IMO). But if you want 1920x1080 its very hard to find a 15''-15.6'' laptop without it being some sort of 'gaming' laptop. Possible, but hard.

Yeah, they are hand to find. You found two, so I recommend the Cyperpower one. I don't like $ony.

I have found this one: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-VPCSE13FX...432258&sr=8-30

It's within my budget, resolution is satisfactory, Amazon sells it, no NVIDIA but Radeon, light, long battery life...

Any comments?

jlinkels