20 ms·

Razer targets perfect Linux support

415 points by danjoc 10y ago

dijit 10y ago
I recently purchased a Dell Precision 5520 because its linux support is terrific (or, it was on the 5510). If they pull this off then the next laptop I buy will almost certainly be a razer. No question.
- DoofusOfDeath 10y ago
  Can you clarify? Given your praise of the Precision 5520, why would you get something else next time?
  - partisan 10y ago
    I was in the market for a new laptop and strongly considered the 5510/5520s. They look amazing even when seen from the perspective of coming from a MBP. That said, the video cards on that series are optimized for CAD and not for gaming. If you are looking at a Razer at all, then you likely have some need for the gaming support, but if you bought the Dell, you are probably airing on the side of sensibility. If Razer were to make reliable products then the Razer Blade would be the perfect thing. I recently bought a new laptop after considering the two above. My final choice was one I wouldn't typically wouldn't have made: MSI Ghost GS63VR. I needed to have the computing and graphics power at a low enough price point that I could afford to bounce back if the laptop goes bad (the first one I bought last week failed within 2 days).
iotscale 10y ago
Well, I think I'll refrain from buying razer because of this: https://mobile.twitter.com/internetofshit/status/836651116817498118 https://mobile.twitter.com/internetofshit/status/83665111681...
- breul99 10y ago
  This is for their razor blade laptop, are you really going to avoid their entire line up because of that?
  - dubcanada 10y ago
    This isn't even the laptop, it's for Razer Synapses which is their cloud mouse/keyboard settings program. This is literally nothing to do with their laptop line up.
    - debaserab2 10y ago
      If they can screw up a mouse that badly why should I trust them with my entire system?
    - iotscale 10y ago
      it's the same brand, I think if they have the tendency to do this for their keyboard and mouse, who knows what they'll end up doing with their laptops.
    - jrockway 10y ago
      This seems to be how the world of Windows works. Every peripheral I have seems to need an account to save your settings in the cloud, a feature I pretty much never care about. Every vendor wants you to know that yes, you're using their thing, and that they employ an entire team of engineers and designers that have never seen a computer before. I wish someone would put a stop to it.
      - Slackwise 10y ago
        This is why I had reservations about many high end mechanical keyboards that had all their macro/lighting/etc support done via software. Found out that Ducky makes keyboards that are 100% hardware configured, no OS even needed, just power. (Also IKBC keyboards do configuration via firmware too, I believe.) As for my mouse, I had to use some Corsair junk to configure the button mappings, sensitivity, and turn down their ridiculous LED, but then it saved the settings to the mouse firmware so I can uninstall it and use it just fine on Linux. No more touching it again. Still not happy about it. Would rather it had been some tiny DIP switches underneath.
minimaxir 10y ago
Interesting that Razer is targeting Linux before macOS. I bought a Logitech mechanical keyboard (G810) and mouse (G502) primarily because they are the only manufacturer that offers first-class drivers for their products on macOS. EDIT: misread HN headline; article mostly about Linux support on their laptops so comment is somewhat moot.
- danjoc 10y ago
  This is for running Linux on Razer Blade systems.
  - minimaxir 10y ago
    Ah, that appears to be the case. This is what happens when you only read the HN headline. :/
- yedpodtrzitko 10y ago
  Not really - Razer makes devices for gamers, and macOS support for gaming is abysmal - no Vulkan support, poor OpenGL implementation, no VR support... you name it. So focusing on Linux makes more sense for a gaming hardware.
  - mevile 10y ago
    As a datapoint from someone who uses razer software on macs: I use razer hardware with my macbook pro at work. I have a razer keyboard, a pretty LED firefly mouse pad and a pretty LED razer mouse and razer's "Synapse" software mostly works, but I definitely feel like razer has a long way to go with software in general. It forgets settings, the update process is weird, and compared with Corsair or Steel Series software it is definitely not as good. I tried the Razer nabu watch and its software was worse in every way when compared to a pebble. Bluetooth connectivity had issues, step tracking, sleep tracking, it was all significantly worse than a PT. I love razer hardware, but their software skills seem to be still catching up.
- eikenberry 10y ago
  I have never seen a mechanical keyboard that required drivers. What abou that Logitech keyboard requires a driver?
tyleo 10y ago
I have a 14" Razer laptop from 2016. I am currently running Windows on it, and FWIW I have never been more pleased with a laptop. I wonder if they will add compatibility for the Razer Core on the Linux side of things.
- danjoc 10y ago
  Currently, requires modding the BIOS. https://insider.razerzone.com/index.php?threads/razer-core-on-linux-with-razer-blade-stealth-requires-bios-mod.20677/ https://insider.razerzone.com/index.php?threads/razer-core-o... Hopefully, that changes in the future.
hinfaits 10y ago
For readers confused as I was, the Facebook post only says they're "looking at" better Linux support. The author buries in a comment a target for flawless Linux support[1]. But I'd expect if flawless Linux support was actually their goal they'd announce it more prominently, which they did not. [1]https://www.facebook.com/minliangtan/photos/a.116842955040162.11402.113306788727112/1333298720061240/?type=3&comment_id=1333320063392439&reply_comment_id=1333321023392343&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D https://www.facebook.com/minliangtan/photos/a.11684295504016...
- danjoc 10y ago
  I wasn't sure about their commitment either, but on the linked page, Min-Liang Tan (Razer CEO) comments: "Well - our objective is to get the Blades to be running Linux flawlessly." That seems like Razer is setting a clear target for Linux support.
  - enknamel 10y ago
    Under promise but over deliver!
auvi 10y ago
I would also vouch for FreeBSD on Razer laptops.
- baldfat 10y ago
  Why would BSD Desktop need a powerful laptop? What applications are you running on a desktop BSD?
  - baldfat 10y ago
    It's okay to vote me down but I really am wondering what Desktop BSD are doing? I have been an old Amiga guy that ended up finding a home with Linux. I tried BSD several times and have BSD running a server at my home. My experience with Desktop BSD just didn't see where you would use the available application that would need a strong computer except for developing for BSD?
  - mrweasel 10y ago
    I would assume the exact same applications that Linux users will be running. Maybe few VM in beehive as well.
- djsumdog 10y ago
  FreeBSD laptop support is really specific and limited. I got FreeBSD-11 working perfectly on a Carbon X1 1st gen ... but the motherboard on it is going out and it likes to reboot randomly now (checked the ram, SSD and tried updating the BIOS .. BIOS update fails with a beep code whose only forum response on Lenovo's website is "return for warranty." :-/) If you want FreeBSD on a laptop, check their wiki/list. There is a small subset with full suspend/resume support right now.
rohall 10y ago
This is great! I picked up a Razer 2016/1060 a couple months ago and have been running Ubuntu on it since then. There's been a few issues, but overall it's been a great machine to transition to after a decade of Mac usage. If you're interested, it will require a bit of configuration (and even then its not 100% perfect just yet). See here for a list of issues/solutions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jI2jlVi1V0H8SeNm5kspJ1qXVtibLOnxNOkDr8ExoSI/edit#heading=h.nkiewtcyw910 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jI2jlVi1V0H8SeNm5kspJ1qX...) Feel free to ask any questions if you're curious about picking one up!
- danjoc 10y ago
  Ohhh, nice doc :D Looks like you found a few solutions that I haven't. Thanks for sharing!
  - rohall 10y ago
    No problem! Just to be clear, I can't take credit for the content of the doc or starting it, but I've found it very useful. If you have a solution / issue that isn't listen - please add it as a comment on the doc :).
- gshulegaard 10y ago
  Once upon a time I installed Ubuntu on either first gen or second gen "Razer Blade" (since rebranded the "Pro"/17 inch) and the only real issue I had with it was the keyboard would send double input. Found someone who had put together a custom driver patch and it became usable. I have been looking at the Razer Blade and the Alienware 13" recently and have been leaning towards the Alienware since I can replace the WiFi card...but if Razer brings 1st class support for Linux systems then I will have a much harder decision to make when I start looking again.
- projektir 10y ago
  Thank you so much for this! I have a 2016 and I'm still struggling with Optimus, will definitely be looking at that link.
justicezyx 10y ago
I think the developer community right now is siganificant enough to offer a meaningful market for smaller shop like Razer. If they manage to deliver a relatively well-built (not to the level of apple, something close to xps or thinkpad), with solid linux integration, slightly expensive (like 10% over the mass market models with equivalent hardware spec), I will buy for sure.
- MegaButts 10y ago
  I don't own a Razer, although I've been thinking about buying one. My understanding is they're top notch, maybe even on par with Apple, if you get one without issues. They have above-average defect rates and way-below-average customer support. If you check out forums or /r/razer you'll find some people gushing over their laptops, and many complaining about support.
  - deleted 10y ago
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  - danjoc 10y ago
    I'm a gusher myself, and I'm super picky. I looked for backlight bleed, dead pixels, scratches, unlevel feet. If you're worried about buying a lemon, they sell them at the Microsoft store. In stock. You can buy and return all in the same place.
notheguyouthink 10y ago
This is a quick way for me to buy them instead of a new MacBook Pro. Awesome to see someone step up to the plate!
geoka9 10y ago
Please also add trackpoint[0] so that we thinkpad (linux) users can be more comfortable considering switching to your platform. [0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointing_stick https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointing_stick
- jolux 10y ago
  I know some people love them but compared to the massive glass trackpad with multitouch that I have on my MacBook I don't understand the appeal. Is it a portability thing?
  - kobeya 10y ago
    It's a not-having-to-move-your-fingers-from-home-row thing. It is extremely important for people like me that suffer from repetitive strain disorders, if we want to keep maximum productivity.
    - rpdillon 10y ago
      Precisely my experience. RSI changed everything, and I find it hard to explain to those that have never experienced it.
  - lallysingh 10y ago
    Keep your fingers on the home row. Much faster.
    - orbitingpluto 10y ago
      Love the nub! Trackpoints are better when in a cramped situation such as air travel. No readjusting of elbows are required when switching between keyboard and trackpoint.
  - antaviana 10y ago
    I have not used a Thinkpad in 10 year but I have never seen anything that compares to the Trackoint. Anything else has always given me the urge to use a mouse.
f8kr 10y ago
Razer's Synapse, or cloud based drivers seem like a huge step backwards. Needing to make an account so I can change the sensitivity of my mouse is crazy. I've heard the argument * they needed more space on the device so couldn't include the drivers and configuration * cloud drivers allow portability of configuration Both of those fall on their face in reality. Lan gaming is mostly dead since most multiplayer games are online and memory space is cheap.
- pfooti 10y ago
  you can run synapse in offline mode.
  - hodgekins 10y ago
    Still worth avoiding. It's a bad precedent to have hardware on the "cloud" for no reason. I still need to interface with their online service to use my offline device. Having a keyboard capable of calling home is not something I want any part of.
  - FanaHOVA 10y ago
    Only if you're logged in already. Just look at their Facebook page during the S3 outage, on which Synapse relies on. That software is just a piece of crap.
mmjaa 10y ago
I mean, this is one of those things where either you're a real company, or you're not. Half a company is, like, supply chain management. The other half is, pushing the perspective beyond the horizon. Razer solve all the supply problems, obviously, or else there wouldn't be a working catalog, but as far as pushing things beyond the event horizon, signs are that there is much more to come. Look at it this way... what Apple did with NextStep in 1999, Razer, et al., could be doing right now, finally, and catching up. With Linux. Only 20 years behind the ball, but .. then again .. these are not yet $Billion companies. Yet.
cdubzzz 10y ago
For many of Razer's peripherals, there are some very well supported reverse engineered drivers: https://github.com/terrycain/razer-drivers https://github.com/terrycain/razer-drivers
mathnode 10y ago
I am one of many disgruntled Razer Blade Stealth and razer core owners, currently awaiting a refund. Some customers are on as many as their 4th or 5th replacement unit. They have no English support in the UK, just a couple of german phone numbers which nobody seems to answer. The forum is terrible and they can't translate emails correctly. It's insulting. The typical issues are usually related to firmware, which myself and other users would be willing to wait for to be fixed, but Razer's default, almost auto-response, solution is to just send you another unit, with the same issues. In general though, the razer blade stealth is not even in the same league as an x1, mbp, or xps, and it's not supposed to be. It's just priced the same. Razer. Apple prices, gateway support.
- byefruit 10y ago
  Just wanted to say that I'm looking to an existing ultraportable and hearing stories about how poor Razer's quality control and customer service is (from /r/razer and from friends) means I won't be buying a Razer Blade Stealth. It's a real shame, it fits the bill perfectly but Dell will almost certainly get my money for an XPS 13 instead.
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- technoir 10y ago
  Yes, I had an awful experience with the stealth also, though it had nothing to do with linux support (managed to get everything working). Multiple hardware failures and eventually had to return it. They should probably learn basic quality control techniques before spending any energy on better linux support.
- Etheryte 10y ago
  I've had very similar experiences with their support on other devices, very displeased. For a mouse of theirs, I ended up writing a kernel extension to fix the issues myself.
- deleted 10y ago
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kobeya 10y ago
Any Razer engineers here? I'm a proud owner that would like to work with you directly to fix some of the remaining driver support issues. Also, has anyone gotten the Razer Blade to work with the Razer Core thunderbolt 3 expansion chassis? On default Ubuntu 16.04 it picks up the thunderbolt hub, but nothing underneath. This would be an amazing laptop for machine learning if I could supercharge it with a Titan-X. Also, consider a 32GB build for us developers...
- feld 10y ago
  I'm not sure that is something that could be "fixed" in 16.04 unless you can convince the Ubuntu kernel maintainers to backport patches for PCI-E hotplug / thunderbolt support.
  - kobeya 10y ago
    I'm running a kernel that supports PCI-E hotplug & thunderbolt. That's not the issue. FWIW the kernel in 16.04 does support that. But I've tried with newer kernels too.
  - pedrocr 10y ago
    LTS releases (like 16.04) get hardware enablement stacks where X/kernel/etc gets upgraded to the versions from the non-LTS releases. So if you make it work with ubuntu 17.04 for example it will trickle down to the LTS users. Makes LTS a much more attractive solution on the desktop. I've stopped bothering with the intermediate ones.
- jldugger 10y ago
  I saw a demo of someone getting the external video card working, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7kUgkXeTDw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7kUgkXeTDw But it required patching BIOS to allow the user to toggle some legacy settings.
  - kobeya 10y ago
    Interesting. I'll look into that. Thank you.
ktta 10y ago
Non-mobile link: https://www.facebook.com/minliangtan/photos/a.116842955040162.11402.113306788727112/1333298720061240/?type=3&theater https://www.facebook.com/minliangtan/photos/a.11684295504016... dang, can we get the link changed to this since most phones will redirect to the mobile version, but for some reason, people haven't figured a way to redirect to desktop versions from mobile?
- danjoc 10y ago
  As a counter point, the mobile version works without javascript. That's important to some of us :)
  - ktta 10y ago
    That's interesting. Thanks for letting me know!
enknamel 10y ago
I really like someone stepping up and making a high quality linux laptop. After the thread yesterday about System76 (who I thought was doing that) this makes me really happy. It's also somewhat a threat to Apple. If you aren't doing any iOS development you will now get a really nice alternative to a Macbook Pro.
- greenhatman 10y ago
  Aren't Dell doing this well already with their XPS series?
  - enknamel 10y ago
    They are but all my experiences with Dell have been really subpar so I am almost permanently turned off from them. The XPS Developer Edition does look interesting though. But I am biased towards Razer because I am a gamer and would love to have a laptop that is great at development and great at playing games.
  - nas 10y ago
    Really not impressed with my XPS 13. The screen automatically changes brightness depending what is shown on it (dynamic brightness). The touchpad works really poorly, detects palm touches as clicks all the time. Nearly impossible for me to type without clicks. Messing with settings reduced palm clicks but made the pad unresponsive to clicks from my finger. Had lockups until I upgraded kernel and flashed now BIOS. Audio had really loud hissing until I opened alsamixer and set controls to exactly the right values (got of a wiki page). To be fair, the audio is noisy on Windows 10 too. My old Lenovo X200 works nearly flawless on Linux. Again, pretty disappointed with Dell.
  - blockoperation 10y ago
    I haven't tried an XPS, but the Precision 7xxx stuff definitely qualifies. My 7510 came with Ubuntu, and the experience was just as polished as any Windows machine (better in some ways, as they had configured their way around some Skylake-specific issues that still affected Windows at the time).
- 10y ago
clord 10y ago
At first I thought the coloured keyboard on most of their systems was useless, but I wonder if I could rig it up to switch colour based on vim mode. That might be fun. Is it controllable from software?
- popcorncolonel 10y ago
  Yes. Razer Synapse is quite thorough.
- WaxProlix 10y ago
  There's an SDK for interacting with all Razer Chroma enabled devices, so it's doable. http://developer.razerzone.com/works-with-chroma/download/ http://developer.razerzone.com/works-with-chroma/download/
bluehazed 10y ago
32GB RAM and a TrackPoint/pointing stick, please.
zem 10y ago
i keep wondering whether i should check out razer or dell for my next laptop, but i can't give up my thinkpad keyboards.
ythn 10y ago
Anyone else own a Razer mechanical keyboard that doesn't work in GRUB/BIOS menus? I have a Black Widow Stealth and it works great... except not in BIOS menus or GRUB menus. In those cases I have to plug in my old keyboard to get a response.
- AstralStorm 10y ago
  You may need to enable legacy USB support in firmware and hope it works with your machine or mainboard. Other than that, some of the advanced devices initialize too slow and firmware is not waiting on them long enough.
rasz_pl 10y ago
Warning: They keep using underspecced parts in the cpu supply, and treat customers like idiots by pretending to never heard about the problem(Apple tactic to avoid warranty/lawsuit). Did your Razer die? Did manufacturer propose $700 fix? Watch this: https://mailin.repair/blog/razer-laptop-motherboard-failure-repair-by-replacing-the-blown-mosfets/ https://mailin.repair/blog/razer-laptop-motherboard-failure-...
hicolour 10y ago
Fix this enormous basel and ad support for 32GB memory and there will be no competition ...
- AstralStorm 10y ago
  It is either bezel or thickness if you want proper cooling in a small laptop - only 17" ones are likely to get away without either. Or you can stick with low power cool hardware but that defeats the point of the gaming laptop.
chris_wot 10y ago
This got the attention of Alberto Ruiz at RedHat...
- danjoc 10y ago
  Muhahaha, my plan is working! ;)
crudbug 10y ago
Give me Triple Display Notebook - Project Valerie [0], for under 2K, I will throw my Macbook Pro. This will be my dream Development machine. Its interesting we have Game/Business centric notebooks. No Development centric notebooks. [0] https://www.razerzone.com/project-valerie https://www.razerzone.com/project-valerie
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
kyledrake 10y ago
I discussed this with the CEO a while ago on Twitter https://twitter.com/minliangtan/status/447658322544439296 https://twitter.com/minliangtan/status/447658322544439296 I think their best bet would be to have someone at the company work specifically on Linux issues. Dell did this and made a handsome return on their investment. I currently use a Dell Developer XPS, but would definitely consider the Blade as a candidate for my next laptop if they were good about Linux compatibility in their next release.
- ndesaulniers 10y ago
  I'd love to work there on improving Linux support.
projektir 10y ago
I got a 2016 Blade recently and installed Arch Linux on it. The only thing I found problematic so far was Nvidia Optimus, which seems a general issue.
- djsumdog 10y ago
  Yea, the bbswitch stuff hasn't really been maintained. For my most recent Linux laptop I went with a Dell XPS 13 so I only had one graphics card to worry about.
- lj3 10y ago
  A few days late here, but Nvidia Optimus is a general issue on all platforms, including windows. I raved for years about linux graphics support being crap, to the general amazement of the rest of the linux community. When I switched to windows, I found I had the same problems I did on linux. Oops.
acabal 10y ago
I've been using a Razer Blade 2015 as an Ubuntu-only computer for several years now, and I've recommended it on HN in the past. It's been a great machine, and Linux works surprisingly well. (Of course that means that there are some minor problems, but "surprisingly well" is high praise in the world of Linux on laptops.) Lots of people here complaining about build quality issues, but mine has been completely solid. The only issues I've experienced are some of the keyboard keys are losing their matte black printing, which is surprising but not fatal. Additionally, at first I had a hard time getting a Blade that did not have a screen with a pink-to-white tint to it. However this appears to be an issue with all IPS panels--my Nexus 6 has the same issue and you can find people on Apple forums complaining about similar problems on Macbooks. Razer support was very helpful, and they hand-checked a unit to send me as a replacement, which is the one I'm using to this day. In short, I'd continue recommending Blades for development work as Linux machines, and even moreso if they can iron out the usual Linux driver issues that plague all laptops. Edit: I should also add that my limited experience with Razer support has been good, in that I got personal replies from people who didn't seem to be reading from a script, and who were happy to accommodate my returns and pickiness about screen quality.
- philliphaydon 10y ago
  What is battery life like for you? I tried Ubuntu on an Asus laptop 4 years ago. Windows would get ~7 hours, while Ubuntu barely managed to get 3 hours. I love using it on desktop, but it sucks (sucked) on laptop when I used it.
  - Hydraulix989 10y ago
    Try using tlp and powertop to diagnose the issue (your CPU might not be entering low power C states -- a common problem with older kernels that don't support the latest Intel CPU architectures), so also upgrade your kernel. Linux has consistently gotten 1.5x as much runtime on battery for me as Windows.
DonnyV 10y ago
These laptops are WAAAAAAAY over priced for what you get. I got a MSI G Series GS70 STEALTH-037 17.3-Inch Laptop and love it!!! Solid as a rock, always stays up to date firmware and plays Battlefield 1 smooth as butter. Plus 2 hard drives and you can connect 3 monitors. I can't recommend them enough.
- djsumdog 10y ago
  I used an MSI laptop for over a year as a Linux/primary dev laptop: http://penguindreams.org/blog/msi-ws60-running-linux/ http://penguindreams.org/blog/msi-ws60-running-linux/ I now have a desktop and put Windows back on the lappy to play games, but it was an excellent Linux dev device, although I did have to get Wi-Fi working myself as I was an early adopter. I never did get Bluetooth working, but after putting Windows back on, Bluetooth still didn't work and I realized it was a faulty adapter. :-/ One day I'll open it and replace it, but for now I just use a USB adapter. If you use a laptop for Linux dev, you'll most likely struggle with some hardware that's not supported yet (although I've been very lucky with ever Dell being supported by the mainline kernel and latest linux-firmware). Getting hardware working is the _fun_ part. :)
kentosi 10y ago
If they just made the bezel more like XPS I'd be handing over my credit card right now.
gwicks56 10y ago
If you are not doing Rails work, do people find Linux that much more productive these days than windows? I generally buy Thinkpads because of the keyboard and cost (upgrade myself), and used to use Ubuntu probably 85% of the time. Overtime I have found myself doing more and more in Windows, because of both drivers and battery life. For sys admin in makes sense, but for general dev work, I tend to find everything works just fine on windows, plus it makes day to day usage easier.
abvdasker 10y ago
Calling it now: Razer is going to eat Apple's share of the *nix-based developer market over the next few years.
pbz 10y ago
If they're reading this, here's my wishlist: 1) 15.6 inch laptop (14 is too small, especially with those bezels). 2) As thin of a bezel as possible (see XPS) 3) Camera on top! I don't want to show my fingers in conference calls. This may force the bezels to be larger on top, that's fine. (Pop-out camera?) 4) Offer the highest quality display from a color reproduction point of view, not the refresh rate. This is NOT a gaming laptop, or at least not a pro one. 5) The resolution should allow me to use the OS without scaling. If you can squeeze more than 1080p (1440?) the better. We need vertical space for coding! Some folks like 4K, so that should be an option. 6) Connectivity is important; lots of ports. Also, Intel WiFi cards, not Killer. 7) The sound should at least be decent. I don't understand how a phone can have better (ok, lounder) sound than a laptop. 8) Give us an option to optimize for power vs battery life. I want the fastest CPU (within reason) and a good GPU (1060 or 1050, but ideally 1060) at the expense of battery life, but others would like more battery. 9) I'm picky about the SSD that goes into the laptop. Either allow me to replace it or allow me to pick what I want (960 Pro). 10) Good trackpad, ideally with buttons. 11) Good keyboard, super important... 12) Under 6lbs 13) Cooling has to be top notch and the air intake cannot be on the bottom. I actually use the laptop on my lap. 14) Height should be around 1 inch. Making it super thin like MBPs is not worth the tradeoffs. 15) That logo needs to go or at a minimum don't make it glow...
- kobeya 10y ago
  It IS a gaming laptop... And basically all your points sum up to it being a radically different laptop than what it is. Why not buy something else than ask changes of what Razer fans love?
  - pbz 10y ago
    Currently, yes, but I was giving suggestions in case they want to branch out. They asked a few times on Twitter what a developer would like in a laptop. The wish list reflects that. Unfortunately, I couldn't find something that would check off most of the items above.
    - kobeya 10y ago
scurvy 10y ago
I'll just put it this way: BIOS updates require purchasing a Razer Core or RMA'ing your entire laptop. Not a lie. Not an exaggeration. It's the truth for Blade and Blade Stealth owners. The experience is borderline terribad. I got things (mostly) working with Linux Mint, but: 1) Runtime is maybe 2 hours. 2) It won't sleep when you close the lid (I have sleep hotkeyed instead) 3) The USB support is loltastic 4) External HDMI connector worked for a week then quit 5) Takes 3 hours to fully charge the battery I could go on but it's Friday. I had really high hopes for this laptop and was ultimately let down by Razer. They should stick to making their peripherals work with Linux, then they can put on their bigboy pants and try to make an entire system.
rpdillon 10y ago
This is confusing. It looks like they opened up a forum for users to discuss Linux support on their machines. Have they done anything at all beyond that?
- danjoc 10y ago
  The CEO said, hey, I want my laptops to run Linux flawlessly. Let's work on making that happen together. Here's a forum. Let's get some feedback on what we can do to better support Linux in future hardware. This is a company that makes prototype laptops with three displays :D The dude will sink time and money into this if that's what he wants.
ndesaulniers 10y ago
Here's my damage report for running Linux of a late 2016 Razer Blade Stealth laptop: https://www.reddit.com/r/razer/comments/5orvy5/late_2016_rbs_qhd_linux_damage_report/ https://www.reddit.com/r/razer/comments/5orvy5/late_2016_rbs...
the_common_man 10y ago
Razer owner for many years now. Love it, best gaming device I have laid my hands on. Comparisons with Apple don't make sense. They are targetting different audiences.
Animats 10y ago
They control the hardware. Linux is open source. This is their problem. Why do they need "feedback, suggestions and ideas on how we can make it the best notebook in the world that supports Linux."
ryanisnan 10y ago
To chime in, I recently (this week) purchased a new Razer Blade laptop (1920x1080) with the intention of dual-booting windows and linux, as a permanent replacement for my MBP. I have to say, the build quality seems top shelf. The laptop itself is a sturdy feeling machine. It booted up out of the box just fine, and within a bit I was supporting 2 player rocket league on an external 34" monitor with no problem. After some fussing about, I finally got Antergos up and running on a smaller partition, and now it's working flawlessly. I am not a linux guru, so I had to bash my head a little bit, but here I am... I cannot speak anything about the quality of the customer service, or how long this laptop will perform admirably (obviously), but so far I am extremely happy. edit: I should say that I received the laptop today (at time of writing) and getting linux up and running only took a few hours of my uneducated self faffing about.
Asooka 10y ago
But why? Linux desktop and Linux gaming are deader than democracy is in America.
- orthecreedence 10y ago
  Ok, I'll bite. I'm on Windows 7 right now, and in the market for a new machine (on a lenovo t410). When I get a new machine, I can go with windows 7, but it's much easier for me to just go to win 10. But win 10 scares me. An OS that shoves advertisements and pictures of Trump into my start menu, as well as includes a keylogger, advertisements in my lock screen, etc screams to me of "corporate spyware!!" and every part of me that wants to keep some shred of privacy just can't accept the tradeoffs. So, stay on an OS that's two versions out of date, or upgrade to a Windows Spyware Platinum. I hate Macs/OSx so that's out. OR install linux, run windows apps in a VM, and hope more games come out for linux. Hell, I can even dual-boot win 10 and play games there. Seems like a decent option.
ezoe 10y ago
I brought a used razer blade stealth laptop from my colleague. He said it wasn't that bad, but it overheats easily and CPU is almost always forced down clocked because of it. So it didn't achieve the performance he expected from the spec. Razer Blade Stealth is almost perfect in spec. Built-in 4K display with NO NVIDIA GPU. That's great for the linux. Unfortunately, it's too thin. Not only it's bad for overheating, it doesn't have many useful ports. Especially the Ethernet. I can't understand why the computer, advertised as the gaming laptop, doesn't have Ethernet. I don't use it long enough to evaluate it, but so far, it's good for a portable toy computer.
m12k 10y ago
Slightly off topic: I was about to ask, in this day and age of responsive web design, why do Facebook, Wikipedia and others still have m. -prefix websites? On further reflection I can only assume it's in order to provide a bandwidth constrained alternative, rather than just a visual change. Still, these look like crap on a desktop, and it's a frustrating leak of implementation details when someone posts a link to Wikipedia from their phone, and suddenly I'm looking at a weird design on desktop. They're so good at detecting when people are on a small screen and redirecting to .m - couldn't they please do the reverse too and redirect from .m to the normal version for desktop clients? And if someone needs a bandwidth constrained version on desktop (developing countries and people trying to avoid data roaming fees come to mind), then maybe we could come up with a better way for clients to tell this when requesting pages, rather than try to infer it from screen size?
- yjftsjthsd-h 10y ago
  A counterpoint: I frequently use the mobile version of sites on desktop because they're lighter, and I like just being able to use m.
kseifried 10y ago
Not a gamer, but wanted a better mouse so I bought some razor mice products over the years, required internet to setup/huge bloated driver/software package, and then hardware wise the build quality wasn't there. Gave up on them and went to the Apple mouse, much happier (didn't realize at the time but gestures are much nicer than buttons if you're not a gamer).

415 points by danjoc 10y ago

dijit 10y ago

I recently purchased a Dell Precision 5520 because its linux support is terrific (or, it was on the 5510). If they pull this off then the next laptop I buy will almost certainly be a razer. No question.

DoofusOfDeath 10y ago
Can you clarify? Given your praise of the Precision 5520, why would you get something else next time?
- partisan 10y ago
  I was in the market for a new laptop and strongly considered the 5510/5520s. They look amazing even when seen from the perspective of coming from a MBP. That said, the video cards on that series are optimized for CAD and not for gaming. If you are looking at a Razer at all, then you likely have some need for the gaming support, but if you bought the Dell, you are probably airing on the side of sensibility. If Razer were to make reliable products then the Razer Blade would be the perfect thing. I recently bought a new laptop after considering the two above. My final choice was one I wouldn't typically wouldn't have made: MSI Ghost GS63VR. I needed to have the computing and graphics power at a low enough price point that I could afford to bounce back if the laptop goes bad (the first one I bought last week failed within 2 days).

iotscale 10y ago

Well, I think I'll refrain from buying razer because of this: https://mobile.twitter.com/internetofshit/status/836651116817498118 https://mobile.twitter.com/internetofshit/status/83665111681...

breul99 10y ago
This is for their razor blade laptop, are you really going to avoid their entire line up because of that?
- dubcanada 10y ago
  This isn't even the laptop, it's for Razer Synapses which is their cloud mouse/keyboard settings program. This is literally nothing to do with their laptop line up.
  - debaserab2 10y ago
    If they can screw up a mouse that badly why should I trust them with my entire system?
  - iotscale 10y ago
    it's the same brand, I think if they have the tendency to do this for their keyboard and mouse, who knows what they'll end up doing with their laptops.
  - jrockway 10y ago
    This seems to be how the world of Windows works. Every peripheral I have seems to need an account to save your settings in the cloud, a feature I pretty much never care about. Every vendor wants you to know that yes, you're using their thing, and that they employ an entire team of engineers and designers that have never seen a computer before. I wish someone would put a stop to it.
    - Slackwise 10y ago
      This is why I had reservations about many high end mechanical keyboards that had all their macro/lighting/etc support done via software. Found out that Ducky makes keyboards that are 100% hardware configured, no OS even needed, just power. (Also IKBC keyboards do configuration via firmware too, I believe.) As for my mouse, I had to use some Corsair junk to configure the button mappings, sensitivity, and turn down their ridiculous LED, but then it saved the settings to the mouse firmware so I can uninstall it and use it just fine on Linux. No more touching it again. Still not happy about it. Would rather it had been some tiny DIP switches underneath.

minimaxir 10y ago

Interesting that Razer is targeting Linux before macOS. I bought a Logitech mechanical keyboard (G810) and mouse (G502) primarily because they are the only manufacturer that offers first-class drivers for their products on macOS. EDIT: misread HN headline; article mostly about Linux support on their laptops so comment is somewhat moot.

danjoc 10y ago
This is for running Linux on Razer Blade systems.
- minimaxir 10y ago
  Ah, that appears to be the case. This is what happens when you only read the HN headline. :/
yedpodtrzitko 10y ago
Not really - Razer makes devices for gamers, and macOS support for gaming is abysmal - no Vulkan support, poor OpenGL implementation, no VR support... you name it. So focusing on Linux makes more sense for a gaming hardware.
- mevile 10y ago
  As a datapoint from someone who uses razer software on macs: I use razer hardware with my macbook pro at work. I have a razer keyboard, a pretty LED firefly mouse pad and a pretty LED razer mouse and razer's "Synapse" software mostly works, but I definitely feel like razer has a long way to go with software in general. It forgets settings, the update process is weird, and compared with Corsair or Steel Series software it is definitely not as good. I tried the Razer nabu watch and its software was worse in every way when compared to a pebble. Bluetooth connectivity had issues, step tracking, sleep tracking, it was all significantly worse than a PT. I love razer hardware, but their software skills seem to be still catching up.
eikenberry 10y ago
I have never seen a mechanical keyboard that required drivers. What abou that Logitech keyboard requires a driver?

tyleo 10y ago

I have a 14" Razer laptop from 2016. I am currently running Windows on it, and FWIW I have never been more pleased with a laptop. I wonder if they will add compatibility for the Razer Core on the Linux side of things.

danjoc 10y ago
Currently, requires modding the BIOS. https://insider.razerzone.com/index.php?threads/razer-core-on-linux-with-razer-blade-stealth-requires-bios-mod.20677/ https://insider.razerzone.com/index.php?threads/razer-core-o... Hopefully, that changes in the future.

hinfaits 10y ago

For readers confused as I was, the Facebook post only says they're "looking at" better Linux support. The author buries in a comment a target for flawless Linux support[1]. But I'd expect if flawless Linux support was actually their goal they'd announce it more prominently, which they did not. [1]https://www.facebook.com/minliangtan/photos/a.116842955040162.11402.113306788727112/1333298720061240/?type=3&comment_id=1333320063392439&reply_comment_id=1333321023392343&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D https://www.facebook.com/minliangtan/photos/a.11684295504016...

danjoc 10y ago
I wasn't sure about their commitment either, but on the linked page, Min-Liang Tan (Razer CEO) comments: "Well - our objective is to get the Blades to be running Linux flawlessly." That seems like Razer is setting a clear target for Linux support.
- enknamel 10y ago
  Under promise but over deliver!

auvi 10y ago

I would also vouch for FreeBSD on Razer laptops.

baldfat 10y ago
Why would BSD Desktop need a powerful laptop? What applications are you running on a desktop BSD?
- baldfat 10y ago
  It's okay to vote me down but I really am wondering what Desktop BSD are doing? I have been an old Amiga guy that ended up finding a home with Linux. I tried BSD several times and have BSD running a server at my home. My experience with Desktop BSD just didn't see where you would use the available application that would need a strong computer except for developing for BSD?
- mrweasel 10y ago
  I would assume the exact same applications that Linux users will be running. Maybe few VM in beehive as well.
djsumdog 10y ago
FreeBSD laptop support is really specific and limited. I got FreeBSD-11 working perfectly on a Carbon X1 1st gen ... but the motherboard on it is going out and it likes to reboot randomly now (checked the ram, SSD and tried updating the BIOS .. BIOS update fails with a beep code whose only forum response on Lenovo's website is "return for warranty." :-/) If you want FreeBSD on a laptop, check their wiki/list. There is a small subset with full suspend/resume support right now.

rohall 10y ago

This is great! I picked up a Razer 2016/1060 a couple months ago and have been running Ubuntu on it since then. There's been a few issues, but overall it's been a great machine to transition to after a decade of Mac usage. If you're interested, it will require a bit of configuration (and even then its not 100% perfect just yet). See here for a list of issues/solutions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jI2jlVi1V0H8SeNm5kspJ1qXVtibLOnxNOkDr8ExoSI/edit#heading=h.nkiewtcyw910 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jI2jlVi1V0H8SeNm5kspJ1qX...) Feel free to ask any questions if you're curious about picking one up!

danjoc 10y ago
Ohhh, nice doc :D Looks like you found a few solutions that I haven't. Thanks for sharing!
- rohall 10y ago
  No problem! Just to be clear, I can't take credit for the content of the doc or starting it, but I've found it very useful. If you have a solution / issue that isn't listen - please add it as a comment on the doc :).
gshulegaard 10y ago
Once upon a time I installed Ubuntu on either first gen or second gen "Razer Blade" (since rebranded the "Pro"/17 inch) and the only real issue I had with it was the keyboard would send double input. Found someone who had put together a custom driver patch and it became usable. I have been looking at the Razer Blade and the Alienware 13" recently and have been leaning towards the Alienware since I can replace the WiFi card...but if Razer brings 1st class support for Linux systems then I will have a much harder decision to make when I start looking again.
projektir 10y ago
Thank you so much for this! I have a 2016 and I'm still struggling with Optimus, will definitely be looking at that link.

justicezyx 10y ago

I think the developer community right now is siganificant enough to offer a meaningful market for smaller shop like Razer. If they manage to deliver a relatively well-built (not to the level of apple, something close to xps or thinkpad), with solid linux integration, slightly expensive (like 10% over the mass market models with equivalent hardware spec), I will buy for sure.

MegaButts 10y ago
I don't own a Razer, although I've been thinking about buying one. My understanding is they're top notch, maybe even on par with Apple, if you get one without issues. They have above-average defect rates and way-below-average customer support. If you check out forums or /r/razer you'll find some people gushing over their laptops, and many complaining about support.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- danjoc 10y ago
  I'm a gusher myself, and I'm super picky. I looked for backlight bleed, dead pixels, scratches, unlevel feet. If you're worried about buying a lemon, they sell them at the Microsoft store. In stock. You can buy and return all in the same place.

notheguyouthink 10y ago

This is a quick way for me to buy them instead of a new MacBook Pro. Awesome to see someone step up to the plate!

geoka9 10y ago

Please also add trackpoint[0] so that we thinkpad (linux) users can be more comfortable considering switching to your platform. [0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointing_stick https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointing_stick

jolux 10y ago
I know some people love them but compared to the massive glass trackpad with multitouch that I have on my MacBook I don't understand the appeal. Is it a portability thing?
- kobeya 10y ago
  It's a not-having-to-move-your-fingers-from-home-row thing. It is extremely important for people like me that suffer from repetitive strain disorders, if we want to keep maximum productivity.
  - rpdillon 10y ago
    Precisely my experience. RSI changed everything, and I find it hard to explain to those that have never experienced it.
- lallysingh 10y ago
  Keep your fingers on the home row. Much faster.
  - orbitingpluto 10y ago
    Love the nub! Trackpoints are better when in a cramped situation such as air travel. No readjusting of elbows are required when switching between keyboard and trackpoint.
- antaviana 10y ago
  I have not used a Thinkpad in 10 year but I have never seen anything that compares to the Trackoint. Anything else has always given me the urge to use a mouse.

f8kr 10y ago

Razer's Synapse, or cloud based drivers seem like a huge step backwards. Needing to make an account so I can change the sensitivity of my mouse is crazy. I've heard the argument * they needed more space on the device so couldn't include the drivers and configuration * cloud drivers allow portability of configuration Both of those fall on their face in reality. Lan gaming is mostly dead since most multiplayer games are online and memory space is cheap.

pfooti 10y ago
you can run synapse in offline mode.
- hodgekins 10y ago
  Still worth avoiding. It's a bad precedent to have hardware on the "cloud" for no reason. I still need to interface with their online service to use my offline device. Having a keyboard capable of calling home is not something I want any part of.
- FanaHOVA 10y ago
  Only if you're logged in already. Just look at their Facebook page during the S3 outage, on which Synapse relies on. That software is just a piece of crap.

mmjaa 10y ago

I mean, this is one of those things where either you're a real company, or you're not. Half a company is, like, supply chain management. The other half is, pushing the perspective beyond the horizon. Razer solve all the supply problems, obviously, or else there wouldn't be a working catalog, but as far as pushing things beyond the event horizon, signs are that there is much more to come. Look at it this way... what Apple did with NextStep in 1999, Razer, et al., could be doing right now, finally, and catching up. With Linux. Only 20 years behind the ball, but .. then again .. these are not yet $Billion companies. Yet.

cdubzzz 10y ago

For many of Razer's peripherals, there are some very well supported reverse engineered drivers: https://github.com/terrycain/razer-drivers https://github.com/terrycain/razer-drivers

mathnode 10y ago

I am one of many disgruntled Razer Blade Stealth and razer core owners, currently awaiting a refund. Some customers are on as many as their 4th or 5th replacement unit. They have no English support in the UK, just a couple of german phone numbers which nobody seems to answer. The forum is terrible and they can't translate emails correctly. It's insulting. The typical issues are usually related to firmware, which myself and other users would be willing to wait for to be fixed, but Razer's default, almost auto-response, solution is to just send you another unit, with the same issues. In general though, the razer blade stealth is not even in the same league as an x1, mbp, or xps, and it's not supposed to be. It's just priced the same. Razer. Apple prices, gateway support.

byefruit 10y ago
Just wanted to say that I'm looking to an existing ultraportable and hearing stories about how poor Razer's quality control and customer service is (from /r/razer and from friends) means I won't be buying a Razer Blade Stealth. It's a real shame, it fits the bill perfectly but Dell will almost certainly get my money for an XPS 13 instead.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
technoir 10y ago
Yes, I had an awful experience with the stealth also, though it had nothing to do with linux support (managed to get everything working). Multiple hardware failures and eventually had to return it. They should probably learn basic quality control techniques before spending any energy on better linux support.
Etheryte 10y ago
I've had very similar experiences with their support on other devices, very displeased. For a mouse of theirs, I ended up writing a kernel extension to fix the issues myself.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

kobeya 10y ago

Any Razer engineers here? I'm a proud owner that would like to work with you directly to fix some of the remaining driver support issues. Also, has anyone gotten the Razer Blade to work with the Razer Core thunderbolt 3 expansion chassis? On default Ubuntu 16.04 it picks up the thunderbolt hub, but nothing underneath. This would be an amazing laptop for machine learning if I could supercharge it with a Titan-X. Also, consider a 32GB build for us developers...

feld 10y ago
I'm not sure that is something that could be "fixed" in 16.04 unless you can convince the Ubuntu kernel maintainers to backport patches for PCI-E hotplug / thunderbolt support.
- kobeya 10y ago
  I'm running a kernel that supports PCI-E hotplug & thunderbolt. That's not the issue. FWIW the kernel in 16.04 does support that. But I've tried with newer kernels too.
- pedrocr 10y ago
  LTS releases (like 16.04) get hardware enablement stacks where X/kernel/etc gets upgraded to the versions from the non-LTS releases. So if you make it work with ubuntu 17.04 for example it will trickle down to the LTS users. Makes LTS a much more attractive solution on the desktop. I've stopped bothering with the intermediate ones.
jldugger 10y ago
I saw a demo of someone getting the external video card working, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7kUgkXeTDw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7kUgkXeTDw But it required patching BIOS to allow the user to toggle some legacy settings.
- kobeya 10y ago
  Interesting. I'll look into that. Thank you.

ktta 10y ago

Non-mobile link: https://www.facebook.com/minliangtan/photos/a.116842955040162.11402.113306788727112/1333298720061240/?type=3&theater https://www.facebook.com/minliangtan/photos/a.11684295504016... dang, can we get the link changed to this since most phones will redirect to the mobile version, but for some reason, people haven't figured a way to redirect to desktop versions from mobile?

danjoc 10y ago
As a counter point, the mobile version works without javascript. That's important to some of us :)
- ktta 10y ago
  That's interesting. Thanks for letting me know!

enknamel 10y ago

I really like someone stepping up and making a high quality linux laptop. After the thread yesterday about System76 (who I thought was doing that) this makes me really happy. It's also somewhat a threat to Apple. If you aren't doing any iOS development you will now get a really nice alternative to a Macbook Pro.

greenhatman 10y ago
Aren't Dell doing this well already with their XPS series?
- enknamel 10y ago
  They are but all my experiences with Dell have been really subpar so I am almost permanently turned off from them. The XPS Developer Edition does look interesting though. But I am biased towards Razer because I am a gamer and would love to have a laptop that is great at development and great at playing games.
- nas 10y ago
  Really not impressed with my XPS 13. The screen automatically changes brightness depending what is shown on it (dynamic brightness). The touchpad works really poorly, detects palm touches as clicks all the time. Nearly impossible for me to type without clicks. Messing with settings reduced palm clicks but made the pad unresponsive to clicks from my finger. Had lockups until I upgraded kernel and flashed now BIOS. Audio had really loud hissing until I opened alsamixer and set controls to exactly the right values (got of a wiki page). To be fair, the audio is noisy on Windows 10 too. My old Lenovo X200 works nearly flawless on Linux. Again, pretty disappointed with Dell.
- blockoperation 10y ago
  I haven't tried an XPS, but the Precision 7xxx stuff definitely qualifies. My 7510 came with Ubuntu, and the experience was just as polished as any Windows machine (better in some ways, as they had configured their way around some Skylake-specific issues that still affected Windows at the time).
10y ago

clord 10y ago

At first I thought the coloured keyboard on most of their systems was useless, but I wonder if I could rig it up to switch colour based on vim mode. That might be fun. Is it controllable from software?

popcorncolonel 10y ago
Yes. Razer Synapse is quite thorough.
WaxProlix 10y ago
There's an SDK for interacting with all Razer Chroma enabled devices, so it's doable. http://developer.razerzone.com/works-with-chroma/download/ http://developer.razerzone.com/works-with-chroma/download/

bluehazed 10y ago

32GB RAM and a TrackPoint/pointing stick, please.

zem 10y ago

i keep wondering whether i should check out razer or dell for my next laptop, but i can't give up my thinkpad keyboards.

ythn 10y ago

Anyone else own a Razer mechanical keyboard that doesn't work in GRUB/BIOS menus? I have a Black Widow Stealth and it works great... except not in BIOS menus or GRUB menus. In those cases I have to plug in my old keyboard to get a response.

AstralStorm 10y ago
You may need to enable legacy USB support in firmware and hope it works with your machine or mainboard. Other than that, some of the advanced devices initialize too slow and firmware is not waiting on them long enough.

rasz_pl 10y ago

Warning: They keep using underspecced parts in the cpu supply, and treat customers like idiots by pretending to never heard about the problem(Apple tactic to avoid warranty/lawsuit). Did your Razer die? Did manufacturer propose $700 fix? Watch this: https://mailin.repair/blog/razer-laptop-motherboard-failure-repair-by-replacing-the-blown-mosfets/ https://mailin.repair/blog/razer-laptop-motherboard-failure-...

hicolour 10y ago

Fix this enormous basel and ad support for 32GB memory and there will be no competition ...

AstralStorm 10y ago
It is either bezel or thickness if you want proper cooling in a small laptop - only 17" ones are likely to get away without either. Or you can stick with low power cool hardware but that defeats the point of the gaming laptop.

chris_wot 10y ago

This got the attention of Alberto Ruiz at RedHat...

danjoc 10y ago
Muhahaha, my plan is working! ;)

crudbug 10y ago

Give me Triple Display Notebook - Project Valerie [0], for under 2K, I will throw my Macbook Pro. This will be my dream Development machine. Its interesting we have Game/Business centric notebooks. No Development centric notebooks. [0] https://www.razerzone.com/project-valerie https://www.razerzone.com/project-valerie

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

kyledrake 10y ago

I discussed this with the CEO a while ago on Twitter https://twitter.com/minliangtan/status/447658322544439296 https://twitter.com/minliangtan/status/447658322544439296 I think their best bet would be to have someone at the company work specifically on Linux issues. Dell did this and made a handsome return on their investment. I currently use a Dell Developer XPS, but would definitely consider the Blade as a candidate for my next laptop if they were good about Linux compatibility in their next release.

ndesaulniers 10y ago
I'd love to work there on improving Linux support.

projektir 10y ago

I got a 2016 Blade recently and installed Arch Linux on it. The only thing I found problematic so far was Nvidia Optimus, which seems a general issue.

djsumdog 10y ago
Yea, the bbswitch stuff hasn't really been maintained. For my most recent Linux laptop I went with a Dell XPS 13 so I only had one graphics card to worry about.
lj3 10y ago
A few days late here, but Nvidia Optimus is a general issue on all platforms, including windows. I raved for years about linux graphics support being crap, to the general amazement of the rest of the linux community. When I switched to windows, I found I had the same problems I did on linux. Oops.

acabal 10y ago

I've been using a Razer Blade 2015 as an Ubuntu-only computer for several years now, and I've recommended it on HN in the past. It's been a great machine, and Linux works surprisingly well. (Of course that means that there are some minor problems, but "surprisingly well" is high praise in the world of Linux on laptops.) Lots of people here complaining about build quality issues, but mine has been completely solid. The only issues I've experienced are some of the keyboard keys are losing their matte black printing, which is surprising but not fatal. Additionally, at first I had a hard time getting a Blade that did not have a screen with a pink-to-white tint to it. However this appears to be an issue with all IPS panels--my Nexus 6 has the same issue and you can find people on Apple forums complaining about similar problems on Macbooks. Razer support was very helpful, and they hand-checked a unit to send me as a replacement, which is the one I'm using to this day. In short, I'd continue recommending Blades for development work as Linux machines, and even moreso if they can iron out the usual Linux driver issues that plague all laptops. Edit: I should also add that my limited experience with Razer support has been good, in that I got personal replies from people who didn't seem to be reading from a script, and who were happy to accommodate my returns and pickiness about screen quality.

philliphaydon 10y ago
What is battery life like for you? I tried Ubuntu on an Asus laptop 4 years ago. Windows would get ~7 hours, while Ubuntu barely managed to get 3 hours. I love using it on desktop, but it sucks (sucked) on laptop when I used it.
- Hydraulix989 10y ago
  Try using tlp and powertop to diagnose the issue (your CPU might not be entering low power C states -- a common problem with older kernels that don't support the latest Intel CPU architectures), so also upgrade your kernel. Linux has consistently gotten 1.5x as much runtime on battery for me as Windows.

DonnyV 10y ago

These laptops are WAAAAAAAY over priced for what you get. I got a MSI G Series GS70 STEALTH-037 17.3-Inch Laptop and love it!!! Solid as a rock, always stays up to date firmware and plays Battlefield 1 smooth as butter. Plus 2 hard drives and you can connect 3 monitors. I can't recommend them enough.

djsumdog 10y ago
I used an MSI laptop for over a year as a Linux/primary dev laptop: http://penguindreams.org/blog/msi-ws60-running-linux/ http://penguindreams.org/blog/msi-ws60-running-linux/ I now have a desktop and put Windows back on the lappy to play games, but it was an excellent Linux dev device, although I did have to get Wi-Fi working myself as I was an early adopter. I never did get Bluetooth working, but after putting Windows back on, Bluetooth still didn't work and I realized it was a faulty adapter. :-/ One day I'll open it and replace it, but for now I just use a USB adapter. If you use a laptop for Linux dev, you'll most likely struggle with some hardware that's not supported yet (although I've been very lucky with ever Dell being supported by the mainline kernel and latest linux-firmware). Getting hardware working is the _fun_ part. :)

kentosi 10y ago

If they just made the bezel more like XPS I'd be handing over my credit card right now.

gwicks56 10y ago

If you are not doing Rails work, do people find Linux that much more productive these days than windows? I generally buy Thinkpads because of the keyboard and cost (upgrade myself), and used to use Ubuntu probably 85% of the time. Overtime I have found myself doing more and more in Windows, because of both drivers and battery life. For sys admin in makes sense, but for general dev work, I tend to find everything works just fine on windows, plus it makes day to day usage easier.

abvdasker 10y ago

Calling it now: Razer is going to eat Apple's share of the *nix-based developer market over the next few years.

pbz 10y ago

If they're reading this, here's my wishlist: 1) 15.6 inch laptop (14 is too small, especially with those bezels). 2) As thin of a bezel as possible (see XPS) 3) Camera on top! I don't want to show my fingers in conference calls. This may force the bezels to be larger on top, that's fine. (Pop-out camera?) 4) Offer the highest quality display from a color reproduction point of view, not the refresh rate. This is NOT a gaming laptop, or at least not a pro one. 5) The resolution should allow me to use the OS without scaling. If you can squeeze more than 1080p (1440?) the better. We need vertical space for coding! Some folks like 4K, so that should be an option. 6) Connectivity is important; lots of ports. Also, Intel WiFi cards, not Killer. 7) The sound should at least be decent. I don't understand how a phone can have better (ok, lounder) sound than a laptop. 8) Give us an option to optimize for power vs battery life. I want the fastest CPU (within reason) and a good GPU (1060 or 1050, but ideally 1060) at the expense of battery life, but others would like more battery. 9) I'm picky about the SSD that goes into the laptop. Either allow me to replace it or allow me to pick what I want (960 Pro). 10) Good trackpad, ideally with buttons. 11) Good keyboard, super important... 12) Under 6lbs 13) Cooling has to be top notch and the air intake cannot be on the bottom. I actually use the laptop on my lap. 14) Height should be around 1 inch. Making it super thin like MBPs is not worth the tradeoffs. 15) That logo needs to go or at a minimum don't make it glow...

kobeya 10y ago
It IS a gaming laptop... And basically all your points sum up to it being a radically different laptop than what it is. Why not buy something else than ask changes of what Razer fans love?
- pbz 10y ago
  Currently, yes, but I was giving suggestions in case they want to branch out. They asked a few times on Twitter what a developer would like in a laptop. The wish list reflects that. Unfortunately, I couldn't find something that would check off most of the items above.
  - kobeya 10y ago

scurvy 10y ago

I'll just put it this way: BIOS updates require purchasing a Razer Core or RMA'ing your entire laptop. Not a lie. Not an exaggeration. It's the truth for Blade and Blade Stealth owners. The experience is borderline terribad. I got things (mostly) working with Linux Mint, but: 1) Runtime is maybe 2 hours. 2) It won't sleep when you close the lid (I have sleep hotkeyed instead) 3) The USB support is loltastic 4) External HDMI connector worked for a week then quit 5) Takes 3 hours to fully charge the battery I could go on but it's Friday. I had really high hopes for this laptop and was ultimately let down by Razer. They should stick to making their peripherals work with Linux, then they can put on their bigboy pants and try to make an entire system.

rpdillon 10y ago

This is confusing. It looks like they opened up a forum for users to discuss Linux support on their machines. Have they done anything at all beyond that?

danjoc 10y ago
The CEO said, hey, I want my laptops to run Linux flawlessly. Let's work on making that happen together. Here's a forum. Let's get some feedback on what we can do to better support Linux in future hardware. This is a company that makes prototype laptops with three displays :D The dude will sink time and money into this if that's what he wants.

ndesaulniers 10y ago

Here's my damage report for running Linux of a late 2016 Razer Blade Stealth laptop: https://www.reddit.com/r/razer/comments/5orvy5/late_2016_rbs_qhd_linux_damage_report/ https://www.reddit.com/r/razer/comments/5orvy5/late_2016_rbs...

the_common_man 10y ago

Razer owner for many years now. Love it, best gaming device I have laid my hands on. Comparisons with Apple don't make sense. They are targetting different audiences.

Animats 10y ago

They control the hardware. Linux is open source. This is their problem. Why do they need "feedback, suggestions and ideas on how we can make it the best notebook in the world that supports Linux."

ryanisnan 10y ago

To chime in, I recently (this week) purchased a new Razer Blade laptop (1920x1080) with the intention of dual-booting windows and linux, as a permanent replacement for my MBP. I have to say, the build quality seems top shelf. The laptop itself is a sturdy feeling machine. It booted up out of the box just fine, and within a bit I was supporting 2 player rocket league on an external 34" monitor with no problem. After some fussing about, I finally got Antergos up and running on a smaller partition, and now it's working flawlessly. I am not a linux guru, so I had to bash my head a little bit, but here I am... I cannot speak anything about the quality of the customer service, or how long this laptop will perform admirably (obviously), but so far I am extremely happy. edit: I should say that I received the laptop today (at time of writing) and getting linux up and running only took a few hours of my uneducated self faffing about.

Asooka 10y ago

But why? Linux desktop and Linux gaming are deader than democracy is in America.

orthecreedence 10y ago
Ok, I'll bite. I'm on Windows 7 right now, and in the market for a new machine (on a lenovo t410). When I get a new machine, I can go with windows 7, but it's much easier for me to just go to win 10. But win 10 scares me. An OS that shoves advertisements and pictures of Trump into my start menu, as well as includes a keylogger, advertisements in my lock screen, etc screams to me of "corporate spyware!!" and every part of me that wants to keep some shred of privacy just can't accept the tradeoffs. So, stay on an OS that's two versions out of date, or upgrade to a Windows Spyware Platinum. I hate Macs/OSx so that's out. OR install linux, run windows apps in a VM, and hope more games come out for linux. Hell, I can even dual-boot win 10 and play games there. Seems like a decent option.

ezoe 10y ago

I brought a used razer blade stealth laptop from my colleague. He said it wasn't that bad, but it overheats easily and CPU is almost always forced down clocked because of it. So it didn't achieve the performance he expected from the spec. Razer Blade Stealth is almost perfect in spec. Built-in 4K display with NO NVIDIA GPU. That's great for the linux. Unfortunately, it's too thin. Not only it's bad for overheating, it doesn't have many useful ports. Especially the Ethernet. I can't understand why the computer, advertised as the gaming laptop, doesn't have Ethernet. I don't use it long enough to evaluate it, but so far, it's good for a portable toy computer.

m12k 10y ago

Slightly off topic: I was about to ask, in this day and age of responsive web design, why do Facebook, Wikipedia and others still have m. -prefix websites? On further reflection I can only assume it's in order to provide a bandwidth constrained alternative, rather than just a visual change. Still, these look like crap on a desktop, and it's a frustrating leak of implementation details when someone posts a link to Wikipedia from their phone, and suddenly I'm looking at a weird design on desktop. They're so good at detecting when people are on a small screen and redirecting to .m - couldn't they please do the reverse too and redirect from .m to the normal version for desktop clients? And if someone needs a bandwidth constrained version on desktop (developing countries and people trying to avoid data roaming fees come to mind), then maybe we could come up with a better way for clients to tell this when requesting pages, rather than try to infer it from screen size?

yjftsjthsd-h 10y ago
A counterpoint: I frequently use the mobile version of sites on desktop because they're lighter, and I like just being able to use m.

kseifried 10y ago

Not a gamer, but wanted a better mouse so I bought some razor mice products over the years, required internet to setup/huge bloated driver/software package, and then hardware wise the build quality wasn't there. Gave up on them and went to the Apple mouse, much happier (didn't realize at the time but gestures are much nicer than buttons if you're not a gamer).