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Dell to Begin Shipping Ubuntu 20.04 LTS on Their Latest XPS Developer Edition

33 points by caution 6y ago

Tehchops 6y ago
Too bad XPS laptops seem capped at 32GB. Can get 64GB on Thinkpads.
server_bot 6y ago
I replaced my older XPS with an Ubuntu 20.04 laptop from Star Lab systems. Mostly because I wanted firmware updates via apt-get. They have a new model coming out: better CPU, more RAM, more disk for the same price point as the XPS. https://starlabs.systems/pages/labtop-mk-iv https://starlabs.systems/pages/labtop-mk-iv The top-end XPS will be a more powerful system, but if you're gonna budget - worth considering. Build quality is excellent, have had no issues.
- balladeer 6y ago
  Compared to a MacBook Air how thin and lightweight this laptop is?
  - server_bot 6y ago
    I have the older Stab Lab model (Mk III) and have never owned a MacBook Air, but Googling the newest versions of both: Star LabTop Mk IV [1]: Thickness: 0.58 inches (1.48 cm) Weight: 2.2 pounds (1 kg) MacBook Air [2]: Thickness: 0.63 inch (1.61 cm) Weight: 2.8 pounds (1.29 kg) [1] https://starlabs.systems/pages/labtop-mk-iv-specification https://starlabs.systems/pages/labtop-mk-iv-specification [2] https://www.apple.com/macbook-air/specs/ https://www.apple.com/macbook-air/specs/
- gnufx 6y ago
  I don't understand the problem. I get microcode updates with apt and general firmware with fwupd (ready to install on next boot from UEFI). As far as I now that's the intended/supported procedure.
nickthemagicman 6y ago
18.04 I had a lot of trouble with on my XPS. 20.04 has worked like a dream! It even can update the bios now, so you don't need to keep a windows partition or usb around. I really have no reason to go back to any other OS
- gnufx 6y ago
  What sort of trouble? I don't see that, though the only reason this system has Ubuntu and not Debian is that seemed necessary for hardware support initially, and I should move to that rather than Ubuntu 20. (In my experience it's brave to run a new Ubuntu within a few months of it coming out...)
  - nickthemagicman 6y ago
    Move to 20. The GUI is way faster, and I've had zero odd quirks with anything. Everything just works.
SomeoneFromCA 6y ago
Lots of people hate snaps though.
tempacct0623 6y ago
Is there any distro with hardware video acceleration working in a web browser out of the box? I tried installing Linux on my laptop but since watching videos is a major part of my laptop use case I can't really justify the switch.

33 points by caution 6y ago

Too bad XPS laptops seem capped at 32GB. Can get 64GB on Thinkpads.

I replaced my older XPS with an Ubuntu 20.04 laptop from Star Lab systems. Mostly because I wanted firmware updates via apt-get. They have a new model coming out: better CPU, more RAM, more disk for the same price point as the XPS. https://starlabs.systems/pages/labtop-mk-iv https://starlabs.systems/pages/labtop-mk-iv The top-end XPS will be a more powerful system, but if you're gonna budget - worth considering. Build quality is excellent, have had no issues.

balladeer 6y ago
Compared to a MacBook Air how thin and lightweight this laptop is?
- server_bot 6y ago
  I have the older Stab Lab model (Mk III) and have never owned a MacBook Air, but Googling the newest versions of both: Star LabTop Mk IV [1]: Thickness: 0.58 inches (1.48 cm) Weight: 2.2 pounds (1 kg) MacBook Air [2]: Thickness: 0.63 inch (1.61 cm) Weight: 2.8 pounds (1.29 kg) [1] https://starlabs.systems/pages/labtop-mk-iv-specification https://starlabs.systems/pages/labtop-mk-iv-specification [2] https://www.apple.com/macbook-air/specs/ https://www.apple.com/macbook-air/specs/
gnufx 6y ago
I don't understand the problem. I get microcode updates with apt and general firmware with fwupd (ready to install on next boot from UEFI). As far as I now that's the intended/supported procedure.

nickthemagicman 6y ago

18.04 I had a lot of trouble with on my XPS. 20.04 has worked like a dream! It even can update the bios now, so you don't need to keep a windows partition or usb around. I really have no reason to go back to any other OS

gnufx 6y ago
What sort of trouble? I don't see that, though the only reason this system has Ubuntu and not Debian is that seemed necessary for hardware support initially, and I should move to that rather than Ubuntu 20. (In my experience it's brave to run a new Ubuntu within a few months of it coming out...)
- nickthemagicman 6y ago
  Move to 20. The GUI is way faster, and I've had zero odd quirks with anything. Everything just works.

SomeoneFromCA 6y ago

Lots of people hate snaps though.

tempacct0623 6y ago

Is there any distro with hardware video acceleration working in a web browser out of the box? I tried installing Linux on my laptop but since watching videos is a major part of my laptop use case I can't really justify the switch.