My wife is looking for a portable device primarily for modeling in Blender and optionally for drawing in Krita. So we looking for something with a GNU/Linux support from manufacturer.
We considered https://www.tuxedocomputers.com/en/TUXEDO-InfinityFlex-14-Gen1, it looks nice, but maybe you have other suggestions? Do you have experience with convertibles, how convenient is to draw on them?
We also considered https://earth.starlabs.systems/pages/starlite for drawing and a separate device for Blender, but having two devices might not be convenient…
For blender nvidia gpu is a the best for cycles as it has optiX support.
If she does ONLY modeling and uses eevee renders without viewport previews then integrated graphics could work.
If she wants viewport preview then dedicated GPU is a must. IDK how fares AMD gpu in blender as I didn’t have one for years.
Some gaming laptops with dedicated GPUs need external kernel modules just to work if they even have one.
My best bet would be to go for old gaming laptop.
My second best bet would be to go for system76 as they have some gaming laptops
cycles is hilariously usable on weak hardware (though faster hardware is definitely desirable), I tried it on my Intel hd4000 and it somehow works
Can you explain a bit what did you do?
How is cycles in viewport behaving?
Consider giving devices offered by NovaCustom a look.
When it comes to Linux-first laptop vendors, it’s definitely my favorite out of the bunch.
On purchasing one of their devices, they offer:
- 3 years of warranty
- 5 years of firmware update support
- 7 years of (guaranteed) spare parts availability
I’m simply unaware of any other (Linux-first) firm that can compete regarding the above.
And I haven’t even mentioned how vast their customization options are, or how well-praised their support is.
I’m actually stunned why it’s not mentioned more often in these conversations.
Btw, I’d actually recommend you to consider the whereabouts of the respective support centers before you buy a device. You never hope to be in that situation, but it makes a real difference when it matters. So, in case you’re unaware, AFAIK:
- NovaCustom; Netherlands. But as long as you’re in EU mainland, it should be good enough.
- Star Labs; UK. EU outside of Great Britain is OK.
- System76; USA.
- Tuxedo; Germany. Again, EU mainland is fine.
First time hear about it, but sounds very cool!
I’d actually recommend you to consider the whereabouts of the respective support centers before you buy a device
Totally agree, I take this into consideration. Tuxedo is very attractive to me because we planning to visit Germany personally. But I will take a look at NovaCustom as well since it’s in EU.
From Star Labs their StarLite tablet looks very attractive. Right now I considering buying a tablet for drawing and a laptop for 3D modeling instead of 2-in-1.
From Star Labs their StarLite tablet looks very attractive. Right now I considering buying a tablet for drawing and a laptop for 3D modeling instead of 2-in-1.
Honestly, this makes a lot of sense. It’s unfortunate that all of your needs aren’t satisfied by a single device. Assuming that the drawing capabilities of the Starlite and Infinityflex are up to par, their hardware specs don’t come even close to Blender’s recommended. So opting for a second device may indeed be necessary.
Whatever you’ll end up picking, I hope you and your wife will be satisfied with the end result 😉!
To be honest. I had a similar question for my girlfriend for drawing with krita. A drawing tablet + a traditional laptop is better for almost everyone except students who will be taking notes in class and people who have to be drawing in a chair or meeting room with no desk setup.
Otherwise a drawing tablet is more accurate, faster, and with better features than a 2-in-1. Much better sensitivity, generally better pressure and tilt functions, and a much better feel (more like paper)
You don’t even have to spring for a Wacom. They have been resting on their laurels for over a decade and have become completely uncompetitive in the past 5 years (kind of the Intel of drawing tablets).
An XPPen Deco Pro Gen II (as an example) has good ergonomics, rotary knobs for zooming, rotating, and scaling, and works over Bluetooth. Their Linux drivers (4.0.x) are pretty great at a fraction of the price of a Wacom or the price difference between a traditional laptop and a 2-in-1.
It ends up being way more ergonomic also to look at a screen and not having to hunch over a tablet. It just takes a week or so to get used to not looking at your hands.
The Framework 16 looks pretty great. Repairable & upgradable, discrete graphics (AMD), and guaranteed Linux support.
Laptops from over 5 years ago are well supported by Linux (for the most part). However, the very modern laptops have bits and pieces that aren’t supported, from fan profiles, to the new intel webcams etc. They will run Linux, but you might fry them if your fans don’t work properly. So your best bet would be to get either an old one (I got a Macbook Air from 2015 with 8GB RAM, works great), or get a Tuxedo, or a System76 one, or a couple more Linux-specific ones. And it’s not because suddenly Linux does worse job supporting hardware, but it’s because these machines are. getting more complex and they need drivers for every little thing. Back in the day, things were more generic (e.g. the fans) and worked with a single driver.
They will run Linux, but you might fry them if your fans don’t work properly.
The EFI will control the fans just fine.
