Quiet £500 system plus monitor to run Linux and Vista?

IntoTheVoid · 26 Apr 2008 at 18:56

Can it be done? Not too fussed if it is Intel or AMD. Looking for system unit plus monitor. Must be quiet as possible, reliable with integrated graphics, sound, networking etc that is preferably supported also on Linux.

Must include DVD writer and have 500GB hard drive and ideally 4GB ram. A big ask?

Looking forward to replies.

Monkeynut · 26 Apr 2008 at 19:18

Try this one:

AMD Based, bear in mind that although the AMD graphics drivers on Linux aren't too great there is an open-source project making good headway into producing linux drivers.

Also, it's faster than an Intel or Nvidia IGP.

IntoTheVoid · 26 Apr 2008 at 19:50

Looks good, however I am sure I read about Phenoms drawing too much power on 780G motherboards and blowing them!!!!!!!Still it looks like the budget can be met.

Monkeynut · 26 Apr 2008 at 20:12

I think that's only the black editions mate, since they use more current, but not entirely sure.

It says Phenom on the supported CPUs for the mobo so it should be fine.

IntoTheVoid · 26 Apr 2008 at 20:18

ok cheers.

thegoonden · 26 Apr 2008 at 23:58

That project to make ATi cards work in Linux, I wouldn't hold my breath for it.

Better with something suported like nvidia.

Ati's are so awful in Linux, that it was owning a radeon9800 that made me split into two separate computers. Assuming that can be made to work in any way nicely now, I doubt it can be done without serious linux knowledge,

Check round a few forums to see what the state of play is with the ATi official drivers and these hacked ones.

Apart from that, nothing to worry about penguin wise, it'll run on your watch/phone/microwave if you can get it to install.

IntoTheVoid · 27 Apr 2008 at 09:51

Thanks again.

Monkeynut · 27 Apr 2008 at 14:27

Just to muddle things a bit more, that RadeonHD FOSS driver already has full 2D acceleration FYI, and Nvidia's drivers have had massive regressionis lately resulting in awful 2D and 3D performance, whereas the ATi drivers have switched to a completely rewritten codebase.

Also, thegoonden, the RadeonHD open-sorce project is funded by Novell using offical docs (700+ pages) suppiled by ATi.

I say go for the ATi setup, you won't be any better off with Nvidia mate.