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Comment by dmix | Hacker News Reader

Is there a reason why it's limited to XPS 13 and not XPS 15? Is there a problem supporting the NVIDIA graphics cards on Ubuntu or something?

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In my experience, there is a non-zero chance that a kernel update will render the system unable to start the display driver. Things may have improved in the last couple years, but I switched to AMD and never looked back.

The Precision 5540 developer edition is an XPS 15 under a different name. And yes, it supports 64 GB RAM.

Never quite understood why the branding is so complicated.

It would seem easier for Dell to market a single product range that all have good Linux support.

That would seem to give them better good will. I know nothing about marketing so maybe there’s some reason I don’t get.

I wondered this myself. However my work got me an XPS 15 at my request (with Windows), and I installed Ubuntu on it. I can switch between NVIDIA and Intel graphics just fine. I haven't tested the USB-C video output though, just the HDMI.

Mine works fine at 4k

Laptop graphics are one area where you run into issues with drivers still sometimes. I have some MSI laptops where the ACPI tables are fucked hard enough that you can't boot Ubuntu with the nVidia binary blobs installed. Dell is usually better about supporting Linux on their hardware, but even then the binary blobs are a bit of a risk factor.

MSI are the only laptops I have had serious "I give up" issues with trying to install Linux.

Bought one, found official company line is not supported at all, seems deliberately, gave it to my 15 year old.

It was so flimsy that six months of school bag transport, in special bag with laptop section, it is totally trashed. Flimsiest laptop I ever saw, by a long, long way. Plus for the specs, it was slow.

Luckily I was shelling out for the expensive but comprehensive insurance.

Steer clear of MSI.

The Precision 5000 line uses the same case as the XPS 15 and is mostly the same. A bit more expensive, you choose the parts that go in it, and some different support plans.

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