A Linux gaming Laptop isn't as crazy as it sounds: Slimbook Hero review ( tilvids.com )

crossposted from: tilvids.com/…/69008160-d7a9-4bf2-af92-ebcfc256b20…

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Timecodes: 00:00 Intro Sponsor: Start securing your CentOS 7 fleet now 02:06 Slimbook Hero 03:32 Design & Build Quality 04:45 Specs and options 07:02 Performance & Gaming 09:25 Display 10:06 Keyboard & Mouse 11:20 Software Experience 12:36 Linux gaming laptop? 14:10 Support the channel

It’s a 15 inch device, with a 1440p display that refreshes at 165 hertz, with an aluminium chassis, a 13th gen Intel i7 CPU, an RTX 4060 GPU, as much RAM as you could cram into a laptop, and very solid I/O.

So, this thing is chunky: it’s not meant to be an ultrabook, it weighs 2.1 kilos, or 4.6 pounds, and it’s pretty damn sturdy. Not much give or flex to this chassis, thanks to the aluminium.

The hinge is really solid as well, with minimal wobble when typing. It’s a 16:9 form factor. Of course you can open the laptop, and access the 2 M.2 slots for SSDs, the 2 DDR5 RAM slots, and the battery, which is 62 Wh. You can also buy spare parts from Slimbook, including the bezel cover, touchpad, lid, battery, keyboard palm rest, display, and more.

Now, in terms of specs, this laptop is well equipped, with a core i7 13620H, and an Nvidia RTX 4060, with 8 gigs of VRAM.

You can spec the rest up to your liking, with up to 64 gigs of DDR 5 RAM, at 5200 Mhz, and up to 4TB of PCIE4 storage.

You can also choose to dispose with the gamer branding and use a more unified black keyboard instead of having the white accents on the WASD keys, and you can pick any keyboard language you want.

As per I/O, on the left, you get a kensington lock, a USB 2.0 port, probably for a mouse, a mic jack, and a headphone jack. On the back, you have a mindisplay port, USB C 3.2 gen 2 with dusplayport support, HDMI 2.1, a gigabit ethernet port and the barrel charger, since charging this thing over USB would be a challenge. And on the right, there’s an SD card reader, and 2 type A USB 3.2 ports.

On top of all that, you get Bluetooth 5.2, Wifi 6, a basic webcam and onboard mic that won’t blow your socks off, dual speakers that are pretty decent, and a backlit keyboard with RGB, because, gamer.

In terms of benchmarks, the CPU get a score of 2733 in single core and 11625 in multi core on Geekbench 6.

browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/3787232

Battery life is decent, with about 7h of generic office work with wifi on, 50% brightness, and using the silent mode.

In Horizon Zero Dawn, at the native 1440p resolution, without any upscaling, and at the ultra preset, the Slimbook Hero managed a super smooth 60 FPS.

For Shadow of the Tomb Raider, also at 1440p without upscaling, and the ultra preset, I got 99 FPS on average, sometimes going down to about 80, or up to 120.

The display is really solid, it covers 100% of SRGB, it has a refresh rate up to 165hz, and it’s 1440p.

The keyboard is solid enough. The keys are very stable, and they have good travel. They’re quite clicky, and the sound is pleasant, and they bounce back super fast, it’s very nice to type on.

The touchpad is ok. It’s smooth enough, and precise, although it’s very off center, which I find annoying in day to day use.

devilish666 ,

Last time i used slim laptop for gaming it’s generate heat too much like i want to melt iceberg in north pole with it & climate activist start protesting arround me
I don’t say it’s bad but it’s not for me, in the end it’s nice for some people that need lightweight portable laptops especially if you work on long shift

ExLisper ,

Nice to see Slimbook here. It’s a Spanish company. I bought slimbook zero some years ago and it’s working really well. I would thinking about getting proper laptop/dekstop from them but in the end I went with Vant, another Spanish company. Vant is not as pretty but has better prices.

onlinepersona OP ,

How is their support? Their knowledgebase seems to be a hodgepodge of Spanish and English articles.

ExLisper ,

Had a issue with my zero just recently (motherboard battery run out), I posted on their forum and had a replay in a matter of hours with a link to disassembly video. I talked to them in Spanish but from what I see they reply in English without issues.

sugar_in_your_tea ,

A “Linux gaming laptop” is just any “gaming” laptop you install Linux on. Ideally use AMD graphics, but even NVIDIA should work fine if you set up the graphics switching properly.

Honestly though, I don’t see a point in a “gaming” laptop these days, just get a Steam Deck and a business class laptop and be done with it. My ThinkPad E495 is still going strong years later, and it might outlive my Steam Deck. I’d much rather replace a cheaper Steam Deck instead of a gaming laptop when it stops keeping up with games.

onlinepersona OP ,

Not everybody has the money to spend on two devices, which is why these things exist.

sugar_in_your_tea ,

I’m saying two devices can be cheaper than one, like in my specific example of a simple laptop ($500) and a Steam Deck ($500) vs a gaming laptop ($1k+). The simple laptop will also remain viable longer than the gaming laptop since it only needs to handle simple use cases, so you’d save money over time.

If you need games that don’t work on the Steam Deck (e.g. MP games with anti-cheat), then look into the rest of the handheld PC market. You should be able to use Steam Link to play from the laptop, or just connect it to a USB hub and play on a monitor for KB+mouse usage. I rarely play MP games, handheld mode works for most games.

This keeps the laptop light and inexpensive, which is fantastic for my primary use of my laptop, to get work done on the go.

onlinepersona OP ,

Point taken. Definitely works for your usecase 👍

Instrument_Data ,

Nvidia? On a LINUX laptop? Ouch.... not good.

onlinepersona OP ,

I wouldn’t buy it either. It always surprises me when a linux shop makes NVIDIA-only linux laptops. There must be some financial reason.

rickdg ,
@rickdg@lemmy.world avatar

It’s not. It’s the ultrabooks or any crazy form factors that are a challenge to Linux. But the Steam Deck has been a huge step forward.

onlinepersona OP ,

How are ultrabooks are challenge to linux?

woelkchen ,
@woelkchen@lemmy.world avatar

It’s a 15 inch device, with a 1440p display that refreshes at 165 hertz, with an aluminium chassis, a 13th gen Intel i7 CPU, an RTX 4060 GPU

https://i.imgur.com/hdJi6r9.jpeg

The whole setup makes no sense with Linux in mind and screams of a rebadged Windows notebook. Just go with an AMD-exclusive system, perhaps with an Intel WiFi module.

Amends1782 ,

Agreed with Linux gaming AMD all the way. For laptops if you don’t wanna go dedicated GPU they make some wonderful budget friendly performance APUs (CPU plus GPU like Intel integrated graphics but more capable for light gaming :) IMO of course

WhiskyTangoFoxtrot ,

As far as I can tell, there isn’t a single Linux laptop with an AMD GPU. Admittedly, even in the Windows world AMD laptops are a lot rarer than Nvidia ones, but there are still a few. None of them come with Linux out-of-the-box, though.

a_random_fox ,
@a_random_fox@discuss.tchncs.de avatar

There is one: tuxedocomputers.com/…/TUXEDO-Sirius-16-Gen1.tuxed…

woelkchen ,
@woelkchen@lemmy.world avatar

Well, then those Linux notebook makers do a crappy job. Radeon is the best supported gaming GPU on Linux as of now. That’s just fact. Any notebook manufacturer would look which vendors Valve uses for Steam Deck and pick whatever is the latest component from that vendor because all the driver improvements made by Valve also benefit the newer, more powerful GPU.

Taking an obvious Windows notebook and just rebadging it isn’t a real Linux notebook anyway. If I were to buy a new notebook, it would be the Framework 16. Sure, there is no option for it to ship with Linux but the DIY edition ships without Windows.

ArtikBanana ,

Framework laptops don’t come with Linux out of the box, but Linux is very nicely supported and tested on them.

sata_andagi ,

Yeah but consider the following: CUDA. I don’t even game that much (and I was okay with older games that can be played on a Ryzen APU) but I had to get a laptop with a 3050 for GPGPU shenanigans. It is definitely a downgrade in terms of Linux compatibility compared to my older laptop (the machine doesn’t go to sleep properly unless you are running Ubuntu 20.04, which I discovered accidentally)

woelkchen ,
@woelkchen@lemmy.world avatar

CUDA isn’t for games.

jimmy90 ,

I just got an HP omen with a 3070ti and Ubuntu is doing a great job of gaming. It came with windows 11

woelkchen ,
@woelkchen@lemmy.world avatar

Not doing a great job running basic modern desktop environments with Wayland, though, where workarounds are required everywhere to make shoddy Nvidia drivers work. Very recently (I think is was just last week) I’ve read that the developers need to give Nvidia special treatment just to make the cursor work. That’s just fucked up.

A house build on shortcuts and workarounds is not on a strong foundation. It’ll break down on the user at some point.

WeLoveCastingSpellz ,

I have had no problems with my nvidia gpu on wayland for the record, except for the wayland performance hit

woelkchen ,
@woelkchen@lemmy.world avatar

I’m happy for you that you think that required workarounds implemented by DE developers don’t affect you.

helenslunch ,

Gaming laptops in and of themselves don’t make much sense…

woelkchen ,
@woelkchen@lemmy.world avatar

Gaming laptops in and of themselves don’t make much sense…

Why?

wildginger ,

I disagree with it, but the premise is that they cant be upgraded so they are stuck at a set spec, they struggle with heating and dust issues, they make a lot of sacrifices due to needing to fit into a laptop size, and they basically need to be plugged in 24/7 which bites at the portability.

All valid points, but also all acceptable trade offs if you need a portable and flexible machine.

woelkchen ,
@woelkchen@lemmy.world avatar

the premise is that they cant be upgraded so they are stuck at a set spec

Every gaming notebook can be upgraded (RAM, storage) but not to the degree of desktop PCs, true. Although frame.work/products/laptop16-diy-amd-7040 exists now.

Btw, I don’t play graphically intensive games anyway but the games I play I wanna play at native screen resolution of 1440p.

they struggle with heating and dust issues

One needs to clean the fan every once in a while (more often when dumb people place it on the bed). Not so different from desktop PCs.

wildginger ,

Upgrading or cleaning a laptop means opening up the laptop. Anyone who has opened a tower and a laptop will attest, the laptop is a nightmare to deal with and the tower is much simpler.

woelkchen ,
@woelkchen@lemmy.world avatar

Depends on the laptop. For some it’s just unscrewing the bottom. Gaming notebooks aren’t the super slim ones. They tend to be easier to open than their ultrabook cousins.

0ops ,

Even on a lot of non-gaming laptops. I can’t say that I’ve loved the dells I’ve had, but I can’t fault them for their repairability. Cleaning out the fans, swapping memory, storage, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth cards, all just a dozen screws to remove the bottom panel and access all of that.

sugar_in_your_tea ,

can be upgraded

But you can’t upgrade the two most important components: CPU and GPU. So if your gaming laptop isn’t cutting it, you need to buy a new one, you can’t just upgrade the component that’s causing bottlenecks.

So a gaming laptop is likely to be much more expensive than a non-gaming laptop. My E-series Lenovo ThinkPad cost $400-500, which is about half the cost compared to entry gaming laptops. I haven’t once cleaned the fan, and it’s still doing well a few years later (my kids play Lego games and Minecraft on it).

So for my money, I go with a Steam Deck for games and an inexpensive laptop with integrated graphics for everything else. Total cost is ~$1k.

chitak166 ,

He has to fit in with everyone else.

jws_shadotak ,

Not everyone is stationary. I move around a lot and go to hotels and such all the time.

sugar_in_your_tea ,

Something like a Steam Deck probably makes more sense then. I’d rather have a handheld PC and a small laptop over a thick laptop any day of the week.

Nibodhika ,

I have both a steam deck and a slim gaming laptop like the ones that company sells. It’s different, while I mostly game on my deck some games just aren’t good with a controller, and since I’ll be taking a laptop with me anyways why not take one that can also play games?

sugar_in_your_tea ,

Mostly because battery life tends to suck. I can still play games like Minecraft and most indie games on my iGPU (esp if you go AMD), so it’s not like there aren’t options, I just won’t be playing larger AAA games on it.

I haven’t shopped too much either, but in the past, gaming laptops were significantly more expensive and often had quality issues vs business-style laptops. I quickly checked prices online, and “inexpensive” gaming laptops seem to start around $1k for a 4060 tier GPU. That’s the price of a decent business laptop (should last 5+ years) and a Steam Deck. You’ll probably want to upgrade the Steam Deck way before the business laptop, so it should help with costs longer term (and by then you’ll probably want a desktop PC anyway).

Anyway, that’s my take. I personally don’t see a point to gaming laptops, for the game money, I’d rather have two dedicated devices.

Nibodhika ,

Actually battery life of gaming laptops is really good, because it’s made to hold a discrete GPU which can usually be turned off, I used to get around 6h of battery for day-to-day stuff in my gaming laptop when I recently bought it, I haven’t used it outside of a plug for a while so I assume the battery would be in a bad state today.

I get the point of having to upgrade the whole system every few years, and that they’re more expensive, but if you need portability a desktop is not viable, e.g. I moved countries a few years ago and I’ll move again in a short while, a desktop is just not practical for me. Plus I’ve had my laptop for 4 years, which is much longer than my deck.

So if I want to play games that I have issues with playing on my deck, like Doom or Cities Skylines I play them on the laptop. Granted, I could plug a keyboard and mouse to my deck, but like I mentioned I already had the laptop for years when the deck came out.

sugar_in_your_tea ,

It’s only good if you have a massive battery, which means increased weight and size. I can get that same 6+ hours in a much smaller, cheaper package.

portability

I can see that.

That said, if the concern is only moving, a SFFPC can be very easy to pack. Monitors can be a pain, so if I knew I was going to move, I’d just sell those and buy new wherever I was moving. It’s just not worth the hassle unless they’re really nice.

It used to be more interesting back when LAN parties were a common thing, but AFAIK, most kids have moved to online. When I was younger, LAN parties had already switched to retro games w/o servers like OG Doom and Quake with mods, and those can run on a potato.

But honestly, my go-to is a highly portable laptop and a handheld gaming system, either a Switch or Steam Deck. That combo should be cheaper than a gaming laptop and more ergonomic. If you want to play games those systems can’t handle, a desktop PC + portable laptop should be competitive in price (like $1500-2000 combined), and should be cheaper long term.

That said, use what you have. I’m just saying that a Linux gaming laptop is kind of silly since it’s not going to handle many different games than a Steam Deck, and it’s going to be less comfortable to use than a more portable laptop and a handheld PC.

Obviously get what you want, I just don’t see much of a point these days when we have more options.

chitak166 ,

That’s nice.

southsamurai ,
@southsamurai@sh.itjust.works avatar

Yeah, but they’re sometimes the best option anyway. I wouldn’t use one for any length of time for gaming, but I have the luxury of not having to leave home much, and almost never for extended time. Back when I was still able to work, a laptop for gaming would have made sense on the long overnight shifts (the job has lots of downtime, and limited limitations on how it was filled).

Folks that travel a lot are in a similar boat.

Folks that can only have one PC and need it to be portable are reliant on laptops totally.

Yeah, even the best of them aren’t ideal, but they’re sensible for various use cases.

0ops ,

Yeah that last one. Pc’s are expensive, and I gotta eat

sugar_in_your_tea ,

I’m pretty sure an inexpensive laptop + Steam Deck would be about the same price (or less!) as a gaming laptop.

I got my E-series ThinkPad a few years ago for $400-500 (E495, first AMD ThinkPad E series), and my Steam Deck for $530. So I paid about $1k for the pair. Gaming laptops start around $1k and go up from there.

It works well for me, but then I don’t need a GPU for my non-gaming laptop use, so I can get away with it. YMMV depending on what you need the laptop to do.

0ops ,

Lol, funny you mention that, because that’s pretty much my setup: A steamdeck and an XPS 15 that I got used like 5 years ago. The only problem is that I don’t really like single player games, so between steam-Xbox cross play and anticheat it’s hard to find things to play with my Xbox friends. But yeah the steamdeck is an insane bang for your buck

sugar_in_your_tea ,

Then perhaps consider one of the Windows-based handheld PCs, they’re a bit more expensive, but they should work well with anti-cheat and whatnot.

I personally don’t like MP games, so Linux gaming is perfect for me.

SidewaysHighways ,

Just pack up the whole rack every time you go to Grandma’s house

laxsill ,

It absolutely makes sense. For us who want to game but also need a computer to do day to day work and meetings. I’m not buying two computers, so what I buy for work is what I have to game with.

helenslunch ,

You can buy 1 gaming PC and 1 basic laptop for less than the price of 1 gaming laptop and they’ll both be better at they’re specific roles.

chitak166 ,

I used to do that but wanted to downsize so I switched to 1 gaming laptop.

Haven’t looked back and have been very happy with my decision :)

Only wish I made it sooner! Haha

chitak166 ,

I used to believe that, then I got one myself and haven’t looked back.

Mango ,

Why not?

helenslunch ,

Cuz they’re crazy expensive, not very powerful, power through batteries in a matter of minutes, and they require you to carry GIANT power supplies, which makes them poor for portability anyway.

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