View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Martin. n00b
Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 71 Location: Switzerland
|
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 6:04 pm Post subject: Linux on MacBook Pro : What about the autonomy ? |
|
|
Hello everybody,
I am planning to buy a new laptop during the next months. As a student (I'm going to enter the university in a few months =)), I'll need a solid laptop. What matters too is the autonomy of the laptop. And, evidently, I would like to have a polyvalent and powerful machine.
For all those reasons, the Mac Book Pro appeared to me as the better choice : the autonomy is impressive, the laptop seems to be resistant, and is really powerful. But... I wont use Mac OS X. I mean, I maybe wont delete it, but I'll certainly not use it as my first OS : I couldn't live without Gentoo =)
But, before buying a laptop that is really expensive, I want to make sure that I won't be sadly surprised by Gentoo running on a Mac Book Pro. The only point that scares me is the autonomy : Is she as good as she is with Mac OS X ? I've had a really good autonomy with an EEEpc, and I'm pretty sure that it could be very nice on a Mac Book Pro too, but... I prefer asking =)
Are there some people running Gentoo (or any other distribution) as main system on a Mac Book Pro ? Can you please tell me if the autonomy is good, or every problem you could have had ?
To resume, I would like to know what the situation is : is it possible, and a good idea, to run Gentoo on a Mac
Book Pro ?
EDIT : "Autonomy" must be understood as the time the laptop can work without having its battery refilled.
I'm really sorry if a same subject already exists, but I haven't found any, recent-enough topic. And I'm sorry too for my english
Last edited by Martin. on Mon May 09, 2011 7:35 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
DONAHUE Watchman
Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 7651 Location: Goose Creek SC
|
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 7:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
could you define in other words what you mean by autonomy with reference to a laptop? usually it means free, independent, or self governing and is used in discussing politics. _________________ Defund the FCC. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Martin. n00b
Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 71 Location: Switzerland
|
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 7:29 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Oh, sorry. I meant the power management. For how long you can work on the laptop without having to refill the battery. For sure it depends on what you do, but is it significantly (very) shorter with Gentoo ? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
XQYZ Apprentice
Joined: 19 Jul 2009 Posts: 231 Location: Europe
|
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 8:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Martin. wrote: | Oh, sorry. I meant the power management. For how long you can work on the laptop without having to refill the battery. For sure it depends on what you do, but is it significantly (very) shorter with Gentoo ? |
If you're compiling stuff (ie using the cpu at 100%) then it will surely drain the battery faster. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Yamakuzure Advocate
Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 2280 Location: Adendorf, Germany
|
Posted: Wed May 11, 2011 11:49 am Post subject: |
|
|
I have a Dell Latitude E6410 and the battery lasts for about 6 hours if I do not use CPU intensive tasks. This is with KDE-4.6.3 compositing enabled and working on private projects with Code::Blocks as my main IDE. Would that be enough?
But I doubt that you can't plug in your AC Adapter at your university. It would be quite queer if they forbid charging student laptops.
Just forgot: could this help? http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Apple_Macbook_Pro
Edit: Being from Switzerland you speak german perhaps? If it is so, this discussion here might be useful: http://www.macuser.de/forum/f18/macbook-linux-gentoo-306575/#post3498923
If not: In the linked post a user states, that they have Gentoo amd64 running perfectly on a MacBook Pro, and that there are a lot of configuration possibilities (e.g. in the kernel) to make use of special MacBook (Pro) features.
Edit 2 : List of articles: http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=MacBook _________________ Important German:- "Aha" - German reaction to pretend that you are really interested while giving no f*ck.
- "Tja" - German reaction to the apocalypse, nuclear war, an alien invasion or no bread in the house.
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Martin. n00b
Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 71 Location: Switzerland
|
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 6:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
Hello and thank you fit your replies !
Yamakuzure > Thanks for those links, but they all are about old versions of the MacBook pro. I haven't found yet anything about the actual MacBook pro. The only report I've heard was from a friend who told me that running Linux on the MacBook pro was really reducing the duration of the battery. But I also know that he probably just tried ubuntu, without trying anything to improve energy saving.
Thank you all, I'll continue to look for more informations !
Have a nice day =) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Shining Arcanine Veteran
Joined: 24 Sep 2009 Posts: 1110
|
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 3:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
Martin. wrote: | Hello and thank you fit your replies !
Yamakuzure > Thanks for those links, but they all are about old versions of the MacBook pro. I haven't found yet anything about the actual MacBook pro. The only report I've heard was from a friend who told me that running Linux on the MacBook pro was really reducing the duration of the battery. But I also know that he probably just tried ubuntu, without trying anything to improve energy saving.
Thank you all, I'll continue to look for more informations !
Have a nice day =) |
The fact that no one has complained yet is probably good news. People aren't as keen on updating documentation when the old documentation works for the new hardware as they are when the old documentation is no longer useful.
Still, I am in a similiar position and I am considering an Apple system as well. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Martin. n00b
Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 71 Location: Switzerland
|
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 7:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
Yes, you're probably right. And since the 13 inches model only has the Intel HD Graphics IGP, it's probably much easier to have a system fully working, and not too energy-dispendious (does this mean something ?).
Well, thank you for your help. I would have liked to listen to someone who owned a MacBook, but I think I shouldn't be scared of my future purchased.
And, if I had any problem I know where I can find help =)
Thank you, and have a nice day ! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
avx Advocate
Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 2152
|
Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 9:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
While doing my normal work, ie not compiling stuff, I usually get 5-6h under Gentoo and about 30min - 1h more under OS X. Letting the notebook idle saves even more power under OS X, so there the difference easily goes to ~2h.
MBP 13/e2011 _________________ ++++++++++[>+++++++>++++++++++>+++>+<<<<-]>++.>+.+++++++..+++.>++.<<+++++++++++++++.>.+++.------.--------.>+.>. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|