New Gentoo Installation

[zgredek]

Hello,

I'm in the process of completing gear for a new PC and I was wondering, is Gentoo a good choice for a high-end desktop installation using i7@lga2011, ddr4, SSDs, 4K displays and so on?

Are there any other distros you'd recommend?

I'm running Gentoo for many years on server and desktop so I'm pretty confident about installation and configuration but I'm not sure if it's still suitable and performs well on new (and future) equipment.

Are there any problems (with support, compatibility) I should watch out for?

Thank you for any suggestions

[Perfect Gentleman]

if Gentoo is not suitable, than any Linux distro also is not suitable.
imo, you can install Gentoo without any doubt.

[zgredek]

if Gentoo is not suitable, than any Linux distro also is not suitable.
imo, you can install Gentoo without any doubt.

Anyone using a setup like this?
I'm looking for more practical advice..

[Hypnos]

I'm confused -- why wouldn't Gentoo work on your setup? If the Linux kernel supports the hardware you have, then so will Gentoo. The hardware you describe is nothing special these days.

[steveL]

I'm in the process of completing gear for a new PC and I was wondering, is Gentoo a good choice for a high-end desktop installation using i7@lga2011, ddr4, SSDs, 4K displays and so on?

Absolutely.

Are there any other distros you'd recommend?

Not really; as pointed out you can use any live-disk to install. sysresccd is rightly popular; I've also had success with mandrake and knoppix live-disks, for finding out more about the hardware. Ubuntu is good in that regard too, though I've not used it within a Gentoo install; more recommended it to Linux-newbs.

Are there any problems (with support, compatibility) I should watch out for?

I wouldn't try to bring it up with the latest, greatest nvidia or other graphics card you can find; set it up with one that's been out a year or two, and you know works well with Linux.

Oh, and disable any onboard intel-hda soundcard, as they're rubbish, and just cause you lots of grief. Don't even build the module. Just use an add-on PCI or USB soundcard (USB gaming headphones are good.)

Personally I find it much easier wrt desktop if I [topic=938680]disable nubkit[/topic], and semantic-desktop on KDE (much slicker machine, ime.) Each to their own, though.

[zgredek]

Hypnos, steveL thank you for answering.

So I need additional soundcard and a graphics card (preferably nvidia) that is supported by the kernel.

Do older cards even support DisplayPort which is recommended for 4K?

[Hypnos]

On my machines, I use the on-board intel-hda sound. I do agree, however, that a standalone sound card vetted for Linux compatibility would provide a superior experience.

I defer to SteveL on video cards, as I just use the built-in cards on my machines which are also Intel. They work well with Linux, including DisplayPort.

[zgredek]

I also use onboard cards but it's hard to find a X99 motherboard with integrated graphics and displayport.

[steveL]

So I need additional soundcard and a graphics card (preferably nvidia) that is supported by the kernel.

Well I wouldn't plan on relying on onboard HDA, especially if audio is important to you. Typically the GPU has audio as well, as part of HDMI, and HDA (ime at least: I'm not making any across-the-board claims) tends to play nastily with other devices as soon as it's enabled. I didn't quite believe it myself at first; it took over a year of Griz occasionally reminding me to disable it before I did properly, and my machine has run a lot better since.

Do older cards even support DisplayPort which is recommended for 4K?

I also use onboard cards but it's hard to find a X99 motherboard with integrated graphics and displayport.

I can't really advise on the latest greatest kit; my point really is just about getting the machine booting, with the kernel, mobo (disk controllers etc) and rootfs drivers built-in.
At that point you don't want to be wrestling with the latest glitches related to the newest graphics-card you can get (and its somewhat flaky drivers.) It's much easier to deal with that from a stable, running install, and add in your newest purchases after, one at a time in isolation.

[NeddySeagoon]

zgredek,

To get 4k you must have Display Port 1.3.