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Clearly I will do my homework when it comes to installing an OS (I've never done this) but I was just looking for a heads up on whether this has the potential to be a headache with regards to things like GPU and wireless drivers. Or should these things just work once Linux is installed, or are they (or other hardware features) likely to work only with Windows?

Specific example: GeForce GT 740m. Comes with the laptop I'm looking at, but would it work with Linux? Hell, come to think of it, would I even be able to run the games? I came across this article, but it's from 2008 so I'm not sure if its information is still current.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

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    You might want to look into Optimus, if that is applicable to your device.
    – Daniel B
    Mar 17, 2014 at 9:01
  • I did find that coming up during research; specifically, people were saying that, while NVidia GPUs do work on Linux, Optimus (whatever it is) doesn't...
    – Mitya
    Mar 17, 2014 at 11:08

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Normally this just works under Linux. If you want the official NVIDIA driver for the 740m you'll have to download it and install it, but that shouldn't be too hard and the included drivers are usually good enough for casual use.

Never-the-less, I've sometimes had trouble with Linux on cutting edge machines. It is well known that sometimes manufacturers change hardware without changing model numbers, so the only way to be absolutely sure Linux will work is to try it. One of the advantages of many Linux distros is that you can quickly try it out with a LiveCD - no need to install. If they'll let you pop in an boot from an Ubuntu Live-CD before you buy then you'll be able to quickly figure out what works. Apart from the GPU and wireless, check that the machine suspends/resumes properly when you close/open the lid. Also check any special hardware, such as a touch screens etc.

If there isn't any OS or data on the harddisk that you want to preserve, installing Linux can be almost as trivial as pressing "next" 11 times. Even if you somehow get stuck, you can browse the internet while installing, so there should be no need to "do your homework" prior to installation.

The article on Wine you mention is still current, but compatibility with the games you want is likely to be a larger issue than problems during installation. As noted by Matthew, you can check your favourite games against the Wine application compatibility database.

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Normally most of the stuff just works on Linux. For nvidia there are good opensource drivers, that support most of the cards, but if you want to run games you should look for nvidia official drivers. The installation depends a bit on the distribution of your choice, so i can't say anything.

The question, that pops into my mind is: what games do you want to run? There are some opensource games, but if you want to run commercial games, there is not a lot to pick from. It's getting better since valve ported steam to Linux and started porting some games, but there is still not that much choice as on windows. There is also the possibility to run under Wine but i don't know how the newest titels work under that.

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  • Thanks for your kind help. Re: games, yeah I'm thinking Wine, which I gather (though I know nothing about it) allows you to run Windows progs under Linux. Interesting re: the latest games not working under it, I'll have to look into that. In truth gaming's not my top priority; would just be nice to run slightly older stuff e.g. Doom 3, HL2 etc.
    – Mitya
    Mar 17, 2014 at 11:05
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Linux won't give you trouble. The vast majority of drivers you need will be available without intervention and in the case of some GPUs (Nvidia) you are provided download links to several open source options.

Many games are coming to Linux. If you are using Steam you won't need Wine as it comes with a Linux install. If you provide the game titles and method of playing (application framework or disc) we can advise on this.

As for games working on Wine, you will simply have to test it to find out. Wine keeps a database on games which should work, available here. There is also the comparability listing on the back of the game box or check online.

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