There's the obligatory warning that Nvidia and Linux aren't best friends, but we have quite a few people here using Nvidia, myself included. I can't imagine it wouldn't work. I'm not sure if Intel's CPU issues in the last two generations include notebook CPUs or not, but you may want to look into that. I'm not anti-Intel, but the last two generations have had problems big enough that I went to AMD on my last purchase.
While it's true that Nvidia has a poor track record in terms of compatibility with Linux, things have been getting better and better. Generally, you can expect things to work out of the box when the manufacturer offers Linux preinstalled, even if Zorin OS isn't offered explicitly.
I can personally vouch for Tuxedo Computers as I have bought one from them and everything works perfectly. For my next purchase I'm looking at an all AMD (CPU & GPU) from Framework. Not exactly cheap, but I think it'll be worth it.
Locklear93 - I know Nvidea isn't really Linux friendly but finding for a laptop without them that'll do what I want makes the search damn near impossible
Ponce-De-Leon Stammgast - Thanks for the suggestion, I really want a UK based solution, or at least someone who has a UK presence
Partly for support but mainly because I want to avoid any issues with UK customs, I don't want to hand over the thick end of £2k only for HMRC to demand an unknown amount of tax before they'll let it into the country
zenzen - Thanks, I started my search with that page though, some really nice machines but they tend to be from outside the UK
Star Labs Star fighter looks possible but it's sold out & the gpu isn't really up to what I want though
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If I could find something from a major manufacturer that I know will work with Zorin I'd get that & install the OS myself, but I don't want to hand over lots of money only to find they've locked down the boot process or half the ports don't work with Zorin
hi , this is what my side kick ( i call him "AI" ) has to say ...
Hi! The Neptune 17" v6 from Juno Computers looks like a solid choice if you're after a high-performance gaming laptop that will run Linux, including Zorin OS. Based on the specs you've provided, it seems like a powerhouse in terms of hardware, with an Intel Core i9-14900HX, an RTX 4080, and a high-refresh-rate QHD display.
Here are some thoughts and considerations for running Zorin OS (or any Linux distribution) on it:
1. Pre-installed Ubuntu Compatibility
Since the system comes with Ubuntu pre-installed, that's a positive sign because Ubuntu and Zorin OS share a lot in common, especially at the level of hardware compatibility. Zorin is based on Ubuntu, so if Ubuntu works fine on the laptop, Zorin should work well too, especially for most hardware drivers.
2. Intel Core i9-14900HX (24-core)
The Intel Core i9-14900HX is part of Intel's 13th-generation "Raptor Lake" lineup, which should be well-supported by recent Linux kernels.
Make sure you're running a kernel version that fully supports the newer Intel CPUs. Zorin OS usually ships with an up-to-date kernel, but check that it's at least version 6.0 or higher for optimal performance on newer Intel chips.
No issues expected here, as long as the kernel supports all the features.
3. NVIDIA RTX 4080
The RTX 4080 is an amazing GPU for gaming and content creation, but historically, NVIDIA drivers on Linux have sometimes been more complicated than AMD's open-source drivers. However, NVIDIA has been improving support for Linux in recent years, and their proprietary drivers (which Zorin OS can easily handle) should work well with your setup.
Potential issue: You’ll likely need to install the proprietary NVIDIA driver, as the open-source Nouveau driver doesn't perform well with high-end NVIDIA GPUs. Zorin OS should make this straightforward, but just be sure to check for the latest driver versions when you install.
Since it's a high-end GPU, you may want to ensure your kernel is the latest, as newer kernel versions often improve hardware support, especially for graphics cards.
4. 17.3” QHD Display
High-resolution displays like QHD (2560×1440) are typically well-supported on Linux, but make sure that your GPU driver and the display settings play nicely together. NVIDIA's proprietary drivers should support QHD displays and high refresh rates (240Hz), though you might need to tweak some settings in the NVIDIA control panel or Xorg configuration to ensure smooth performance at higher refresh rates.
Linux distributions generally handle HiDPI displays better now, but if you run into scaling issues (e.g., text and UI elements being too small), Zorin OS includes built-in scaling options that should help mitigate these problems.
5. Hardware (Storage, RAM, etc.)
Storage: If you're getting a solid-state drive (SSD) with NVMe support, Linux should recognize it and handle it just fine.
RAM: The system's large RAM (likely 16GB or more) will work well with Zorin OS, as it supports modern memory configurations without issue.
6. CLEVO Chassis
CLEVO chassis tend to be pretty neutral when it comes to Linux compatibility. Since you've had experience with CLEVO laptops before, you likely already know they generally don’t come with much bloatware and are often relatively "Linux-friendly." As long as the laptop has been built to be Linux-compatible (which the Juno site suggests), you should be in the clear. The main drivers to watch out for will be for things like the GPU, touchpad, and function keys (e.g., brightness, volume), but these should all be manageable on Zorin.
7. Overall Compatibility
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: You didn’t mention the specific wireless chipset, but most modern Wi-Fi chips should be supported out of the box in Ubuntu-based distributions like Zorin. If you run into any issues, drivers can be installed manually from the manufacturer’s site or via the Linux community.
Battery life: While this laptop is geared toward performance, battery life on high-performance gaming laptops can sometimes be lower when running Linux, especially when using NVIDIA’s proprietary drivers. That said, it's worth checking the power management settings once you install Zorin to tweak performance/battery usage.
8. Zorin OS Installation
Zorin OS makes it easy to install on most hardware. The system is designed to "just work" with drivers and hardware, but if you want the latest drivers for something specific (like the RTX 4080), it's good to have a backup plan (e.g., using Ubuntu’s own PPA repositories for NVIDIA or manually downloading the latest drivers from NVIDIA’s website).
Conclusion
Given that the Neptune 17" v6 is Ubuntu-certified, you should face minimal issues running Zorin OS on it. The high-end hardware (i9 CPU, RTX 4080, and QHD display) should all be fully supported, but you might need to manually install NVIDIA drivers (likely through Zorin's built-in driver tools or using a terminal-based installation). Just make sure you're on the latest stable kernel and NVIDIA drivers for the best experience.
If the price is within your budget and you plan on using this laptop for years, it sounds like a solid investment, especially if you want top-tier performance for gaming and productivity on Linux.
Considering you are going for fairly up to date hardware, your best bet is to buy from an manufacturer that supports Linux out of the box. You may have some luck with refurbished items as well
Make sure to take advantage of the return policy from wherever you buy from. You can test it over the weekend and return it if something doesn't work.
I've done some digging, it the company has been trading since 2017, they have US & UK presences, trustpilot show several good reviews & a couple of bad ones
They do seem to be a one man band though and having checked on google maps their presences don't have any indication that they're there & their companies house records indicate assets of just under £50k
which makes me extremely nervous about buying from them
Damn that's a nice machine though
I'll put a pin in that one for the moment & investigate what customs would do to me
That does look like a good machine & the forums do show people have installed various flavours of Linux within the last couple of years, so it's promising
Purchased without an operating system which brought the price down slightly, which I'm always happy about
Made a Zorin 17.2 core boot thumbdrive, disabled fastboot, disabled secure boot, checked the boot order, rebooted & Zorin loaded like it was on rails
The only hardware issue is the keyboard backlight not working by default but there's plenty of information on the forums about making it work, not that I'm desperately bothered
So thanks for all your help, I think this can be closed
has to say ...