Linux Laptop Compatibility

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
The questions "Will X laptop run Linux?" or "What issues does X laptop have with Linux?" come up quite a lot, so I thought I'd make a list of a few posts with info about people's experiences on Linux with PCS laptops.

Although PCS don't officially support Linux on these, most chassis seem to work with Linux with only minor issues. You can get more info by googling the chassis models yourself, and you can find the Clevo chassis models listed here: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/clevo-laptops/40/ If other people have got these chassis to work with Linux or another vendor is selling these with Linux, it's very likely to work for you too.

Note some chassis like the Recoil and Vyper aren't Clevo, they're Tongfang (or Quanta like the Proteus).

Some chassis can be very different, e.g. Fusion III vs Fusion II. So be careful if buying a new model based on a user review about an older one with a similar name :)

How does Linux run on:

Edit: Topic discussing the recent Ubuntu 19.10 Eoan Ermine, which seems to play nicer that 19.04)

Fusion III 14":
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/review-fusion-iii-14.64190/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/disable-the-disable-wifi-key.64785/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-the-linux-ultrabook-you-always-wanted.64946/

Fusion IV 14":
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/ubuntu-19-10-eoan-ermine.65663/page-2#post-463332

Fusion IV 15.6"
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/fusion-15-6-text-only-review.64979/#post-449821
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/fusion-iv-arch-linux-install.66059/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...mn2g-perfect-specs-at-unbeatable-price.66813/

Cosmos VIII 15.6":
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/cosmos-viii-15-6-compatibility.64214/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/ubuntu-and-mint-issues-on-cosmos-viii-laptop.64951/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/ubuntu-install-fails.65076/#post-449494
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/cosmos-i7-9750h-gtx-1050-wi-fi-6-ax200.65158/

Cosmos VIII 17.3"
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-m-2-pcie-nvme-up-to-3500mb-r-3200mb-w.65255/

Laifte III 14":
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?60273-Lafit%E9-III-and-Intel-SSD-760p-Mint
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/backlit-keyboard-lafite-iii-14.65263/#post-450820

Lafite IV 14"
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/lafité-iv-14”-and-slackware.65317/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/debian-buster-10-stable-on-lafite-iv-14.66180/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/lafite-iv-ubuntu-19-10.66752/

Lafite Pro 14"
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...efore-buying-lafité-pro-14.66676/#post-460034
**NVME Incompatibility** https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/unable-to-install-linux.66956/#post-463039

Lafite IV 15.6"
(Debian Bullseye) https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...6-clevo-n151cu-debian-testing-bullseye.65876/

Lafite III 15.6"
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?61714-Pre-purchase-check-Ubuntu-18-04-on-Lafité-III&p=430396&viewfull=1#post430396
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?61820-Lafit%E9-III-15-6-quot
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?61797-LafitIe-III-15-6-review
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...d-better-fan-control.62375/page-2#post-445231
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/lafité-series-i7-16gb.64416/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...buntu-crashes-unexpectedly.64540/#post-448430
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/my-lafite-iii-15.65114/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/ubuntu-freezing-on-lafite.65572/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-6-with-ubuntu-18-04-3-lts.65541/#post-453998

Octane VI (17.3"):
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?62132-Linux-17-3-quot-OCTANE-VI-high-specs
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/17-3-octane-vi-very-nice-working-machine.64876/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...laptop-and-upgrade-to-debian-10-buster.64984/

Proteus VI:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?62170-Ubuntu-on-Proteus-VI


Recoil III 17.3" RTX:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/recoil-iii-17-3-rtx-a-brief-review.64293/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...ii-keyboard-backlight-control-in-linux.64211/

Recoil II 15.6":
(while PCS have moved to Recoil III GTX/RTX, keeping this here to signal info about Linux and Tongfang chassis)
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...Install-Ubuntu-18-10-Instructions-All-Working
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?59216-Linux-on-Recoil-ll/page6
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?60778-Recoil-II-Review
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...Install-Ubuntu-18-10-Instructions-All-Working
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...9-Linux-advice&p=429253&viewfull=1#post429253
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-series-laptop&p=429502&viewfull=1#post429502


Ultranote IV:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...untu-18-04-on-UltraNote-Series-14-quot-laptop
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?60582-ULTRANOTE-14-quot-laptop
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-ULTRANOTE-14-quot-review-used-for-Linux-Mint


Ultranote V 15.6":
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...ltranote-V-cant-boot-from-USB-flashdisc/page2
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?61456-UltraNote-running-Kubuntu-18-04
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?60083-Linux-Mint-19-Ultranote-and-M-2SSD
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-AC-9260-(rev-29)-not-working-with-Arch-Linux
(MX Linux 19) https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/ultranote-15-6.65872/

Misc Issues:
(WD SSDs) : https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?60548-Difficulty-installing-linux
(Older Optimus VII and ubuntu 18.04) https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?60280-ubuntu-18-04-on-optimus-VII-nvidia
(Debian and wifi) https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?61497-Debian-WiFi-issues

(Intel Wireless-AC 9260 (rev 29) not working with Arch Linux) https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-AC-9260-(rev-29)-not-working-with-Arch-Linux
(INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200) (seems to require a quite recent kernel)
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/cosmos-viii-15-6-compatibility.64214/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/ubuntu-and-mint-issues-on-cosmos-viii-laptop.64951/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/cosmos-i7-9750h-gtx-1050-wi-fi-6-ax200.65158/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-m-2-pcie-nvme-up-to-3500mb-r-3200mb-w.65255/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/lafité-iv-14”-and-slackware.65317/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/ubuntu-install-fails.65076/#post-449494
(SX6000 SSD and Linux Kernel versio...-6-with-ubuntu-18-04-3-lts.65541/#post-453998

Fixes:
Where users have posted up fixes for linux issues esp. fan control and backlighting. Probably chassis-specific:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...ii-keyboard-backlight-control-in-linux.64211/
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...d-better-fan-control.62375/page-2#post-445231
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Stephen M

Author Level
Just to add to this. I am currently running Ubuntu 18.04.1 on the Octane V, GTX 1060, i7 8700k. Was the easiest and quickest install I have had on all five of my PCS laptops and only the expected issues, backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader, both of which are irrelevant to me. I believe there are some work arounds for keyboard lights but not tried yet.
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
Thanks Stephen M :) Have added a link. Is that a 15.6" or a 17.3" Octane V? Not that I expect it makes a great deal of difference.
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
Added in a post about the Gemini.

If there are relevant topics I've missed (especially recently as have been a bit busier) please do flag them up :)
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
Cosmos VIII and Fusion III added, many thanks to the users who posted their experiences.
Also have started moving older chassis to the end of the post.

If people know of any I've missed, do flag up :)
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
Moving older laptops to a new post as thread character limit reached, but keeping for reference:


ARCHIVE (old models):

Cosmos VII (15.6")

https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?60455-Cosmos-VII-Initial-impressions
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?60192-Cosmos-VII-Series-15-6-quot
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...roblems-installing-Ubuntu-18-10-on-Cosmos-VII

Cosmos VII (17.3")
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...2-Review-Cosmos-VII-I7-(17-3-quot-)-for-Linux
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...g-nicely-on-Cosmos-VII-laptop-thanks-to-Rufus
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...I-laptop-purchase-and-Mint-19-1-compatibility
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...a-17-3-cosmos-vii-any-tips.62826/#post-445153

Defiance XS II:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?59416-Arch-Linux-on-15-6-quot-Defiance-XS-II

Fusion II:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/fusion-ii-review.61236/

Fusion III (14"):

Gemini II:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...erfect-notebook-for-the-light-traveler.63028/

Octane V (15.6"):
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-Compatibility&p=424416&viewfull=1#post424416

Optimus IX:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...ning-on-Linux-Mint-19-with-a-few-minor-issues
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...c-Beaver-installation-on-Optimus-IX-15-6-quot
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-USB-flashdisc&p=423819&viewfull=1#post423819
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...Linux-onto-Optima-IX-with-1050-ti-Nvidia-Card
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?61394-Optimus-IX-and-brightness-controls

Vyper 15.6"
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/threads/vyper-15-6-linux-support.60135/#post-448763
 
Last edited:

MfromF

Member
Hi Oussebon,

I added a description how to install Debian Buster (10 - Stable) on a Lafité IV 14'':
It look like an good idea to link it here.

Maybe a second idea is to put together Lafité IV 14'' and 15,6'' in your list, because they have the pretty much the same hardware as far as I see.

Greetz
Martin
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
Thanks for the link, added.

I tend to keep them separate as it's easier for me than to keep track of which chassis is almost the same as which (15.6" and 17.3" Vortex laptops can be very different for example). Tbh lots of the Lafites and Ultranotes have almost the same hardware, one of the main differences being iterations of wifi card.
 
We really need a new BIOS to disable RST for Lafité Pro ( L141CU) to make it works with linux.

The linux kernel will never include such hack from intel.
 

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
We really need a new BIOS to disable RST for Lafité Pro ( L141CU) to make it works with linux.

The linux kernel will never include such hack from intel.
Do remember that PCS don't offer Linux support, so they won't modify designs to support it. It either works or it doesn't.
 
No You don't understand the problem here.

The Bios have limited function compared to other Bios and Pcs have obviously access to Bios sources to deliver a new one.
 

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
No You don't understand the problem here.

The Bios have limited function compared to other Bios and Pcs have obviously access to Bios sources to deliver a new one.
I’m afraid that’s unlikely to happen as there’s no requirement for AHCI mode in windows, it’s a legacy setting that’s no longer used anymore.


This is a limitation within the Linux kernel as far as I can tell and therefor specific to Linux, eg, unsupported.
 
Top