Friends,
I fear my very, very old computer for simulation and modeling is nearing the end of its life, and it's time to replace it. In fact, its replacement is already on order:
https://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-laptop-17z-5nv50av-1...With a few upgrades, I end up with a very respectable machine that costs under $700 USD. The problem now is Windows 10, which I refuse to suffer.
That leaves me with Linux, and the gigantic morass of options available. I have begun research, but a few extra pointers would be welcome. Seeing as HLP does have a few Linux users, I figured asking for some extra input here would be in good order.
On my end, Linux Mint and Manjaro look like good starting points. Ubuntu looks like it's starting to pull some MS-esque BS, so I've ruled that one out immediately. The current Linux Kernel looks like it will handle the hardware in the new computer (AMD Ryzen 5 3500U and Vega 8), though there could be BIOS issues to overcome first (AMD has apparently not released code for these chips either, further limiting performance; the Intel units apparently are in a similar boat) , so I'm not too worried. I assume the hardware issue will be a non-issue in a few months time - go back a few months ago and the Ryzen stuff looks like it wasn't working at all. Any additional input on this front would be good to hear.
In all, it would be nice to set up a system I don't have to worry about uninstalling any time soon. Granted, I get the impression that Linux is catching up with the new crop of hardware at the moment, so that angle may not pan out. However, I would like to ditch MS from this time forward, so something that can run the afore-mentioned simulations or CAD software efficiently is a priority. Regardless, this should be fun, or at worst, at least interesting.