
The New System76 Galago Pro Is a Potential Macbook Killer - jaxondu
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2017/03/system76-galago-pro-aluminum-4k-laptop
======
cwyers
First off, the intro video is very clearly comparing the laptop's thickness to
proprietary, freedom-denying candies with trademarks on them. The comparison
should be to libre candies that don't deny users freedom.

Second... I once came into possession of a bottle of vegan Worcestershire
sauce. Well, I love Worcestershire sauce, and I was curious. So I did a side-
by-side taste test. And, I learned two things very quickly:

1) The vegan Worcestershire sauce was horrible. 2) It also was in no way
reminiscent of Worcestershire sauce. The only way it could be mistaken for
Worcestershire sauce is if you'd been a vegan for so long you forgot what
Worcestershire sauce was supposed to taste like.

That's what this article reminds me of. This laptop is a "Macbook Killer" if
you've never actually used a MacBook before. (And I say this as someone who
has never bought a Mac.)

~~~
rufugee
Have you _used_ a MacBook before? I have. I have two and an iMac, and I'd
still rate my experience in OpenSUSE (where I've ended up these days) as 1000%
better than OSX aside from video codecs. So if you're not using that vegan
Worcestershire sauce, could you please pass it this way?

No offense meant, but

~~~
cwyers
I've used a MacBook before, yes. And, so, don't get me wrong, I've hated every
moment of using one. I don't like the OS. I don't like the aesthetic. There is
absolutely nothing about the MacBook I like.

But I am very able to recognize that I am not everyone, that there are a lot
of people who like their MacBooks, that Apple's build quality is the best
there is, that Apple's support is top-notch, that you can FIND Apple support
in any major city in the US. That they are built to last. A Taiwanese MacBook
visual knockoff running Linux isn't a MacBook killer. If you want one? Good
for you. But the majority of the market for a MacBook, in fact, is not buying
them because of the color. Making your laptop the same color as Apple's
doesn't make your laptop a competitor.

------
rocqua
With modern 13 and 14 inch laptops, bezels really matter.

The point of these is to be portable, smaller bezels lead to a lot more
portable laptop. It is the reason I'd pass on this laptop.

We do need a decent macbook-like linux laptop. One that has a solid chassis,
looks good, is portable and has a decent keyboard. Currently. the dell XPS
line is probably the closest match. Otherwise, lenovo thinkpads, though lenovo
does not have the best track record.

Personally I chose a lenovo because I got a good deal, ad the keyboard is
quite good. But more choice would've been great.

~~~
SkyMarshal
Does Apple have a patent on the exact dimensions of the MacBook Pro? I'd love
a purpose-built Linux laptop that was compatible with all the hardcases and
whatnot for the MBP.

~~~
thoughtpalette
The Razerblade is a beautiful machine imo (I use a 16' MBP). Can just wipe the
window installation and boot your linux distro of choice.

~~~
zanecodes
I own a 2015 Razer Blade 14 and am overall fairly happy with it, just be aware
that it is a gaming machine first and foremost, and as such has very mediocre
(~5 hour web browsing) battery life. This is compounded by the notoriously bad
power management on most Linux distros, and there are some minor driver
support issues (mostly due to the NVidia 970M). I ran Manjaro on mine for a
few months before going back to Windows 10 after Windows Subsystem for Linux
came out, mostly for gaming reasons.

------
fuzzythinker
That is the worst intro video ever. Whoever made and allowed it to be the
final video needs to be fired.

~~~
thoughtpalette
Yea, almost waited the entire length for a shot around and above the product.
Waste of my time. qq

------
HalfwayToDice
This article is nonsense, the author says the 4K laptop weighs "under a pound"
and then admits in the comments that he doesn't actually know the weight.

SPAM?

~~~
abraves10001
Spam/Clickbait. The Macbook Air (13.3") weighs ~3 lbs. There is essentially 0
chance this weighs a third of the Air.

------
jseliger
There seems to be lots of news in Linux laptops. Purism has its Coreboot
project done: [https://puri.sm/posts/librem-13-coreboot-report-
february-25t...](https://puri.sm/posts/librem-13-coreboot-report-
february-25th-2017/) or see HN discussion:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13768945](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13768945).
Dell has a 13" XPS Linux laptop:
[http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/01/dells-latest-
xps-13-d...](http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/01/dells-latest-xps-13-de-
still-delivers-linux-now-embraces-svelte-hardware/). And System76 looks like
it's starting to make competitive hardware.

~~~
marvindanig
I'm considering purism for my next purchase. Wonder what the word is from its
current users?

------
jotjotzzz
Well, that video sucked. I got it the first time. I didn't need the popcorn,
thanks.

------
xenihn
Aren't their laptops sourced from a supplier that you can buy from directly?

~~~
kxyvr
Yes. I'm pretty sure most of their laptops are just rebranded Clevos. I don't
have enough info to track down the Galago, but something like the Gazelle:

[https://system76.com/laptops/gazelle](https://system76.com/laptops/gazelle)

Is almost certainly just a Clevo W650:

[http://www.clevo.com.tw/clevo_prodetail.asp?id=1009&lang=en](http://www.clevo.com.tw/clevo_prodetail.asp?id=1009&lang=en)

It's hard to sometimes get the exact model because Clevo refreshes their line
very quickly, but it possible to locate it. The easiest way to find the
computer is to take the dimensions from System76, convert to mm, possibly
round it, and then search for that with Clevo on Google. For example, the
Gazelle is 37.39 × 25.20 cm, so I just searched for Clevo 374 x 252 on Google
and found the W650 with similar enough specs. Then, the process is just to
root around that particular model till you find matching hardware.

In the U.S., I believe Sager is the exclusive wholesaler and anyone can order
from them directly. They set the price for the rebranding companies, so the
price from Sager will be no different than from someone like XoticPC unless
someone is upselling the computer based on some kind of customization.

Now, theoretically, System76 makes sure than the computer works well with
Linux. In my experience, Clevos work just fine. Replace the bios with
something like prema and they're incredibly capable computers for the price:

[https://biosmods.wordpress.com/](https://biosmods.wordpress.com/)

So, should someone support System76? Up to you. Clevos can be bought with no
branding for less directly from Sager.

------
mmel
Unless they have a store in every major city where I can walk in, say "my
laptop is broken" and walk out with the issue resolved, or a firm plan to have
it resolved, then no, it is not a macbook killer.

~~~
quakenul
Even just looking at the picture, that is shown after opening the page: No,
this is not going to be a macbook killer :) It might be a macbook substitute
for you, if you do not care about or fail to acknowledge the difference in
design execution, that is very apparent to others (i.e. me) even at first
glance.

I assume the author knows that though. I also assume, he knows a thing or two
about click bait :)

~~~
abeyer
I don't mean this as an attack, but I really just don't get this attitude
unless you're buying a laptop primarily as a social symbol or display piece.

I use a laptop as a tool, and suspect that's true for more people here than
not. I would argue that for a tool the _primary_ element in design execution
is achieving fitness for purpose. You want an aesthetically pleasing tool too,
but no amount of pretty makes up for inferior function.

It's debatable where macbooks fall on the fitness for purpose scale, and if
they are the best solution to your needs, then by all means use them. But I
don't understand how you can evaluate that and come to a conclusion just by
looking at a picture on a marketing bit.

------
sikhnerd
As much as I want to root for the linux underdog, the giant bezels and
reported 3 hour battery life make this DOA (for me)

------
edw
Not yet released product destroys product available for purchase. Er,
_potentially_ destroys.

I expect the rate of technological—no, _human_ —progress to pick up
appreciably once everyone breaks free of the ramshackle MacBook Pro's 16GB
barbed-wire garden. Praise RMS!

