Does it run Linux?

[TAUNTON]

Hi Everyone,

I'm desperate to get off the Apple train and start with Linux particularly PopOS which I understand to be a Ubuntu derivative. But it would be fair to say I'm a Linux newbie.

I have a spec in the attached pics. What I'm after is a powerful machine, plenty of memory, my machines in the past have suffered from a lack of memory and the ability to run up to 3 monitors at HD, don't need 4K. The investment obviously will be significant so I don't want purchase something that then won't work because of some compatibility issue. I'd like it to be as quiet as possible due to doing some podcasting.

Can you help?

 

[SpyderTracks]

If you can post the full spec to the forum:

How to Post Your Specification to the Forum - Check this Spec | PCSPECIALIST

It's not very well balanced in the first instance, but to spec something, we'd need to know your maximum budget, and what it's going to be used for?

 

[Stephen M]

I have run Linux, mainly Ubuntu on several PCS machines although only one AMD build and have not had problems which could not be solved.

The AMD was a Nova laptop and installion of Ubuntu was the best so far, all went through in under seven minutes and has worked fine so far, although only had it a few days.

First install attempt failed as refused to decode but warning was immediate and on second attempt chose the "safe graphic" install which was fine.

 

[TAUNTON]

Hi Stephen,

Thanks I was fairly confident but needed just to reassure myself.

 

[TAUNTON]

If you can post the full spec to the forum:

How to Post Your Specification to the Forum - Check this Spec | PCSPECIALIST

It's not very well balanced in the first instance, but to spec something, we'd need to know your maximum budget, and what it's going to be used for?

Hi, SpyderTracks,

Thanks for replying.

Balanced?

This is the spec, I had to just pick a graphics card as the one I originally had spec'd wasn't in stock and I couldn't seem to get past that.

I need to support 3 monitors max and I don't need a ton on onboard storage might stretch to a second NVMe if needs be.

Any help would be appreciated.

Case
CORSAIR 4000D AIRFLOW TEMPERED GLASS GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 9 3950X 16 Core CPU (3.5GHz-4.7GHz/73MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® PRIME B550-PLUS (DDR4, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
64GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2400MHz (4 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
NONE, I ALREADY HAVE A GRAPHICS CARD
1st Storage Drive
256GB PCS 2.5" SSD, SATA 6 Gb (500MB/R, 400MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB INTEL® 665p M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 2000MB/sR | 1925MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W CV SERIES™ CV-550 POWER SUPPLY
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Noctua NH-U14S Ultra Quiet Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
NO RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Google Chrome™
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 22 to 24 working days

 

[Stephen M]

AMD likes fast RAM so would up that to whatever budget allows.

 

[SpyderTracks]

It's not very well balanced in the first instance, but to spec something, we'd need to know your maximum budget, and what it's going to be used for?

 

[TAUNTON]

Hi SpyderTracks,

Have you had a chance to look at the spec? I'd appreciate your comments. Stephen has suggested faster RAM.

What will it be used for? Well a bit of everything. Photo management, V-logs, Audio Podcasting, so a bit of Video and Audio editing etc.

Also I'm a keen amateur musician and I use a virtual modular synthesiser called VCV which can get a bit glitchy as you start to make things more and more complex.

I also don't want to buying another machine in the near future so I want to future proof it as much as possible.

Many thanks

Peter

 

[Stephen M]

For music using Ubuntu Studio would be worthwhile as an OS as it has a low latency kernel.

 

[TAUNTON]

H

We still need to know your maximum budget? Some areas need better, like the motherboard, which will cost more so we need to know what room there is or whether some areas need lowering to give a more balanced system

Hi Budget between £1500 and £2000

 

[TAUNTON]

Hi Everyone, Eventually gave in and bought a mac. Some of my music kit didn't work with Linux, so would have been an expensive mistake.
Thanks to everyone who look and answered.

 

[hogfish]

Sad to hear that. I would be surprised if your "music kit" could not be made to work with linux, but it might have taken a bit of work. Linux has superb sound support, but utterly ridiculously poor documentation. The underlying ALSA system is actually excellent, but has totally confused, fragmented and partial instructions.
\beginrant This has led to horrors like pulseaudio which vastly oversimplifies the sound system, and which is next to impossible to debug if it malfunctions. It is a windows-style dumbed down interface which has no place in LInux in my personal opinion. \endrant

I have recently been spending far too much time getting to grips with ALSA, following a well worn path many others have tried to follow, so write with feeling. I hope to contribute to the ALSA documentation
in some way when I think I have made substantial progress. But ALSA is a fast moving target: the development list is very active with many git commits each day. There is a lot happening, mainly supporting new hardware. It is because I have a little knowledge of ALSA that I would be surprised if most sound hardware is not already well supported.

In passing. for any ALSA newbies who come across this thread, please note that a new ALSA system mutes everything by default, to avoid accidentally blowing up speakers or deafening people: it cannot know what a motherboard or sound card manufacturer has done to the circuit. So "sound does not work" is normal in a new system: generally you need to "unmute" things in alsamixer to get started. Since the underlying sound hardware is typically quite complex, that will be reflected in the alsamixer controls. Alsamixer treats you like an adult, so it may take a little time to work out how those controls work.

 

[Stephen M]

Good post Hogfish, one of the trade offs with free and open source software is a lack of manuals but understandable as they do not have the funds the paid for companies have.

Luckily there is a lot more online stuff now, including a good Ardour manual. Plus from my experience a lot more beginner friendly posters on 'nix sites, rather than some of the high tech geeks who prevailed.