Ceci est une ancienne révision du document !
When it comes to converting Windows and OSX beaters to efficient Ubuntu machines, I’ve had quite a few successes and failures in my nearly two decades of doing these conversions. Losers are too many to list; however, I will give a hint. If it’s sold online from an overseas vendor of questionable origin, comes with “virtual” instead of real RAM, is pushing an outdated Pentium or Celeron chip, and has pre-registered versions of Windows 10 or 11 - run! While the winner’s list is definitely shorter, there is one computer brand that stands out for being the easiest to convert - Dell.
Lorsqu'il s'agit de convertir des machines sous Windows ou OSX en machines efficaces sous Ubuntu, j'ai eu pas mal de succès et d'échecs
Of that series, my current favorite is the 7490, mainly because there are thousands of these units out there and deals are to be had.
And here is where things get a bit odd. According to various online sources, the 7490 was released and discontinued in 2018. What’s up with the short life cycle?
Various techs have advised me that the 7490 never really went out of production - as the specs got tweaked or something else changed, the numerical designation got a remake, too. I’ve seen some units where they were being sold as used 7490s, but that numerical designation was mysteriously missing from the underside (hocus pocus or hanky panky?).
The 7000 series still is the (mainly) Intel based “premium ultrabook” for the business crowd.The current Dell website still lists models 7440, 7450, and 7455 (ranging from $1,089 to $1,619, without added options). Seems to me Dell is going backward on the numbering system.
Possibly due to a sales push in 2018, great numbers of the 7490 were sold. In fact, if you go to https://www.dell.com/en-ru/work/shop/dell-laptops-and-notebooks/new-latitude-7490/spd/latitude-14-7490-laptop, you will find a full page ad glorifying the 7490’s attributes (even the website address has “new-latitude” in it), but click on any of the active buttons and you’ll be redirected to another model.
I guess updating is not Dell’s strongpoint (I can see having drivers and support available, but why advertise a laptop that is discontinued and has been for nearly 7 years?).
Running Windows 10 or 11 (often Pro versions), the 7490 laptops came new with 14-inch LED screens (touchscreen, if you’re lucky to find one), 8 to 32GB RAM (16GB seemed to be popular), i5 or i7 processors (generally 8th generation), backlit keyboards, and M.2 SSD drives ranging from 256GB to 1TB. Included battery was initially rated for up to 9 hours putting it in the MacBook Air class for the time (my Linux Mint conversion gets well over 10 hours).
Of course, you have the usual webcam (albeit, 0.9 MP), USB and USB-C ports, micro-SD slot and an RJ-45 Ethernet port. Top of the line models can be found with Nano-SIM slots, fingerprint readers, and, a real rarity, smart card slots.
And for those of you who state, “Why bother converting, Dell sells Ubuntu computers anyway?”, you might want to take a second look - while Dell’s website allegedly offers the Ubuntu option, it’s version 16.04. Just a smidge out of date given the current version is 24.10.
But here’s the kicker. It’s an option that’s hard to get. Click all you want but your choices are actually limited to Windows 10 or 11. Not that it really matters - Dell offers instructions on their website on how to install the most current Ubuntu version and even makes reference to Canonical’s downloads.
Another one of those, “Why bother?” moments.
While these originally went for around $1,600 in 2018, you can find VG units for less than $150 on eBay any day of the week.
In case you’re wondering, there were over 250 units of various “lesser” grades on eBay the day I looked and another 500+ if you don’t mind paying $200 or more for mint or NIB versions (yes, I did see a couple new/old stock, still in box offerings).
And let’s not forget that just about every other refurbished website you can think of (including Amazon) probably has quite a few of these in stock.
But why risk buying an old laptop that might be limping to its inevitable death?
These are simply, and figuratively, bulletproof. Sort of like that car you used to own that clocked over 200,000 without a hitch.
What appears to be a standard plastic body is not - it’s a magnesium alloy cage with textured coating applied (touchscreens get a carbon fiber lid). You’ll see very few with dings or dents as a result. These were designed to be abused and keep on running.
Think I’m exaggerating? The 7000 series is 15 MIL-SPEC 810G rated. That means it can withstand heat up to 140 degrees F, along with shocks, vibrations, dust and extreme humidity, all without failing to operate. For good measure, the military versions must also withstand rain, salt fog, gunfire shock, and explosive atmospheres.
Guess that’ll pretty much cover all the bases for what the average user can come up with, unless they live in a combat zone.
As for serviceability, that’s just a matter of flipping one over (cover closed, of course), loosening the 8 captive screws on the back and popping the back casing off.
Now you have unrestricted access to the SSD, RAM, wireless module and battery and should you need to replace any of these components, you won’t have to break the bank: • The M.2 SSD is easily replaced with NVMe versions. Dell states 2TB tops, but Crucial claims they have a 4TB version that will work, also. Prices vary wildly but count on around $70 for a good 1GB version. Mine came with a 256GB SSD and I still have 177GB left after all is said and done. • Batteries, from my experience, run about $30 for aftermarket versions and OEM can cost twice as much. If you’re wondering, most came with 60WH batteries. Beware of vendors selling cheap 42WH versions. • RAM? DDR4-2400 SODIMM. From the factory the 7490 came with at least 8GB RAM but the vast majority I’ve seen have 16GB. 32GB is the max but count on spending around $30 for a 16GB module. • Included WiFi card was usually 802.11ac with Bluetooth. Although WiFi 7 is being released, the old standard does just fine, but if you must upgrade, count on dropping at least $30; however, be warned. Ubuntu barely supports WiFi 7 and Linux Mint does not, so Linux drivers may be an issue. • And here’s an extra prize. The 7490 (and most of the 7000 series) can be charged via USB-C, otherwise you’d be stuck using the Dell proprietary charger. Even if you have to buy a new charger, Dell OEM versions go for as little as $14.
The only downside is the keyboard. Should it need replacing you’ll have to bring out your best surgical skills to remove most of the internals (from the back) to access that area. Good luck with that. If you want to see a scary video, watch a couple of the YouTube specials showing the laborious procedure involved.
In my situation, I was fortunate to score a completely refurbished unit with a new battery, 16GB RAM, and 512GB M.2 SSD for $190, shipping included. Hardly a scratch anywhere and the keyboard looks like nobody ever much typed on it. Even better was that it came with the SIM card and smart card slots and fingerprint ID pad (which, in case you’re wondering, doesn’t work in Linux Mint and, quite frankly, it rarely worked in Windows 11, either).
My update investment? Zero. I installed a 16GB RAM chip that I scavenged off another computer and that was it.
Correction, I did have to replace Windows 11. All I had to do was convince the BIOS to accept legacy USB boots and off I went to Linux Mint. Of course, that cost nothing, too.
And that’s the reason I recommend the Dell 7490. It’s the ONLY laptop I’ve ever converted that didn’t need additional drivers or had something go wonky after installing Linux. Even the venerable MacBook Air had camera issues and it’s not uncommon to need a driver (or six) for other makers.
Right after installation, it booted to Mint like it never had anything else on the SSD. I even checked to make sure proprietary drivers weren’t needed. Nope, all bases covered.
I guess that stands to reason since Dell did offer Ubuntu at one time.
Naturally, nothing is perfect. After all, you're dealing with a $300 or less conversion and not a $1,200+ System 76 unit.
Some may feel hamstrung by the 14-inch screen, considered somewhat smallish today; however, you can use a screen mirroring app like Alfacast and send it to your smart TV. You could get a Dell docking station and attach other monitors, but you might be dismayed to discover those docking stations cost $200+ which is probably more than you paid for the laptop.
Plus, if you’re looking for a camera to highlight your great features during Zoom meetings, buy a USB webcam. Grainy is the definition of the day for the included 7490 version, and might be the reason I could never get facial recognition to work (curiously, for the short time I tried Windows 11 it didn’t work, either).
And for you artistic types, the 7490 has all the appeal of an unpainted cinder block wall. You want that aluminum look? Get a MacBook. Otherwise it’s black with a touch of silver for the Dell logo.
There you have it - a guaranteed way to get a laptop to work with Ubuntu and variants without all the hassles.