Compatibility for ASUS ZenBook Pro UX550VE

Question

I'm looking at buying a new laptop and I want to run Linux full time. I was looking at this laptop and I wanted to know if it's hardware would be compatible and if the finger print sensor would work.

Solution

I just got this model today and I installed Ubuntu 18.04 (daily build, downloaded from here). Everything worked just fine during the installation (sound, touch pad etc). When Ubuntu installer needed to reboot, that failed. Stucked with message "soft lockup, CPU#1 stuck for 22s!"

Installed latest kernel and latest Nvidia drivers (apt update ; apt install nvidia-384), that fixed the shutdown/reboot issue.

Fingerprint reader is not supported. The drivers are closed source and from what I found this person is trying to make it supported.

Comments

[derHugo]

Welcome to AskUbuntu! How have you been able to install an Ubuntu release 18.04 which isn't even released yet?... Don't shout IT WORKED and don't tell us what did not help. Please instead edit your answer and reduce it to the neccessary facts to answer the OP's question

[David Foerster]

@derHugo: Just a quick advice: please reserve code formatting for things that are identifiers, source code, listings, or generally things that are produced by or meant to be interpreted by a computer program. If you want to highlight or quote words or proper nouns (e. g. application names) in the context of natural (English) language please enclose them in underscores (_), asterisks (*), or quotation marks. There's not always a clear line but this comment of yours is clearly a case of misuse.

[Robban]

@derHugo I was writing the post while I was trying to fix the computer, sorry for my excitement and that some things worked and did not work. I will update the answer and also add a download link to Ubuntu 18.04. Of course it's not the final release, but a daily build.

[Paul]

@Robban, how's battery life on that laptop?

[Robban]

@Paul I think it's pretty great. When using the computer for browsing and simpler tasks, the battery life is really good. But when i start my Docker environment and other CPU heavy applications, the battery will last for aprox 2 hours. :-)

[Mischa Lisovyi]

@Robban could you please comment which kernel do you use exactly? I still to make the same laptop with ubuntu 18.04 to work completely. The most severe issue is that it does not suspend on lid closure or power-button press. The screen goes off, but the fans run same speed, battery is drained quick (slower than running, but almost empty after being disconnected for a night) and it HEATS like crazy (also in running)