Razer Blade Stealth Linux 2017

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Razer core V2 introduced with Late 2017 version of Razer Blade Stealth. The V2 fixed one of the major issue of the V1, which is USB 3.0 does not work well when they use GPU intensive program. It is because V1 was using one PCle line for both of the connection (USB and thunderbolt). Razer Blade Stealth 12.5” (2016) - Intel 6500U Razer Blade Intel ME Firmware Update Instructions Details Download: Description: Razer Blade Intel ME Firmware Update Instruction. Meltdown and Spectre Vulnerabilities – Intel® Microprocessor Side-Channel Updater Details. I've seen some successful stories about Razer Blade Stealth (13' 2017 i7-7500U) with linux. I could kind of advertise such myself, kind of. I'm running Ubuntu 16.04 (currently upgraded to kernel 4.14) on this machine since about half a year as my main system (work on it daily). On the first glimpse everything is fine. I had a grand old time reviewing the $1,249 iteration of the Razer Blade Stealth, which includes a 2.7-GHz Intel Core i7-7500U CPU with 16GB of RAM, a 256GB M.2 PCIe SSD, an Intel HD Graphics 620.

Earlier this year Razer co-founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan announced that Razer is planning better laptop support on Linux. He noted that more customers are requesting Linux support and they formed a goal of figuring out how to make 'the best notebook in the world that supports Linux.' Razer doesn't have any Linux laptop announcement to make yet, but for seeing the current state of affairs, they sent over the Razer Stealth laptop so we could put it through our Linux testing paces at Phoronix. Here is a look at the Razer Stealth ultrabook on Linux as well as a variety of interesting performance metrics, including some power metrics compared to Windows.

Since the announcement earlier this year, I have been in contact about their Linux interest and intentions. They continue to evaluate options for improving Linux support on their Razer laptops and are aware of the current shortcomings as well when trying to use (and configure) Razer gaming mice/keyboards/peripherals under Linux. It's too early to tell how things will play out, but I am very optimistic about Razer's possibilities for advancing their Linux support across their product lines. It could make for an interesting 2018 if Razer decides to go ahead with better Linux support and finally having a go-to Linux laptop from a major vendor besides the Dell XPS from the Sputnik project or the rebranded/smaller-volume vendors like System76, ZaReason, and Purism.

The first Linux laptop I decided to look at today is the Razer Blade Stealth, given its focus on low-power/long battery life and what could be a good MacBook Air equivalent for Linux users. The Stealth laptop I received for testing is equipped with an Intel Core i5 7500U (Kabylake) processor with HD Graphics 620, 16GB of RAM, 256GB Samsung SSD, and 2560x1440 display.

I haven't been able to find the exact configuration of this laptop from the major Internet retailers available. But for $1399, the Razer Blade Stealth is available with a Core i7 Kabylake CPU, 13.3-inch display, 256GB SSD, and a 3200x1800 display. There's also a similar Stealth model with 4K touchscreen display for $1559. Unfortunately, at least in the US, the Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition with Linux is no longer available from Dell.com for a price comparison on that side. From System76 they do offer a Galago Pro 7500U + 16GB RAM + 250GB NVMe + 1 year warranty model for about $1394 USD. Granted, System76 isn't yet on to designing their own complete laptops yet. From Purism, their Librem 13 with 16GB RAM, 250GB SSD, and an older Skylake Core i5 CPU would cost $1856 USD.

The Razer Stealth 13.3-inch laptop weighs just 2.93 lbs (1.32 kg) and at with their QHD+ display under Windows at least advertises a nine hour battery life while it can be extended to 15 hours with the Razer Power Bank.

This Razer Stealth laptop simply features a USB-C / Thunderbolt power also used for charging, two USB 3.0 ports, an audio jack, and an HDMI 2.0 port. There isn't any card reader slots, etc.

I have been testing out the Razer Blade Stealth for about the past two weeks and overall am happy with it as a lightweight laptop that aside from a few issues was working out fine under Linux on popular distributions.

Razer Blade Stealth (late 2016, Intel 7500U, UHD / HiDPI) Ubuntu Linux 18.04.

  • Razer Blade Stealth Linux & Ubuntu 18.04
    • 1. Issues
    • 2. Tweaks
    • 3. Unsolved Issues

1. Issues

1.1. Installation

Running the live session and starting the installation ends with segfaults.

  • Select “Installation” while boot (Grub / USB Stick) works.
  • Minimal installation, include 3rd party
  • After installation, update and install Intel Microcode
RazerRazer Blade Stealth Linux 2017

1.2. Suspend Loop

After resume, the system loops back in suspend.The system send an ACPI event where the kernel defaults are different.

Change kernel defaults:

Update grub

1.3. Caps-Lock Crash

The RBS crashes randomly mostly if you hit “Caps Lock”, causes by the build-in driver.

Modify /etc/default/keyboard, replacing capslocks by a second ctrl:

Solution 2:

Only needed if you run X11 instead of Wayland and enabled Capslock.

Get your keyboard description and use it instead of “AT Raw Set 2 keyboard”:

Re’disable keyboard after suspend:

1.4. Touchpad Temporary Freezes

With libinput, the pointer “jumps” while moving. The synaptics driver hasn’t this issue.Other users with RBS late 2017 reports dead zones, I’m not sure if they have tested the synaptics driver.Maybe 4.17-1 kernel solves this problem Issue 19.

Note: A new kernel workd better with libinput.

For me, synaptics works:

Reboot

Check if synaptics driver is running:

At boot and after suspend, the settings “TapButton3=0 ClickFinger3=0” are gone.Workaround:

1.5. Touchpad Suspend

Touchpad fails resuming from suspend with:

Temporary fix:

Stealth

Solution:

Razer Blade Stealth 13 Drivers

Libinput-gestures solves the problem:

My config.(If you prefer natural scrolling, change up/down)

Logout - Login

1.6. Touchscreen & Firefox

Firefox doesn’t seem to care about the touchscreen at all.

Tell Firefox to use XINPUT2:

Logout - Login.

2. Tweaks

2.1. Power Management

TLP is an advanced power management tool for Linux that tries to apply tweaks for you automatically, depending on your Linux distribution and hardware.

2.2. Touchpad tap & click

macOS touchpad feeling.

  • Keyboard & Mouse
  • Click Method: Fingers

2.3. “Capitaine” Cursors

  • Install “Capitaine” Cursors
  • Select via tweaks tool, Appearance, Themes, Cursor

2.4. Dual Boot Antergos

“update-grub” add only /boot/intel-ucode.img to initrd.(Maybe) a hack, but works well on my system.

2.5. Grub Razer Theme

Razer Blade Stealth Linux 2017 Install

2.7. Gnome Theme

My current favorite :)

Razer Blade Stealth Linux 2017 Iso

  • Theme Application (Tweaks, Theme): “Numix” (✓)
  • Theme Icons (Tweaks, Theme): “Yaru” (✓)
  • Theme Sound (Tweaks, Theme): “Yaru” (✓)

2.8. Steam Interface

Razer Blade Stealth Specs

Change Steam interface enlargement based on monitor size:

  • Settings, Interface, Enlarge text and icons based on monitor size

3. Unsolved Issues

3.1. Keyboard Colors & Openrazer

Currently Openrazer not used.

StealthRazer Blade Stealth Linux 2017

Issue: Settings are lost after suspend (Gnome, Wayland).

3.2. Webcam

Working only with 176x in cheese, or 640x480 in guvcview with 15/1 frames.

This fix not really helped:

3.3. Razer Core

Thunderbolt works, but nvidia with optirun won’t work.