Linux laptops are still considered pretty niche since not a lot of people are interested in using Linux, let alone purchasing a fully-fledged Linux machine. Although, we have seen the trend shifting lately with more people switching to Linux now than ever before. If you are one of those who’s been using Linux for quite some time and want to buy a Linux laptop, here are all the options you have in the market right now.
There are not many Linux laptop manufacturers out there, but the ones that are already there are doing an excellent job with the hardware selection. This list contains laptops from the likes of System76, KDE, Star Labs, and others.
1. Dell XPS 13 Plus Developer Edition
| Specs | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 13-inch IPS, 1920×1200 resolution at 60Hz, Touch screen |
| Processor | Intel i5-1240P, i7-1360P |
| Graphics Processing Unit | Integrated Iris Xe |
| Storage variants | 512GB, 1TB, 2TB |
| RAM options | 8,16,32 Dual-channel at 6000MHz |
| Battery | 55Wh |
| Operating System | Windows/Ubuntu |
| Expandable Storage/RAM (Yes/No) | Yes/No |
| Price | $899 for 12th Gen, $1499 for 13th Gen |
Dell and Lenovo have been major players in the Linux laptop market for quite some time now. Dell’s latest release, the XPS 13 Plus, is a 13-inch laptop and has a Developer Edition. Dell has partnered with Canonical to ship Ubuntu on it, and it’s one of the most premium Linux laptops you can buy in the market as of writing this. For those unaware, the XPS 13 Plus features 12th-Gen processors from Intel and is a great overall machine. But the price tag of $1500 could be a dealbreaker for many.
As of writing this, the Developer Edition isn’t selling in the USA but in Canada and some parts of Europe. The standard XPS 13 Plus has received a major price cut recently and sells for $999 which is a decent deal. You could always wipe Windows out, install a fresh Linux distro of your choice, and you won’t need to be shackled by just Ubuntu on the developer edition. Not that you cannot erase Ubuntu on the Developer Edition, but it’d be far too expensive to buy it just to erase it at the end of the day.
Buy Dell XPS 13 Plus Developer Edition ($1,599)
2. System76 Adder WS
| Specs | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 15.6/17.30-inch IPS, 1920x1080p resolution at 144Hz |
| Processor | Intel i9-13900HX |
| Graphics Processing Unit | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 6GB, 4060 8GB, 4070 8GB |
| Storage variants | 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB PCIe Gen3, Gen4 options |
| RAM options | 8GB Single Channel,16,32,64GB Dual-channel |
| Battery | 73Wh |
| Operating System | Pop!_OS, Ubuntu |
| Expandable Storage/RAM (Yes/No) | Yes/Yes (2 x M.2 slots, 2 x SODIMM slots) |
| Price | $1600 |
Adder WS is a decent offering from System76. For starters, it features the 13th gen Intel Core i9-13900HX, which is the third fastest mobile processor Intel has ever made. Besides, it also features the latest hardware from NVIDIA, i.e. 40 series GPUs (RTX 4050, 4060, 4070). The display is 1080p with a 144Hz refresh rate, and there are two sizes on offer — 15.6-inch and 17-inch.
The laptop has two DIMM slots for replaceable and expandable memory, two M.2 slots for SSDs, and features a 73Wh battery. All in all, it’s a laptop that’s geared toward creators and gamers. However, its price is an issue here as the base model with RTX 4050 comes in at $1,599, and with RTX 4060 comes in at $1,732. The 4070 variant, on the other hand, costs $2,038, which is on the expensive side.
Buy System76 Adder WS (starts at $1,599)
3. StarLabs StarBook MkVI
| Specs | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 14-inch IPS, 1920×1200 resolution at 60Hz, Touch screen |
| Processor | Intel i3-1315u, i5-1240P, i7-1260P, i7-1360P, Ryzen 7 5800U |
| Graphics Processing Unit | Integrated Iris Xe |
| Storage variants | 512GB, 1TB, 2TB |
| RAM options | 8 (x1),16,32, 64GB Dual-channel at 6000MHz |
| Battery | 55Wh |
| Operating System | Windows, Ubuntu, Elementary OS, Linux Mint, Manjaro, Zorin OS, MX Linux, Xubuntu, Kubuntu. |
| Expandable Storage/RAM (Yes/No) | Yes/No |
| Price | $925 for base variant |
Starlabs have been making Linux laptops for quite some time, and their latest laptop, the MkVI is the result of their years of experience in the industry. The MkVI has five processor options, and the pricing for the base variant with a 13th Gen i3-1315U, 8GB DDR4 RAM, and half a terabyte of storage starts at $925, excluding duties and taxes. Overall, it’s a tad bit overpriced for a laptop with no dedicated GPU and a powerful CPU, but it’s an option at the end of the day.
StarBooks are called the MacBooks of the Linux world, but we would rather suggest getting a decent laptop and installing Linux by yourself rather than buying a very expensive Linux machine.
Buy Starlabs StarBook MKVI (starts at $925)
4. System76 Pangolin
| Specs | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | IPS, 1920×1080 resolution at 144Hz |
| Processor | Ryzen 7 6800U |
| Graphics Processing Unit | Radeon 680M |
| Storage variants | 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB (All PCIe Gen4) |
| RAM options | 8,16,32 Dual-channel at 6000MHz |
| Battery | 71Wh |
| Operating System | Pop!_OS, Ubuntu |
| Expandable Storage/RAM (Yes/No) | Yes/No |
| Price | $1299 |
Pangolin is a budget offering from System76, and for the price, it seems to offer a great set of specifications that can compete with Windows machines at a similar price. We are talking about Ryzen 7 6800U with 32GB of DDR5 memory, 250 gigs of NVMe storage (+ an additional M.2 drive slot), an impressive 70Wh battery, and an IPS 1080p 144Hz display, all at a starting price of $1,300.
Pangolin is a great laptop for students who’re just getting started with programming or other mediocre tasks and need a decently powerful CPU in a laptop (that can also game) without blowing their budget. The 70Wh battery combined with the efficient 6800U should return a good battery backup, and the 144Hz display should be a joy to use. Pangolin comes packed with Pop!_OS, one of the best Linux distros to begin your Linux journey. Overall, Pangolin is one of the best Linux laptops you can get for the money.
Besides the laptops listed above, there aren’t a lot of Linux laptops. System76 makes three more laptops, namely the Serval WS, Oryx Pro, and Gazelle. All three are decent options, especially the Oryx Pro, which is on sale right now for $2,000 and is a good offering.
Buy System76 Pangolin (starts at $1,300)
5. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10
| Specs | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 14″ IPS, 2240 x 1400 resolution at 60Hz |
| Processor | Up to i7-1280P |
| Graphics Processing Unit | Integrated Iris Xe graphics |
| Storage variants | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB (PCIe Gen3 and Gen4) |
| RAM options | 8,16,32 Dual-channel at 6400MHz (Soldered) |
| Battery | 57Wh |
| Operating System | Ubuntu, Fedora |
| Expandable Storage/RAM (Yes/No) | Yes/No |
| Price | Staring at $1299 |
Both Dell and Lenovo are some of the few manufacturers that have embraced Linux for almost a decade, and although they don’t release many Linux laptops, they keep their Linux portfolio alive by launching a few. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon series is Lenovo’s flagship series of business laptops and there’s a Linux version among the Gen 10 ThinkPad X1 Carbon.
The X1 features up to 12th Gen i7-1280P processor, 8/ 16/ 32GB of soldered DDR5 RAM, up to 2TB PCIe Gen4 storage space, up to 2.2K 60Hz display, and for the OS, you could get Fedora or Ubuntu. Now, for an asking price of $1,300, the X1 Cabon is on the expensive side, but if you’re a maximalist and need a Linux laptop with a sturdy build and a premium feel, X1 Carbon is an option.
Buy Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon ($1,300)
6. Purism Librem 14
| Specs | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 14″ IPS, 1920 x 1080 resolution at 60Hz |
| Processor | Up to i7-10710U |
| Graphics Processing Unit | Intel UHD 620 |
| Storage variants | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB (PCIe Gen3) |
| RAM options | 8,16,32GB Single/Dual-channel DDR4 |
| Battery | NA |
| Operating System | PureOS, QubesOS |
| Expandable Storage/RAM (Yes/No) | Yes/Yes |
| Price | Staring at $1370 |
Purism claims the Librem 14 Version 1 is one of the most secure laptops out there, which is true to a certain extent. The laptop comes with PureOS, which is encrypted by default and is based on Debian. Moreover, the laptop has PureBoot which prevents you from meltdown and CPU vulnerabilities. All these features come at a very expensive price of almost $1,500 bucks and above.
Now, while the Librem 14 could be effective against meltdowns and attacks on your PC, that alone doesn’t make it worth the premium price tag. Most GNU/ Linux operating systems offer encryption out of the box (Pop!_OS is an example), and as long as you choose a Linux distro that always stays updated to the latest Kernel version, you should be fine.
Hence, while we don’t totally recommend Librem 14, you could give it a try if budget is not an issue. Besides all that, the laptop features a much older 10th Gen Intel Core i7 10710U processor, a 14-inch 1080P display, and up to 64GB RAM.
Buy Purism Librem 14 Version 1 ($1,500)
7. KDE Slimbook
| Specs | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 14″/15.6″ IPS, 1920 x 1080/2560/1440P resolution at 60Hz/165Hz |
| Processor | Ryzen 7 5700U |
| Graphics Processing Unit | Radeon Vega 8 |
| Storage variants | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB (PCIe Gen3) |
| RAM options | 8,16,32GB Single/Dual-channel DDR4 |
| Battery | 47Wh/92Wh |
| Operating System | KDE Neon |
| Expandable Storage/RAM (Yes/No) | Yes/Yes |
| Price | Staring at $1000/$1100 |
The Slimbook 14 is an offering from one of the best developers in the Linux space, KDE. The Slimbook is offered in two variants — 14-inch and 15.6-inch. The differences between both are significant. The Slimbook 14 comes with a 14-inch 1080P IPS display, up to 4TB of SSD, up to 64GB DDR4 RAM, a 47Wh battery, and a Ryzen 7 5700U processor.
On the other hand, the 15.6-inch variant comes with the same processor but a bigger 15.6-inch 2K display that refreshes at 165Hz, up to 4TB of NVMe SSD storage, up to 64GB DDR4 RAM, and a 92Wh battery.
The pricing for the base and higher-end variants of both 14 and 15.6-inch variants are $1,000, $2,500, and $1,100, $2,700, respectively. For the configuration, the 15.6-inch variant makes the most sense, but the $1,100 base price is good. However, do keep in mind that the hardware is old. 8GB RAM at a mere speed of 3200MHz and Ryzen 7 5700U aren’t cut for 2024.
Buy KDE Slimbook 14/ 15.6 (starts at $1,000)
Bonus: Framework Laptop
| Specs | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 13.5-inch IPS, 2,256 x 1,504 resolution at 60Hz |
| Processor | Intel i5-1340P, i7-1360P, i7-1370P/ AMD Ryzen 5 7640U, Ryzen 7840U |
| Graphics Processing Unit | Integrated Iris Xe / Radeon 760M, 780M |
| Storage variants | 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB |
| RAM options | 8,16,32,64GB (Single/Dual-channel) |
| Battery | 55Wh, 61Wh |
| Operating System | DIY Edition: No Operating System |
| Expandable Storage/RAM (Yes/No) | Yes/Yes |
| Price | $849 |
It’s a shame we had to include this one at the last while it could’ve been easily one of the best options had it come with Linux preinstalled. While the Framework laptop doesn’t come with a Linux variant, the company has shown immense support for Linux and the community. For starters, the Framework website has a Linux page with a list of officially supported distros. As of writing this, the website lists Fedora and Ubuntu as compatible distros, but really you could try other Linux distros (even gaming distros) on it and they should run fine.
The Framework laptop is well-built, has the latest AMD and Intel mobile CPUs (13th Gen Intel and AMD 7000 series), and is completely repairable with thorough parts availability with a focus on Right to Repair. It has a 1080p IPS 3:2 display, a fingerprint scanner, and expansion cards for flexibility, and is a one-of-a-kind laptop overall. Hence, if you’re on the hunt for a great and flexible laptop, there’s no use looking at others as we’re pretty sure you’d end up on the Framework laptop with every search.
While the pre-built variant of the laptop comes with Windows installed, you can opt for the DIY version which lets you deselect Windows and have it shipped without an operating system during checkout. This way, you can install the distro of your choice when it arrives, and it’s much cheaper than the pre-built version starting at $849.
Buy Framework Laptop ($849)
The Framework laptop is one of the best Linux laptops out there. Although it doesn’t come with Linux preinstalled, it’s very Linux-friendly. For the price of $849, its price-to-performance ratio is hard to beat.
System76 is one of the oldest players in the Linux laptops market and they make great machines. Their machines are as good as their open-source operating system, Pop!_OS.
Absolutely! Gaming on Linux has come a long way in the last decade, and thanks to the developments by Valve and the open-source community, you can easily play games like GTA V, Halo, and many AAA titles on Linux and a Linux laptop.
The problem with all that laptops and the reason that Linux focused laptops don’t sell in large numbers is price. They are far too expensive. Most Linux users are not wealthy, hence they use a free OS. Wealthy people just get a Mac.
The majority of average Windows users are using Celeron, Pentium or i3 equipped laptops worldwide because the majority of the world’s population is poor.
Now with the high cost of living thanks to the high oil prices, even “middle class” families are feeling the pinch and going for the cheaper laptops.
Linux laptop makers need to wake up and start selling laptops and PC’s priced at the €300 starting price for an i3/Ryzen 3 equipped machine to make it attainable for people if they hope to see real sales success.
Go buy an Acer Chromebook for $200 and stop complaining. You sound like a slave trader who wants everything for free.
Correct Daniel. FAR too expensive unless you are gaming. Google “laptop” and click on shopping and then choose $200- $500 and there a BOAT LOADS of good, general purpose laptops to choose from. Unfortunately very few Linux people know anything about business. Hence missing the boat by a light year when trying to sell linux laptops.