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So today we are going to have in-depth look at best 10 laptops available in market which can be used to run Linux operating system. Not all the laptops listed here have dedicated hardware required by Linux, but they will be able to run Linux directly or alongside Windows or Mac.
Many users moving towards Linux as it is more free, secure and reliable operating system as compared others. In addition to this Linux is best platform to work on personal projects and programming tasks.
1. Dell XPS 13
Carved in machined aluminum, Dell XPS 13 is slick and slim portable laptop with eye-catching design. Dell claims it to be smallest laptop in the world, it comes with 13.3” 4K Ultra HD InfinityEdge touch display. The laptop is highly customizable and you can configure it according to your requirements.
(Source: Amazon)
Best thing about this laptop is that it comes with full-fledge Linux support which is always the case with Dell flagship machines and a big thumbs-up to Dell for that. It also has developer edition variant with comes with Ubuntu 16.04 LTS out of the box however this normal Dell XPS 13 variant can also be customized to come with Linux out of the box.
Key Specs
- CPU : 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U Processor
- RAM : 8GB/16GB DDR3 SDRAM
- Storage : 512GB PCIe Solid State Drive
- GPU : Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Ports : 3 x USB Type-C Ports
Buy Here: Amazon Link
2. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is popular for its dedicated gaming hardware. Even though it comes with Windows 10 Pro out of the box, it can be customized to run Linux for personal or business use. The laptop is very light and durable with excellent build quality of carbon-fiber casing.
(Source: Lenovo)
It has 14” display which comes in 1080p and 1440p variants, for later you have to pay extra bucks. Apart from that it ships in with Lithium Polymer Battery which offers almost 15 hours of power depending upon the usage. Also it comes with internal 4-cell battery which can be used for hot swap, which means you can swap batteries without turning off your laptop.
Key Specs
- CPU : 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8650U Processor
- RAM : 8GB/16GB LPDDR3
- Storage : 512GB/1TB Solid State Drive
- GPU : Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Ports : 2 x USB Type-C and 2 x USB 3.0 Ports
Buy Here: Amazon Link
3. HP Spectre x360 15t
HP Spectre x360 is another powerful laptop on my list; it has an excellent build quality with all aluminum body which gives it a premium feel which can be compared to other flagship machines from competitors. It is 2-in-1 laptop which is slim and lightweight in terms of build quality, it also offers long lasting battery life.
(Source: HP)
This is one of the best performing laptop on my list with full-fledged support for Linux installation as well as high-end gaming. 8GB of RAM and extremely fast SSD with i7 process in the backing, this laptop proves to be a beast with seamless multitasking experience.
Key Specs
- CPU : 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8705G Processor
- RAM : 8GB LPDDR3
- Storage : 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB PCIe Solid State Drive
- GPU : Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Ports : 2 x USB Type-C and 1 x USB Type-A Ports
Buy Here: Amazon Link
4. Dell Precision 3530
Precision 3530 is recently launched mobile workstation from Dell. This is entry-level model which ships-in with pre-installed Ubuntu 16.04. Precision 3530 is a 15” powerful laptop specially built for high-end purpose. You can choose from various processors variants ranging from 8th Gen Core i5/i7 to Xeon 6-core processors.
It is fully customizable laptop to match all type of user's requirements. It also comes with high resolution screen with bigger storage options.
Key Specs
- CPU : 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8400H Processor
- RAM : 4GB DDR4
- Storage : 256GB Solid State Drive
- GPU : Intel UHD Graphics 630/ NVIDIA Quadro P600
Buy Here: Dell
5. HP EliteBook 360
EliteBook 360 is thinnest and lightest business convertible laptop from HP. Laptop comes with 13.3” Full HD Ultra-Bright Touch Screen Display and HP sure view for secure browsing. EliteBook is high-end laptop which comes with Windows 10 Pro pre-installed, but one can easily install Linux on it alongside Windows.
(Source: HP)
Laptops audio output is also excellent and also it comes with premium quality keyboard. Latest Linux versions will run smoothly on this laptop thanks to its powerful hardware. The laptop supports fast charging using which you can charge up to 50% battery in just 30 minutes.
Key Specs
- CPU : Intel Core i5-7300U Processor
- RAM : 16GB LPDDR3
- Storage : 256GB Solid State Drive
- GPU : Intel UHD Graphics 620
Buy Here: Amazon Link
6. Acer Aspire 5
Acer Aspire 5 series laptop is packed with 15.6” Full HD screen, it is solid laptop with an excellent performance backed by 8GB DDR4 Dual Channel Memory. It comes with backlit keyboard which gives an eye-catching look to laptop while making it friendly to work in night time.
(Source: Acer)
It is powerhouse of a laptop which can be used to install and run Ubuntu and other Linux distros alongside Windows by doing minor tweaks in security settings. You will be able to access content on the internet faster on this laptop thanks to the latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
Key Specs
- CPU : 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U Processor
- RAM : 8GB DDR4 Dual Channel Memory
- Storage : 256GB Solid State Drive
- GPU : NVIDIA GeForce MX150
- Ports : 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, 1 x USB 3.0 and 2 x USB 2.0 Ports
Buy Here: Amazon Link
7. ASUS ZenBook 3
Asus Zenbook 3 is a premium looking laptop which is crafted in aerospace-grade aluminum which makes it one of the thinnest laptops included in this article. The biggest attraction in this laptop is 4x Harman Kardon speakers and four-channel Amplifier for an excellent high-quality surrounded-sound audio output.
(Source: Asus)
Zenbook 3 comes with extremely thin bezel which gives it a modern look and it also comes with decent keyboard and battery life. It ships-in with Windows 10 Home, but Linux can easily be installed alongside Windows without making any adjustments.
Key Specs
- CPU : 7th Gen Intel Core i5-7200U Processor
- RAM : 8GB DDR3 SDRAM
- Storage : 256GB Solid State Drive
- GPU : Intel HD Graphics
- Ports : 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C Port
Buy Here: Amazon Link
8. Lenovo ThinkPad T480 Business Class Ultrabook
As the name suggests, Lenovo ThinkPad T480 is the best laptop for business or any other professional purpose. It comes with 14” HD Display and battery with capacity of up to 8 hours of screen on time.
(Source: Lenovo)
This laptop ships-in with 64-bit Windows 7 Pro edition which can be upgraded to Windows 10, also Ubuntu and other Linux distros such as LinuxMint can be installed alongside Windows.
Key Specs
- CPU : 6th Gen Intel Core i5-6200U Processor
- RAM : 4GB DDR3L SDRAM
- Storage : 500GB HDD
- GPU : Intel HD Graphics 520
- Ports : 3 x USB 3.0 Ports
Buy Here: Amazon Link
9. HP Envy 13
Envy 13 is another excellent laptop from HP to make it my list. With the thickness of just 12.9mm, it is one of the thinnest laptops available in the market. Apart from that is the very lightweight laptop weighing just 1.3Kg; it is portable laptop with great performance.
(Source: HP)
Considering it is very aggressively priced laptop, it doesn't lack in any department with lag free performance even on heavy usage. Only concern is the battery life which is not consistent, it is heavily dependent on the usage pattern. It also comes with fingerprint reader for added security, but it only works with Windows as of now.
Key Specs
- CPU : 7th Gen Intel Core i5-7200U Processor
- RAM : 8GB LPDDR3 SDRAM
- Storage : 256GB PCIe Solid State Drive
- GPU : Intel HD Graphics 620
- Ports : 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C and 2 x USB 3.1 Ports
Buy Here: Amazon Link
10. Lenovo IdeaPad 330s
Lenovo IdeaPad 330s is a powerful laptop with 15.6” 1366 x 768 HD display. Backed by 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of DDR4 RAM, IdeaPad 330s is one of the best performing laptops available in market. Apart from that it comes with built-in HD webcam and 2-cell lithium polymer battery with up to 7 hours of screen on time power backup.
(Source: Lenovo)
IdeaPad 330s is a great machine to install latest version of Linux distros as it is loaded with powerful hardware. Graphics will not be the problem as it ships-in with Intel UHD Graphics 620 on the board.
Key Specs
- CPU : 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U Processor
- RAM : 8GB DDR4
- Storage : 1TB HDD
- GPU : Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Ports : 1 x USB Type-C and 2 x USB 3.0 Ports
Buy Here: Amazon Link
So these are the 10 best laptops for Linux available in market. All the laptops listed here will be able to play all the latest Linux distros easily with some minor tweaks if required. Share your views or thoughts with us at @LinuxHint and @SwapTirthakar
