Slippery Souls: Best Linux

Also: These are the absolute best Linux distros for programming

To determine the best Linux laptops on the market, I considered features like performance, design, cost and open-source support. Based on this, the Dell XPS 15 9520 is my pick for the best Linux laptop overall, thanks to its variety of configuration options that let you customize the laptop's build to suit your needs. But you can check out the rest of the list to find the one that's best for you.

The best Linux laptops

Dell XPS 15 9520

Best Linux laptop overall

Dell/ZDNET

pros & cons

pros

Tons of configuration options

OLED display available

Decent battery life

cons

Expensive at higher configurations

No fast charge feature

more details

If you're looking for a solid, dependable laptop that you can use as either your main Linux machine or to dual-boot Windows and Linux, the Dell XPS 15 9520 is the best choice. It has tons of configuration options, letting you choose up to a 13th generation Intel Core i9 processor, 64GB of RAM, 8TB of storage, and a GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card. The 15.6-inch display uses either a 1920x1200 LED or 4K OLED panel for incredible detailing, color, and contrast. And with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, you'll be able to connect secondary displays, charge devices, or transfer files from other hard drives to streamline your workflow.

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HP Omen 17

Best Linux laptop for gaming

HP/ZDNET

pros & cons

pros

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card

13th gen Intel Core i7

Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support

165Hz refresh rate

cons

Expensive

Not many Linux-supported games

more details

While Linux-supported games aren't exactly widespread, there are studios out there developing games for the operating system (about one percent of Steam's user base says it prefers Linux over Windows or MacOS). The HP Omen 17 is built from the ground up to be one of the best gaming laptops you can buy, with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, Intel Core i7-13700HX processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB solid state drive for storage.

The 17.3-inch display produces great 1440p resolution as well as a 165Hz refresh rate to reduce annoying screen tearing and stuttering during intense action scenes. The Omen 17 supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity for faster, more reliable wireless internet speeds and better connections to wireless peripherals like mice and headsets. It also has one of the better battery lives of any gaming laptop, coming in at around 5 hours.

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Acer Swift Edge

Best display in a Linux laptop

Acer/ZDNET

pros & cons

pros

Lightweight design

100 percent DCI-P3 color range

4K OLED

Good battery life

cons

Limited ports

Only one screen size

No SD card reader

more details

For creative professionals who prefer to work in Linux over Windows or MacOS, the Acer Swift Edge is a great option for a quality display as well as powerful components. The 16-inch screen provides excellent 4K resolution as well as up to 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut for ultra-accurate colors. It also has a 92 percent screen-to-body ratio, which means you'll get more viewing and working area on your screen instead of wide, sort of ugly, bezels.

You can also overclock the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U processor up to 4.7GHz for extra power when you need it for rendering 3D models, finished photos, or video files. The Acer Swift Edge has a lightweight design, coming in at just under 2.5 pounds, making it great for on-the-go creative professionals whose offices are wherever they happen to be that day.

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Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3

Best Linux laptop under $500

Lenovo/ZDNET

pros & cons

pros

Under $500

Great battery life

Anti-glare and blue light filter display

cons

No Thunderbolt ports

Limited inputs

Somewhat dim screen

more details

If you're just starting out learning how to work with Linux or are looking for an affordable laptop to use to refine your programming skills, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 retails under $500 while still offering premium-grade performance. It's built with an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB storage drive, which makes it great for everything from web browsing and streaming to everyday office work. It also has an impressive 12-hour battery life, which means you can spend more time working and less time searching for an outlet to recharge. The 15.6-inch display produces 1080p resolution for great images and contrast while an anti-glare coating and blue light filter help reduce eye strain and fatigue.

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Asus VivoBook Pro 15 OLED

Best battery life in a Linux laptop

Asus/ZDNET

pros & cons

pros

14.5 hour battery life

OLED display

Pantone validated display

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU

cons

Expensive

No touchscreen option

Not 4K

more details

If you're in the market for a Linux-capable laptop with an impressive battery life, the Asus Vivobook Pro is your best choice. On a full charge, you can get up to 14.5 hours of use, which means you'll be able to work and stream all day and well into the night before you have to think about plugging in. The 15.6-inch OLED display gives you incredible colors, contrast, and detailing for more lifelike images. It's also Pantone-validated for color accuracy, making it great for creative professionals and digital artists.

The Vivobook Pro also keeps your work and personal information safe from unauthorized access with a fingerprint reader to replace traditional passwords with biometric log-ins. You'll also get a ton of power and performance for rendering art and 3D modeling files, photos, and video with the GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card.

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What is the best Linux laptop?

I chose the Dell XPS 15 9520 as the overall best Linux laptop for its array of configuration options which let you customize the laptop's build to perfectly suit your needs. It also features two Thunderbolt 4 ports for connecting secondary displays, charging devices, or quickly transferring files. The display uses an OLED panel for enhanced color, contrast, and detailing while streaming movies and shows, creating graphics, or editing photos and videos.

Best Linux laptop

Price

CPU/GPU

RAM/storage

Dell XPS 15 9520

$2349

12th or 13th gen Intel Core, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060

Up to 64 GB, up to 8TB

HP Omen 17

$1600

13th gen Intel Core i7-13700HX, Nividia GeForce RTX 4070

16GB, 1TB

Acer Swift Edge

$1079

AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, AMD Radeon Graphics

16GB, 1TB

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3

$449

Up to AMD Ryzen 5 7530U, AMD Radeon Graphics

8GB, 512GB

Asus VivoBook Pro

$1049

AMDY Ryzen 7 6800H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050

16GB, 512GB

Which Linux laptop is right for you?

It depends on how much experience you have using the Linux operating system. If you're just starting out, you'll want to opt for a laptop with lower-end components and configurations as well as a lower price. By opting for less sophisticated, less expensive laptops, you can cut your teeth on Linux without losing a ton of money if it turns out not to be your cup of tea.

However, if you're running with more experienced Linux crowds, you may want to consider laptops with more powerful processors and graphics cards to help you create programs or work with Linux source code.

Buy this best Linux laptop...

If you need...

Dell XPS 15 9520

A well-rounded laptop for running Linux. It features leading-edge components so you don't have to worry about upgrades.

HP Omen 17

A gaming laptop for running Linux. With an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, you'll be able to tackle just about any indie or triple-A title in your library or on your wishlist.

Acer Swift Edge

A Linux-capable laptop with an incredible display. It features an OLED panel that produces 4K resolution and is capable of producing up to 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3

A budget-friendly Linux laptop. For under $500, you'll still get great features like Dolby audio support, a 15.6-inch touchscreen display, and fast charging.

Asus Vivobook Pro

A Linux-capable laptop with an impressive battery life. The Asus Vivobook Pro can provide up to 14.5 hours of use on a full charge.

How did we choose these Linux laptops?

What makes a machine worthy of belonging on the best Linux laptop list? Obviously, it has to work with Linux and not require the user to do any of the work to make that happen. Beyond that, here are the key features we considered when compiling this list:

Performance: I included laptops with current or last-generation components. This ensures that you'll get the best performance out of your new Linux laptop.

Design: Not all laptops are designed the same way. I chose laptops with both eye-catching, gamer-inspired designs as well as laptops that would fit right in a traditional office setting.

Cost: Since Linux can run on just about any laptop as long as the hardware is supported, you can choose an older model (or even a used one) to load the operating system onto. This means you can save money on upgrades, especially if you're just starting out learning Linux.

Open-source support: Linux is an open-source operating system. You can find tons of online communities dedicated to learning Linux, tweaking source code, and reporting issues.

What is Linux?

Linux is an open-source operating system, created by Linus Torvalds, that is not only suited for desktops and laptops, but for enterprise-grade servers, container deployments, the cloud, and much more. Linux is available as a distribution and can be downloaded and installed for free on as many machines as you need.

Can you run Linux on a Mac?

This is a bit of a complicated answer.

Yes, you can run Linux operating systems on MacBooks, Mac Minis, and Mac desktops. But there's a catch: you have to opt for an older model that uses an Intel Core processor instead of Apple's own M1 or M2 chips. Apple's silicon chips are starting to see Linux hobbyists and pros alike build support, but at the time of writing, the only reliable way to get Linux to run on an M1/M2 Mac is to use a virtual machine which is a type of emulation program.

Are there disadvantages to running Linux instead of Windows or MacOS?

The biggest hurdles you'll have to face when using Linux over Windows or MacOS are the learning curve and general lack of support from brand-name software companies. Since Linux is an open-source operating system, there isn't a single, unified version like there is for Windows 11 or macOS Catalina. This means that it's much more difficult to program applications like games, video players, and even weather apps to work consistently across all versions of Linux. Different versions also mean that just because you're familiar with Ubuntu, that doesn't mean your expertise will be of any use on a machine that runs a different Linux dispo.

Also: Windows, Mac, or Linux? We compare the pros and cons of these computing platforms

Are there alternative Linux laptops worth considering?

Since Linux really only requires a USB boot drive, you can load Linux onto just about any laptop or desktop you come across; including older models with less powerful components. Here's a short list of Linux-capable laptops I thought were great choices:

BEST PRICE

MacBook Pro 16 Intel Core i9 - Best Mac for Linux

For loyal Mac users, running Linux on your laptop or desktop is a bit trickier than on their Windows counterparts. Since there isn't widespread support for M1 and M2 chips yet among Linux users, your best option is to get your hands on an older Mac with an Intel CPU.

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BEST PRICE

Asus Zenbook 14 - Great OLED display

The Asus Zenbook is the little sister to the Zenbook Pro, and still gives you a great OLED display for content creation, digital art, and streaming. It also features a built-in blue light filter to help reduce eye strain during long days of work or binging your favorite movies and shows.

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BEST PRICE

Samsung Galaxy Book 2 360 - Best 2-in-1 Linux laptop

This 2-in-1 laptop from Samsung is a great candidate for a Linux-capable laptop if you're looking for a way to get the best of both traditional laptops and tablets. The hinge lets you use the Galaxy Book 2 360 as a laptop, in tent mode, or tablet mode for different applications.

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Slippery Souls

Monday, July 10, 2023

Best Linux

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