Linux will work on any PC. I mean literally. Do you remember the Intel Pentium 4 processor? It is still supported by Debian Linux. That said, Linux runs better on some laptops than others. These days, quite a few big-name PC manufacturers even offer official Linux support, meaning you have somewhere to turn if things go awry.
To help you find the best Linux laptop for your perfect rig, I’ve installed (or tried to install) Linux on every laptop I’ve tested over the past three years. Almost all of them work well, but some are easier to run than others. Many of my favorites come with Linux right out of the box.
Be sure to check out our other buying guides, like Best laptop, Best cheap laptop, Best MacBooksAnd How to choose the right laptop.
Table of contents
- Best for Minimalist
- Best for maximalists
- Best repairable
- Best for hackers
- Best for system administrators
- If your budget is tight
- What to Look for in a Linux Laptop
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Dell’s XPS 13 Developer Edition was one of the first big-name laptops to ship with Linux, and it remains the lightest, smallest laptop with Linux installed. This configuration has a 12th Gen Intel i7-1250U processor, 32 GB of RAM (soldered) and a 1 TB SSD. It comes with Ubuntu Linux 20.04, but in my testing it will happily run any distro from Fedora to Arch (although Dell’s support only applies to Ubuntu). Once you are on the product page, make sure that you select Ubuntu Linux 20.04 LTS as your operating system (Windows defaults).
For more hardware details, see our review of the Windows version (6/10 Review WIRED). While the performance isn’t great with Windows, I don’t find the same to be true when using Ubuntu. The main drawback of this machine is the lack of ports. There are two USB-C ports, one of which is your charging port. Not even a headphone jack.
If Dell’s lack of ports makes you want, then this is the laptop for you. System76’s pangolin (8/10, Recommend wired) is a 15-inch, AMD-powered laptop monster with every port a system administrator could hope for. This configuration comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, 32GB of RAM (soldered) and a 250GB SSD. You can configure Pangolin with up to 8 TB of storage.
Battery life is decent for the size — it lasts all day in most use cases — but it’s not as good as the Dell. On the other hand, the keyboard is awesome and really fun to type on. One downside is the numeric keypad, which makes the touchpad out of focus. Port selection is where Pangolin really shines. There’s Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.0, a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port (with DisplayPort support, but no Thunderbolt support), three USB-A ports, a 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack, and Full size SD card reader.
Most repairable and future proof
If you want an upgradeable laptop, then Framework’s Laptop is the best Linux device for you. There are a few flavors available. I tested the second version of the 13 inch model (8/10, Recommend wired) and loved it. Right now you can pre-order a 13th Gen AMD Ryzen 7 7040 or Intel Core series system with 32GB RAM, a 2TB SSD, and any combination of ports to suit your needs for around the price of approx. 1,400 USD. That will ship without the OS. When it arrives, you can install Linux yourself (or choose to ship it with Windows if you need to dual boot). The only catch is that the AMD model will ship in the third quarter of the year, although the Intel version will ship in June. If you’re satisfied with the previous-generation chip, you can buy it today.
I’ve tested Ubuntu, Framework support and Arch Linux, and both work fine (although Framework doesn’t support Arch officially). My only complaint about using the Framework is my complaint about almost any Linux laptop: Battery life could be better.
The System76 Oryx Pro comes in 15-inch or 17-inch models with 12th Gen Intel processors and Nvidia graphics (3070 Ti or 3080 Ti GPU). There are options for a glossy 4K OLED display, up to 64 GB of RAM, and up to 8 TB of SSD storage. It’s not cheap, but the Oryx Pro is by far the most powerful laptop on this site. Like Pangolin above, Oryx ships with System76’s Pop_OS! or Ubuntu Linux. Unlike Pangolin, the Intel chip in Oryx Pro means it comes with Coreboot and open source firmware.
OK, OK, it’s stale, but there’s something about the Lenovo X1 Carbon Linux edition that makes me want to install Kali Linux and start exploring the cafe’s Wi-Fi. Either way, this is a slick laptop for those of us who think the ThinkPad is, ahem, slick. However, that gloss comes at a heavy price. For almost twice the price of our other picks, you’ll get a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD (most of which are customizable).
On the plus side, you get a nice, anti-glare 2K (2,880 X 1800) OLED display. I haven’t had a chance to test this latest model yet, but I really like the previous version (8/10, Recommend wired,) and the new version is mostly a spec update. It is regularly sold.
Photo: Lenovo
One of the good things about Linux is that it requires less resources and maintains support for older hardware much longer than Windows or macOS. That means you don’t have to spend a lot of money on a new laptop; you can breathe life into an old one or grab a used laptop on eBay. I’ve been doing this for years, learning about Lenovo’s X series laptops (started with X220, now X14 Gen 1), but older Dell and Asus laptops are great for Linux too. If you choose to buy used, check out Our guide to buying used on eBay to make sure you get a good deal.
