For those who’re currently looking for a nice new device: shown are (from Top Left to Right):
- NovaCustom (NL)
- Star Labs (UK)
- System76 (US)
- Juno Computers (US)
- UbuntuShop (BE)
- Slimbook (ES)
- Tuxedo Computers (DE)
- Entroware (UK)
- MiniFree (UK)
- Nitrokey (DE)
- Laptops with Linux (NL)
- Purism (US)
Not mentioned but also selling Ready-to-use Linux computer:
- Dell
- Lenovo
Yes, literally all of them are a joke. Thankfully Lenovo now offers linux
Framework deserves a spot in that meme
They ship with Linux?
Running Debian 12 on a $300 no-name chinese laptop from before the tariffs. Formatted over Windows ofc.
It rules!
Minifree! ❤
I currently have a system76 (not happy, story for another time) and am in the market for a new gaming laptop this time specifically looking for amd cpu / gpu - any recommendations? I prefer Kubuntu should drivers be an issue.
If you are in the US, I’m very happy with the ROG G-series. The cooling is overengineered, they have a good community built around them (see https://gitlab.com/asus-linux/asusctl), and now they’re even offering some Strix Halo stuff, which is really awesome.
Framework is great, but I wouldn’t buy one for heavy dGPU use since the cooling is… not the best. At least not until they offer Strix Halo laptops too.
Unfortunately I’m only seeing nvidia gpu’s on those (or at least that’s only option on the US eshop filters)
Bit pricey but the Framework 16 is always a great option for the more tech inclined.
Doesn’t come with Linux by default but they support it very well and have people on staff for Linux support. You will have to install it yourself though
Thanks this looks like a great option and actually cheaper than my system76 for similar specs
Lenovo allows now. U can opt out of windows 11 and save money. I believe they installed Ubuntu. U can reinstall with Linux mint or Pop OS if u like the feel of windows.
Also Pine64
My SOs system76 had intermittent graphics issues and their tech support had hour-long calls with me over several weeks and additional emails correspondence where we did some very in-depth testing and monitoring of the machine. I think most of the testing was that their team genuinely wanted to know if it was a hardware or software issue and fix it right.
In the end they replaced the entire motherboard under warranty because they pointed out in another month and it wouldn’t be covered and it might fix it. It did.
I suspect it was just a bad Nvidia GPU. It sucks that it had the problem and that it was difficult to track down but all laptops break.
I challenge anyone to find that level of support from a Windows manufacturer without having a corporate account.
Dell’s accidental warranty used to be solid AF. I installed Eve OL beta and my graphics card cooked. (even had stripes in the bios) They replaced the entire laptop with a late model P4 of equivalent value to what I paid.
Those days are long gone, though.
Its kinda funny that when I read “hour-long wait calls” I initially thought you were complaining about being on hold for too long. I just couldn’t imagine a scenario where they were helping you the entire time and it was positive lol
Nope, no waiting, sitting on the call with me while we try multiple things and waiting through reboots while he bounced ideas off I believe an internal slack discussion or something. no trying to get off the call or hand me off to meet some arbitrary call time quota.
You even threw the word “wait” in there independently because of your preconceptions of customer support calls
I just got a Zenbook Duo for work because I haul around a second monitor all the time. Debian 12 is not happy, feels like the early 2Ks as I try out mainline and other methods to get the wifi card and displays recognized. Every laptop I’ve used up to this one worked out of the box. That being said, Ubuntu may, but I’m trying to avoid the snap machine.
Missing Framework?
I think the answer is yes. Last time I did a survey of options a lot of them seemed highly unreliable. Framework was one exception but… unfortunately I think you kinda just have to like the framework idea. The massive premium you pay there just doesn’t make financial sense unless you actively (ab)use your hardware such that it might really fail within the useful lifetime of the processor. (Ie I can buy two laptops for the price of one framework, so…why not just do that if the first fails?)
Framework:
So apparently it’s for the Western people then. (Or I could be wrong)
I simply don’t know any vendors in Japan, Australia, India etc., but feel free to provide some!
Which would be considered a good gaming laptop?
System76 laptops are built for gaming.
They also created their own Linux distro called Pop! Os, which is designed around gaming, and fairly popular within the community. All their laptops come with Pop! os preinstalled
Lol, no? System76 does have gaming-capable devices and Pop!_OS will absolutely get you there, but neither was designed “around gaming”.
To answer the original question: System76, Tuxedo and Slimbook do sell gaming-capable devices. Others might do as well, this isn’t a complete list.
They literally advertise it on their website. They definitely have gaming in mind.
Sure, they’re not designed solely for gaming. But they’re focused on graphical performance which is what makes them suited for gamers.
Pop! Os has a focus on graphical performance, with versions containing preconfigured AMD/nvidia drivers depending on the users build. To claim that gaming hasn’t factored into the decision to focus on graphics would just be silly.
Doesn’t really feel as though that pedantry has added anything to the conversation if I’m honest, as the question was what would be suitable for gaming, and you yourself also recommend 76?
Tbh I would rather a desktop and build that myself. If I wanted a laptop I would most likely be looking for very low specs and cheap, so second hand. Got a laptop with a 2011 pentium CPU somewhere and it works perfectly fine on Linux, even got a few games on it.
Drox Operative 2 runs at 60FPS, kinda makes me wish we had more 2D games these days as they can run on pretty much anything.
I’ve got a cheap refurbished ThinkPad L390 Yoga. (€180) It’s plenty powerful and the touchscreen is awesome with KDE Plasma (but only with Wayland - X11 is not built for touchscreens, it only does mouse emulation).
