Dell XPS Ubuntu | Image Credit: LifehackerPosted on 05/20/2019 11:26:18 AM PDT by ShadowAce
A couple of disclaimer/information before you see the list of shops offering computers with Linux preloaded.
Please make a purchase on your own decision. I am simply listing the Linux computer sellers here, I cannot vouch for their product quality, after sale service or other such things.
This is not a ranking list. The items listed here are in no particular order. The numbers are used for the purpose of counting the items, not ranking them.
Let’s see from where you can get desktops and laptops with Linux preinstalled.
Dell XPS Ubuntu | Image Credit: Lifehacker
Dell has been offering Ubuntu laptops for several years now. Their flagship product XPS features a Developer Edition series that comes with Ubuntu preinstalled.
If you read my review of Dell XPS Ubuntu edition, you know that I loved this laptop. It’s been more than two years and this laptop is still in great condition and performance has not deteriorated.
Dell XPS is an expensive device with a price tag of over $1000. If that’s out of your budget, Dell also has inexpensive offering in its Inspiron laptop range.
Do note that Dell doesn’t display the Ubuntu/Linux laptops on its website. Unless you already know that Linux laptops are offered by Dell, you wouldn’t be able to find them.
So, go to Dell’s website and enter Ubuntu in its search box to see the products that ship with Ubuntu Linux preinstalled.
Availability: Most part of the world.
System76 is a prominent name in the Linux computers world. This US-based company specializes in high-end computing devices that run Linux. Their targeted user-base is software developers.
Initially, System76 used to offer Ubuntu on their machines. In 2017, they released their own Linux distribution Pop!_OS based on Ubuntu. Since then, Pop!_OS is the default OS on their machine with Ubuntu still available as a choice.
Apart from performance, System76 has put a great emphasis on the design of its computer. Their Thelio desktop series has a handcrafted wooden design.
System76 Thelio Desktop
You may check their Linux laptops offering here. They also offer Linux-based mini PCs and servers.
Did I mention that System76 manufactures its computers in America instead of the obvious choice of China and Taiwan? The products are on the expensive side, perhaps for this reason.
Availability: USA and 60 other countries. Extra custom duty may be applicable outside the US. More info here.
Purism is a US-based company that takes pride in creating products and services that help you secure your data and privacy. That’s the reason why Purism calls itself a ‘Social Purpose Corporation’.
Purism started with a crowdfunding campaign for creating a high-end open source laptop with (almost) no proprietary software. The successful $250,000 crowdfunding campaign gave birth to Librem 15 laptop in 2015.
Purism Librem 13
Later Purism released a 13″ version called Librem 13. Purism also created a Linux distribution Pure OS keeping privacy and security in mind.
Pure OS can run on both desktop and mobile devices and it is the default choice of operating system on its Librem laptops and Librem 5 Linux phone.
Purism gets its components from China, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States and builds/assemble them in the US. All their devices have hardware kill switches to turn off the microphone/camera and wireless/bluetooth.
Availability: Worldwide with free international shipping. Custom duty may cost extra.
Slimbook is a Linux computer vendor based in Spain. Slimbook came to limelight after launching the first KDE branded laptop.
Their offering is not limited to just KDE Neon. They offer Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Ubuntu MATE, Linux Mint and Spanish distributions like Lliurex and Max. You can also choose Windows at an additional cost or opt for no operating system at all.
Slimbook has a wide variety of Linux laptops, desktops and mini PCs available. An iMac like 24″ curved monitor that has in-built CPU is an awesome addition to their collection.
Slimbook Kymera Aqua Liquid Cool Linux Computer
Want a liquid cooled Linux computer? Slimbook’s Kymera Aqua is for you.
Availability: Worldwide but may cost extra in shipping and custom duty
Another European candidate in this list of Linux computer vendors. TUXEDO Computers is based out of Germany and mainly focuses on German users and then European users.
TUXEDO Computers only uses Linux and the computers are ‘manufactured in Germany’ and come with 5 years of guarantee and lifetime support.
TUXEDO Computers has put up some real good effort in customizing its hardware to run on Linux. And if you ever run into trouble or want to start afresh, you have the system recovery option to restore factory settings automatically.
Tuxedo Computers supports a wide variety of distributions
TUXEDO Computers has a number of Linux laptops, desktops, mini-PCs available. They have both Intel and AMD processors. Apart from the computers, TUXEDO Computers also has a range of Linux supported accessories like docking stations, DVD/Blue-Ray burners, power bank and other peripheral devices.
Availability: Free shipping in Germany and Europe (for orders above 150 Euro). Extra shipping charges and custom duty for non-EU countries. More info here.
Vikings is based in Germany (instead of Scandinavia :D). Certified by Free Software Foundation, Vikings focuses exclusively on Libre-friendly hardware.
Vikings’s products are certified by Free Software Foundation
The Linux laptops and desktops by Vikings come with coreboot or Libreboot instead of proprietary boot systems like BIOS and UEFI. You can also buy server hardware running no proprietary software.
Vikings also has other accessories like router, docking station etc. The products are assembled in Germany.
Availability: Worldwide (except North Korea). Non-EU countries may charge custom duty. More information here.
No! It’s not the official Ubuntu Shop even though it has Ubuntu in its name. Ubuntushop is based in Belgium and originally started selling computers installed with Ubuntu.
Today, you can get laptops preloaded with Linux distributions like Mint, Manjaro, elementrayOS. You can also request a distribution of your choice to be installed on the system you buy.
One unique thing about Ubuntushop is that all of its computers come with default Tails OS live option. So even if it has a Linux distribution installed for regular use, you can always choose to boot into the Tails OS (without live USB). Tails OS is a Debian based distribution that deletes all traces of its use after logging out and it uses Tor network by default.
Unlike many other big players on this list, I feel that Ubuntushop is more of a ‘domestic operation’ where someone manually assembles your computer and installs Linux on it. But they have done quite some job on providing options like easy re-install, own cloud server etc.
Got an old PC, send it to them while buying a new Linux computer and they will send it back to you after installing lightweight Linux on it so that the old computer is recycled and can still be put to some use.
Availability: Belgium and rest of Europe.
Minifree, short for Ministry of Freedom, is a company registered in England.
You can guess that Minifree focuses on the freedom. It provides secure and privacy-respcting computers that come with Libreboot instead of BIOS or UEFI.
Minifree devices are certified by Free Software Foundation which means that you can be sure that your computer adhere to guidelines and principals of Free and Open Source Software.
Unlike many other Linux laptops vendors on this list, computers from Minifree are not super-expensive. You can get a Libreboot Linux laptop running Trisquel GNU/Linux from 200 euro.
Apart from laptops, Minifree also has a range of accessories like a Libre Router, tablet, docking station, batteries, keyboard, mouse etc.
If you care to run only 100% free software like Richard Stallman, Minifree is for you.
Availability: Worldwide. Shipping information is available here.
Entroware is another UK-based vendor that specializes in Linux-based laptops, desktop and servers.
Like many others on the list, Entroware also has Ubuntu as its choice of Linux distribution. Ubuntu MATE is also available as a choice on Entroware Linux laptops.
Apart from laptops, desktop and servers, Entroware also has their mini-PC Aura and the iMac style monitor with built-in CPU Ares.
Availability: UK, Ireland France, Germany, Italy, Spain
This is a new Linux laptop vendor on our list. Juno Computers is also based in UK and offers computers preinstalled with Linux. elementary OS, Ubuntu and Solus OS are the choices of Linux distributions here.
Juno offers a range of laptops and a mini-PC called Olympia. Like almost all the mini-PCs offered by other vendors here, Olympia is also basically Intel NUC.
The main highlight from Juno Computers is a low-cost Chromebook alternative, Juve that costs £299. It runs a dual-booted system with Solus/elementray with an Android-based desktop operating system, Prime OS.
Juve With Android-based Prime Os
Availability: UK, USA, Canada, Mexico, Most part of South America and Europe, Australia, New Zealand, some part of Asia and Africa. More information here.
I have listed 10 places to get Linux computers but there are several other such shops available. I cannot include all of them in the main list and a couple of them seem to be out of stock for most products. However, I am going to mention them here so that you may check them on your own:
Other mainstream computer manufacturers like Acer, Lenovo etc may also have some Linux systems in their catalog so you may check their products as well.
System76 computers and the folks at the company are great. Good products, and very helpful and responsive support.
That is where I plan on buying my next one.
Total Cost:
Computer kit from Amazon -- $55.
Wireless keyboard/mouse combo from Amazon -- $20.
Used flat screen monitor from Goodwill -- $10.
The good part is that he got to assemble it himself - more fun than legos.
Yup. I got a RPi running as a Plex media center.
HDMI to VGA adapter from Amazon -- $12
For the XPS, a purchaser would be better of with the latest (8th generation) 13-inch, with the camera at the top of the screen.
DuLL should have it listed “ubuntu” or “new XPS Linux.”
That first one- does the Customer have to uncrate the CPU or do they send a Hardware Tech to do it ?
One more thing... If any of you have a spare disk for Fedora 30, try adding the Deepin environment to Fedora 30.
The Thelios are attractive. I’m tired of this stuff being so generic and boring...
bkmk
What are the Pros and cons?
I’ve installed Linux on many Windows machines as well. Sometimes loss leaders will be sold with Windows on them and they are just fine for Linux.
(Loss leaders and clearance boxen)
My husband is putting his video collection on Plex, but has a lot of trouble with it bogging down. I’m not sure how adding RPi works, but would it help?
Indeed. I got a couple of the more generic units (large and small desktops) a year and a half ago, and they're serving well. I like the new look.
Most commercial desktop software is for Windows. If you have to keep up with that, use Windows.
On the other hand if you live and breathe Unix/Linux, then a Windows environment will be foreign and clumsy. Linux is easier to program to (IMHO).
I’d like to see an environment where one can choose virtually between Linux and Windows and the two can even see into one another’s file system and device spaces.
And older/smaller Windows machines that won't run Win10 worth a cr@p will convert very favorably to Linux and run just fine.
I bought my Toshiba Linux from Linucity a couple of years ago:
http://www.linucity.com/scripts/default.asp
==
Recommend? No sure. I ordered and asked for some free program installations.
After a week, I still had not heard anything. I emailed them and asked for the status of my order. I got an email saying ‘It shipped’. No other info. No invoice number. No tracking number. No info on method of transport (FEDEX, UPS, USPS).
It did arrive shortly thereafter — poorly packaged. It did have an instruction sheet inside, with password, but no manual, etc.
Luckily, I have not had any trouble so had no reason to recontact them. It is out of warranty now.
Other than that, it was an okay purchase.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.