This page lists several PC manufacturers and computers that you can purchase with a Linux distro preinstalled. In recent years more and more small manufacturers have come into existence to offer Linux to their customers out-of-the-box. Others give buyers a choice between Windows and Linux.
Most of the laptops cost more than $1,000, but several of the manufactures make them well under this price point. All but one of the below companies makes a laptop.
This list is not necessarily exhaustive. There may be other manufacturers who are developing computers with Linux distros preinstalled. Currently, Lenovo is excluded because they have not yet released desktops and laptops with Fedora. They also plan to certify all their laptops and desktops for Ubuntu and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
Web page contents:
- Dell
- Juno Computers
- Laptop With Linux
- Lenovo
- Pine 64
- Puget Systems
- Purism
- Slimbook
- Star Labs
- System76
- Think Penguin
- Tuxedo Computers
- Ubuntu Shop
- ZaReason
Dell (Select XPS and Precision models)
Dell, for a long time, was the only major manufacturer to ship a few of its models with a Linux distro preinstalled. The XPS 13 comes with 20.04 and its Precision laptop and desktop workstations come with Ubuntu 18.04. The Precision desktops and laptops are certified for Red Hat 8.0.
These are Dell’s professional-grade computers. They are designed for IT professionals, engineers, and software developers.
The Precision laptops can be customized with up to 32 GB of RAM and a 2 TB SSD. However, budget-minded consumers also can customize one to cost less than $800.
In addition to these, there are several hundred models that are certified to run Ubuntu. Several other distros will work well on their machines too.
- Types of computers:
- Laptops
- Desktops
- Operating systems:
- Ubuntu 18.04
- Ubuntu 20.04
- (Certified for Red Hat 8.0)
Click here to see these models on Dell’s Website.
Juno Computers
The United Kingdom-based company also has a facility in New Jersey where they assemble desktops, laptops, and minis. All the computers come with Ubuntu 20.04 pre-installed. Buyers also can choose to have their laptops shipped without an operating system.
One of its laptops, NYX 14″ V2, costs less than $1,000, even after it is upgraded to an i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB hard drive. It is one of the least expensive laptops that comes with Linux, starting at $549.
The laptops come with 14-inch, 15-inch, and 17-inch screen sizes, and each one can be upgraded to 2 TB of storage.
Buyers can choose from several different keyboard languages for the laptops.
- Types of computers:
- Laptops
- Minis
- Desktops
- Operating systems: Ubuntu 20.04
Click here to visit Juno’s Website
Laptop with Linux
This Netherlands-based company tells you what the company is all about with its name. They also make mini computers. Customers have a choice of 16 different installations when they order a computer. They offer several flavors of Ubuntu and every user interface of Linux Mint and Manjaro. There are other popular distros available too.
The company focuses mainly on inexpensive computers. Most of their laptops can be purchased for less than $1,000, and they come with a standard two-year warranty.
They also have 15 different choices of keyboard layouts. Ones for several different European languages are options, as well as United States International and English (UK) QWERTY.
There also are options for three and four-year warranties, depending on the computer purchased.
- Types of computers:
- Laptops
- Minis
- Operating systems:
- Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (also Kubuntu, Xubuntu, and Ubuntu MATE)
- Linux Mint 20 (Cinnamon, XFCE, and MATE)
- also LDME 4 Cinnamon
- Manjaro 20.0.1 (XFCE, KDE Pasma, and GNOME)
- Debian
- Zorin OS 15.2
- elementary 5.1 Hera
Click here to visit Laptop With Linux’s Website
Lenovo
The well-known PC manufacturer that makes laptops, desktops, tablets, and other devices now has one model with Fedora preinstalled available for sale, with others scheduled to come to the market soon. The Thinkpad X1 Carbon Gen 8 can be customized and purchased through lenovo.com
In addition to Fedora, Lenovo’s models also will have the option to ship with Ubuntu in the future. Most of its laptops that ship with Windows can run Linux distros well. Currently it has 90 laptops that are certified to work with Ubuntu. Only Dell has more.
- Types of computers:
- laptops
- Operating systems:
- Fedora
Click here to see the X1 Carbon
Pine 64
The company develops 64-bit Arm processors for developers, as well as end users. It develops its hardware in an open community and requests that end-users give feedback to developers.
Currently, there is a laptop, tablet, and phone for sale. Manjaro is the operating system on the laptop. Ubuntu Touch is preinstalled on the phone and tablet. There is also several single-board computers that do not come preinstalled with an operating system. A smartwatch is also in the works.
All the devices cost less than $200.
- Types of computers:
- laptops
- single-board computers
- tablet
- phone
- Operating systems:
- Manjaro
- UBports OS (Ubuntu Touch)
- others
Click here to visit Pine 64’s Website
Puget Systems
This company is different from the others listed on this page. It does not make laptops, only desktops and servers. The PCs are primarily built for Windows users too.
However, Linux fans can select to have their machines shipped with Ubuntu, CentOS 7, or Linux Mint instead. All the computers have Ubuntu and Linux Mint as an options. CentOS is added to the servers as an option.
The company focuses on building machines for content creation, engineering, and data science.
- Types of computers:
- Desktop
- Minis
- Servers
- Operating systems:
- Ubuntu
- Linux Mint 19
- CentOS 7
Click here to visit Puget Systems’ Website.
Purism
The company is best known for its concern for privacy, data ownership and a phone that was built around these values. It also offers a pair of laptops and a mini PC. Their computers have physical switches to turn the microphone, camera, bluetooth, and wireless card on and off.
All of them run a unique distro created by the company, PureOS. It does not offer the option to preinstall other distros. Like the computers it was designed for, it promises to be more secure and private than other distros. It also does not contain any non-free software or drivers.
- Types of computers:
- Phone
- Laptops
- Mini
- Operating systems:
- PureOS
Click here to visit Purism’s Website
Slimbook
The company based in Spain makes laptops, a desktop, mini, and an all-in-one computer. The computers can come preinstalled with Linux, Windows, or both. The computers also can be shipped without an operating system. Not every computer has Windows as an option.
Buyers can choose from several different distros. Several of the computers start well below $1,000.
- Types of computers:
- Desktop
- Laptop
- Mini
- All-in-one
- Operating systems:
- Ubuntu
- Kubuntu
- Ubuntu MATE
- Debian
- elementary OS
- Linux Mint
- Manjaro
- Zorin OS
- other distros
- Windows
Click here to visit Slimbook’s Website
Star Labs
The company based in the United Kingdom takes a different approach than many of the other manufacturers on this page. It’s two laptops are small, highly portable machines . The Star Lite Mk III has an 11.6-inch screen and Star LapTop Mk IV has a 13.3-inch screen.
Buyers have a choice among 16 popular distros. Others have also been tested, and there are reports on the Star Labs Website.
Both laptops can be purchased for less than $1,000. It is also the only computer company to offer Zorin 15.3 Ultimate preinstalled.
- Types of computers:
- Laptops
- Operating systems:
- Ubuntu 20.04 (also Kubuntu and Ubuntu MATE)
- Zorin OS 15.3 (Core, Ultimate, Lite, and Educational)
- Ultimate costs an additional $51
- elementary 5.1
- Linux Mint 20 (Cinnamon, XFCE, and MATE)
- Manjaro 20 (GNOME, Plasma, XFCE)
- MX Linux 19.3 (KDE and AHS)
- also Windows 10 Home and Pro
Click here to visit the Star Labs‘ Website.
System 76
This is probably the most popular company to offer Linux to customers. It offers laptops, standard desktops, mini computers, and servers. Its desktop, Thelio, has several wood finishes for its users to choose from. When ordering, buyers have a choice between Ubuntu or the Ubuntu-based pop_os!
The company is known for its lifetime customer support. It also has several user guides for Ubuntu, pop_os!, and installing Windows as a secondary operating system.
- Types of computers:
- Laptops
- Desktops
- Servers
- Minis
- Operating systems:
- pop_os!
- Ubuntu
Click here to see System76’s computers
Think Penguin
In 2008 Christopher Waid launched this company to give better support for free software. It has two desktop models and three laptops, as well as other peripherals and accessories.
All of its computers start at less than $1,000. The customer also can choose from several different operating systems. There is a list of recommended distros for each computer. The buyer can choose any operating system by typing it in the “Distribution to Install” textbox when ordering.
Elementary OS fans will be pleased to know that version 5.0 and later are supported on the Penguin T2 and the Penguin Mini B Edition, and the operating systems can be preinstalled on them.
- Types of computers:
- Laptops
- Desktops
- Operating systems:
- Ubunutu
- Fedora
- elementary
- many others
Click here to visit Think Penguin’s Website.
Tuxedo Computers
The German company makes high-powered computers that come preinstalled with some of the more popular distros, as well as its own distro based on Ubuntu. The company ffers a standard 2-year warranty on its computers, but buyers can choose up to 5 years when they order. They also have the option of choosing from several different keyboard layouts.
There also is a choice, for several of the models, to have Windows 10 Home or Pro preinstalled. It can either run alongside a Linux distro, or it can be run on a virtual machine.
- Types of computers:
- Laptops
- Desktops
- Minis
- Operating systems:
- Ubuntu 18.04
- Tuxedo 18.04
- openSUSE 15.1
- Manjaro
Click here to visit Tuxedo Computer’s Website.
Ubuntu Shop
The company organizes it Website by operating systems. On the Home page, there are links to Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Manjaro, elementary, Ubuntu Studio, Kali, Parrot, Kodachi., Black Arch, and Debian. Each operating system’s page shows the computers that will ship with that operating system preinstalled.
They offer every user interface for each one of these operating systems.
All of the operating systems can be installed on laptops. For Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Manjaro there are all-in-one desktops and mini PCs available.
In addition to these operating systems, there is an additional one, Tails, allows users to surf the Web anonymously. It can come installed alongside one of the other distros. The Website has test pages for the operating systems, so visitors can try them through their Web browsers before buying a computer.
Customers also can purchase desktops and minis that they can choose any one of these operating systems.
- Types of computers:
- laptops
- minis
- all-in-one
- desktop
- Operating systems:
- Ubuntu (also Kubuntu, Xubuntu, lubuntu, Ubuntu Budgie, Ubuntu MATE, and Edubuntu)
- Ubuntu Studio
- Linux Mint (every user interface included Cinnamon, XFCE, and MATE. Some laptops allow you to choose individual interfaces. Linux Mint Debian addition is also available for some computers)
- Manjaro (XFCE, KDE, GNOME, BUDGIE, CINNAMON, DEEPIN, MATE, and LXDE)
- Debian (Gnome, Xfce, KDE, Cinnamon, LXDE, and MATE)
- elementary
- Parrot (Security MATE, Security KDE, Home MATE, and Home KDE)
- Black Arch
- Kali
Click here to see Ubuntu Shop’s Website.
ZaReason
Started in 2007, the first sale was to a chemistry PhD. Now the company, based in Michigan, makes computers for individuals, different companies and government agencies, and it allows them to choose from different Linux distros from a list when ordering. They also can request one not on the list to be preinstalled, or the computer can be shipped without an operating system. Laptops, desktops, servers, peripherals and Linux gear are available.
The operating systems in the list represent several different user interfaces common to Linux: Gnome, Cinnamon, Xfce, and KDE.
- Types of computers:
- Laptops
- Desktops
- Servers
- Operating systems:
- Ubuntu 20.04, 19.10
- Linux Mint 19.3 Cinnamon
- Manjaro XFCE 20.01
- OpenSUSE Leap 15.1
- Debian 10
- Fedora 32
- Kubuntu 20.04