Looking for best Linux laptops to buy that will work best for you? Don’t worry, we have created a complete guide for you which represents the best new laptops for Ubuntu and Linux based on user reviews, specs, and performance.
Linux is the most powerful and secure operating system and it can easily run alongside Windows OS. So, if you need Windows for doing your work and Linux for completing your projects, then one of these laptops will work best for you. Most of the laptops you will discover are based on Intel processors with HD graphics that support Linux too.
By choosing the best laptop for Linux or Ubuntu, you can easily work on your projects because of easy hardware compatibility. Both Ubuntu and Linux distro operating systems will run easily on Windows or Mac. So, if you are considering a Windows or Mac to install Linux, you need to look for the appropriate hardware peripherals such as RAM, graphics card, processor, disk storage capacity etc.
To help you out finding the best Linux laptop through all the options, we compiled a list of best Linux laptops in 2019 ranging from high to budget-friendly models. If you are on a tight budget, then our budget laptops guide will help you save your money and find the best laptop for you.
So, without any further ado, let’s proceed to the details.
Top 10 Best Linux Laptops 2019
1. Dell XPS 13 9360 Laptop
Dell XPS 13 is one of the most recommended laptops for Linux and Ubuntu available right now. With a slim and lightweight design, the laptop comes with great Linux support. Although laptop comes with Windows 10 operating system, it has Linux drivers for all of its features and the process of installing Linux on Dell XPS 13 is very simple.
If we talk about its hardware specifications, the laptop is powered by Intel quad-core i5 processor paired with 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM. The laptop offers 13.3-inch full HD display with 1920×1080 resolution to provide clear and wide-view images. For storage, it sports 256GB of a solid-state drive. If you want to install Linux, you’ll need to change your BIOS from RAID On to AHCI so Ubuntu can recognize the SSD.
This laptop is simply gorgeous with a slim and lightweight design. The laptop weighs only 2.7 pounds so you can easily carry it anywhere. Based on its solid performance, thin and light design, the Dell XPS 13 is definitely one of the best Linux laptops for developers.
Hardware Specifications of Dell XPS 13 9360 Ultrabook
Processor 8th Generation Intel Quad-Core i5-8250U 1.60 GHz (Turbo 3.40 GHz)
RAM 8GB LPDDR3
Storage 256GB SSD
Display 13.3″ Anti-Glare InfinityEdge Touchscreen FHD (1920×1080) Display
Graphics Intel HD Graphics 620
Operating System Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Battery Life Up to 10-hours
Weight 2.7 pounds
Check Price On Amazon2. Lenovo ThinkPad T470
The Lenovo ThinkPad T470 comes with a combination of power, packaging, and performance of a $1000 worth laptop. The laptop offers powerful Intel Core i5 processor clocked at 2.6GHz and paired with 8GB of RAM. It’s a 14-inch 1080p HD display is sharp and vibrant which is great for editing videos and images. Its carbon fiber and magnesium design give it a premium look.
Its 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 180GB of SSD storage, giving it more than enough power to handle any distribution of Linux you choose to use. With 180GB of SSD, you’ll be able to boot Linux or Ubuntu even faster. The battery life is a huge plus as it offers 7 hours on backup. It comes with all essential ports and slots including the USB Type-C 3.1 port. While carrying only 3.64 pounds weight, the Lenovo ThinkPad T470 is the best Linux laptop for businesspeople and students who are looking for a powerful machine.
Hardware Specifications of Lenovo ThinkPad T470
Processor 7th Generation Intel Core i5-7300U Dual Core Processor 2.6 GHz
RAM 8GB DDR4
Storage 180GB SSD
Display 14″ FHD IPS (1920 x 1080) Display
Graphics Intel HD Graphics 620
Operating System Windows 10 Pro
Battery Life Up to 7-hours
Weight 3.64 pounds
Check Price On Amazon3. System76 Galago Pro
System76 is a well-known brand name in the Linux PC manufacturer industry. They offer an assortment of Linux compatible laptops and desktops. This System76 Galago Pro Laptop is a new release from the company packed with Intel Core i5-8250U processor. The laptop sports a 13.3-inch HiDPI display with 3200×1800 resolution. The laptop comes with 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 120GB SSD to boost performance.
It has a backlit keyboard which isn’t amazing but quite comfortable to work with. For connectivity, it has a Thunderbolt 3 USB-C port, two USB 3.1, Ethernet, HDMI and mini display ports, and an SD Card Reader. The laptop weighs only 2.87 lbs which makes it a great choice for students and businesspeople who travel a lot. With its premium specs and balance between performance and portability, the System76 Galago Pro is one of the best Linux notebooks you can buy in 2019.
Hardware Specifications of System76 Galago Pro Laptop
Processor 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U 1.6GHz Quad-Core Processor (Turbo up to 3.4GHz)
RAM 8GB DDR4 (32GB Maximum)
Storage 120GB SSD
Display 13.3-inch HiDPI Display with 3200×1800 Resolution
Graphics Intel HD Graphics 620
Operating System Ubuntu Linux 16.04.3 LTS (64-bit)
Battery Life Up to 5 Hours
Weight 2.87 lbs
Check Price On Amazon4. Acer Aspire E 15 Best Seller
The Acer Aspire E 15 perfectly fit for every requirement whether it is college or school work or office work. It is one of the most selling laptops on Amazon as it comes with many premium features under an affordable price range. If you are looking for a powerful yet budget Linux machine, then the Acer Aspire E 15 may be just for you.
The laptop featured a 15.6-inch full HD display with 1080p resolution. It’s LED-backlit IPS display giving you a beautiful computing experience. It is powered by Intel Core i5-8250U processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. With 15-hours of battery life, you can stay productive for all day. Overall, this Acer Aspire E 15 is one of the most recommended budget laptops for Linux to install your favorite Linux distribution such as Ubuntu Mate, Linux Mint, BunsenLabs Linux and Debian etc.
Hardware Specifications of Acer Aspire E 15 budget Linux Laptop
Processor 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U Processor (Up to 3.4GHz)
RAM 8GB DDR4
Storage 256GB SSD
Display 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED-lit IPS Display
Graphics NVIDIA GeForce MX150 with 2GB memory
Operating System Windows 10 Home
Battery Life Up to 15 hours
Weight 5.27 lbs
Check Price On Amazon5. ASUS ZenBook UX330UA
This is another great laptop in our list of best Linux laptop. Available in a budget range, the ASUS ZenBook UX330UA offers some powerful features making it compatible with all the Linux distros that you install. It’s powered by an Intel Core i5-8250U processor and 8GB of RAM, which makes it efficient to use for any Linux distro and provide a seamless and quick experience.
The laptop comes with a 13.3-inch full HD anti-glare display and offers up to 14 hours of battery life which is a huge plus. This model even includes a fingerprint reader for added security. However, getting this to work on Linux may be challenging but if you’re comfortable with unlocking your laptop traditionally using a password then ASUS ZenBook UX330UA is the best ultrabook for Linux to buy right now.
Hardware Specifications of ASUS ZenBook UX330UA Ultrabook for Linux
Processor 8th Gen Intel i5-8250U 1.6 GHz Processor (Turbo up to 3.4GHz)
RAM 8GB LPDDR3
Storage 256GB SSD
Display 13.3 Inch Anti-glare FHD 1920 x 1080 Display
Graphics Integrated HD Graphics
Operating System Windows 10
Battery Life Up to 14 hours
Weight 2.6 lbs
Check Price On Amazon6. Dell XPS 15 9560
Dell XPS series laptops are the most recommended laptops for Linux users. As we have previously mentioned the Dell XPS 13 in our list but, if you are looking for a large display laptop to run your Linux distro smoothly then Dell XPS 15 model is a perfect fit for you. Like Dell XPS 13, this laptop also has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. The laptop is powered by Intel Core i5-7300HQ quad-core processor with GTX 1050 graphics card making it an ideal gaming machine that will run Linux well for your work.
Although the budget of this Dell XPS 15 is quite high, the laptop carries tremendous computing power. The laptop sports a 15.6-inch 4K Ultra HD touch display with 3840 x 2160 resolution. You’ll have up to 10 hours of battery life. It weighs only 3.9 pounds making it a portable machine for ease of work. All-in-all, if the budget is not an issue the Dell XPS 15 is a great laptop for playing games and doing photo or video editing on Linux.
Hardware Specifications of Dell XPS 15 9560 Ultrabook
Processor 7th Generation Intel Core i5-7300HQ Quad Core Processor (Up to 3.5GHz)
RAM 8GB DDR4
Storage 256GB SSD
Display 15.6-inch 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) InfinityEdge touch display
Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with 4GB GDDR5
Operating System Windows 10 Home
Battery Life Up to 10-hours
Weight 3.9 pounds
Check Price On Amazon7. HP ENVY 13-ad120nr
The HP ENVY 13-ad120nr is one of the thinnest laptops on the market which offers good performance for its price. The laptop comes with slim and lightweight with silver metallic body giving it premium look. With Intel Core i7-8550U processor and 8GB of RAM, it has enough power for Linux and Ubuntu distros. Because of its 256GB of SSD storage, you’ll be surprised how fast Linux can run on hardware.
With a powerful processor and RAM, this laptop can easily handle multiple applications at the same time without slowing down. You can also use this laptop for other demanding tasks such as web browsing, photo editing and even programming work without any particular issues. It offers 12 hours of battery life so you can take on the day without worrying about recharging. Overall, with a lightweight design and solid performance, the HP ENVY 13 is the best Linux laptop you can buy in 2019.
Hardware Specifications of HP ENVY 13-ad120nr Notebook
Processor 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8550U Processor (Turbo up to 4.0GHz)
RAM 8GB LPDDR3
Storage 256GB SSD
Display 13.3-inch diagonal FHD (1920×1080) IPS WLED-backlit Display
Graphics Intel UHD Graphics 620
Operating System Windows 10
Battery Life Up to 14 hours
Weight 2 lbs
Check Price On Amazon8. ASUS C302 Chromebook Flip Best Chromebook for Linux
Chromebooks are cheap alternatives for Linux users because ChromeOS comes with Linux compatible drivers. The ASUS C302 Chromebook is one of the budget-friendly laptops that has more than enough power to drive a superb Linux experience. The laptop is powered by Intel Core m3 processor paired with 4GB of RAM that will give you enough room to run any Linux distro you need. It has brilliant 12.5-inch full HD touchscreen display having the resolution of 1920x1080p. With the 360-degree hinge, you’ll be able to fold it into a tablet that will truly give you a unique experience.
The laptop sports 64GB of SSD storage, which gives you enough room to store your necessary files and data. As this laptop comes has a touchscreen display so need to find the right Linux distro to work with. Based on its performance and features, the ASUS C302 Chromebook is the best laptop for Ubuntu and Fedora Linux distributions.
Hardware Specifications of ASUS C302 Linux Chromebook
Processor Intel Core m3 Processor (Up to 2.24 GHz)
RAM 4 GB DDR3L
Storage 64GB SSD
Display 12.5″ Full HD Touchscreen 1920×1080 Display
Graphics Intel HD Graphics 515
Operating System Google Chrome OS
Battery Life Up to 10-hours
Weight 2.65 lbs
Check Price On Amazon9. Samsung Chromebook Pro XE510C24-K01US
The Samsung Chromebook Pro is another budget-friendly Chromebook which is compatible with Linux distros. This is a premium Chromebook from Samsung offering powerful features available at an affordable price. The laptop comes with a 12.3-inch touchscreen display with an aluminum chassis.
It has an Intel Core m3 processor and 4GB of RAM, which is pretty standard for Chromebooks. It’s 4GB RAM is sufficient enough for running Linux smoothly. Although, the lack of an SD card slot with only 32 GB of storage, you may not have enough space to save a lot of files. The laptop weighs only 2.38 lbs and offers battery life up to 11 hours. All-in-all, this Samsung Chromebook Pro is a great affordable laptop for those people who don’t rely on heavy media manipulation and code compilation applications.
Hardware Specifications of Samsung Chromebook Pro XE510C24-K01US
Processor Intel Core M3 Processor 6Y30, 2.2GHz
RAM 4 GB LPDDR3
Storage 32GB SSD
Display 12.3″ LED Display (2400 x 1600) with Touchscreen Panel
Graphics Intel HD Graphics 515
Operating System Google Chrome OS
Battery Life Up to 11-hours
Weight 2.38 lbs
Check Price On Amazon10. Acer Swift 3
The Acer Swift 3 is a powerful machine built for work and school. It comes with an aluminum metal chassis with great build quality. The exterior body is made of aluminum and inner chassis is built from plastic. With premium looking lightweight design, the laptop is perfectly fit for handling mist of demanding tasks like video and image processing and designing etc.
While you may not have access to the traditional Windows apps if you choose to run Linux, this laptop is still capable of running most of the same things on Linux. It is featured with Intel Core i5-8250U processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. It comes with a minimal Linux Distribution called Linpus without a graphical desktop environment which is an added advantage. Hence, the Acer Swift 3 is the best laptop for Linux which offers plenty of powerful features that are hard to find at an affordable price range.
Hardware Specifications of Acer Swift 3 Laptop
Processor 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U Processor (Up to 3.4GHz
RAM 8GB DDR4
Storage 256GB SSD
Display 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen IPS display
Graphics Intel HD Graphics 620
Operating System Windows 10 Home
Battery Life Up to 10 hours
Weight 4.63 lbs
Check Price On AmazonThese are our most recommended best laptops for Linux to buy in 2019. Based on extensive research and user reviews, we have taken care of the requirements as well as the budget. All these laptops including affordable Chromebooks work well with Linux distro and Ubuntu operating system. We hope that one of these laptops in this list will suit your requirements and you’ll become more productive with your new Linux laptop.
We think our short review of best Linux laptops will help you to find the best machine. If you still need any suggestions or guidance related to the laptops, feel free to ask and leave a comment below.
