Tired of Windows or Mac? Linux laptops compared

Linux attracts more and more users under its spell. And there are good reasons for this: In recent years, the operation and installation of many distributions (i.e. different variants of Linux) has become so much easier that specialist knowledge is no longer required to put a Linux PC into operation. Most distributions are free, also run on old systems and anyone who wants and can tweaks every little system setting to their heart’s content. Disadvantage Linux: Microsoft programs such as Word and Excel do not work.

And there is another catch: Not every laptop always runs immediately without a murmur with Ubuntu, Mint or Pop!OS. Graphics card, sound or wifi may not work properly. So throwing Windows off the disk and throwing Linux on it for nothing is not something you should do. Unfortunately, you can only find out whether you can breathe new life into your old laptop with a Linux distribution by doing preliminary research.

But one thing is said: The chances have never been better than today that a modern Linux distribution will find the right drivers for sound, WLAN and Co. and automatically install them.

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19.11.2021

These manufacturers build Linux laptops

You are on the safe Linux side with a laptop designed for Linux. There are now a number of manufacturers who have launched Linux laptops. Some of the better known include HP, Dell, and Lenovo. A little more niche – but not a whit worse – are System76 and tuxedo.

However, German customers usually have to wait a little longer for System 76 laptops because the manufacturer is based in the USA and ships its devices from there. In this country, buyers want to use the German manufacturer Tuxedo. At least if you don’t feel like waiting forever and high transport costs.

Another interesting manufacturer for Linux laptops is Purism. The devices run on the Linux distribution PureOS, which is stylistically reminiscent of Apple’s MacOS. The laptops also have so-called “kill switches”. These are switches that, for example, cut off the power supply to the webcam – to be on the safe side.

Dell Mobile Precision 7550

The Linux distribution Ubuntu is pre-installed on the Dell computers. Dell’s laptops are primarily aimed at business customers and less at private end users. The devices cost around 3000 euros and there is a good reason for this: Most Linux users are programmers, scientists or engineers.

Depending on which software you develop or use, you need special performance. An example would be 3D modelling. This service offers Dell Mobile Precision 7550 en masse: Dell has given the workstation a whopping 64 gigabytes of DDR4 RAM. An Nvidia Quadro T2000 with four gigabytes of DDR6 memory serves as the graphics card.

The heart is of course the processor: The Intel Core i9-10885H comes with eight cores, which clock together at up to 2.4 gigahertz and individually at up to 5.3 gigahertz – more power is hardly possible in the laptop. Accordingly, the Linux laptop is only suitable for professional users who need this performance.

Dell.de | Dell Mobile Precision 7550

Dell G3 15 3500HDNDH

The normal consumer will use that Dell G3 15 3500HDNDH happier. The slightly more frugal Intel Core i5-10300H processor works in it. Don’t worry, the chip easily handles everyday tasks like Libre Office and browsing. He even edits and cuts short videos with programs like DaVinci Resolve without any problems – perfect for private use.

Dell has given it an older Nvidia GeForce GTX1650Ti as the graphics card. With the latest games, it could have problems. Hardcore gamers therefore refrain from using the laptop. You’re better off getting a Windows device because most games are optimized for Microsoft’s operating system. But one thing should be said: more and more games on the “Steam” platform now run without any problems on Linux.

Cyberport.de | Dell G3 15 3500 HDNDH

Lenovo ThinkPad P15 G1

Lenovo can do what Dell can do. That ThinkPad P15 G1 is a powerful workstation. The Intel Core i7-10750H processor works in it with six cores and thus two cores less than in the Dell alternative. With 32 gigabytes of RAM, Lenovo’s RAM is half the size of Dell’s. Lenovo installs a one-terabyte SSD hard drive as the system memory. With the Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000, Lenovo treats a graphics card that Nvidia developed for professional users. Means that the driver of the Quadro RTX 3000 is designed for increased stability when doing visualization work.

Cyberport.de | Lenovo ThinkPad p15 G1

Why are Linux laptops so expensive?

Most Linux laptops are high-performance workstations. And only very few users need this performance. In most cases, these are researchers, software developers or system administrators who manage a server infrastructure. The fact that these users in particular rely on Linux is mainly due to the fact that Microsoft charges extremely high license fees for the use of its software – but then provides support if something gets stuck.

Software developers are a special case: They rely on the open source operating system because Windows is less than suitable for development in most programming languages. This is because, unlike MacOS and Linux, Windows does not support the “Portable Operating System Interface”. This is a programming interface between the operating system and the software. That’s why most software developers prefer to use the unwelcome apple instead of dealing with Windows.

But don’t be put off: normal users can use Linux for daily tasks without any problems. However, applications such as Word or Excel do not run. There are free alternatives like Libre Office for that. Incidentally, the same applies to Photoshop, which sees its Linux mirror image in GIMP.

Linux laptops: The most interesting distributions

If you want to breathe new life into an old laptop, you can try a Linux distribution. This used to be quite a fiddly process, because it often happened that the operating system did not recognize certain hardware on the laptop and therefore did not install any drivers. Fortunately, those days are almost over.

Of course, such disruptive factors can still occur, but most Linux distributions have never run as well as they do today. But there is still one downside: the battery life. Because most laptops are designed for Windows, engineers optimize power management for the Microsoft operating system. Linux users can also do this manually, but this requires patience and know-how. In other words, it’s not for the normal user.

Cinnamon, Mate or Xfce: which edition?

Most distributions come in different editions. This means nothing more than the desktop environment. To put it simply, windows or effects such as closing or opening new windows look slightly different in Cinnamon, Mate and Xfce. Also, the different editions offer slightly different pre-installed features. In general, Mate and XFCE are more suitable for older devices with weaker hardware. But they run more stable than Cinnamon. That looks the most beautiful, but it also needs a 3D-capable graphics unit.

How to install Linux

All you need to install Linux is a computer with an Internet connection, a USB stick with eight gigabytes of storage space, and the free software Rufus. First download an image of the Linux distribution you want to try. Insert the USB stick into the computer on which you have loaded the image. Then open Rufus which you downloaded and installed earlier.

In Rufus, select your USB stick under “Device” and the image of the Linux distribution under “Boot Selection”. One click on the “Start” tab and Rufus creates a bootable USB stick with Linux. Restart the computer. If the USB stick is plugged in, the PC should start automatically from it. If this is not the case, you have to change the boot order in the bios. You can access the bios by pressing “F12” or “Del” during the boot process.

source: pcwelt.de

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