LAPTOP SPECIAL.... 5 Linux laptops that won't let you down on performance

5 Linux laptops that won't let you down on performance





Since no major notebook makers, barring one, offer Linux as an OS option, it leaves smaller players with the ability to carve a niche for themselves

There was a time when Linux was seen as an outcast oper ating system, and one that was labelled as a `cancer' by Microsoft's former CEO Steve Ballmer. Now the 25-year-old operating system has made some serious inroads in the server market, then in the cloud ­ not forgetting that it underpins the most popular ecosystem out there: Android. Here are the five best Linux laptops of 2017 -note that they have been fine-tuned to run a specific flavour of Linux (such as Ubuntu, for example).

Dell XPS 13 9360

The XPS 13 retains its crown as the undisputed champion of the Ultrabook market, and one can only admire Dell for its unwavering Linux support on a flagship machine. The laptop is customisable so you can configure it to be suitable for everything from routine office tasks to gaming, depending on how much you are willing to pay. If you wish, you can plump for one of the more expensive models which have a QHD+ (3200x1800 resolution) display.

Alpha Litebook

Alpha Universal uses Elementary OS to power its Litebook laptop which costs roughly the same as a Google Chromebook, but has twice the sys tem memory, far more expan sion capabilities, a faster than average CPU (an Intel Celeron N3150 quad-core processor clocked at 1.6GHz), a Full HD display and 512GB of `replaceable' storage plus a 32GB SSD (the `hybrid' option). With a tempting budget price tag, this is a great way for a beginner to explore the world of Linux.

Purism Librem 13

Purism embarked upon a quest to build the most secure laptop ever and chose Linux (PureOS) to power the device -it is the only notebook to offer physical kill switches as standard on its laptops. The Librem 13 might look and feel like a bog-standard laptop but there's far more to it than meets the eye (for example, the company designed its own motherboards).

ZaReason Strata 8110

ZaReason offers customisable desktops and laptops fitted with your favourite Linux distribution. Its newest model, the Strata 8110, offers impressive spec ifications at an excellent price-point. It runs on 6th gen Intel Core processor, 4 GB RAM, HD graphics, 1920x1080 anti glare display and a 720p webcam.

System76 Galago Pro

On paper, the Galago Pro from System76 is a beast of a machine, and yet it weighs less than most laptops with a 13-inch screen. It has a 13.3-inch display with a resolu tion of 3,200 x 1,800, an Ethernet port, an SD card reader, two USB ports and a Thunderbolt 3USB Type-Cmini-DisplayPort connector. In a nutshell, you will be hard pressed to get anything in Windows land that can deliver this sort of computing power and storage capacity.

techradar.com