The goal is to buy a laptop that is powerful enough to perform video editing. Without MS Windows if that can save money.
Target Specs
| CPU | Intel i7 or AMD |
| Memory | 16GB |
| Graphics card | |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | FHD 1920×1080 |
| OP System | None (plan to install Linux) |
| Price | Under $1000 actually closer to $600 |
| System | CPU | Memory | Graphics Card | Disk Storage | Display Res | Op Sys | Cost |
| Dell XPS 13 link | Intel i7-1195G7 | 16GB 4267MHz | Intel Iris Xe | 512GB SSD | OLED 3456×2160 | Ubuntu 20.04 Win 11 Home -$60 | $1,859 32GB +$150 |
| Microcenter You Build Tower | i7-11700 2.5GHz 8 Core | 16GB | GTX-1650TUF 4GB | 512GB SSD | FHD ext monitor | None | $1016.90 |
| NUC Kits (from Intel) | not sold to individuals? Prices don't include memory etc and for i7 start at $629 | ||||||
| Chromebook repurposed | |||||||
| Dell Alienware | Intel i7-11800H | 16GB 3200MHz | Nvidia RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6 Nvidia | 512GB SSD | 15.6“ FHD | Windows 11 Home | $1729.99 |
| EmperorLinux.com | Prices start $1800, $2500 for 16GB 512GB(Toucan T470) | ||||||
| System 76 | Ryzen 7 5700U 4.3GHz Pangolin | 16GB 3200MHz | 500GB SSD 3.5/3.2GB/s | ? | Pop! 20.04LTS or Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | $1436 | |
| Linux Certified Z1 | Intel i7-1165G7 | 16GB | ? | 500GB SSD | 14.1” res? | Ubuntu or Mint | $1554 |
| Costco | Intel i7-1195G7 | 16GB | Iris Xe | 512GB SSD | 15.6“ FHD touchscreen | Windows 11 Home | $900 |
| eBay via Slickdeals | Lenovo Yoga Ryzen 7 5700U 2GHz | 16GB | AMD Radeon | 512GB SSD | 13.3” FHD | Win 11 Home | $750 free shipping |
Dell has sold Linux laptops for a long time. For example they offer Ubuntu distribution on many of their machines as an explicitly Windows alternative. For example: https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-laptops-and-notebooks/new-xps-13-developer-edition/spd/xps-13-9310-laptop/ctox139w10p2c3000u
Then there is the Chromebook world where all the machines are Linux to start. See: https://www.zdnet.com/article/all-chromebooks-will-also-be-linux-laptops-going-forward/
Sounds like you might be a good candidate for a custom-built machine. They do that at Micro Center: https://www.microcenter.com/site/service/instore-service-complete-build.aspx
They claim their custom built machines start at $150 (for pretty stripped down, I’m sure), so what you’re looking for (moderately high-end HW, no OS) may be competitively priced there.
You could consider an Intel NUC kit. You can buy it as a kit (no memory, no storage) or as a complete PC. It comes w/o an operating system. You can pick a range of CPU's, and the graphics are generally integrated unless you buy the top of the range. I'm running Linux Mint 20.2. Bob Primak also has one. https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/12/03/home-showcase-lexingtons-meriam-hill-beauty/#:~:text=Address%3A-,6%20Hayes%20Ave.,-%2C%20Lexington
You can try Alienware from Dell. These are gaming machines. Not sure though if they come without Windows.
This site may be of help:
https://www.cyberciti.biz/hardware/laptop-computers-with-linux-installed-or-preloaded/
Or maybe not.
I just [20211204] talked to Liz deMarco who used to have a pretty nice Linux laptop called “pangolin” which she bought specifically as a Linux machine.
She told me it came from https://system76.com
If you go to their site, you will find a number of systems which you can configure to your specific needs as far as processor speed, memory, storage, etc.
Based upon what I saw on their web site, their machines use AMD's ryzen processors and rather than Intel. I don't know if this matters to you. Here is a comparison of the ryzen vs the Intel I7.
They System76 machines are not inexpensive, but she says their quality is excellent and the company specifically works with people wanting a Linux based product.
my wife gets custom laptops from this firm.. no idea whether they do ones without windows but they are an ofher source besides microcenter .. but on line only
Eluktronics
A few folks recommended that I try a frame.work (Framework) laptop. I'll write more about it soon but I put the “kit” together in about a half hour (most of the time struggling with the tiny wifi antenna wires). Easily installed Ubuntu Linux. Now I'm in the process of moving my stuff over from my mac. First impressions are that it's a great little machine with replaceable parts from reputable manufacturers. Fits together nicely.
Mine's kind of insanely tricked out: 64G RAM, 4T SSD. $2636.
Keep in mind that OEMs pay between $15 and $50 for the OEM Windows license, so the markup for the consumer is negligible in most cases. Framework looks very good, though it's currently only Intel CPUs and a little more expensive (but upgradeable, which might make it worth the upfront cost).
At the moment, I think AMD Ryzen is top of the heap for non-Apple options (at least until Intel Alder Lake). I bought an ASUS Zephyrus G14 (40GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Ryzen 9 5900HS, RTX 3060) earlier this year in anticipation of chip shortages making a later upgrade potentially impractical. I'm running Fedora 35 on it and the only thing not working in Linux is the fingerprint reader.
With regard to Linux compatibility, the model matters, since compatibility quirks can get in the way. Off the top of my head, Lenovo Legion series and ASUS ROG have decent support.
-Rich