Once only a favorite among coding and programming professionals and niche hobbyists, Linux has been steadily rising in popularity over the years. Since it’s open source, there are plenty of different Linux distributions available for you to test and see what’s best for your skill level and needs.
Linux can even be used to give an old laptop or desktop new life as a learning tool for beginner programmers. While Mac users have some catching up to do in terms of distro support, there are plenty of Windows-based laptops with comparable performance and battery life that can also run Linux.
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What is the best Linux laptop right now?
Buying any laptop can be daunting, let alone one for an operating system you may not be familiar with. ZDNET experts went hands-on with Linux-capable laptops from Lenovo, Dell and more to test user-friendliness, performance, and battery life.
Our pick for the best Linux laptop overall is the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD due to its affordability and customization options. If you’re looking for something more beginner-friendly or a Linux-capable Mac alternative, keep reading below to learn more about our picks for the best Linux laptops.
Also: These are the absolute best Linux distros for programming
The best Linux laptops of 2025
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Why we like it: With dual support for Linux and Windows, users can easily switch between operating systems for work and personal projects. The ThinkPad T14s is built with up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, with 32GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage, and integrated Intel Arc graphics to handle everything from virtual meetings to casual gaming.
Who it’s for: A 12-hour battery life makes the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s a great option for both students and professionals who need a laptop that has enough juice to get through a long day. With fast charging capabilities, you can get up to 70% battery with just an hour of charging time. The 14-inch display is perfect for streaming, working in documents, and virtual meetings or classes.
Who should look elsewhere: The ThinkPad T14s is only capable of 1920 x 1200 resolution, which is more than enough for typical home, office, or classroom use. If you’re a creative professional who needs 1440p or 4K resolution for projects, there are other Linux-capable options from both Lenovo and other brands.
Review: Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD specs – CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 268V | GPU: Integrated Intel Arc Graphics 140V | RAM: 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB SSD | Display size: 14 inches | Display type: IPS | Resolution: 1920 x 1200 | Battery life: 12 hours
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Why we like it: Dell allows you to create almost any configuration you need for the XPS 13. It’s got up to 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD storage drive, and the choice between a Snapdragon X Plus or Elite CPU for plenty of power and performance for working in Linux or Windows.
Who it’s for: With both LCD and OLED display options with up to 3K resolution, the Dell XPS 13 is a great option for students, creative professionals, and office workers. It also has a 17-hour battery life to last all day.
Who should look elsewhere: While the Dell XPS 13 is plenty powerful as-is, it doesn’t have an option for a discrete graphics card. Without a dedicated GPU, the Dell XPS 13 can’t handle more than the most casual of game titles and probably won’t be able to handle intense creative programs like Blender.
Review: Dell XPS 13 (2024)
Dell XPS 13 (2024) tech specs – CPU: Snapdragon X Plus or Elite | GPU: Qualcomm Adreno integrated GPU | RAM: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB SSD | Display size: 13.4 inches | Display type: LCD or OLED | Resolution: Up to 3.5K | Battery life: 17 hours
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Why we like it: If you prefer an AMD-based laptop over Intel, the Acer Swift Edge is a great option for anyone looking to start learning Linux. It’s built with an AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD storage drive, and integrated AMD Radeon graphics for creative work and casual gaming.
Who it’s for: The 3K resolution display uses an OLED panel for enhanced contrast, detailing, and better color accuracy, making it a great option for creative professionals who work with digital graphics or video. It also works with DTS audio processing for rich, full sound without a headset or external speakers.
Who should look elsewhere: With a battery life that tops out at about seven hours, mobile professionals and students may need to find a different Linux-based laptop to get through a typical day. It also has only one SSD slot, so you’ll have to replace your entire storage drive if you want to upgrade your laptop.
Review: Acer Swift Edge
Acer Swift Edge 16 specs – CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | GPU: AMD Radeon integrated graphics | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB SSD | Display size: 16 inches | Display type: OLED | Resolution: 3200 x 2000 | Battery life: 7 hours
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Why we like it: With a 16-inch OLED display capable of 4K resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate, the Asus ProArt P16 is a great alternative for creative professionals seeking a Linux-capable laptop that’s just as powerful and versatile as a MacBook.
Who it’s for: Along with a 4K OLED display, the ProArt P16 features a dedicated Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card for even more processing power while working with 3D models, animation, and video processing. You can also choose between configurations built with either 32 or 64GB of RAM for all the power and performance you need for rendering finished creative projects and multitasking in intensive programs.
Who should look elsewhere: The Asus ProArt P16 is a great MacBook alternative in terms of power and performance, but its price point matches its premium build. Creative professionals, students, and hobbyist programmers have plenty of options on the market for more affordable Linux-capable laptops.
Review: Asus ProArt P16
Asus ProArt P16 specs – CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 300 series | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 | RAM: 32GB | Storage: 1TB SSD | Display size: 16 inches | Display type: OLED | Resolution: 4K | Battery life: 10 hours
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Why we like it: The Microsoft Surface Laptop has a truly impressive 22-hour battery life, which lets you work almost two days in the office or classroom before you need to think about plugging in. It also has both 13.5- and 15-inch display options for mobile professionals or anyone who has a smaller work desk.
Who it’s for: With powerful configurations featuring up to 64GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and either a Snapdragon X plus or X Elite processor, you’ll be able to tackle everything from programming exercises to virtual classes and even some creative work. The improved Snapdragon processor also gives you better performance while multitasking in powerful programs like Blender and Adobe Creative Suite.
Who should look elsewhere: A powerful configuration also comes with a high price. Without a dedicated graphics card, the Windows Surface Laptop might not be able to handle intense creative programs for animation or game development.
Review: Microsoft Surface Laptop
Microsoft Surface Laptop (2024) specs – CPU: Snapdragon X Plus, Snapdragon X Elite | GPU: Qualcomm Adreno integrated GPU | RAM: Up to 64GB | Storage: Up to 1TB SSD | Display size: 13.8 or 15 inches | Display type: LCD | Resolution: 2304 x 1536 | Battery life: 22 hours
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My choice for the best Linux laptop is the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD. Lenovo is no stranger to offering Linux support for their laptops and desktops, and the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 takes the cake. It also offers several configuration options to help tailor the laptop to your specific work, learning, or hobbyist programmer/coder needs. It also has a more affordable price than some other options on the market, retailing for about $1,500. This makes it a great option for beginners and hobbyists who might not want to drop a lot of money on something they may not use much.
Best Linux laptop | Price | Processor/graphics | Battery life |
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 Intel | $1,279 | Intel Core Ultra 7/Intel Arc 140V | 12 hours |
Dell XPS 13 (2024) | $1,120 | Snapdragon X Plus or Elite/Qualcomm Adreno | 17 hours |
Acer Swift Edge 16 | $987 | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U/AMD Radeon integrated graphics | 7 hours |
Asus ProArt P16 | $2,000 | AMD Ryzen AI 300 series/Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 | 10 hours |
Microsoft Surface Laptop (2024) | $1,300 | Snapdragon X Plus or Elite/Qualcomm Adreno | 22 hours |
*MSRP at time of writing. Please note that actual retail pricing may vary depending on the seller as well as available deals and promotions.
It depends on how much experience you have using the Linux operating system. If you’re just starting out, you’ll want to opt for a laptop with lower-end components and configurations as well as a lower price. By opting for less sophisticated, less expensive laptops, you can cut your teeth on Linux without losing a ton of money if it turns out not to be your cup of tea.
However, if you’re running with more experienced Linux crowds, you may want to consider laptops with more powerful processors and graphics cards to help you create programs or work with Linux source code.
Buy this best Linux laptop… | If you need… |
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 Intel | A well-rounded laptop for working in Linux. Lenovo offers full Linux support for the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 Intel as well as customization options. |
Dell XPS 13 (2024) | A highly configurable Linux Laptop. The Dell XPS 13 offers multiple configuration options to tailor the laptop to your specific work needs. |
Acer Swift Edge 16 | A Linux laptop with an incredible display. The Acer Swift Edge 16 is built with an OLED panel for enhanced color and contrast as well as up to 3.2K resolution. |
Asus ProArt P16 | A laptop for creative pros looking for something on the same level as a MacBook Pro, but with reliable Linux OS support. |
Microsoft Surface Laptop (2024) | A Linux laptop with a long battery life. The refreshed Microsoft Surface Laptop offers up to 22 hours of use on a full charge. |
What makes a machine worthy of belonging to the best Linux laptop list? Obviously, it has to work with Linux and not require the user to do any of the work to make that happen. Beyond that, here are the key features we considered when completing hands-on testing to compile this list:
- Performance: I included laptops with current or last-generation components. This ensures that you’ll get the best performance out of your new Linux laptop.
- Design: Not all laptops are designed the same way. I chose laptops with both eye-catching, gamer-inspired designs as well as laptops that would fit right in a traditional office setting.
- Cost: Since Linux can run on just about any laptop as long as the hardware is supported, you can choose an older or used model to load the operating system onto. This means you can save money on upgrades, especially if you’re just starting out learning Linux.
- Open-source support: Linux is an open-source operating system. You can find tons of online communities dedicated to learning Linux, tweaking source code, and reporting issues.
While we were researching and testing each Linux-compatible laptop on this list, we kept these criteria in mind:
- Brand integrity: It may be tempting to spring for that ultra-cheap, unfamiliar brand, but what you’ll save, you’ll end up paying for later, trying to deal with shady customer service or replacing failing parts. Each laptop on this list has been chosen from reputable brands with robust return and exchange policies as well as excellent customer service.
- Dual boot: Many Linux enthusiasts may also need or want to run a secondary operating system like Windows or macOS on their computer for completing certain tasks. Each laptop we’ve chosen has been verified to be able to run at least one other operating system aside from Linux.
- Configurability: No two users will have the exact same needs when using a Linux laptop. Each model chosen for our list has been verified to allow users to drop in new components, expand memory, and add storage drives.
Latest news on Linux laptops
Linux is an incredibly versatile, open-source operating system that can be used on just about any PC configuration, even very old laptops and desktops. This allows you to extend the life of your devices. Being an open-source operating system, there are dozens of versions available that can be tweaked and tailored to suit your needs.
The latest Linux kernel is Linux 6.14.5, which was released on April 20 and added support for Microsoft Copilot AI, handheld devices like the Steam Deck, and Intel Arc B graphics cards.
Linux is an open-source operating system, created by Linus Torvalds, that is not only suited for desktops and laptops, but for enterprise-grade servers, container deployments, the cloud, and much more. Linux is available as a distribution and can be downloaded and installed for free on as many machines as you need.
This is a bit of a complicated answer.
Yes, you can run Linux operating systems on MacBooks, Mac Minis, and Mac desktops. But there’s a catch: you have to opt for an older model that uses an Intel Core processor instead of Apple’s own M1 or M2 chips. Apple’s silicon chips are starting to see Linux hobbyists and pros alike build support, but at the time of writing, the only reliable way to get Linux to run on an M1/M2 Mac is to use a virtual machine which is a type of emulation program.
The biggest hurdles you’ll have to face when using Linux over Windows or MacOS are the learning curve and general lack of support from brand-name software companies. Since Linux is an open-source operating system, there isn’t a single, unified version like there is for Windows 11 or macOS Catalina. This means that it’s much more difficult to program applications like games, video players, and even weather apps to work consistently across all versions of Linux. Different versions also mean that just because you’re familiar with Ubuntu, that doesn’t mean your expertise will be of any use on a machine that runs a different Linux dispo.
Also: Windows, Mac, or Linux? We compare the pros and cons of these computing platforms
When talking about programming and coding, you may come across the term “open source.” This just means that the original code for a program like Linux or VLC Media Player, is freely available to the public for downloading, distribution, and modifying.
Linux is popular with programmers since it is open source, which means that it’s easy to try and make your own modifications or command lists. Or you can work together with the Linux community to resolve common bug issues or create new support programs for hardware like Apple’s M3 Silicon Chips.
The great thing about Linux is that it is an open-source operating system. Which means there are a lot of different versions out there on forums and also the Internet Archive. And since there are so many different release versions, newcomers looking to save money on their first dedicated or dual-boot Linux machine can pick up a vintage computer at a thrift store, estate sale, or other secondhand store and likely find an operating system version that will run with it.
A thread on the Linux Mint Forums is full of users who were able to use various versions of Linux Mint as well as Puppy (a version of Linux designed to be run from a flash drive, making it great for hobbyists who restore vintage tech) and Ubuntu on Windows Vista and Windows 98 computers (which intrepid tech hunters may be able to find for a bargain at a thrift store or secondhand online). And Tech Tangents on YouTube, a channel dedicated to restoring and archiving retro computer hardware and software, was able to revive a TeleVideo 950 terminal that was originally released in 1980 and use a version of Linux on it.
Latest updates
- September 2025: Updated the article to align with ZDNET’s latest styleguide. Updated buying links and retail prices.
- ZDNET was able to test the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD, Dell XPS 13 (2024), Acer Swift Edge, Asus ProArt 16, and the Microsoft Surface Laptop (2024). While we primarily focused on each laptop’s capabilities as a Windows machine, we also thoroughly vetted each model’s ability to successfully run various Linux distros.
More Linux laptops we tested
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While Linux support for Apple’s Silicon processors isn’t as robust as it is for Windows-based computers, enthusiasts have created several compatibility modules. The MacBook Pro with the M3 Max chip gives experienced programmers the chance to be on the cutting edge of community support.
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This laptop was tailor-made for Linux, and offers an impressive 3K resolution that’s perfect for everything from gaming and graphic design to photo editing and video production.
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For more, check out our favorite Linux distros for beginners, gaming, and home office desktops.
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