If you are a Linux user and considering buying a new laptop, then it might be tempting to simply get a standard laptop and install Linux on it, regardless of the operating system that it came with. However, there are several reasons why it is worth getting a laptop with Linux preinstalled.
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The Hardware Will Work
One of the main reasons to consider a Laptop for Linux if you are buying a new machine is that you know all the hardware you’ve bought is actually going to work with Linux. Both the laptop manufacturers and the distribution developers will test the preinstalled distribution to ensure that the system and hardware are compatible with one another. This is crucial with laptops since some components have had issues when trying to get them to work with Linux. For example, some Linux users have had issues with Wi-Fi cards over the years, which is a problem for laptop users.
Manufacturer Support
If you buy a machine that originally had Windows, for example, then you are probably not going to get a lot of support from the manufacturer if you run into problems when using Linux on it since they will only support Windows, which works fine with the hardware that you are having a problem with. On the other hand, when you get a computer with Linux pre-installed, you will be able to easily go to the manufacturer for support if you run into any issues. This is often better than simply relying on community support, as the manufacturer will have tested the machine and already be aware of any potential issues.
Raise the Demand
These days, laptops and PCs with Linux preinstalled are limited to manufacturers that are specialists in such systems. They’re usually workstations that are developed with data scientists and programmers in mind. However, not everybody who wants Linux installed on a laptop is going to be working in one of these jobs. By purchasing a machine with Linux pre-installed rather than installing it on a device that originally came with another operating system such as Windows or Chrome OS, you can help to raise the demand for laptops and computers with Linux pre-installed. When computers with Linux preinstalled sell well, manufacturers will offer more of them to general users.
Get the Best of Both
You can get machines with Linux pre-installed from manufacturers that also offer Windows machines, allowing you to find laptops and desktop computers available with both operating systems for those who want to use them. This can save time, effort, and stress finding a laptop that is going to run both easily and setting it all up. And, since you bought the laptop with both Linux and Windows preinstalled on it, you can easily get manufacturer support for any issue that you might run into when using either one.
While it might be more of a common approach to purchase any laptop and then install Linux on it yourself, there are plenty of reasons to consider getting a laptop with Linux pre-installed.
