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Laptop and Notebook Manufacturers - Linux Compatibility Status
This is an overview of more than 150 laptop and notebook manufacturers and their current Linux
support status. Unfortunately even in this
times of Linux success, support by laptop manufacturers is seldom, or if provided not much helpful. Though
the marketing departments of some major manufacturers have announced Linux support for their
laptops, it was often not developed or silently dropped.
Here is a
history of blurb, rumours, vaporware and false alarms concerning Linux laptops.
Because of the rapid development (every manufacturer creates new models almost every three months)
and the specific hardware of mobile computer devices (see Linux Mobile Guide - Installing, Maintaining and Tuning of Linux on Mobile Computers), it's important to have
current and reliable information about the Linux compatibility of laptops and
notebooks.
Imagine you have bought such an expensive device and it doesn't work perfectly with your favorite operating system.
Therefore the survey is accompanied by hints to
Linux laptop certifications,
independent Linux laptop and notebook vendors and resellers and
how to get rid of the "Microsoft Tax".
Besides Linux also other UniXes are mentioned and some hints about laptops with other CPUs than from Intel are included.
The survey will be updated constantly.
Note: manufacturer links are pointing to the companies websites,
for Linux information on specific models see
the right column labelled "more".
Some manufacturers don't produce laptops anymore or have ceased to exist, but they are still included in this survey.
| Manufacturer |
Manufacturer
Support |
Remarks |
Community |
| | | | |
4tiitoo | | | more |
| 4MBO | | | more |
| ABS | | | more |
| Acer | some models are even (or have been) available with Linux pre-installed | | more |
| Acorn | | | more |
| Acturion | | | more |
| Actina | | | more |
| Advent | | | more |
| ADCOADCO | | | more |
| Akia | | | more |
| Airis | | | more |
| AJP | | | more |
| Alcam | | | more |
| Aldi | | see Medion | more |
| AlienWare | | | more |
| Altima | | | more |
| Amadeus | | | more |
| AmiTech | | | more |
| Amrel | | | more |
| AMS | | | more |
| Angel Computer | | | more |
| AOPEN | | | more |
| Apple Computer Inc. | no more booting alternative OSs? | PowerPC, 68000 CPUs | more |
| Applied Data Systems - ADS | | | more |
| Ambra | | | more |
| Anadem | | | more |
| Aquado | | | more |
| Arima | | | more |
| Aristo | | | more |
| ARM | | | more |
| Artist | | | more |
| Ashton Digital | | | more |
| AST | | | more |
| ASMobile | | | more |
| ASUS | the press | may be purchased without operating system, some models are available with AMD CPU and one model is even available with Linux pre-installed | more |
| AT&T | | | more |
| Austin | | | more |
| Averatec | | former Sotec | more |
| Bacoc | | | more |
| Baycom | | | more |
| BCOM | | | more |
| Beijing Peace East Technology - Porient | | | more |
| Belinea | | | more |
| BenQ | | | more |
| Best | | | more |
| BlueGear | | | more |
| Broadax | | | more |
| Bullman | | | more |
| Canon | | | more |
| Carapelli | | | more |
| CASIO | | | more |
| CDC | | | more |
Cebop![[archived link]](/pics/archived.png "archived link") | | | more |
| Chaplet Systems | | | more |
| Chembook | | | more |
| Cherrypal | | | more |
| Chicony | | | more |
| ChiliGreen | | | more |
| ChiTech | | | more |
| Clevo | | | more |
| Comex | | | more |
| Commodore | | laptops seem to be out of production | more |
| Compal | | OEM | more |
| Compaq | sponsoring of Handhelds.org | (fusion with HP in 2002) | more |
| CompuAdd | | | more |
| CTX | | | more |
| CyberNet | | | more |
| CyberPower | | | more |
| CyberStar | | | more |
| Daewoo | | | more |
| DataCask | | | more |
| Datron | | | more |
| DEC | | | more |
| DELL | DELL, DELL Linux laptop support, the press, some models are even available with Linux pre-installed | | more |
| DevonIT | | | more |
| Diablo-Computer | | | more |
| Dialogue Technology Corp. | | | more |
| Digimate | | | more |
| Digital | | | more |
| Digitek | | | more |
| DiTech | | | more |
| Dolch | | | more |
| DynaNote | | | more |
| Edge | | | more |
| EliteGroup Computer Systems - ECS (DE) | available pre-equipped with Thiz Linux, the press | aka ECS | more |
| Electrovaya | | | more |
| Element Computer | pre-equipped with Lycoris Desktop/LX Tablet Edition | | more |
| Elonex | | | more |
| ELV | | | more |
| eMachines | | | more |
| EmperorLinux | | | more |
| Emtec | Manufacturer pre-install Linux, Microsoft operating systems are not available for the MIPS-CPU. | | more |
| Enface | | | more |
| Enpower | | | more |
| EPS | | | more |
| | | more |
| Escom | | | more |
| EuroCom | | | more |
| Everex | | | more |
| Evesham | | see Hi-Grade | more |
| Faet | | | more |
| Falcon | | | more |
| First International Computer, Inc. - FIC | | | more |
| Fosa | | | more |
| FTec | | | more |
| Fujitsu (US) | | some models are available with CRUSOE CPU by TransMeta, the press | more |
| Fujitsu-Siemens | Fujitsu-Siemens | | more |
| FutureCast | | | more |
| FutureTech | | | more |
| Gateway | | | more |
| General Dynamics Itronix | | | more |
| GEO Mobile Computer | | | more |
| Gericom | | see also Targa, some models are available with CRUSOE CPU by TransMeta | more |
| Getac | | | more |
| Giga-Byte | | | more |
| Gooroo | | | more |
| GreenBell Systems Inc. | | | more |
| GRiD Computer Systems Inc. | | | more |
| Haier | | | more |
| Halikan | | | more |
| Hasee | | | more |
| Hercules | | | more |
| Hi-Grade | | | more |
| Hitachi | | | more |
| Hitron | | | more |
| Hewlett-Packard - HP | HP - Linux Support, IrDA and Wireless LAN support by Jean Tourrilhes - HP Labs, a paper from HP with installation instructions for Linux running on nc4200, tc4200, nc6110, nc6120, nx6110, nx6120, nc6220, nc6230, nc8230, and nx8220 [PDF], the press | some models are even (or have been) available with Linux pre-installed | more |
| Hewlett-Packard - HP COMPAQ | | | more |
| HTC | | | more |
| Hunday | | | more |
| Hyrican (Schneider) | | | more |
| HyperData | | | more |
| HyperSonic | | | more |
| Lenovo (former IBM) | some ThinkPad models are certified by SuSE,
ACP modem (Mwave) drivers, the press, some models are even available with Linux pre-installed | | more |
| Ideaprogress | | | more |
| Inetech | | | more |
| InsightSolutions | available pre-equipped with LindowsOS | | more |
| Integral | | | more |
| Inventec | | | more |
| IPC ArchTec | | | more |
| iRu | | | more |
| Issam | | | more |
| | | more |
| Jet | | | more |
| Jetta | | | more |
| Jewel | | | more |
| JVC | | | more |
| Kapok | | | more |
| KDS | | | more |
| Keynux | | | more |
| Kontron | | | more |
| KTX | | | more |
| Lap-Top SuperStore | | | more |
| Lifetec | | | more |
| Legend (Levono) | | | more |
| Lenovo | | | more |
| Lemote | | | more |
| LG Electronics | | | more |
| Lifetec | | | more |
| Linare | pre-installed Linux | | more |
| LinComp | pre-installed Linux | | more |
| LinuxCertified | pre-installed Linux | | more |
| Lion | | | more |
| Lynx | | | more |
| Macom | | | more |
| MaxData | | | more |
| MaxSelect | | manufacturer sells laptops with ALT Linux pre-installed, but at least one TuxMobil visitor states that Linux support is bad | more |
| MaxTech | | | more |
| MBO | | | more |
| Mecer | | | more |
| Media Markt | | | more |
| Medion | | see also ASUS | more |
| Micron PC - MPC | | | more |
| Micro\CE | | | more |
| MicroPoint | | | more |
| MicroStar International - MSI | | in Germany Medion owns the trademark MicroStar | more |
| Mitac | | | more |
| Mitsubishi | | | more |
| Mitsumi | | | more |
| MotionComputing | | | more |
| Movita | | | more |
| M-Tech | | | more |
| MyBook | | | more |
| MyNote | | | more |
| NATCOMP | | see MITAC | more |
| NatureTech | | SPARC CPUs, available with Solaris | more |
| NCR | | | more |
| NEC | | | more |
| NeoWare | | | more |
| Nexoc | | | more |
| Nextcomputing | | | more |
| NorhTec | | | more |
| NorthGate | | | more |
| NoteBookProgress | see IdeaProgress above | | more |
| {#NŽTEBOOKSBILLIGER#} | | | more |
| NovaTech | | | more |
| National SemiConductor - NSC | | | more |
| Odys | | | more |
| Oki | | | more |
| Olidata | | | more |
| Olivetti | | laptops seem to be out of production | more |
| One | | | more |
| One Laptop Per Child - OLPC | | | more |
| OQO | | | more |
| PaceBlade | manufacturer support | | more |
| Packard Bell | | | more |
| | | more |
| Palmax | | | more |
| Panasonic | | | more |
| PeaCock | | | more |
| PegoCom | | | more |
| Pepper | | | more |
| Philips | | | more |
| Pico | | | more |
| Pioneer Computers Australia | | | more |
| PolyWell | | | more |
| PowerNoteBooks | | | more |
| Prestigio | | | more |
| ProMedion | | | more |
| ProStar | | | more |
| QDI | | | more |
| Quanta | | | more |
| Quantex | | | more |
| R Cubed | | | more |
| Ricoh | | | more |
| Rockdirect | | | more |
| Rockiger | | | more |
| RODA | | | more |
| RoverBook | | | more |
| Rugged Notebooks | | | more |
| Sager | | | more |
| Samsung | | | more |
| Santech | | | more |
| SavRow | | | more |
| Sceptre | | | more |
| Schenker | | | more |
| SEH | | | more |
| Sharp | | | more |
| Shinada | | | more |
| Siemens | | laptops seem to be out of production, but see Fujitsu-Siemens | more |
| Siemens-Nixdorf | | | more |
| SmartBook | | see Issam | more |
| Smart-Tec | | | more |
| Smilebook | | | more |
| SonicBlue | | | more |
| Sony | | some models are available with AMD CPU, some models are available with CRUSOE CPU by TransMeta | more |
| Sotec | | | more |
| Stone Computers | | | more |
| StoS | | | more |
| Sun MicroSystems | | | more |
| Sylvania | | | more |
| System76 | | | more |
| Systemax | | | more |
| TabletKiosk | | | more |
| Tadpole | the press | x86 as well as SPARC CPUs (Solaris), PA-RISC CPUs (HP-UX) refurbished systems on demand only | more |
| Targa | | see also Gericom | more |
| Tarox | | | more |
| Tatung | | | more |
| TheLinuxStore | | | more |
| Texas-Instruments - TI | | laptops seem to be out of production, but see ACER | more |
| TidalPower | | | more |
| TsingHua TongFang (THTF) | | | more |
| Topline | | | more |
| Toshiba | Toshiba Linux Support (JP), the press | | more |
| TPG | | | more |
| Transmonde | | | more |
| Transtec | | some models are available with Linux pre-equipped, or without pre-installed OS | more |
| Tulip | | | more |
| Tuxfarm | | | more |
| Twinhead | | | more |
| UMAX | | | more |
| Uniwill | | | more |
| UPI | | | more |
| Velocity Micro | | | more |
| Versiya | | | more |
| ViewSonic | pre-installed Linux | | more |
| Viglen | | | more |
| Vobis | | | more |
| Vodoo | | | more |
| vpr Matrix | | | more |
| Waibel GmbH | | | more |
| Walmart | | | more |
| Winbook | | | more |
| WiPro | | | more |
| Wistron | OEM | | more |
| Wortmann | | offered a pre-equipped Linux laptop in Germany in 2001, see also ASUS, the press | more |
| Xephi | | | more |
| Xeron | | | more |
| Xplore Technologies | OEM | | more |
| Xybernaut | | | more |
| Yakumo | | | more |
| ZaReason | | | more |
| Zenith Data Systems | | laptops seem to be out of production | more |
| Zepto | | | more |
| Zhongke Menglang Electronics - ZKML | | | more |
| Zitech | | | more |
| Zonbu | | | more |
| @Book | | | more |
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