| October 11, 2019 — 11:50 GMT (12:50 BST)
| Topic: Mobility
What’s holding the Linux desktop back?
Linus Torvalds looks to Chromebooks and Android for the future of the Linux desktop, while Linux Mint developers aren’t happy with each other.
Linux hardware maker System76 has two new laptops available for pre-order, offering Linux fans high-end hardware with the latest Intel CPUs and loads of configuration options.
System76 is offering the new 14.1-inch display Galago Pro laptop from $949 while the 15.6-inch display Darter Pro starts at $999. Both laptops ship with System76’s own Pop!_OS or Ubuntu, as well as the open-source Coreboot firmware that replaces proprietary BIOS.
Both the Galago Pro and Darter Pro come with either 10th generation Comet Lake Intel Core i5-10210U or Core i7-10510U CPUs.
SEE: 20 quick tips to make Linux networking easier (free PDF)
The Galago Pro can be configured with up to 32GB of memory and up to 6TB of SSD storage. There are plenty of ports, including USB 3.1 Type-C with Thunderbolt 3, two USB 3.1 Type-A ports, and an SD Card Reader.
The Linux operating systems of course come free, but to get 6TB of storage buyers need to purchase a 2TB NVMe SSD and they can add an extra 4TB 2.5-inch drive, which bumps the price up to $1,877.
The Darter Pro can also be configured with up to 32GB memory and M.2 SATA or PCIe NVMe SSD storage of up to 2TB.
Similarly, it has USB 3.1 Type-C with Thunderbolt 3, two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, one USB 2.0 port, and a SD Card Reader.
To get the largest memory and storage on the Darter Pro, consumers would be looking at a total price of $2,126. If buyers want a UK keyboard instead of the US keyboard, they’ll need to pay an extra $119.
System76 last year took the rare step of manufacturing its computers in the US at a factory in Denver, Colorado. However, as would be expected in an industry made up of global supply chains, it sourced some components from abroad.
SEE: System76 prepping updated Darter Pro Linux laptop
The two new System76 laptops offer Linux fans and developers an alternative to Dell’s recently launched XPS 13 Developer Edition laptops, which also run on Intel 10th generation CPUs and ship with Ubuntu Linux.
Dell this year also launched a range of Precision Mobile Workstations for programmers, which are the main market for these high-end Linux computers.
The Galago Pro can be configured with up to 32GB memory and up to 6TB of SSD storage.
Image: System76
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| October 11, 2019 — 11:50 GMT (12:50 BST)
| Topic: Mobility