(Credit: PCMag/Michael Kan)
Linux PCs are usually considered niche, but one Linux-based laptop is outselling its Windows 11 counterpart.
Upgradable laptop maker Framework reported the surprising stat after opening preorders for the Laptop 13 Pro. “Framework Laptop 13 Pro is selling far above our forecast, and we've sold out of the first six batches already,” the company tweeted. “Also nice validation of our approach, the Ubuntu configurations are outselling the Windows ones!”
Unveiled on Tuesday, the 13 Pro is meant to appeal to power users, including software developers. It's Framework’s first Ubuntu-certified laptop, meaning it’s undergone extensive validation to ensure it runs the Linux-based OS without issues. Importantly, customers can buy the laptop with Ubuntu preinstalled, in addition to Windows 11.
Although other laptops have received Ubuntu certification, the 13 Pro was specifically designed to be a "MacBook Pro for Linux users," Framework says. During its launch event, the company also invited a staff engineer from Ubuntu developer Canonical to talk about the certification.
The marketing seems to have resonated with Framework fans at a time when Linux usage has been increasing. The latest Steam hardware survey logged Linux at a 5% share, a first for the OS and its various distributions. (Linux share first crossed the 1% mark back in 2021.) Valve’s Linux-based SteamOS has likely been a major contributor.
Although Framework isn’t a large PC vendor like Dell or HP, the Ubuntu-certified sales could help Linux become more mainstream. Microsoft has faced negative user sentiment about Windows 11, prompting a pledge to focus on quality improvements for the OS.
Stay tuned for our review of the Framework Laptop 13 Pro. In the meantime, the company is looking beyond Ubuntu. Framework CEO Nirav Patel noted that it’s been sending laptops to developers of other Linux distributions, suggesting that a wider range of Linux preinstall support could arrive down the line.
(Credit: Framework)