Wow. $211 is a steep discount. People are going to buy with Linux just to save money, some will try it (because it is there), and some may like it and stay.
At the very least, people may learn that Windows is no easier to install (or even harder).
Windows is no easier to install (or even harder).
I’ve installed both recent windows and common distros many times by hand (where unattended wasn’t trivial) and found everything except latest windows 11 quite similar (including arch) and very easy. Current windows 11 afaik needs registry hacks but I’ve not installed one yet.
It looks like (at least here in the U.S.) that this is the only model that allows selection of the OS. I looked at cheaper models of different product lines by them and they all include Windows 11.
I don’t understand why companies don’t offer more Linux options these days, there’s zero excuse
Partnership and contracts not to be confused with lack of excuse.
Instal Windows everywhere and get cheaper Windows.
Offer Linux and lose the offer from MS.
So, offering linux was bad for business. Was. Bevause thanks to work communities did in Linux and marketing from Steam…and Proton, Linux stopped beimg a thing you’ll easily lose clients over.
Because no one buys Linux PCs. Dell used to sell multiple lines of laptops with Linux, but pretty much no one was buying apart from a few freaks.
Awesome, I wish more computer manufacturers did this and actually gave you the ability to choose the OS to ship your PC with, especially with how much cheaper it is to not include Windows with activation. Wow.
Exactly. I currently have a notebook which is very well made. But it still sucks that I had to pay the windows license which is of no use : (
Shipping it with Linux is the easiest way to convince a consumer that it does run Linux. :)
That’s a funny way of sayin’ that a Windows Home license costs $211.00.
Interesting. Only Fedora seems to be available in Norway.
I’m still 2 years away from a new work laptop (my current one is doing just fine anyway), but when the time comes, I might go for this. Was thinking about going ThinkPad+Linux anyway.
Wtf I dont have that option when I look at the same laptop on the nz version of the website.
Yeah looks like the AU/NZ version of their site does not have those options. Not that I’d be out buying a new laptop anytime soon, but a used laptop 😎
They will pay you to take it!
Now if only Asus did that as wel, then we’d be balling
Get the laptop without an OS
Install a trial copy of windows
Go to massgrave.dev.
That’s really cool, but the Spyware and AI bloat is still an issue
Yeah, absolutely. Pretty much all of my devices are on some variant of Debian, but that’s not always feasable for some folks, so with that method, at least you’re not paying Microsoft through the nose for the privilege of harvesting your data.
I’m pretty sure for most people the OS choice isn’t about avoiding to pay, Linux simply is better. I also wouldn’t switch to Windows if I got paid 200€.
Lenovo’s architecture sucks regardless what OS is on top. My opinion.
200 off is incredible
Aint no way people pay 211$ for that adware, spyware piece of shit operating system. Thats wild.
Some time ago i checked some polish stores to compare W11 vs Linux / no OS prices and i found out that the difference isn’t flat and it’s actually about ~10% of product price (so the more expensive the notebook is - the higher the price of W11 is)
That’s absolutely fucked.
When https://massgrave.dev/ exists it’s even worse.
I think this tax on tech illiterate people is getting too high.
Should I start selling USB drives for $5? I don’t wanna encourage Windows. But I feel bad for the normies. $211 is insane.
MS literally allows massgrav on GitHub. They have for years. They do not give a fuck.
Paying for windows at this point is a normie tax. And it’s gotten too damn high!
When I was getting my PC they tried to upsell me for a 250€ windows license even if I insisted I didn’t need one x3
It’s even more wild because a few years ago, buying the OS on its own was half that price.
It’s 60€ in my region.
The German store doesn’t offer Fedora, but also gives 60 Euro off if you order no OS. I tried X1 Gen 10 and 13.
Wait, I had to do a double take. I thought they were charging $200 extra for Fedora and Ubuntu. They could consider sending some money to those distros for development which would still be cheaper than buying windows.
I hope more OEMs start showing the price like this during configuration. People would probably think A LOT harder about using Windows if they were offered a $200 discount for trying something else…
“By Grabthar’s hammer… what a savings”
He fit so much disgust and defeat into the delivery of that line. Absolute perfection.
Let’s see who considers the Linux options when they see they can get the same machine for 200 bucks cheaper. I hope other brands start considering doing this too.
Not only that. The software is so much better.
It’s more probable people buying cheaper and then installing Windows afterwards - a lot more probable than starting their tech life from scratch.
starting their tech life from scratch
Lol that’s an exaggeration
I once installed Linux on my machine and my physical keyboard magically transformed into a Dvorak keyboard and the mouse vanished, replaced by a note saying “Terminal is more ergonomic”.
Made the setting up ritual way harder than it should have been :(
Sure, and they’ll be pirating it, a net benefit if it reduces Microsoft’s monopoly.
Yep, get ISO from Microsoft’s website (don’t even need to sail for that part) then activate it using a super easy to find tool…
Iex(iwr get.activated.win)
People who are tech savy maybe. Most consumers have no clue how to install windows (or any OS) with an iso though.
But they have friends, neighbors, nephews that do know. 😉
Then they could just not have an is preinstalled. No need for Linux first unless you don’t already have a device to create the ISO with. (Which is something I’d expect most people to have access to if they know how to install windows)
I really do believe that this is marketed towards people who want to use Linux.
I believe so as well. It’s a worthy initiative in my opinion.
You’re really saying that they’d buy a laptop for cheap and install a new OS and aquire a key and all that? While I have your attention, are you interested in this bridge I have to sell you?
Suggesting that the average end user is more likely to reinstall an OS and aquire a key than to just learn how to use the new OS is fucking laughable.
I think most people would just use Windows without activating it
I’ve seen that on so many PCs when someone would call me that something doesn’t work on their PC. People aren’t bothered by it as one would think. 😄
free Windows activation is just one powershell command away
For you and me yes… 😄
Your POV is laughable. 😄
Don’t you know that everybody has that one friend, nephew, neighbor, colleague etc. that they ask for advice when buying a new laptop?
I am one of those friends, nephews, neighbors that helps out in such situations. I don’t sit on my high Linux cloud smartassing average people to throw away that little bit of tech literacy they’ve gathered over the years while using Win and Win related software for a Linux learning experience they don’t want.
I help them out to save money and still get what they need.
As for people that don’t have such a person, they won’t be saving money to get an OS they’ve never heard of. They’ll get the option with Win installed. If anyone thinks differently, obviously has no contact with regular people outside of tech. 😄
“Do a favor to somebody and it becomes your job”.
Welcome to a lifetime of free tech support.
People find ways to make it up to you. My circle of friends and relatives, everyone has a different skill set and we help out each other. As for the freeloaders, we got rid of them long ago.
Your POV is laughable. 😄
Right back at ya champ 😎
Don’t you know that everybody has that one friend, nephew, neighbor, colleague etc. that they ask for advice when buying a new laptop?
I was that guy and did front line tech support for a few years, and still do when I have to.
Plenty don’t, or can only rely on their work IT guy who may or may not be able to help them. Assuming they have an IT guy and haven’t farmed the work out to an MSP who doesn’t always have the time to help.
Just because your limited life experience says it doesn’t happen, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
I love it.
Though some people will certainly take it wrong. The “iPhone is more expensive because it’s better” people will happily pay their Windows tax, assuming they’re even in the market for a Lenovo.
They always refused to reimburse the cost of Windows licences before this even if it was illegal in the country you lived in. I’m very surprised.
I paid about $100 less to have my workstation shipped with Ubuntu instead of Windows 10 Pro 3 years ago. United States.
The market is shifting…
For at least half a decade I’ve been seeing computers - both brand-name laptops as well as custom built desktops - sold with FreeDOS as default, and you have to pay extra for Windows.
The most important part is that you wouldn’t get a pc with an instant desktop experience that would just let you just boot up and go to Facebook or whatever, so it had little chance of actually harming Microsoft.
This may actually change things!
This may help them absorb the tarrifs by advertising it at current rates while raising the price by 200 bucks.
$211?!
Surely that can’t be US dollars, that’d be wild. The 24-hour clock also has me thinking this isn’t the US.
Looking at the UK site, I’d 100% go for “No Operating System”, then install Fedora Workstation anyway.
It is -$140 on the US store, the -$211 is probably Australian dollars.
It’s removing 211 dollars from the price
I know. It effectively means you pay $211 for Windows
Which is is such a high dollar count that this simply cannot be USD, a theory further corroborated by the time being 24-hour format, which is uncommon in the US.
I was simply curious to what type of dollar it is in the image. Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, something else?
24-hour time is equally uncommon in Australia and New Zealand, but it looks like it could be one of them based on the currency conversion, could also be Singapore though, which has Dollars very close in value to those
Which is is such a high dollar count that this simply cannot be USD
So I haven’t used Windows on my own machines in about 20 years, but back when I built my own PCs that seemed about right. So I looked up the price history, didn’t realize that Microsoft reduced the license prices around Windows 8.
I remember 20 years ago, Windows XP Home was $199 and Professional was $299 for a new license on a new computer. Vista and 7 were similarly priced.
Since Windows 8, though, I just don’t understand their pricing or licensing terms.
Windows 11 home costs more than $200???
I’m not that surprised. I believe it costs less on itself but there might be a surcharge for installation.
Oh thank you. I didn’t see the tiny
-
.211 doll hair?
Looks like $140 US
For getting better support it might be worth it to pay the 25 £.
I guess it would also signal to Lenovo that Fedora laptops are welcomed