Good news for Dell fans – the company is now shipping the XPS 13 Developer Edition notebook with Ubuntu 14.04 LTS in tow.
This is the fifth generation of the notebook since the launch of the Project Sputnik developer models in 2012.
"Thanks to your support the XPS 13 developer edition has gone from one, to multiple configs. On the higher end, in response to the continued interest in a larger system, OS architect Jared Dominguez spent a bunch of late nights putting together instructions on how to get Ubuntu running on the Precision M3800. From here interest kept mounting and a year later the Ubuntu-based M3800 became an official product," noted Barton George, Project Sputnik's leader.
For the unfamiliar, the latest Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition is a part of the ongoing Project Sputnik. The laptop has a 13-inch Quad HD+ InfinityEdge display and is available in three configurations. It will come pre-loaded with the Ubuntu 14.04 LTS SP1.
The Developer Edition XPS 13s differ from the Windows variants as they deploy Intel Wi-Fi adaptors in place of the Dell-branded parts. Little has changed except the fact that they will run on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS and not Windows 10.
The three notebook models of the Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition will come not in one but three Core i7 configurations. The sixth-generation Core i7 Skylake processor pairs well with the 3,200 x 1,800 pixels resolution InfinityEdge touch-enabled display. One can opt for the 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD model, the 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB SSD or the 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of SSD variant.
Dell is also slated to launch a Core i5 model. The Core i5 model will have a 1,920 x 1,090 non-touch display and 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD.
While the Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition will come pre-installed with Ubuntu 14.04, Dell intends to update the PC to Ubuntu 16.04 LTS in the near term. Ubuntu 16.04 LTS is anticipated to launch in April this year, but an exact date is not known.
For those wondering what the damages are, the Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition will start at $1,549.99. Those eyeing the latest Precision mobile workstations that are Linux-based will need to fork out $1,000 upwards. Dell enthusiasts who aren't willing to shell out as much money can just opt for the XPS 13, which is priced below a thousand dollars but is still considered one of the best travel laptops to date.
To purchase the Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition, head to this link.
