4d ago

AMD GPU Gaming Laptop - UK?

Other than framework (out of stock) does anyone know of a good linux gaming laptop with a dedicated AMD GPU that I can buy in the UK?

any help would be appreciated!

24 comments

Framework laptops are overpriced and underspecced.
As someone trying to learn as much about Linux as possible, why specifically AMD? Does it have certain advantages with Linux?
- AMD GPUs are officially supported in the Linux kernel and Mesa. They pretty much just work out of the box with minimal setup on a fresh distro install.
  NVidia GPUs often require out-of-tree proprietary drivers to work with full performance; these drivers are often a pain to install and update. Supposedly, things are getting less terrible now, but NVidia is still overall more likely to cause you pain than AMD.
  Intel Arc dGPUs, like AMD, have decent native kernel and Mesa support from what I can tell, but tend to have worse performance than AMD. However, I hear they’re ridiculously good for video encoding!
I have an ASUS TUF A16 that i bought from Amazon UK about a year and a half ago. I've been using Linux on it since i got it and it works great.
It has the RX7600s, same as the dGPU addon for framework laptops.
The model number is FA617NS.
- Cheers, this is what I will go with!
  Any advice/tips on getting linux setup on this laptop? Ive only ever used NVIDIA before so Im not sure what to expect.
  
  install Linux. then it works.
  edit: seriously, though. AMD GPUs are what it's like in Linux when a vendor plays nice. It's the Real Linux Experience™️ that you get when using supported hardware.
Have you considered the 395 Max instead of a traditional discrete gpu?
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/02/review-asus-rog-flow-z13-tablet-takes-the-asterisk-off-integrated-gpus/
The usual suspects:
System76
MSI
Tuxedo
From experience, stay away from any of the bigger OEM models, regardless of how attractive the price is, UNLESS you have direct knowledge of their compatibility. Lenovo, Dell, HP...etc have all been ramping up their enshittification, and you're almost guaranteed to have a bad time.
- I have a lenovo, and while the software side seems to be good, the hardware side is not.
  They clearly don't give a shit about hinges and use the cheapest, thinnest plastic they can source.
  It's fucking stupid and should be illegal, but our representatives don't represent us.
- Framework doesn't sell in the UK?
  
  The one I am after is sold out unfortunately
thanks for the recommendations guys, but I cant seem to find any AMD GPU laptops anywhere other than framework - they are rarer than rocking horse shit.
- Asus tuf a16 advanced edition double amd gpu
  
  Cheers! looks like a good laptop
- Tuxedo has one all-AMD laptop with dGPU.
- I've noticed the same thing, if a laptop has a dGPU, it's almost certainly Nvidia. My pet theory is that the integrated GPU of AMD APU chips are decent enough that laptop manufacturers who work with AMD don't bother tacking on a dGPU.
PCSpecialist laptops are usually easy to install Linux on. Just be sure to change the operating system to “No operating system required” to save some money by not paying for a Windows license.
Juno Computers ship theirs with Linux preinstalled.
Dell also sell theirs with the option of Ubuntu.
- cheers but I still cant find any AMD GPU laptops with these brands.
  
  Hop on over to overclockers.co.uk as they sell plenty of AMD gaming laptops but I’d hit up their forums first and ask for advice or give them a call. Someone there will be able to point you towards a decent model that supports Linux well.
Question, do you have a gaming desktop? Could you just get a less powerful laptop and use sunshine and moonlight?

24 comments