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System76 prepping updated Darter Pro Linux laptop

The forthcoming notebook will ship with eighth-generation Core processors and either Ubuntu or the company's own Pop!_OS.
Written by Sean Portnoy, Contributor
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System76 Darter Pro Linux laptop

Trevor Gass

System76 has been producing Linux-based computers for years, succeeding well enough that it could even produce a PC manufactured largely in the United States. Its latest plans are for a refresh of the Darter Pro laptop to answer customers' requests for improved battery life.

The Darter Pro is a thin and light portable (3.6 pounds, 0.78 inches thick) designed to offer more than just the basics for computing tasks. It will ship with either an Intel Core i5-8265U or i7-8565U quad-core processor, up to 32GB of RAM, up to 2TB of built-in storage, and a full HD 15.6-inch display. System76 claims that the updated Darter Pro will provide a full workday's worth of battery life so you don't need to be chained to a wall outlet by noon.

While a laptop like the Dell XPS 13 can ship with Ubuntu Linux if you choose the Developer Edition, the Darter Pro only ships with a choice of Linux OS: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, or one of two versions of System76's own Linux OS, Pop!_OS 18.04 LTS or Pop!_OS 18.10 (64-bit). Pop!_OS is based on Ubuntu, but offers additional features such as full-disk encryption for the company's systems.

According to Softpedia News, System76 will begin taking orders for the Darter Pro beginning on February 5. Pricing has not been announced -- at least we won't have to wait too long -- though the company's other laptop lines are generally priced around the $1,000 mark.

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