System 76 Pangolin Professional Overview (2026): Powerhouse Linux Laptop computer

I’ve related emotions concerning the very giant glass trackpad. For issues like photograph enhancing, the trackpad’s dimension is nice, however I discovered my palms sometimes clicked the buttons on the backside of the trackpad after I took a break from typing. IT did not occur usually, however I realized to watch out about the place I put my palms.

The two-MP 1080p webcam is ok for informal use, chatting with household and associates, however if you happen to do lots of Zoom conferences in an expert context, you might have considered trying an exterior webcam. Additionally, open-source purists ought to be aware that Coreboot nonetheless doesn’t assist AMD Ryzen chips (or AMD doesn’t assist Coreboot, relying on the way you need to take a look at IT), so the Pangolin Professional doesn’t use open firmware.

Lastly, the Pangolin Professional is straightforward to confide in substitute or restore parts. There are 9 screws on the underside of the chassis, and none of them are hidden beneath the rubber toes or different shenanigans. Unscrew all of them, and the underside lifts off, providing you with entry to the SSD slots, RAM, WiFi card, and the remainder of the internals. You may don’t have any hassle upgrading parts down the highway if you happen to determine to, say, improve your reminiscence when RAM costs come again down. (Is that really going to occur? Who is aware of.)

Pop!_OS Linux Integration

System76’s Pop!_OS Linux has lengthy supplied what I contemplate top-of-the-line Linux experiences on the market. The Cosmic Desktop and the customized apps System76 ships with IT present that “simply works” stability you have to use Linux day by day with out even noticing you are utilizing Linux.

As a long-time Linux person, I am most likely biased, however I discover Linux to supply a greater person expertise than MacOS or Home windows. I by no means really feel like I am preventing the working system to get issues the way in which I would like them. I primarily run a terminal for writing, electronic mail, studying RSS feeds, and many others, and an internet browser. Once I have to edit images, I open Darktable; movies in DaVinci Resolve. None of that ought to require a lot from an working system, however for some motive IT‘s all simpler for me in Linux.

Pop!_OS is especially good on this regard, as IT manages to really feel acquainted sufficient for Linux newcomers to search out their approach round, whereas nonetheless providing a great quantity of power-user options. As an illustration, if you do not know what tiling home windows are, you by no means should be bothered about them, however if you would like them, you may allow them with a toggle swap within the settings app. There are a great deal of (customizable) keyboard shortcuts for builders who eschew the mouse, and there are many trackpad gestures to regulate workspaces, window focus, and extra.

Ought to You Purchase IT?

At the start, I mentioned the Pangolin Professional is overkill for many peoples wants, which is true. Though the Pangolin is definitely cheaper than the smaller System76 Lemur Pro (overview coming quickly), the extra transportable Lemur Professional is perhaps a greater match for a lot of. Nonetheless, if you happen to’re doing extremely intensive issues along with your laptop computer, constructing native AI fashions or coaching customized brokers, compiling software program, or simply need a highly effective, future-proof machine, Pangolin is likely one of the greatest Linux laptops I’ve examined.

When you’re a Linux person in search of a 16-inch laptop computer with all of the bells and whistles, and one which is not loopy costly or loopy heavy, that is the machine I might get.