{"id":3150,"date":"2025-11-24T06:19:55","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T13:19:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/?p=3150"},"modified":"2025-11-24T06:19:55","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T13:19:55","slug":"linux-first-windows-later-dell-launches-qualcomm-npu-laptop-on-linux-before-windows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/?p=3150","title":{"rendered":"Linux First, Windows Later! Dell Launches Qualcomm NPU Laptop on Linux Before Windows"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Linux<\/p>\n

Dell<\/a> has a solid track record with Linux-powered OSes, particularly Ubuntu. The company has been shipping developer-focused laptops with Ubuntu pre-installed for years.<\/p>\n

Many of their devices come with compatible drivers working out of the box. Audio, Wi-Fi, Thunderbolt ports, and even fingerprint readers mostly work without hassle. My daily workhorse is a Dell laptop that hasn’t had a driver-related issue for quite some time now.<\/p>\n

And a recent launch<\/a> just reinforces their Linux approach.<\/p>\n

Dell Pro Max 16 Plus: What’s Inside?<\/h2>\n
\"Linux<\/figure>\n

Dell just launched the Pro Max 16 Plus. It is being marketed as the first mobile workstation with an enterprise-grade discrete NPU, the Qualcomm AI 100 PC Inference Card<\/strong>. It packs 64GB of dedicated AI memory and dual NPUs on a single card.<\/p>\n

Under the hood, you get Intel Core Ultra processors<\/strong> (up to Ultra 9 285HX<\/em>), memory up to 256GB CAMM2 at 7200MT\/s<\/strong>, GPU options up to NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell with 24GB VRAM<\/strong>, and storage topping out at 12TB with RAID support<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, Phoronix<\/a> has received word that the Windows 11 version of the Dell Pro Max 16 Plus won’t ship until early 2026<\/strong>, while the validated Ubuntu 24.04 LTS<\/a> version is already available.<\/p>\n

With this, Dell is targeting professionals who can’t rely on cloud inferencing<\/strong>. It says that the discrete NPU keeps data on-device while eliminating cloud latency, enabling work in air-gapped environments, disconnected locations, and compliance-heavy industries.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Key Specifications<\/h3>\n

The Dell Pro Max 16 Plus ships with the following components:<\/p>\n