After testing this Linux laptop, I understand why MacBooks are the superior choice

Tuxedo InfinityBook Max 15

pros and cons

Pros

• Sturdy aluminum chassis
• Brilliant show with 300Hz refresh rate
• Solid productivity performance

Cons

• Variable artillery life
• Make definite you prime the close keyboard layout
• Laptop tin get pricey

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Tuxedo Computers is simply a German institution that's been making computers preinstalled with Linux for implicit 2 decades, and I've had the pleasance of test-driving several models. When the institution asked maine to effort their latest hardware, the InfinityBook Max 15, I couldn't accidental walk connected the laptop, which starts astatine $1,800.

Also: Ready for a Linux laptop? I urge a Tuxedo to beginners and pro users alike

This Linux laptop impressed maine immediately. It has a coagulated build, a superb screen, and the saccharine small Tux icon successful spot of the Windows logo for the Super key. 

Although it has its quirks, I recovered the laptop to beryllium the close equilibrium of signifier and function. No, it's not a powerhouse, but if you privation a well-crafted aluminum instrumentality with capable foodstuff to get you done the time (and you're a Linux user), it could beryllium close up your alley.

What I loved 

The archetypal happening that struck maine was the chassis, which is made of matte achromatic aluminum housing. As soon arsenic it's successful your hands, you cognize it's 1 well-built machine. The hinge is choky (but inactive opens easy enough), and the 4.1-pound value isn't capable to marque you privation you had a manus motortruck to haul it around. It's surely heavier than my 13-inch MacBook Pro, but not the bulkiest laptop I've used.

The show is rather nice. We're talking astir a 15.5-inch surface astatine 500 nits of brightness and a 300Hz refresh rate. For me, the show is connected par with my MacBook Pro (especially astatine afloat brightness), and besides has little glare -- a large plus.

Also: These are the implicit champion Linux distros for programming

Although the velocity of the InfinityBook Max didn't stroke maine away, it was nary slouch. I installed Ollama AI, pulled a mates of models, and ran done the accustomed tests. My absorption to this was alternatively lukewarm. I had expected sizeable speed, but the midrange GPU struggled with AI tasks. It's not unusable, but it's not connected par with immoderate of the machines I've utilized with high-end GPUs. 

You tin adjacent make your ain powerfulness profile.

Jack Wallen\ZDNET

When I turned to the accustomed productivity tasks, the InfinityBook Max 15's show improved significantly. I installed DaVinci Resolve 20, and it ran similar a champ. In fact, DaVinci Resolve ran amended connected the InfinityBook than it did connected my MacBook Pro. 

Although it couldn't support up with my iMac M3 Ultra with 96GB of RAM, it held its own. I surely wouldn't privation to render thing longer than 15 minutes connected this laptop, but a shorter clip volition bash conscionable fine.

Some considerations 

I had 1 large concern: the artillery didn't past astir arsenic agelong arsenic I'd hoped. During my archetypal testing, I had the show illustration acceptable to "Default," which is afloat performance. 

When I acceptable the illustration to Cool and Breezy, I recovered it delivered overmuch amended performance. When I changed to Powersave extreme, artillery beingness was nary longer an issue. 

By Default, I was fortunate to get six hours of artillery life; connected Cool and Breezy, I was capable to compression different 4 hours retired of the battery. On Powersave extreme, however, my encephalon ran retired of foodstuff earlier the artillery did. I'd been utilizing the laptop for astir 12 hours earlier it conked out.

Also: This elemental Linux tweak fixes crashes automatically - and it costs maine nothing

My different interest was the sound. Although the InfinityBook Max didn't dependable arsenic tinny arsenic immoderate laptops, it didn't present overmuch power. When listening to Rush's "Tom Sawyer" connected YouTube, it lacked punch and depth. But for watching videos successful a quiescent room, it was fine.

Although the trackpad wasn't arsenic silky-smooth arsenic the MacBook Pro's, it functioned precise well. Tuxedo adjacent had gestures acceptable up for the trackpad, which was a bully touch.

I did person a nit to prime with the keyboard, but not with the mechanics -- the cardinal enactment is fantastic, with each 1 feeling sturdy and casual to press. In fact, the InfinityBook Max keyboard was acold superior to the keyboard connected my MacBook Pro. 

The occupation with the keyboard is that Tuxedo ever seems to nonstop maine a non-US keyboard, truthful I person to conjecture wherever immoderate of the characters I request are. I get it, the institution is based successful Germany, but it's thing to see if you're buying 1 for yourself. That said, erstwhile I became accustomed to the layout, I recovered the keyboard rather nice.

ZDNET's buying advice

Would I urge the Tuxedo Computer InfinityBook Max 15? That depends connected your needs. If you're looking for a hard-core gaming laptop oregon 1 for section AI, this instrumentality could work, but I would suggest bumping up the RAM and spec'ing it with the champion GPU your fund tin afford. (The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 is the champion enactment available.)

If you amended those 2 elements, you'll person a beast of a instrumentality that tin bash astir anything. Of course, maxing retired some RAM and GPU volition outgo you a sum full of $3,605 USD, which is pricey for a laptop, careless of operating system. 

Also: 8 things you tin bash with Linux that you can't bash with MacOS oregon Windows

I truly enjoyed my clip with the InfinityBook Max 15. Would I swap it retired for my MacBook Pro 13? Probably not, but that's mostly due to the fact that I overmuch similar the smaller signifier factor.

Tuxedo InfinityBook Max 15 tech specs

• Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 255H (16 cores, 22 threads, up to 5.1 GHz).
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 oregon RTX 5070 (8GB GDDR7).
• Display: 15.3-inch "Omnia" display, 2560 x 1600 (16:10), 300Hz, 500 nits, 100% sRGB.
• Memory: Up to 128GB DDR5 5600MHz/6400MHz (two slots).
• Storage: 2x M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSDs for up to 8TB.
• Weight: 4.1 pounds
• Ports: 2x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort and 5x USB
• Battery: 99Wh Battery and USB-C Charging With 140 Watts
• Cooling: Low-profile cooling strategy that keeps laptop quiescent and chill nether airy tasks and dissipates up to 165 watts from the 2 processors astatine afloat instrumentality speed.
• Base price: $1,801.07