Penguin T4 GNU/Linux Laptop

Penguin T4 GNU/Linux Laptop
The Penguin T4 is by far the best supported laptop for GNU/Linux on the market. The laptop integrates modern functionality like multi-touch support, USB-C power and display out, a 13th generation Intel CPU, and support for up to 64GB of memory in a traditional laptop package. It comes with a large 15.6" screen and 1920x1080 resolution screen.

The laptop goes much farther though in incorporating a unique set of traditional functionality that will make you as productive as yesteryear. While multi-touch support is nice it just doesn't cut it for many tasks and so we've brought back physical buttons for right and left clicks.

Most laptops on the market now also ship with locked down and impossible to properly support wireless cards. Not the T4 however. The laptop includes a properly supported wifi card that isn’t hampered by a dysfunctional antenna solution that has become standard in most laptops for a while now. The antennas remain in the traditional and optimal location just behind the screen so your wifi performance isn’t impeded by the base of the laptop.

Ultimately what makes this the best supported laptop on the market for GNU/Linux is it's lack of dependence on proprietary software components at the OS-level. It’ll work with every GNU/Linux distribution out of the box so long as there has been a recent release. The wireless will work, the graphics will work, the sound will work, and for that matter all other core functionality. With proper free software support you can also be confident that it’ll not only work today, but it’ll continue to work down the road with future releases of your favorite distribution.

A few close up shots: back, front, internal, and for some side shots and more check out the demonstration video.

  • Traditional touchpad with physical right and left click buttons and modern multi-touch support

  • No dependencies on proprietary drivers or OS-loaded binary blobs that can interfere with long term support

  • Support for both easy to use and popular distributions: From the libre (free) Trisquel to Linux Mint

  • Optimal antenna placement for wifi: This ensures good reception and solid performance even at a distance

  • Need a bit more privacy? The laptop's webcam has an integrated webcam cover that can be open and closed on a whim

  • Need more disk space? There is support for a 2.5" SATA drive as well as space for one M.2 NVME SSD drive

  • Memory is no longer an issue with support for up to 64GB DDR4: You can get as much as you need now or upgrade later

  • While the T4 is thin and light at just .97 inches thick and 4.4 lbs it still boasts a DVD-RW drive (w/ opt. for Blu-ray)

  • Where most laptops today have integrated batteries the T4 has an advantage: It's got a removable user replaceable battery


Fast Turn Around:

We pride ourselves in offering some of the fastest turn around times for configurable laptops in the industry. We ship most laptops within 2-3 business days and customers can generally expect to receive a system within a week via UPS ground. Faster shipping options are also available. Internationally most customers will receive their system within 1-3 business days and 3-5 depending on the region and shipping method respectively.
Category Specification
CPU 10-Core Intel i5-1335U processor (up to 4.6GHz)
Display WVA Matte 15.6”(39.62cm) FHD (1920x1080) 16:9 panel, 3.2mm
Memory Dual channel, Two 260 pins SODIMM sockets, supports up to DDR4 3200MHz
Video Controller Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
Storage Options One 9.5 mm(H) DVD Writer standard, SATA interface
Optional 9.5 mm(H) Blu-ray Writer Upgrade
One 2.5” 7.0mm(H) HDD / SSD, SATA interface
One M.2 SSD 2280, PCIe Gen4x4 interface
Audio High Definition Audio
Built in array microphone
Built in two speaker
Keyboard and Pointing Device Full size US English language keyboard with number pad and traditional touchpad with physical right and left click button, multi-gesture support, and scrolling functions
I/O Ports 1 x USB 2.0 ports 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 port (Type A)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 port (Type C) with Display port with Power Delivery DC in
1 x USB 2.0 port (Type A)
1 x external VGA port
1 x HDMI ™ output port
1 x 2-in-1 Audio jack (Headphone / Microphone)
1 x Microphone jack
1 x RJ-45 Gigabit LAN port
1 x DC-in jack
Card Reader 6-in-1 Card reader: MMC / RSMMC, SD / mini SD / SDHC / SDXC
Three M.2 card slots 1st for WLAN Combo M.2 2230 Card with PCIe / USB / CNVi interface (E key)
2nd for M.2 SSD 2280 Card with PCIe Gen4x4 interface (M Key)
3rd for M.2 3042 Card with USB interface (B Key) (note: antennas not included)
Communication Built in 10/100/1000Mb Base-TX Ethernet LAN
1.0M HD video camera
Power Supply Full Range AC adapter, AC in 100~240V, 50~60Hz, DC output 19V 2.37A, 45W
BatteryRemovable 4 cells Smart Lithium-Ion battery pack, ~47WH
(~8 hours more realistically, and possibly 10+ hours with optimizations)
Default distribution Most recent version of Linux Mint
Security Security (Kensington® Type) Lock Slot
Intel® PTT for system without Hardware TPM
Dimension 361(W) x 256(D) x 24.4(H)mm (Height excludes battery area)
Weight ~ 4.4 lbs / 2kg
Compatible With Besides GNU/Linux distributions with a 6.1+ kernel and updated graphics stack: Microsoft Windows® 11

OpenBSD, FreeBSD, and similar operating systems have support or will likely have support at some point, please contact support for a status update.

FreeBSD-current which has not yet been released as of this writing on June 13th has support for the laptop, but not the Raptor Lake-P accelerated graphics (you can add a scfb 20-scfb.conf to /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ and add scfb driver for card0 however for non-3d accelerated graphics). Also: USB, wifi, ethernet, and audio work.

OpenBSD 7.5 does not support the SATA/NVME hard disk controller, so you'll have to wait for a future release for support.

Please note that while we list compatibility information for other operating systems including proprietary operating systems there is no end-user support provided and this information is provided to the best of our ability. We do rudimentary testing and there is no guarantee as to the reliability of this information or compatibility with future releases.


Have questions?
E-mail support or call us at: 1-888-39-THINK (84465)
Partial List Of Supported Releases:

Trisquel (11 remastered) 11
openSUSE Leap 15.5+
openSUSE Tumbleweed
Rocky Linux 9.2+
Linux Mint 21.2 Edge, 21.3, 21.3 Edge
Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) 6
Debian 12
Ubuntu 23.04, 23.10, 24.04
Ubuntu Mate 23.04, 23.10, 24.04
Lubuntu 23.04, 23.10, 24.04
Kubuntu 23.04, 23.10, 24.04
Fedora 38, 39, 40
Mageia 9
Tails (no 3d acceleration until 6.0 is released) 5.18+
MX Linux MX-23 AHS 64 bit Xfce+

Most distributions with a recent release including a 6.2+ kernel and updated graphics stack are also supported out of the box. If in doubt contact support for details. Note: Linux Mint 21.2 requires edge ISO release with updated kernel and graphics stack.

If your computer has ever come to a crawl you probably didn't have enough memory. A lack of memory is the leading cause of systems becoming unbearably slow. So stock up now when memory is dirt cheap and avoid those expensive upgrades.

M.2 SSD drives are a new smaller form factor type of hard drive that are much faster than traditional 'spinning disk' drives. SSD drives will usually cut boot and application start times by about half. The newest of NVME M.2 SSD drives are even faster.

Don't just get a bigger drive. Get a faster drive. Experience twice the speed with a new solid state drive. Newer SSD technology can give you that boost you always wanted cutting start times in half and increasing the speed of programs.

Get a 2nd 2.5" SATA hard drive, DVD writer, or Blu-ray writer. Our Blu-ray writer can both play Blu-ray media and features support for burning Blu-ray discs, DVDs, and CDs. Some Blu-ray media may require flashing of third party firmware.

Add bluetooth capability to your computer with a Penguin Bluetooth USB Micro Adapter. A Bluetooth USB adapter enables you to connect Mice, Phones, Keyboards, Speakers, and other devices wirelessly to your computer.

Our AC adapters are compatible with power grids from around the world. However different countries and regions utilize different power outlets which require different plugs/cables. Select whats right for you. Unsure? Contact support

Have you ever wanted the convenience of a docking station? Just connect one USB-C cable instead of half a dozen. Monitor, keyboard, mouse, and maybe even a pair of speakers? Mic 2-in-1 port, HDM, VGA, 3 x USB 3 ports, gigabit LAN, SD card slot.

Get a a pair of best-in-class speakers and hear the world like you've never heard it before! There are many options for speakers, but not all are created equal. We've gone and selected some of the best speakers on the market to offer. * Ships to USA only.

Most USB data transfer cables on the market include a proprietary flash component that interferes with their usability. With our USB data transfer cable no such component exists. You can utilize standard file transfer tools supported under GNU/Linux.

Get extra ports! If you have lots of accessories take advantage of a USB hub to keep everything organized and connected.

Don't have a VPN provider yet? Get PenguinVPN! If this is purchased with a computer we'll pre-configure your computer for access to our privacy friendly VPN service. For the maximum protection get a router with our PenguinVPN service.

Avoid future expenses with an extended warranty.

Are you always on the move? Pick up our 65W USB-C charger and gain the convenience of being able to charge all your USB-C powered devices with a single adapter. Power or recharge your devices including: Most laptops, docking stations, and power banks.

No power outlet available? No problem. Pick up our USB-C PD power bank and recharge your laptop and devices on the go anywhere you happen to be. Includes 2 USB A ports and 1 USB-C port.

The disk(s) can be partitioned using one of a few different schemes. If unsure choose the first option. If you want something else entirely select other and enter the description of how you want the system setup in the distribution to install section.

Joining the free software revolution is easy! Pick up a introductory book to learn the basics and how to administer your system. Explore the desktop and check out popular applications in your distribution of choice.

We can install just about any distribution of which there is a recent release. Enter the distribution you would like installed and any configuration requests here. A list of commonly requested distributions have been vetted at the top of the page.

Do you practice good PC hygiene? Need to transfer data? Get a USB drive! Need speed? Upgrade to a SSD! Drives formatted with fat32 have optimal compatibility between operating systems. Ext4 is better for backups and data transfer in GNU/Linux.