System76 Gazelle Pro: An Intel Haswell Laptop With Ubuntu Linux
Ports on the System76 Gazelle Professional include HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, eSATA, two USB 3.0, one USB 2.0, headphone, microphone, and an SD card reader. On the left side of the laptop is also the +19V DC power connector and an exhaust area for the laptop's heatsink fan. The laptop also boasts a Kensington lock slot for security.
The 15.6-inch display has a 1920 x 1080 resolution and is LED backlit with options of either a glossy or IPS with matte finish. Above the display is a 2.0 MP web camera. While it's not a "retina" display, I do like the HD display on this laptop quite a lot. The screen was very bright and the clarity was excellent with vivid colors.
The battery on this laptop is six-cell smart lithium-ion and has a 62.16 Wh capacity. Accessing the internals of the laptop for upgrading the system memory or disk driver is very easy by removing a few screws on the bottom of the laptop. The weight on this laptop is okay at 2.45 kilograms and 14.72 x 9.92 x 0.55~1.24 inches but not nearly as nice as the Apple hardware within our labs.
Pricing on this Haswell-based Gazelle Professional running Ubuntu Linux begins at $829 USD.