Lenovo’s ThinkPad Yoga Gen 7 is one of the best business laptops you can buy this year, particularly if you’re interested in a convertible PC. It features Intel’s 12th-generation processors – specifically the new P series with a 28W TDP – a tall 16:10 display with a stunning Ultra HD+ OLED option, and it keeps the iconic design language and features of the ThinkPad family. Like most laptops out there, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga runs Windows 11, but as popular as Windows is, some people may prefer Linux. If you’re wondering whether you have that option, we have good news – there are a few ways to get Linux software on the ThinkPad X1 Yoga.
Using the Windows Subsystem for Linux
It’s been a feature for a while, but some users might not know it yet. With Windows 10, Microsoft introduced something called the Windows Subsystem for Linux, which allows Windows PCs to run Linux distributions in them. With Windows 11, this has only gotten even better, now with the ability to run GUI-based apps instead of only command line ones. Running Linux in Windows means you can have the best of both worlds, and you don’t have to deal with as much overhead as you’d get with traditional virtualization or the hassle of dual-booting. If you only have a couple of Linux apps you want to be able to use, this is a great way to do it.
If you want to run Linux, you’ll first need to enable the Windows Subsystem for Linux on your PC. You can do this by installing the Windows Subsystem for Linux (Preview) package from the Microsoft Store. Alternatively, open the Start menu and search for Turn Windows features on or off and open the first result. In the window that appears, scroll down to find the Windows Subsystem for Linux and check the box next to it. You’ll need to reboot your PC to finish setting up.
Once that’s done, you can look for your preferred Linux distribution on the Microsoft Store. A few options are available, including Ubuntu, Kali Linux, and Debian. The OS itself will run in a command-line interface, but you can then install GUI Linux apps and run them right alongside your regular Windows apps. This is a risk-free and relatively easy way to get Linux apps on your PC, and our first recommendation if you don’t want to leave Windows completely.
Installing Linux on the ThinkPad X1 Yoga
If you want the full Linux experience, including the desktop and everything, you also have that option. There are a few ways you can run a full version of Linux on your PC, and the method you choose depends on your needs and goals. The first option is creating a virtual machine, or VM. This allows you to run a full Linux experience inside your current Windows environment. It won’t get you full native performance, but a fast enough PC can still run a VM fairly smoothly. You’ll need to download your favorite Linux distribution, such as Ubuntu, as an ISO file, then you can either use the Hyper-V feature in Windows 11 Pro or dedicated software like VMWare Workstation Player to create a virtual machine. We have a guide on how to create a Windows 11 VM, but the same general steps apply for Linux aside from downloading a different ISO.
If the overhead of virtualization and you’re fine with rebooting your PC to switch between Linux and Windows, then you can also try dual-booting. This allows you to run Windows 11 and Linux on the same PC, both at full native performance, though it comes with the downside that switching between them isn’t as easy. Still, it’s also a good way to separate work and play if you need to run Linux for one thing and Windows for the other. We also have a guide on how to dual-boot Linux and Windows 11 on the same PC, so be sure to check that out.
Because Lenovo officially sells the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 with Ubuntu, you should be able to get support from the company shoulds you choose to install it, but otherwise, installing Linux yourself means you have to know what you’re doing if you don’t want to risk losing your data.
Buying the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga with Linux
An option you don’t get that often with laptops is the ability to buy them with Linux right out of the box. With the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7, though, you’ll be able to do just that. At least, according to the official spec sheet. At this time, Lenovo isn’t offering that option, but we’ve seen many of its laptops in the past offer this, so it’s bound to show up at some point. It’s still a relatively new laptop, so it’s likely that additional configurations are still rolling out.
In the meantime, you can check out the ThinkPad X1 Yoga below. It’s only available with Windows 11 at this time, but you have plenty of configuration options and it’s just stellar hardware all around. It’s truly one of the best laptops of 2022 so far, and worth it for anyone who’s a fan of the classic ThinkPad design.
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The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 is a powerful convertible with 12th-gen Intel processors and up to an Ultra HD+ OLED display. Plus, in the future, there will be a version with Ubuntu installed out of the box.
Source: https://www.xda-developers.com/does-lenovo-thinkpad-x1-yoga-gen-7-run-linux/
