When HP Shipped Linux on a Laptop: The nx5000 and how things changed since

The HP nx5000 was a notable early mainstream laptop offered with SUSE Linux 9.1 and KDE 3.2. Its relatively complete out-of-the-box experience - working wireless, multimedia, and bundled office software - demonstrated that OEMs could ship usable Linux systems. Since then, Linux desktop software, driver support, and vendor options have improved significantly; however, hardware support still varies by manufacturer, so buyers should verify current offerings.

HP's nx5000: an early, notable Linux laptop

In the mid-2000s Hewlett-Packard quietly shipped the nx5000 as one of the more visible examples of a mainstream OEM offering a laptop with Linux preinstalled. At the time the nx5000 shipped with Novell's SUSE Linux 9.1 and the KDE 3.2 desktop, and users found the core experience surprisingly complete compared with contemporaneous Windows systems.

Hardware and software on the nx5000

The nx5000 was a mid-sized laptop of its era. HP offered it with mobile Intel processors (Pentium M family), conventional hard drives (commonly in the tens of gigabytes), and up to a couple of gigabytes of RAM. It also supported optional features such as optical drives, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and higher-resolution displays. The exact configurations varied by market and model year.

What made the nx5000 stand out was integration: drivers, wireless, and multimedia components generally worked out of the box, rather than requiring extensive manual configuration. HP bundled desktop applications such as OpenOffice and media players (LinDVD and RealPlayer were common inclusions at the time), which helped bridge compatibility gaps with Microsoft Office documents and common media formats.

Why it mattered then - and how the landscape has changed

In 2006, many Linux installations on laptops still required manual fixes for wireless, suspend/resume, or proprietary codecs. HP's nx5000 reduced that friction and showed that a laptop OEM could ship a usable Linux desktop.

Since then, the Linux desktop ecosystem has matured. OpenOffice later gave way to LibreOffice as the dominant free office suite. Multimedia support and hardware compatibility improved dramatically, and distributions became more user-friendly. Today major vendors and specialized manufacturers regularly offer laptops with Linux preinstalled, and community and commercial driver support is stronger.

That said, OEM support varies by brand and model. Some manufacturers now offer certified Linux options or developer-focused machines; others only support Windows. If you need a laptop with Linux preinstalled, check current manufacturer offerings and warranty terms before buying. ¹

Bottom line

The HP nx5000 was an early example of a mainstream laptop shipping with Linux that "just worked" for many users. It helped normalize the idea that Linux could be a practical choice on a notebook. Over the last two decades, hardware compatibility and vendor support for Linux have only improved, but buyers should still verify current model support and drivers before committing.

1. Confirm exact hardware configurations and weight ranges offered for the HP nx5000 across model years.
2. Verify current (2025) HP laptop models that are offered or officially supported with Linux preinstalled and any collaboration details (e.g., HP Dev One) if referenced.