I compared this premium Linux laptop to my MacBook Pro – it won in surprising ways

Tuxedo InfinityBook Max 15

pros and cons

Pros

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

Cons

• Variable battery life
• Make sure you pick the right keyboard layout
• Laptop can get pricey

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Tuxedo Computers is a German company that's been making computers preinstalled with Linux for over two decades, and I've had the pleasure of test-driving several models. When the company asked me to try their latest hardware, the InfinityBook Max 15, I couldn't say pass on the laptop, which starts at $1,800.

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

This Linux laptop impressed me immediately. It has a solid build, a brilliant screen, and the sweet little Tux icon in place of the Windows logo for the Super key. 

Although it has its quirks, I found the laptop to be the right balance of form and function. No, it's not a powerhouse, but if you want a well-crafted aluminum device with enough juice to get you through the day (and you're a Linux user), it could be right up your alley.

What I loved 

The first thing that struck me was the chassis, which is made of matte black aluminum housing. As soon as it's in your hands, you know it's one well-built machine. The hinge is tight (but still opens easily enough), and the 4.1-pound weight isn't enough to make you wish you had a hand truck to haul it around. It's certainly heavier than my 13-inch MacBook Pro, but not the bulkiest laptop I've used.

The display is quite nice. We're talking about a 15.5-inch screen at 500 nits of brightness and a 300Hz refresh rate. For me, the display is on par with my MacBook Pro (especially at full brightness), and also has less glare — a big plus.

Also: These are the absolute best Linux distros for programming

Although the speed of the InfinityBook Max didn't blow me away, it was no slouch. I installed Ollama AI, pulled a couple of models, and ran through the usual tests. My reaction to this was rather lukewarm. I had expected considerable speed, but the midrange GPU struggled with AI tasks. It's not unusable, but it's not on par with some of the machines I've used with high-end GPUs. 

When I turned to the usual productivity tasks, the InfinityBook Max 15's performance improved significantly. I installed DaVinci Resolve 20, and it ran like a champ. In fact, DaVinci Resolve ran better on the InfinityBook than it did on my MacBook Pro. 

Although it couldn't keep up with my iMac M3 Ultra with 96GB of RAM, it held its own. I certainly wouldn't want to render anything longer than 15 minutes on this laptop, but a shorter clip will do just fine.

Some considerations 

I had one major concern: the battery didn't last nearly as long as I'd hoped. During my initial testing, I had the performance profile set to “Default,” which is full performance. 

When I set the profile to Cool and Breezy, I found it delivered much better performance. When I changed to Powersave extreme, battery life was no longer an issue. 

By Default, I was lucky to get six hours of battery life; on Cool and Breezy, I was able to squeeze another four hours out of the battery. On Powersave extreme, however, my brain ran out of juice before the battery did. I'd been using the laptop for nearly 12 hours before it conked out.

Also: This simple Linux tweak fixes crashes automatically – and it costs me nothing

My other concern was the sound. Although the InfinityBook Max didn't sound as tinny as some laptops, it didn't deliver much power. When listening to Rush's “Tom Sawyer” on YouTube, it lacked punch and depth. But for watching videos in a quiet room, it was fine.

Although the trackpad wasn't as silky-smooth as the MacBook Pro's, it functioned very well. Tuxedo even had gestures set up for the trackpad, which was a nice touch.

I did have a nit to pick with the keyboard, but not with the mechanics — the key action is fantastic, with each one feeling sturdy and easy to press. In fact, the InfinityBook Max keyboard was far superior to the keyboard on my MacBook Pro. 

The problem with the keyboard is that Tuxedo always seems to send me a non-US keyboard, so I have to guess where some of the characters I need are. I get it, the company is based in Germany, but it's something to consider if you're buying one for yourself. That said, once I became accustomed to the layout, I found the keyboard quite nice.

ZDNET's buying advice

Would I recommend the Tuxedo Computer InfinityBook Max 15? That depends on your needs. If you're looking for a hard-core gaming laptop or one for local AI, this device could work, but I would suggest bumping up the RAM and spec'ing it with the best GPU your budget can afford. (The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 is the best option available.)

If you improve those two elements, you'll have a beast of a machine that can do most anything. Of course, maxing out both RAM and GPU will cost you a sum total of $3,605 USD, which is pricey for a laptop, regardless of operating system. 

Also: 8 things you can do with Linux that you can't do with MacOS or Windows

I really enjoyed my time with the InfinityBook Max 15. Would I swap it out for my MacBook Pro 13? Probably not, but that's mostly because I much prefer the smaller form 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 or 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 system that keeps laptop quiet and cool under light tasks and dissipates up to 165 watts from the two processors at full fan speed.
• Base price: $1,801.07