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lhl
alexaholic
> personally I'd still wait for some reviews from some real world people
Fine, wait, but do encourage everybody else to buy, otherwise you won't see any review from any "real world people"
mixmastamyk
There’s quite a few mostly-positive reviews on Reddit and I’m quite happy with their Starlite.
simonjgreen
What an unfortunate time for these niche hardware companies to be launching new hardware. Framework, StarLabs, System76, (I wonder if Tuxedo will release something). The RAM prices must be killing them. Even if they increase prices to accommodate, I know quite a lot of folks who are simply punting any purchasing until things calm down.
InsideOutSanta
I just ordered my Framework without any memory or storage, hoping that by the time it arrives, I'll be able to pick up some RAM and an SSD for a more reasonable price. If not, I'll just grab something from a drawer and use it underspecced until prices normalize.
pcblues
Sensible thought. I very much hope there is a glut of one-three year old ram and GPUs on the market in about one year when the AI market "cools" and the ear-marked components return to the market.
The banks that lent the AI industry the money are already trying to sell their debt.
chao-
Unless you meant buying an entire server (instead of laptop/desktop components), it won't work out the way you are describing. Prices may come down, but the components for the datacenters market aren't fungible with the components for laptop or desktop. You might not know what is being "earmarked" in this case?
Yes, the DRAM dies all come from the same wafer supply and fab capacity, and those limits are the cause of the current prices. However, once the memory OEMs have packaged DRAM dies into something like an LRDIMM or SOCAMM, the cake is baked. It's no longer usable in a laptop or desktop. No amount of X-year-old LRDIMMs (hypothetically) flooding the market will be useful for anyone's desktop or laptop. And then there's HBM, where the dies are directly on-package with the CPU or GPU.
Second-hand, revalidated server DRAM components may contribute somewhat to a price decrease, but those won't be the components you or I will be purchasing (unless you run a true server platform as a desktop, in which case, shine on you crazy diamond!).
The same is partly true for GPUs: there are PCIe versions, but most are OAM or SXM modules. You might be able to jury-rig an SXM module into a desktop? Adapter cards exist for at least some SXM versions, and you could figure out the cooling somehow? But it's probably more trouble than it's worth.
danparsonson
Unfortunately most of it will likely be HBM and datacenter GPUs and therefore useless for consumers.
broodbucket
Always the play if you're comfortable sourcing and installing your own because their store will always have a decent markup.
morserer
Smart move!
You have lpcamm2 just sitting around in a drawer? Or did you get last-gen?
InsideOutSanta
Went with the AMD option for this reason.
pjmlp
True, but contrary to the fruity models, some of these are upgradedable.
My Asus netbook started with basic configuration and was maximised during its lifetime, just like any PC desktop.
close04
Except that if you want to save on RAM you'll also have to pick the lower resolution screen and lower rated CPU. These aren't easy upgrades later on.
pjmlp
Still better than no upgrades at all like on Apple land, back to the 8 and 16 home computer days, only external upgrades and cable salad.
tkz1312
at least for a framework they are very easy upgrades tbh
GuB-42
These laptops are also kind of expensive for the specs, they can afford to increase the prices. Entry-level and gaming hardware is probably suffering the most as they compete in getting the best specs for cheapest.
Niche and premium products sell something else: build quality (StarLabs), repairability/upgradability (Framework), Linux compatibility (System76). You don't buy these if you are just looking at performance/price.
notjustanymike
I wonder if this benefits Framework because users can order with little or no RAM, and upgrade a later date?
zamadatix
This page shows an image of a laptop motherboard with socketed memory https://us.starlabs.systems/cdn/shop/products/B5i7PCB-01x200... but it actually has BGA soldered LPDDR5X.
I wonder why the price difference between the 8845HS and the 285H is more than the cost of some complete 8845HS based systems. Also a shame one can't opt out of the storage or accessories like (yet another) measly 65W USB C+USB A GaN charger.
Other than those things, it actually looks decently exciting. I love the 16:10 + high resolution. Screen brightness isn't amazing, but also better than average. Glad to see 120 hz+ across all of the options. Privacy kill switch is great but the removable magnetic webcam seems a bit overkill/complicated given the kill switch (a simple physical slide would have been plenty as well). The hardware options aren't too bad for an open/Linux focused device. 6 USB ports + HDMI + audio ports is great, given the thickness it would have been cool to throw in a built in ethernet port, SD slot, and DP out to negate most of the need for the dock.
If I hadn't already bought a laptop this year this would probably be high on my list.
negura
i would highlight two non-tech strengths of starlabs as well: they're based in Europe and from personal experience they have really good customer service
skinwill
They use the same image on their mini pc's page. https://us.starlabs.systems/pages/byte
miek
Excellence. I like everything, and the open warranty is nice: "Our 1-year limited warranty allows you to take your computer apart, replace parts, install an upgrade, and use any operating system and even your firmware, all without voiding the warranty."
I'd love to see more than 5 years of updates, but there is so much to love here, I can look past that!
DiabloD3
They don't sell you your OS, that's the big surface area that companies like Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc have to swallow.
They also don't make these computers and are at the whim of their ODM, so unless you opt for Coreboot/Libreboot, there wouldn't be a possibility for that.
https://doc.coreboot.org/mainboard/starlabs/starfighter_mtl.... The previous version is already upstreamed, apparently.
retired
I’m unable to order this laptop without a charging brick which is now illegal in the EU.
Same goes for the standard one year warranty. Should be two at minimum.
I had my country configured to Belgium while testing this.
nottorp
Do they actually have a business presence in the EU?
If not, how would those rules apply to them?
Edit: tbh, the new "user friendly" idea of automatically converting US prices to the local currency of the visitor in spite of the company not having any connection to the visitor's locale always makes me think of drop shippers, not of legitimate businesses.
Especially if i'm in a non USD non EUR country, I am fully aware that there are different currencies in the world, I already have an established process for converting between those currencies and it's likely to be more to my advantage than whatever Stripe offers so please cut it down.
looperhacks
They sell to the EU, so they have to follow their regulations. If they don't, the devices can be seized by customs.
Tbh there are more issues if they wanted to be compliant with EU regulations. I'm fine that they aren't compliant (they aren't in the EU, after all), but it's something to be aware of when ordering from them.
cromka
> They sell to the EU, so they have to follow their regulations. If they don't, the devices can be seized by customs.
Seized by customs because they don't offer 2y warranty or include USB charger?
No. That's ridiculous. You can import whatever you want.
maxerickson
Wouldn't customs seizing the device be a bigger problem for the importer?
yreg
They are mandated to provide 2-year legal guarantee under EU consumer protection law when they target EU consumers -> i.e. operate an eshop that ships to EU and sells in local currencies. Regardless of where they are located.
stronglikedan
> They are mandated
That's nice and ideal, but unenforceable in reality unless the company has a presence in the EU.
cromka
> Regardless of where they are located.
Absolutely not true at all.
drnick1
> Regardless of where they are located.
This is clearly nonsense. There is nothing the EU can do to enforce this.
nottorp
And those EU consumer protection laws apply outside the EU?
I know that USers think their laws apply everywhere, but that's just a myth.
j16sdiz
They are a UK company.
lonelyasacloud
It's not $megacorp, try contacting them and asking.
harel
They do reply on webchat and are quite nice.
throwaway27448
What is illegal about the charging brick?
postepowanieadm
It's not warranty, it's Gewährleistung.
Zardoz84
doesn't charge by USB-C ?
wolfi1
USB-C is required from 2027 on
Someone
FTA: Experience the power of our minuscule Gallium Nitride charger. With 65 watts of charging power over USB-C
walthamstow
Wait til you hear about Hacker News' level of compliance with the GDPR
klez
I'm curious: why is hacker news non-GDPR-compliant?
walthamstow
You can't delete your account by self-service, you have to email dang, which is probably non-compliance because it adds friction. It's a grey area, it'd have to be tested in court. I highly doubt anyone will bring a case though. That's like calling the police on your own drug dealer. (IANAL)
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drnick1
No one cares about that idiotic law here. HackerNews is hosted in the US of A, and Europeans who don't like some aspect of it are free to go elsewhere.
4gotunameagain
This comment is so full of freedom that the oil from my face went missing
teekert
They are free to charge you extra for taking the charger out of the box. So I'd grant them a bit of civil disobedience on this one and just take that nice GaN charger.
I can see the EU's take on this, and maybe overall this will even be good. I have some nice Anker chargers and can charge everything we have at home with them (added some USB-C to ligthning/micro-USB thingies here and there), but I'd be a bit annoyed if the EU would force my company operating with small margins to have 2 versions of my packaging workflow.
Maybe they should just "encourage" good behaviour? With a law that is less forcing, ie just say: "If you offer a version without charger, the price must be the same as with charger. " That would (slightly) encourage leaving it out, while not forcing companies' hands.
The laptop is being shipped anyway, so I assume the charger in there may be a "sweet deal" if you need one. 65W GaN chargers are a nice sweet-spot at the moment (size/power/price-wise), ie Ikea has one at 14 eur), wouldn't mine having one or two extra.
retired
The easiest option to implement would be to have separate SKUs for the charger and the laptop. And not three SKUs: laptop with charger, laptop without charger, separate charger.
If you ship to multiple countries you can reduce the SKUs even more as the laptop SKU isn’t country specific anymore.
Offering a version without the charger for the same price would not reduce ewaste which is the point.
IshKebab
The laptop SKU probably would be country specific due to keyboard layouts though.
throwuxiytayq
> The laptop is being shipped anyway, so I assume the charger in there may be a "sweet deal" if you need one
You do realize you’re paying for the charger, right? And you don’t like the option of not having to purchase the charger?
teekert
Sure. And support is paying for people that are buying chargers that are too weak. Or otherwise crappy.
This is a Dutch source, but BTO charged 25 eur to remove the charger [0], because they prefer not to deal with people trying their own wonky chargers. Ok, so this was a 100 W+ laptop, arguably different (BTO only does this with 100 W+ models).
[0]: https://tweakers.net/nieuws/245774/bto-rekent-25-euro-boete-...
ulrikrasmussen
I have been using this for about a month and I love it. The screen looks great, the keyboard is great, the trackpad is great (I have been using Lenovos for ~20 years and though I couldn't live without the trackpoint). The battery life is more than enough for my usage during my daily commute and way better than the mere 1.5 hours I could squeeze out of my old Thinkpad P1.
I genuinely don't think there is anything I would want changed on this laptop.
vb-8448
How does it compare to a MacBook Pro? (if you ever used one)
I'm looking get rid of my MacBook Pro, and I'd like to switch to a Linux laptop, but I'm really worried about battery and trackpad.
mixmastamyk
Better software vs better hardware. Freedom and privacy vs luxury handcuffs.
vb-8448
Actually Mac software isn't that bad. The only thing I don't really like is the cmd+tab behaviour (and any third party alternative feels subpar) and the Finder.
marknutter
Can't you run linux on a macbook pro?
ulrikrasmussen
I have never owned an Apple product, but I have helped other people from time to time. It's hard to say because I'm not used to it, but the trackpad feels really snappy and precise, and the 120hz display also helps making it feel really smooth when scrolling
komadori
Would you like to have a version with a TrackPoint even if you have managed to live without it?
With all these boutique laptop brands, I hope that one of them will eventually produce a pointing stick keyboard offer a route off Lenovo.
ulrikrasmussen
I feared that I would miss it too much, but after a week I stopped reaching for it with my finger.
krunck
Never. I'd rather use an external mouse than use a track pad.
alex_x
what's your average battery life?
ulrikrasmussen
I am not sure since I have never gotten to zero. But I would think I could easily get 6-7 hours out of it, although it depends a lot on the type of work I do and whether I am in meetings. I use IntelliJ and run heavy test suites all the time, and that does drain the battery faster.
LiamPowell
Why are "premium" laptop vendors still putting vents on the bottom of their machines? Did they never try actually putting their laptop on their laps and realise how much that design sucks?
bluGill
These are not laptop computers, they are notebooks. The only laptop I've personally seen had a 80286 processor... We call them laptops, but historically that name is wrong.
While it is possible to use a notebook on your lap, you are not supposed to. It is a terrible place that is unergonomic. You are supposed to put them on a table of some sort. If you are using it for more than something quick you should have a separate keyboard and mouse (ie attached to a docking station on your desk). The portable form factor is useful for meetings, presentations, or other such - but for real work they are terrible.
Since the lap what it was designed for, and a lap is a bad idea anyway: putting vents on the bottom isn't bad.
apetrovic
I frequently sit on my balcony, with my MacBook Pro in my lap. I'm still alive.
I also frequently use that computer, that doesn't have vents on the bottom, for watching movies in bed. And I don't need to think about vents. My last non-Apple computer was some ThinkPad, with vents on the bottom, and I remember always chasing some book to put under the computer to make the vents free. Boy, how I hated that.
bluGill
I doubt any computer you can lift will kill you if you put it on your lap. It might be uncomfortable, but it won't kill you. (I'm not about to put some of VAXen I've seen on my lap even though I can technically lift them, but...)
People do all kinds of terrible things to their body. That you do something and seem to be getting away with it doesn't mean you should. Talk to a real doctor trained in this (your regular doctors probably is not) for details.
mixmastamyk
Depends, this is a desktop replacement, not ultra portable. From a gravity perspective it makes sense.
echoangle
How does gravity make vents at the bottom useful? A normal non-passive laptop uses forced convection with fans, the natural convection should be completely negligible in that case.
mixmastamyk
Vents in the bottom just make sense, does it have to be explained? The fans aren't going to be running full blast during idle times or when portable for example. Saves power to use gravity.
Macs don't have to worry about that since they made a huge efficiency jump with M1. Before that they overheated due to poor thermals.
tarjei_huse
A framework competitor! Most of all I love the keyboard. Full size arrow keys as well as home, end and page up/down nearby.
I wish framework laptops could come with multiple possible keyboard layouts like the one on the picture.
puzzlingcaptcha
StarLabs predates Framework by a couple years. Framework just does advertising to geeks better.
ghosty141
Framework actually ships its products and has tons of public reviews etc. way before StarLabs got a single laptop out.
14113
Incorrect: Star Labs have been shipping laptops since 2018, before Framework was even a company.
devmor
It also helps that Framework actually releases their products when they say they will.
maratc
On the other hand, full size arrow keys make this a non-starter for me. I need to position my fingers over the arrow keys without looking at them, and half-size allows me to do that by touch feeling.
culebron21
I feel the opposite -- with half-size up/down keys, it's too easy to mis-press them. I guess it's a matter of habit.
rixed
For that exact same reason I've been avoiding half-sized up/down keys and full arrow keys, as well as mate screen and weight, have been my first filters when browsing for laptops. How annoying must it be to design those machines with such a variety of tastes :)
layer8
> Full size arrow keys
They are full size in height, but not in width.
What’s also annoying is that the function key row isn’t full height.
backscratches
Older than framewank, and more replaceable parts.
wtallis
Is there something new here? The processor options seem to be two generation old Intel, one generation old Intel, and one generation old AMD.
miek
I can't imagine the supply chain challenges inherent to startup laptop manufacturers. I think it's "go with what you have access to at reasonable prices, or forget about it. "
wtallis
I think Framework is a good example of how smaller laptop OEMs end up shipping late, often on the order of three quarters. This is something else entirely, if any of these configurations are recent arrivals (I don't think they are).
MobiusHorizons
I don’t believe they actually make the hardware. I know sytem76 always just rebadges Clevo hardware. You were basically paying for Linux to be preinstalled and for the Linux focused support.
EDIT. Actually it looks like I was wrong about that. They do apparently at least make their own chassis’s unsure about the motherboard’s or screens though.
bluGill
system76 does not make their laptops, they do make some of their desktop lines though. System76 however is large enough that they get input into what Clevo designs - they Clevo often changes the hardware internals, but system76 ensures that the new hardware still has linux drivers. (in some cases system76 has shipped a laptop with something announced as not supported on linux, but this is rare and the rest of the features still works, and this is only done for a feature they figure linux users wouldn't use anyway)
System76 has long been working on their own laptop - every few years they make a progress report announcement - but I don't expect to see it anytime soon.
criddell
This might be a dumb question, but for a dedicated Linux computer why would Starlabs choose Intel or AMD over an ARM design?
For a Windows computer, x64 makes sense because backwards compatibility is a big deal. But a Linux machine doesn't have the same problem, at least not to the same degree. Couldn't an ARM-based design be used to make a Linux laptop with Apple-like performance per watt?
SV_BubbleTime
They’re still going to be some point somewhere where you can find the amd64 version of a binary and not the ARM version.
I agree with you that it would be more rare than trying to live in Windows ARM world, but I’m not sure it’s entirely a lossless experience yet for your personal computer.
izacus
Which high performance Linux supported SoC should they use on your opinion?
aidenn0
This might be driven by coreboot support?
mixmastamyk
Yes, believe it takes a year or so for full support of a new chip/set. They are finally making progress on AMD as well, despite poor docs.
https://us.starlabs.systems/blogs/news/coreboot-on-the-amd-s...
dylan604
I have the Intel Core i9 in my 2019 MBP, and it gets so damn hot. How do the ones offered here compare? I'm not one to upgrade frequently, but the heat of this thing makes me go looking. Luckily, it sits on a stand on a desk with more 9s than github is up.
wtallis
A 2019 MacBook Pro would have an Intel Skylake processor (N-th re-release), made on Intel's stagnant 14nm process. The older Intel option for the StarFighter has its CPU cores made on an Intel process two generations newer, and the rest of the chiplets made by TSMC. The newer Intel option moves the CPU chiplet to TSMC as well. They're in a very different league for power efficiency than your current machine, both from the fab improvements and from having a microarchitecture that's not from 2015.
dylan604
Okay, but what does that mean for the temp of the case while sitting in one's lap. Can it be done without getting second degree burns?
sam_lowry_
Does it suspend to RAM with echo mem > /sys/power/state and stays there for a couple of weeks on battery?
If not, I will keep my Intel Thinkpad T14 G2, The Last of the Mohicans that can.
theMMaI
Most devices still support S3 sleep, it's just disabled by default as s2idle (modern standby) has become the default. You can almost always re-enable S3 sleep if you really want to, but on modern devices it typically only takes a few seconds to resume from S4 (suspend-to-disk) which technically is safer and more reliable. Also you can always use suspend-then-hibernate if you really want fast resume during the day, but long battery life when it's more than an hour or so.
sam_lowry_
Dunno about other manufacturers, but Thinkpads removed S3. Stock BIOS on some T14 G3 had S3 had it, but it was removed by subsequent BIOS updates.
The notebook market is dead for me if the notebook can't sleep on 0.3% battery per hour and if it can't wake up within a second or so.
So far only macbooks and >5 years old Intel notebooks can.
lpcvoid
[dead]
colordrops
My Thinkpad p16s does not have s3 sleep. And s2idle lasts for a couple hours before it dies because every device has to sleep before it goes to true idle, but can never get all the USB devices to sleep. It's crap. S3 worked fine and was robust.
backscratches
Modern devices generally do not have s3 anymore
izacus
I don't know what "most" in your case means, but pretty much none of the new laptops I've seen have S3 support available in their UEFI. And even if you somehow patch it in, the peripherals don't have drivers anymore that would successfully resume.
mixmastamyk
Linux does, my 12th gen Intel does, one year newer AMD doesn't.
999900000999
The prices are still way too high.
You're better off buying a Dell XPS on sale, I saw one for about 800$ the other day with 32 GB of ram.
Dell has committed to actual Linux support.
I don't feel like paying a Linux nerd tax when most Windows laptops are fine.
Lenovo seems to have the best support here. Otherwise enjoy the adventure in driver land!
bityard
I love cheap secondhand Dells and have been running them for decades. But it's absolutely the case that their build quality has been going steadily downhill for a long time, even for their business line laptops.
This laptop looks to be more in line with a MacBook in terms of build quality, with a price to match. It's being sold as a Linux laptop, what makes you think there will be driver issues?
delamon
Lenovo sells ThinkPad T-series laptops as “Linux-supported.” However, if you happen to buy an AMD version of one of these laptops, you may be surprised by how poorly the Wi‑Fi works. It’s been several years since the T14 Gen4 was released, and yet the Wi‑Fi is still not stable.
999900000999
I’m not convinced here.
All the lower scale manufacturers have to charge more to make a profit. Plus most just white label an existing brand.
The other feedback in this thread isn’t great.
As for drivers, I meant for Windows laptops running Linux. But that’s pretty rare now.
kokada
I think there is a very specific niche that this notebook is target for, and this definitely doesn't seem for you, the kind of person that having a cheaper laptop is more important than some of the unique features than this one or a Framework 13 Pro have.
For the unique part of this laptop that AFAIK a Dell XPS won't have is the Coreboot BIOS, that also probably means better support in the long term for BIOS updates.
To be clear, this is also not a laptop for me (but I did pre-order a Framework 13 Pro), but saying "nerd tax" or "anyone who buys one is either giving a donation or an idiot" like the other comment is just focusing in one part (the price) and not looking at the other.
999900000999
The Framework pro is much more competitive price wise. I’m actually interested, but I’ll let you review it first.
The framework doesn’t support Coreboot though.
Different markets have different price ranges.
Linux nerds have money, thus, this starts at 3500$
Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX 2.1GHz Processor; NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 12GB GDDR7;
https://system76.com/laptops/serval-ws
Same CPU and GPU, as a gaming laptop, 2199
https://www.microcenter.com/product/691610/legion_pro_7_16ia...
It’s not like System 76 is developing special Nvidia drivers or anything.
Keep in mind most of these niche laptop brands, aside from Framework, just resell hardware. You definitely can get a better deal if you put in the work.
agloe_dreams
Not just 'way', These prices are downright absurd and anyone who buys one is either giving a donation or an idiot.
$2000 for the very cheapest first-gen Core ultra CPU is nuts. You can buy a used, faster XPS 15 OLED 4K for literally $1000 less.
Like, Dell sells refurbished the Precision 5560 with the 11850H, 4K OLED, same ram and storage amounts, and a bonus Nvidia dedicated GPU for $560.
Did I mention that the ram isn't soldered?
ar-nelson
I thought that sounded good, so I looked it up. I can find Dells with 1920x1080 screens for ~$560, but the 4K ones, even refurbished, are closer to $2,000. But maybe I just wasn't looking in the right place?
camgunz
Coreboot is amazing, more machines should have open firmware--especially those intended to run FOSS OSs.
negura
100% agreed. it upsets me when i see companies like framework advertising themselves front and centre as Linux-first, yet won't sponsor a coreboot port. starlabs, system76 and novacustom actually walk the walk
xvfLJfx9
Framework plans to eventually support coreboot, as far as I am aware. (Or open source the current one they purchased). It just wasn't the main priority. They focused on making a repairable laptops ecosystem first. Switching to different firmware later isn't ruled out.
negura
they originally announced their intention to open the firmware 4 years ago
https://community.frame.work/t/responded-coreboot-on-the-fra...
backscratches
Starlabs is at least as repairable as framework, older, and coreboot.
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Oh, is this actually out now? If so, great, but I took a quick look and didn't spot any third party review yet. For those interested in this laptop, personally I'd still wait for some reviews from some real world people.
Some history on this laptop:
- The StarFighter 16 was originally announced back in November 2022 with an original delivery timeline of 3-4 months: https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxhardware/comments/yjuahx/star_...
- Here's a 500-comment HN thread from Feb 2023 about it (3-4 months later) now with an additional 4-5 month lead time: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34759507
- The latest production updates only go back to July 31 2025 - they mention a 3-5 month timeline from January 2025 (seeing a pattern?): https://starlabs.kb.help/starfighter-production-updates/
There's an "Unboxing" video from Star Labs on the StarFighter from January 22, 2026: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjYJS5AJZpE
So, 3.5 years later, the chassis is still neat, and good on them for plugging away I guess, but for anyone that actually needs a new computer, there's no shortage of higher-end Linux-centric laptops with a better shipping track record (Framework, Tuxedo Computers, Slimbook, etc).