The new pre-installed Fedora 44 version of Framework’s Laptop 12 is outperforming the Windows model by more than tenfold, signalling a significant change in user preferences towards Linux-based systems.
Framework’s Laptop 12 is getting an unusual kind of market signal: the Fedora 44 version is outselling the Windows model by more than 10 to 1, according to the company. That matters because this is the first time Framework has offered the machine as a pre-assembled system with Fedora pre-installed, rather than treating Linux primarily as a do-it-yourself option.
The response appears consistent with Framework’s own user base. The company has said that roughly 80% of Laptop 12 users were already running Linux, suggesting that the Fedora configuration was not a niche experiment but a direct response to how customers already use the device. Framework has also described the result on X as evidence that this is “the year of Linux PCs”.
That is part of a broader shift in the laptop market, where Linux distributions have become easier to install and configure, while some Windows users have grown more receptive to alternatives. In Framework’s case, the appeal is amplified by the company’s core proposition: repairability, upgradeability and long product life, rather than the disposable design common in mainstream laptops.
The Laptop 12 itself sits in a more affordable tier for the brand, with US pre-orders starting at $549 for the DIY base model, according to reports from PCWorld and Ars Technica. The machine is also being positioned as a practical upgrade path, with the latest iteration tied to Intel Wildcat Lake mainboards and support for the earlier chassis, which should help reduce the cost of ownership for existing users.
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