When comparing System 76 Lemur vs ASUS ZenBook UX330UA-AH55, the Slant community recommends System 76 Lemur for most people. In the question“What are the best laptops for programmers who travel/digital nomads?” System 76 Lemur is ranked 8th while ASUS ZenBook UX330UA-AH55 is ranked 10th. The most important reason people chose System 76 Lemur is:
System76 machines come with Ubuntu 16.04 LTS pre-installed with all drivers and necessary software ready to go. For Ubuntu users there's no need to install their distro of choice from scratch.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Ubuntu just works out of the box
System76 machines come with Ubuntu 16.04 LTS pre-installed with all drivers and necessary software ready to go. For Ubuntu users there's no need to install their distro of choice from scratch.
Pro Choice of version of Ubuntu
System 76 allows the user to choose between the LTS release of Ubuntu and the latest release as the installed OS of the shipped device.. While installing a new version of the OS is done easily at home, it is convenient to see that System 76 will do it for you.
Pro Base model is pretty cheap
For $599 this is the cheapest model System 76 sells, who are one of the few companies that sell laptops with Linux installed by default.
Pro Portable
At about 3.6lbs, it's a relatively lightweight laptop that can be easily carried around.
Pro Comes with free lifetime software support
Officially System76 provides free lifetime support for Ubuntu. And they will also try to provide unofficial support for other distros to the best of their abilities.
Pro Great performance
The "medium" build of Lemur (8GB of RAM, i7 CPU) can do most activities just fine. Whether that activity is developing Android applications, writing documents, or editing a 4K video with Kdenlive, the Lemur will not have any problems with lag or overheating.
Pro Great battery life
It can last for up to 8 hours on a single charge, making it a good choice for people who don't have easy access to a power plug during their day and need to use the laptop for extended periods of time.
Pro Slim and sturdy build
All metal, 2.6lbs, 0.5" thin chassis that feels solid and well built through and through. Screen hinge is also very strong.
Pro Excellent linux support
Elementary OS and Linux Mint both work without issues. The only thing that doesn't seem to work is the fingerprint scanner.
Pro Inexpensive for the great build and specs
Slim, light, metal build, strong hinge, large battery, great keyboard (soft, good key-travel) 7th gen core i5, 8gb RAM, 256gb SSD, 1080p IPS display and back-lit keyboard for $700.
Cons
Con Poor build quality
Like with most System76 products, the build quality for the Lemur is rather poor, especially when you compare it with other laptops at this price point. The plastic feels a bit cheap and flimsy and is not as durable as other laptops.
Con Terrible battery life
Even when just web browsing, the battery will last five hours tops.
Con Screen brightness doesn't go low
Even at minimal brightness, the screen is too bright to comfortably use at night.
Con Limited hinge angle
The hinge only opens to around 120 degrees. This is suitable for desk work. However, on a lap, it could be limiting.
Con US keyboards only
System76 only manufactures laptops with US (American English) keyboard layout. As most other language specific keyboard layouts use a larger number of keys, this is a clear disadvantage to customers from other countries.
Con Display is decent, but could be better
1080p IPS that isnt reflective nor touch screen. Enables lower brightness in bright rooms and saves battery life, but quality of screen could be much better.
Con The touchpad is good, but not great
The touchpad might work perfectly fine in Windows, but in Linux, it is not that great.
Con Occasional fan noise and coil whine
At times there can be some coil whine (as is common in ultrabooks), but it isnt terrible. The fan isnt and issue in normal browsing or document editing, but in anything remotely intensive it will spin up and is noticeable.
Con Bezels thicker than some modern designs
When compared to new screen designs on phones or the XPS line, the bezels are quite "old school" in comparison.