Star Labs StarFighter Ultra: A Modern High-End Linux Laptop With Coreboot
When it comes to Linux pre-loaded laptops, I have looked at hardware from most of these vendors over the past 22+ years of Phoronix. One vendor I haven't had the chance to personally test until now is the UK-based Star Labs. That changed recently and over the past few weeks I have been testing out their new StarFighter laptop that offers great Linux support and comes pre-loaded with Coreboot and…
The Star Labs StarFighter Ultra is a modern high-end Linux laptop with Coreboot, offering a significant performance boost for Linux users. This laptop, which has been recently tested by the author, comes pre-loaded with Coreboot and streamlines firmware updates via LVFS (Linux Vendor Firmware Service). Star Labs, a UK-based vendor, relies on Clevo as an Original Design Manufacturer (ODM), but with Coreboot, it sets itself apart from other similar laptops in the market for Linux users.
The StarFighter is available in both AMD Ryzen (Ryzen 7 8845HS) and Intel Core Ultra 5 / Core Ultra 9 options. The review model tested by the author was based around the Core Ultra 9 285H model. This Arrow Lake SOC features 16 cores (6 P cores, 8 E cores, and 2 LPE cores) and a maximum turbo frequency of 5.4GHz. It offers substantial performance potential, with a 45 Watt base power rating and the ability to turbo up to 115 Watts. The laptop is equipped with Intel Arc Pro 140T integrated graphics.
The StarFighter boasts a 64GB LPDDR5X-7500 memory capacity and is fitted with a 16-inch display at 3840 x 2400 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The matte IPS display has been described as very pleasant to use during the author's testing period. The laptop supports PCIe Gen 5, with a PCIe Gen4 M.2 NVMe SSD, which provides balanced performance. The chassis is made of AZ91D Magnesium Alloy with a Micro Arc optimized finish.
Connectivity options on the StarFighter include two USB-C ports, one HDMI 2.0 output, and three USB-A ports. The USB-C ports support Thunderbolt 4, and there is a microSD slot and 3.5mm combo audio jack. The laptop is charged via USB-C, and the included 65 Watt USB-C charger was a surprise, given the Core Ultra 9 285H's 80 Watt PL2. This allows for more headroom for larger chargers.
The StarFighter is rated for up to 18 hours of battery life, depending on usage conditions and settings. All hardware components were carefully selected for a top-notch Linux experience, featuring Intel AX210 Wi-Fi 6E support. For privacy-conscious users, the 1080p@60 HD web camera is removable.
Written by urgent.news from Phoronix's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
