Beginner guide
System Requirements
Hardware requirements for Ubuntu 24.04-based Linux, with one real-world ThinkPad L14 Gen 2 test setup.
Hardware context: Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 2 (Intel i5-1135G7, 16GB RAM, Intel Iris Xe, 1366x768)
Overview
This guide documents the exact hardware configuration tested on one Ubuntu 24.04-based setup, what worked out of the box, and what needed extra setup to get working properly. If you have the same or similar hardware, you can use this as a practical reference point rather than a guarantee.
The Problem (Windows User Perspective)
On Windows, hardware “just works” because manufacturers write Windows drivers first. Every laptop ships with a Windows driver disc or downloads them automatically via Windows Update. You plug something in, it works, and you never think about it.
On Linux, the situation is different but better than most people expect. The Linux kernel ships with thousands of built-in drivers, so a lot of hardware works out of the box. However, some things (fan control, power management, specific peripherals) may still need manual configuration. This guide tells you exactly what needed attention on this specific machine.
Hardware Tested
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Laptop | Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 2 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-1135G7 (11th Gen, 4 cores, 8 threads) |
| RAM | 16 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512 GB NVMe SSD + external HDD used for Timeshift backups |
| Display | 14” 1366x768 |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe (integrated) |
| WiFi | Intel AX201 (WiFi 6) |
| Ethernet | Intel I219-V |
| Audio | Intel HDA |
| Display Server | X11 (Xorg) — chosen over Wayland for compatibility with some software, such as Stata |
Compatibility Report
| Component | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| WiFi | Works out of box | No extra drivers needed |
| Bluetooth | Works out of box | |
| Display | Works out of box | HiDPI scaling available in Settings |
| Keyboard | Works out of box | Including ThinkPad function keys |
| Trackpad | Works out of box | Multi-touch gestures supported |
| TrackPoint | Works out of box | |
| Audio | Works out of box | |
| USB ports | Work out of box | |
| Webcam | Works out of box | |
| Fan control | Needed setup | thinkfan + kernel module (see fan-and-power-management.md) |
| Power management | Needed setup | auto-cpufreq for CPU scaling (see fan-and-power-management.md) |
| External drive | Needed setup | Required ext4 partition for Timeshift (see timeshift-full-backup.md) |
| Suspend/Resume | Works, but… | IBus (Bangla keyboard) needed a systemd sleep hook fix |
Baseline Requirements for the Tested Ubuntu-Based Setup
| Requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 1 GHz dual-core 64-bit | 2 GHz or faster |
| RAM | 2 GB | 4 GB (8 GB for comfortable multitasking) |
| Storage | 20 GB | 40 GB |
| Display | 800x600 | 1024x768 or higher |
Note: Older or lower-spec hardware may be better served by lighter Ubuntu-based flavors such as Xfce or LXQt-based options rather than a full GNOME desktop.
Before You Buy/Switch
If you are planning a switch from Windows to Linux, keep these points in mind when evaluating your hardware:
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Prefer well-supported hardware over brand loyalty. Lenovo ThinkPads, many Dell Latitude/XPS models, Framework laptops, and other common Linux-friendly machines are popular because they are widely used and widely documented. Look for a laptop with a good Linux support track record rather than assuming one brand is always best.
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Check your WiFi chipset. Intel WiFi chipsets have the best Linux support with drivers built into the kernel. Broadcom and Realtek chipsets may need extra drivers installed manually. You can check your chipset from Windows with Device Manager before switching.
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NVIDIA GPUs often need proprietary drivers. If your laptop has an NVIDIA GPU, you will usually need to install proprietary drivers. On Ubuntu-based distros this is commonly handled through the Additional Drivers section in Software & Updates. Intel and AMD integrated graphics are usually easier to get running with the default open-source stack.
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Check if your must-have software has a Linux version. Most common tools have native Linux versions or excellent alternatives. However, some specialized software (Adobe Creative Suite, certain accounting tools, niche industry software) may not. Check before committing to the switch.
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If dual-booting, ensure you have enough disk space for both OS installations. A comfortable Ubuntu-based desktop install usually needs at least 40 GB, plus space for your files. Plan your partition layout before starting the installation.
What Didn’t Work (and Why)
| Issue | Root Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| BIOS fan curve too aggressive | Default BIOS fan control kept the fan running at higher speeds than necessary | Fixed with thinkfan (PWM control) — see fan-and-power-management.md |
| Wayland with automation tools | wmctrl and xdotool only work on X11; they cannot interact with Wayland windows | Switched to X11 — see display-server.md |
| Wayland with Stata | GTK window resizing bug caused Stata windows to render incorrectly under Wayland | Switched to X11 — see display-server.md |
| External NTFS drive for Timeshift | Timeshift only supports ext4 and btrfs filesystems; NTFS is not supported | Created an ext4 partition on the external drive — see timeshift-full-backup.md |
Related Guides
- Fan and Power Management — Setting up thinkfan and auto-cpufreq
- Display Server (X11 vs Wayland) — Why X11 was chosen over Wayland
- Timeshift Full Backup — Configuring Timeshift with an external ext4 drive
- Installing an Ubuntu-Based Linux Distro — Installer choices, partition planning, and EFI checks