Pre-installed is the closest one will get to "works with Linux" from the larger manufacturers, so I evaluate it on that basis. Though sometimes it turns out they're using some obscure binary driver or even just an open source but obscure repo to support some important aspects, particularly on laptops -- so reinstall, but inspect the installation first.

I don't even understand the benefit of preinstalled Linux outside of the possibility being higher that they tested the hardware with Linux. Why would I risk their backdoors and crapware? To save the 15 minutes it would take to install something safer?

edit: have bought two Zareasons and a Dell with Ubuntu preinstalled. The support with Zareason was great at the time, and I'm willing to support companies that ship Linux because they have support that uses Linux, but I'm not going to be running some retailer's OS unless I'm forced to with locked hardware.

There's two things you want:

1. To know that every feature of the laptop should work out of the box.

2. Ongoing hardware support.

You don't have to keep the supplied OS if you don't want to but what you want is support.

As long as it comes with Linux pre-installed the manufacturer will put resources into ensuring it works or you could return it. That's not the case if you just buy a Windows laptop and wipe it.

If you can't trust your hardware vendor not to install "backdoors" and "crapware", I have bad news for you: They also ship the firmware, which you can't avoid, and it has all of the same access that any "crapware" would. Oops.

That's what happens with Windows. Most folks just use the included OS when they buy a computer, but I doubt many Linux users would.

Some of these vendors go the extra mile to load up coreboot or some other libre BIOS. There is also some effort put into finding components with solid Linux support. These may be good motivators to buy a Linux laptop, even if you intend to reimage it off the bat.

Most of us here on HN would probably install our own OS anyway. And many buying from the websites listed also would.

But if you could go to your local hypermarket and buy a cheap Linux-laptop, I bet many customers would be happy with the installed OS.

The last, and only, time something like that happened was 15 years ago with the Eee PC. I still have mine somewhere around.

Until there is spyware/crapware preinstalled on Linux laptops, there's zero point in doing that. Let's not preoptimize for something that doesn't even exist (yet).

My goal is not so much to get a GNU/Linux laptop as it is to avoid Microsoft Windows. Most laptops come with a Windows license, which costs me money and gives aid and comfort to the enemy. It is easier to find a laptop with Ubuntu preinstalled than to find one with no OS whatsoever.

Given you are wiping out the OS, "Linux" and "no preinstalled software" are synonymous, but "Linux" is a better keyword.

indeed, the number of distros that come with this strange bit of software called systemd...

I also dislike systemd but we can stop beating that dead horse. The big distros use it, it's here to stay. I'm using Gentoo+OpenRC for my boxen but at $WORK it's Debian+systemd. Use the energy for different battles.