Should You Consider Buying A Laptop Without OS?

Most on-the-shelf laptops come with an operating system pre-installed on them. An OS not only decides the functioning of your laptop but manages the hardware and software to make it work as intended.

The operating system is the backbone of your computer, without which it won’t be able to do anything – at all (in most cases). The program manages all the vital components necessary to run your computer.

So, is it possible to buy a laptop without OS? If yes, can you use the system for performing regular computing tasks? Let’s explore.

What Is a Laptop Without an OS?

Buying a laptop with an operating system is something that most users can not even think of. It sounds insane, but it happens. More often than not, users need to buy a laptop or a desktop computer without an OS so that they can tweak it as required.

Now the definition of buying a laptop without an operating system pre-installed can vary. Let’s understand it to know what an OS-free laptop can look like.

First, you might be looking to get a laptop with no OS at all, which means buying hardware with no specific apps or programs. When you press the Start button, you will get nothing except a blank screen.

Another interpretation of a laptop without OS can be buying a device primarily with OS but then removing it entirely. Why would you do that? Maybe for getting a different version of the operating system or for installing an open-source OS that is easy to tweak or so.

One thing worth mentioning is that without an operating system, a laptop is useless. You need to install some kind of program that your computer can understand and interpret to hardware components to help them function normally.

What Are the Advantages of Buying an OS-Free Laptop?

Well, such devices don’t seem to offer any considerable benefits to all users. However, if you are a programmer or technically sound, you may be able to reap extensive benefits in different ways.

• You May Get a Laptop at a Reasonable Cost

When you buy a new laptop, the price of the licensed operating system is included in the overall cost. Now, if you buy a device without an OS, you may manage to get it at a lower price range. Finding a laptop with no operating system installed is hard to get in the very first place.

You may need to pre-order such a laptop, or you need to speak with the brand to check if that’s even possible. So, keep your fingers crossed and contact the sales representatives of different brands to manage to buy a laptop with no OS.

• You Get More Customization Options

So, when no operating system is installed on your laptop, you are more likely to install any program that matches your usability requirements. With Windows or macOS, you may get a bootable installer but not the flexibility to modify its features.

However, installing your own coded program will allow you to add as many features and functions as you wish to make it suitable to match your workflow. The self-coded operating system will give you more control over your device and its functioning.

• You Get a Lighter Operating System

When you buy a device, it comes pre-installed with several apps that are of no use to the majority of users. These apps are called bloatware. Not only do you get more pop-ups, but your operating system consumes a considerable storage space on the hard drive.

When you develop your own operating system, you get what you want and nothing else. So, no bloatware exists on your computer, eating up storage. Since your own OS includes only necessary features, it is lightweight and consumes less hard disk space.

Are There Any Downsides to a Self-Developed OS?

Although there are a couple of benefits to buying a laptop without an operating system, there are drawbacks as well. You might not be well-acquainted with the ways to make a secure OS. If security is not up to the mark, you may end up losing data.

You have to discover and learn the methods to troubleshoot technical glitches on your own. Since numerous help guides and online tutorials are available for filing issues on Windows and macOS, you can resolve any minor technicalities by yourself, which is not the case with a self-developed OS.

If you know how to tackle hardware and software-related issues when using your own OS, you are good to go. Building a library of how-to guides and saving it on Cloud for 24X7 access is highly recommended so that you can resolve any persisting issues instantly.

So, if you are planning to buy a laptop with no operating system installation, these are some of the important things you should know. Keep these benefits and drawbacks of buying such devices in mind to make a better purchase decision.