HP to ship some Z models with Windows Subsystem for Linux

HP will from now on provide a number of future laptops and desktops with the Windows Subsystem for Linux as standard. The Z laptops and desktops get the WSL2 preinstalled, with optimizations for Nvidia GPUs.

HP writes that it will provide the Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 as standard in all international sales of various Z-line laptops and desktops. The company specifically lists the ZBook Fury G8, ZBook Studio G8, Z2 G8 Small Form Factor, Z2 G8 Tower, Z4, Z6 and Z8 as models where that happens. These must be laptops with at least 32GB memory and an Nvidia RTX A3000, Quadro RTX 3000, or higher.

The machines can use the Linux subsystem by default. HP is working with Nvidia to make that possible. As a result, the machines on which WSL2 ships have hardware acceleration support for that manufacturer’s GPUs.

HP hopes to make these models especially interesting for users of machine learning or artificial intelligence. The Windows Subsystem for Linux has been out for a few years, but few manufacturers come preinstalled on laptops or desktops.