2025 in Review: Linux, Open Source, and TUXEDO Computers - TUXEDO Computers

2025 proved to be a year of new beginnings for Linux and open-source software. Free software and the commitment to digital sovereignty gained noticeably in visibility and acceptance, not least due to the upcoming end of support for Windows 10 and continuous improvements. On the desktop in particular, there was growing interest from new user groups. Even though we still smile at the meme of the „Year of the Linux Desktop,“ Linux as an operating system at home or in the office has truly reached the mainstream.

In gaming, Linux underlined this development with a market share of over three percent on Steam and noticeable progress thanks to Proton 10, which made more and more titles reliably playable. At the same time, an increasing number of companies, authorities, administrations, and institutions are recognizing the benefits of free software and digital sovereignty. Numerous initiatives in Germany, the EU, and worldwide speak for themselves. We are therefore looking forward to an exciting 2026 and take a look back at 2025 at TUXEDO Computers.

TUXEDO OS: Reports from the Developer Penguins

All applications we develop for TUXEDO OS — such as the TUXEDO Control Center or the configuration assistant Tomte — are fully open source and thus usable on other distributions as well. For example, the Control Center can be easily used on Debian or Arch Linux.

Our custom drivers, the tuxedo-drivers, also play a central role. They are often needed because the Linux kernel does not yet fully support certain functions of our devices. In the long term, we want to make these drivers obsolete and are continuously working to bring our kernel modules into the upstream kernel. Some activities from this year:

• platform/x86/tuxedo: Add virtual LampArray for TUXEDO NB04 devices
• platform/x86/uniwill: Handle more WMI events required for TUXEDO devices
• platform/x86/uniwill: Add TUXEDO devices

A lot also happened internally in 2025. Our testing team has grown, and the long-prepared test automation is taking shape. The goal is to reliably automate test steps that were previously performed manually. In initial pilot runs, we were able to install selected test devices fully automatically via iPXE and our WebFAI, recording every step.

A dedicated software solution then performs system checks to detect common issues such as network or graphics problems early. The server-side counterpart, which starts and manages the various test jobs, is about to reach its first alpha release. We expect to deploy the system in production at the beginning of 2026 — an important step to sustainably improve quality assurance and the customer experience.

Click here… for all news about TUXEDO OS and our software

TUXEDO Stellaris 16 - Gen7 and InfinityBook Max: Numerous New Devices in the Shop

2025 also saw exciting new notebook technology enter the Linux world. It all started with our flagship model, the Stellaris 16 - Gen7, which not only impressed with the new NVIDIA RTX 50 graphics cards and the fastest CPUs from Intel and AMD, but also elevated the high-end product series with a premium full-metal chassis, an improved cooling system, and an outstanding mini-LED display.

Fans of our popular InfinityBook series had double the reason to celebrate: Alongside faster and more efficient processors from the AMD Ryzen AI and Intel Core Ultra series in the InfinityBook Pro 14 and 15, the new InfinityBook Max 15 and 16 made its debut, raising the series’ performance and, with the optional 16-inch OLED display, the visual experience to the next level.

The portfolio was rounded off by the high-performance desktop replacement Gemini 17, which secured a place in the hearts of enthusiasts thanks to a relatively affordable price despite its high-end processor and graphics card.

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Events: From Linux Days to Tübix

Open-source software like the Linux kernel, the KDE desktop environment, and the many tools and projects behind them consist of much more than just code. They thrive on a community of people with very different skills: developers, translators, testers, bug reporters — and an ever-growing number of engaged users. That’s why it’s important for us not only to recognize technical contributions but also to nurture exchange with the community.

In 2025, we consciously expanded these contacts. We were present at numerous events, including the Chemnitz Linux Days, FrOSCon, Maker Faire, Tübix, and KIXCONF. Visitors could experience our devices up close and try them out themselves. Often, project managers or developers from our team were on site — and we were happy to take time for expert discussions, feedback, or suggestions.

At our Augsburg location, we also create space for encounters. School students gain insights into software development and hardware design through project days such as Girls’ Day or other school projects. Team members offer workshops for beginners and advanced users — from Blender courses for children to Linux introductions for seniors to Rust sessions or kernel development. Through Web & Wine, the community also comes together in Augsburg. The first events for 2026 are already planned.

Click here… for reports on our events.

TUXEDO Computers: New Servers, New Team Members

In 2025, we completely modernized our mirror infrastructure. Instead of a single server with 1 Gbit/s and only IPv4, we now rely on two high-performance systems with 10 Gbit/s connections each and support for both IPv4 and IPv6. The mirrors are now noticeably faster and much more reliable — a benefit for all standard packages we deliver daily. Repositories with custom packages and our ISOs will follow next year.

Every month, more than 80 terabytes of data are downloaded via our mirrors, around 45 terabytes of which come from Germany alone. At the same time, our admin team has grown: new team members helped modernize internal structures and lay the foundation for further improvements next year.

Overall, the TUXEDO Computers team has grown steadily throughout the year. In sales, we welcomed new team members who, among other things, support the B2B sector. We also strengthened support to meet growing demand. Many new faces joined the developers, marketing, and back-office teams.

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Our Online Presence: Marketing Refines the Shop and Content

Designing a product page is no easy task. On the one hand, it should evoke emotions for the device; on the other, it should inform comprehensively. For technical products like laptops and computers, it’s a balancing act between “technical details” and “exciting information.” Meeting the expectations of all interested parties is not simple.

Tech enthusiasts want to know the system down to the last chip; pragmatic users mainly want to know whether the chosen device delivers the performance they need. Technical features often stand in stark contrast: a laptop with lightning-fast graphics and a high-performance CPU is often not the most enduring.

Showing these relationships and communicating them clearly is an important task for marketing. For current laptop models like the TUXEDO InfinityBook Max 15 or TUXEDO Stellaris 16, for example, we developed a scale that allows beginners to quickly gauge the devices’ performance.

We also continuously expanded our news blog in 2025. We not only want to share news about our devices and TUXEDO OS but also report on exciting developments in the Linux and open-source world. For this, we use our weekly status report This Week in TUXEDO OS (TWIX), where we inform readers about current developments in TUXEDO OS every week and provide tips on interesting Linux or KDE applications. Now also available via RSS.

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TUXEDO Wishes You a Successful 2026

For the last days of 2025, we wish you, dear readers, a few quiet moments. Enjoy the time between the holidays and take a little time to relax. 2026 will surely be just as exciting as the year coming to a close. Here at TUXEDO Computers, we wish you all the best for the new year and hope it will be successful and fulfilling.

At the same time, we want to sincerely thank the open-source community. Whether you work on the kernel or well-known programs, maintain important libraries, report bugs, create translations, run blogs and YouTube channels about Linux and free software, or provide help in forums or on social media — without this dedicated international community, the world of free software would not be possible.

Fins up and a happy, tux-y New Year!
Your TUXEDO Computers Team