Other laptops without Intel Management Engine

[rh-evolution]

I know that Purism and System76 both ship with Intel Management Engine disabled.

Is it true that in December 2017 Dell started disabling IME? Was that done on all of their laptops going forward, or if not then which ones? Would like to know the specifics of this.

Dell Now Shipping Laptops With Intel's Management Engine Disabled - ExtremeTech

[amosbatto]

Back in 2017, Dell offered to disable the ME for 3 models, but currently Dell only seems to offer that option for commercial purchasers. At least I can’t find it when I look at the current Latitude models.

If you want the Intel ME disabled for you, you need to buy a laptop from Purism, Star Labs, System76, ThinkPenguin, Tuxedo Computers or RetroFreedom (and maybe there are some others I don’t know about).

[SushiChef]

Only one company from that list supports Heads, which is pretty desirable with the disabled ME crowd including myself.

Purism

[ookhoi]

@amosbatto

If you want the Intel ME disabled for you, you need to buy a laptop from Purism, Star Labs, System76, ThinkPenguin, Tuxedo Computers or RetroFreedom (and maybe there are some others I don’t know about).

Any ARM / RISC-V based laptop will do

[amosbatto]

@SushiChef

Only one company from that list supports Heads, which is pretty desirable with the disabled ME crowd including myself.

Purism

The NitroKey NitroPad X230 has Heads preinstalled and also disables the ME, if you don’t mind using a laptop from 2012.

@ookhoi

Any ARM / RISC-V based laptop will do

I’m guessing that we will start seeing RISC-V laptops within the next 2-3 years, based on how Alibaba is advancing with its Xuantie C910 cores. It is hard for me to get excited about the current ARM laptops since the ones with good performance have an integrated WiFi/BT and cellular modem which require blobs. My hope is for a future PINE64 laptop based on the RK3588, but that will probably be 1-2 years from now.