Laptops with proper firmware updates

Privacy Questions
1

Which laptops receive longest and proper firmware updates?

2

Macbook, Dell Latitude/Precision, Lenovo ThinkPads, Microsoft Surface, NovaCustom laptops

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3

Okay, but how many years do they receive proper firmware updates?

4

Among mainstream manufacturers? I guess Dell and HP.
But I don’t know what “proper” means.
There are some niche linux-oriented laptop manufacturers, with coreboot and lvfs support, which is way more proper, if you use Linux.
If not, then it’s obviously MacBooks.

5

Surface seems best outside macs, 6 year support (Microsoft Surface | endoflife.date)

Microsoft defines a supported Surface Device as one receiving driver and firmware updates, along with a supported Windows OS version

6

Do you know how long does Apple support their M-series MacBooks from the release date?

7

7 years last I checked. But that could just be hardware replacement support, not firmware updates. Maybe @fria can help, they seem to know about Apple ecosystem.

8

  • Macbook: Guaranteed hardware and software support for 5 years but in practice they usually update for more than that. Excited to see how long the M1 mac stays supported.

  • Dell Latitude/Precision and Thinkpads: I believe they don’t officially publish minimum support periods but expect around 5 years.

Dell commits to monthly firmware updates and Lenovo commits to bimonthly firmware updates for Thinkpads.

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9

Apple supports their own hardware for an equal amount of time as their own software. In the case of phones this is guaranteed 5 years, and I think it is a safe assumption that their laptops will also receive that length of support given the similarities with the chips these days. That’s all though.

Historically, it has been more than 5 years, and I’d personally expect 7-8 on average, but that’s an educated assumption and never a guarantee, and I’d also generally recommend only making purchase decisions based on what’s in writing.

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10

starlabs.systems advertise “5-years of updates. Backed by secure updates delivered via the LVFS” and “Firmware updates for the BIOS, Embedded Controller and SSD are just a click away with the power of the LVFS (Linux Vendor Firmware Service)”.
This looks proper to me.

11

Makes sense. @duck can you please edit and add more links to written guarantees for the laptops in your list as they come into the thread. That would be better than speculation, and can be marked as an easy solution for this.

Here is surface promising 6 years: Surface devices driver and firmware lifecycle for Windows-based devices - Surface | Microsoft Learn

Idt Dell commits anywhere, its mostly vibes based (some series miss out on all updates)

Same with Macbooks. Idt Apple commits to a support period anywhere.

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12

Can you please provide the source for this? Would be helpful to add to the list.

13

I don’t really want to mention Starlabs as they don’t have Intel BootGuard and are not working on it afaik. Granted, NovaCustom doesn’t have it either but they plan on shipping it with their next firmware update, which should be before the end of the year iirc.

14

Maybe the title should be changed to “Secure laptops with proper firmware updates” because even if a laptop is supported for a long time, it doesn’t mean anything if the laptop’s hardware is insecure.

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15

Pretty nice resource imo

16

It’s just “https://starlabs.systems”. But I never used them, so I have nothing more to say.

They advertise “Measured Boot/Secured boot” and some of their laptops built with Ryzens, but I’m not informed enough in all this, maybe Intel BootGuard is paramount these days.

17

My early 2015 MacBook Air received its last security update in July 2024. The last OS version it got was macOS Monterey (2021).

The content of last update: About the security content of macOS Monterey 12.7.6 - Apple Support

18

I know you said laptops, but how about samsung phones 7 years w dex or when google pulls their socks up with desktop mode on pixel devices for 7 years.

Also if google pixel laptop becomes a thing :person_shrugging:
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Google-Pixel-Laptop-New-leaks-spark-rumours-about-high-end-laptop-with-Android-not-ChromeOS.920559.0.html

Oh and chromeos devices 10 years

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19

Also coreboot laptops maybe, “endless” updates. As long as coreboot exists.
Eg.
System 76
https://system76.com/laptops

Starlabs laptops

20

Apologies if this is too off-topic but my partner has this device. Would you advise updating with OpenCore Legacy Patcher or just leave it as is? Neither is ideal of course.