28 older Chromebooks now support Linux apps

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More Chromebooks from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung have received Linux app support. The change, which landed Thursday, will apply to some Chromebooks that released in 2015-2017, running Intel Braswell architecture and Kernel 3.18.

As expected, the Chrome developers have dutifully backported Linux app support to [some more!] older Chromebooks. This update brings support to roughly 28 devices with the “baseboard” (aka reference board) Strago. See the table at the bottom of the page for the list of devices. This update doesn’t include the Samsung Chromebook Pro or other recent Skylake devices on kernel 3.18. Braswell architecture can be found on low-end Chromebooks, usually education or entry-level consumer devices.

Users of Braswell/Strago devices in the Developer or Canary channels should soon receive an update that will add the Terminal icon to their launcher. Check the table below to see if your device is on the list.

Yet to receive Linux apps are Broadwell devices like the Chromebook Pixel 2 and Dell Chromebook 13, and Skylake devices like the Samsung Chromebook Pro and HP Chromebook 13 G1. We expect support to arrive in the coming weeks for these platforms, as we can infer from this update that most required backporting to 3.18 has been completed.

In related but not unsurprising news, two forthcoming high-end Chromebooks codenamed Nocturne and Atlas—potential candidates for the next Pixelbook— will launch with Linux app support out-of-the-box.

Those on other platforms like the older Asus C100pa or Chromebooks with BayTrail CPUs will sadly not receive support. Check our master list of Chromebooks with Linux app support for the unsupported list, or refer to the official documentation.

Braswell/baseboard Strago Chromebooks that received Linux app support

Model Codename Release year Baseboard Acer Chromebook R11 (CB5-132T, C738T) cyan 2015 Baseboard Strago Acer Chromebook 14 (CB3-431) edgar 2016 Baseboard Strago Acer Chromebook 15 (CB3-532) banon 2016 Baseboard Strago ASUS Chromebook C202SA terra 2016 Baseboard Strago ASUS Chromebook C300SA terra 2016 Baseboard Strago ASUS Chromebook C301SA terra 2016 Baseboard Strago CTL Chromebook J5 wizpig 2016 Baseboard Strago CTL NL61 Chromebook relm 2016 Baseboard Strago Edugear CMT Chromebook wizpig 2016 Baseboard Strago Edxis Education Chromebook relm 2016 Baseboard Strago Haier Convertible Chromebook 11 C wizpig 2016 Baseboard Strago HP Chromebook 11 G5 setzer 2016 Baseboard Strago HP Chromebook 11 G5 EE relm 2016 Baseboard Strago Lenovo N22 Chromebook reks 2016 Baseboard Strago Lenovo N42 Chromebook reks 2016 Baseboard Strago Lenovo ThinkPad 11e Chromebook G3 ultima 2016 Baseboard Strago Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga G3 ultima 2016 Baseboard Strago PCMerge Chromebook (PCM-116T-432B) wizpig 2016 Baseboard Strago Samsung Chromebook 3 (XE500C13) celes 2016 Baseboard Strago Viglen Chromebook 360 wizpig 2016 Baseboard Strago Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731) relm 2017 Baseboard Strago Dell Chromebook 11 (3180) kefka 2017 Baseboard Strago Dell Chromebook 11 (3189) kefka 2017 Baseboard Strago Mecer V2 Chromebook relm 2017 Baseboard Strago Prowise ProLine Chromebook wizpig 2017 Baseboard Strago

*Some devices may be missing. Chromebooks on Braswell have the N3050/N3150/N3060/N3160/N3700 processors. If your Chromebook has any of those CPUs, it’s got Linux app support. This table was sourced from the Chromium board information page and the more thorough Gallium OS device wiki.