Compatibility

Hardware

PureOS will likely work on your computer, and all Purism devices are compatible with any version of PureOS.

PureOS 9.0 is based on Debian Buster, so all Debian hardware requirements apply to PureOS. Recommended hardware requirements for running PureOS default installation as a desktop workstation with optimum performance are in the below table:

Component

Minimum Specification

CPU

AMD x86-64 (K8) or better

Intel 64 – Core or better

RAM

4 GB

Storage

15 GB for system

Graphics

Intel based

Wireless

Atheros chipset

Devices that require proprietary/non-free drivers or firmware MAY NOT function properly or at all.

Tip

If you intend to buy new hardware specifically to run free software operating systems such as PureOS, avoid proprietary or closed hardware.

Android/Windows phones

PureOS is not compatible with Android or Windows smartphones. There are several reasons for this:

  1. These devices cannot work without proprietary parts that PureOS does not ship;

  2. These devices will not work with the latest mainline kernel (system’s core) found in PureOS; they need older versions with proprietary parts;

  3. Even if you have a device that does not fall under the previous issues, there is still a decent amount of work needed to make it possible to install and start on those devices.

Printers

Supported printers should simply plug-and-play within PureOS. The following resources can help you determine the right printer:

For a specific printer, you can see the level of support here.

Software

Quite a lot of applications are available on PureOS. Every software package available in Debian repositories should run on PureOS.

For the list of applications available with the default install, please review the default applications. You are welcome to browse all the PureOS software for more detail.

Windows applications

Many Windows applications may be run on PureOS, but not all of them may be compatible.

We recommend Wine emulator to run Windows applications on PureOS. Please check the listings on their website for compatibility with the particular application that you are interested in running. For more advanced users, you can use included virtual machine application, Boxes (gnome-boxes), to run a full Windows operating system inside PureOS and run any and all Windows application that you like. As with all virtual machines, there will be a performance impact.

Tip

PureOS developers cannot recommend these methods for privacy or security concerns. Running an .exe or .msi installer can open one’s computer to security vulnerabilities, malware and other privacy issues. However, this can be done if you are interested or need to run a certain Windows application.

It is easy to locate alternative programs to common Windows or Mac software.

Many users are unaware of what alternative programs are available for certain proprietary Windows or Mac software they would like to use. The easiest way to determine what alternative programs there are is to open up Software Center, where you can type the software you are familiar with by name to see a list of alternatives. If there is no match for the exact name you’re looking for, you can browse by category, or generalize your search. If you prefer a web search, you can use https://osalt.com.

Firmware

All devices sold by Purism include any necessary drivers in PureOS’ kernel.

PureOS excludes proprietary and non-free drivers and firmware. Such drivers must be installed manually if any computer components require them.