Navigating Hardware Scarcity
Back in 2022, the world was grappling with supply chain chaos. Powerful laptops felt like rare commodities, and I needed one bad. As the owner of a small Vancouver web design agency, I’d witnessed firsthand how disaster (like a nearby strip mall fire) could derail operations.
My goal? A portable workhorse that could mirror my Dell workstations, run Blender for 3D renders, and keep up with the AI revolution, all while serving as a backup if the worst happened. Enter the ASUS Zephyrus: 32GB RAM, an NVIDIA RTX 3080, and a design that balanced brute force with portability. It was the perfect fit, until a fateful misstep pushed me to swap Linux for Windows 11 Pro.
Years of Linux Reliability: CachyOS Was My Rock
For over two years, the Zephyrus ran CachyOS flawlessly. The distro’s kernel integration kept the RTX 3080 running at full efficiency for Blender renders and AI tools like Automatic1111/ComfyUI. It even handled local web server backups: the Zephyrus acted as a mirror for critical web services. I trusted it with my business, until the constant updates made me search for an alternative.
The Final Straw: A Manjaro Install That Broke Everything
A few days ago, I decided to try Manjaro which turned my Zephyrus into an unbootable brick. I tried reinstalling from USB, nothing worked. After some more troubleshooting, I thought: This is absurd. Why was I wasting time on a distro that didn’t just work? The Manjaro failure wasn’t a one-off, it was the final straw. I’d had enough of Linux’s “it works until it doesn’t” uncertainty.
Windows 11 Pro: The OS That Finally Matches the Zephyrus’s Power
I’d dabbled in Windows 11 Pro before, briefly, in 2023. Back then, I avoided an MS account over encryption concerns, but this time? I was done fighting OS setup. Reinstalling Windows 11 and debloating the install with Chris Titus’s Windows Utility was a revelation:
- No cryptic terminal commands. No AUR dependency hell. Just a smooth setup that recognized my RTX 3080 instantly.
- Blender and ComfyUI fired up without a single driver error, same performance as CachyOS, but zero tweaking.
- The MS account? Still not mandatory but this might change eventually.
Why Windows 11 Pro Wins for My Workflow
Let’s be clear: I’m not bashing Linux. CachyOS was amazing. Windows 11 Pro isn’t perfect (who is?), but for my needs, doing web design, crunching Blender renders, and relying on AI tools, it’s practical. It doesn’t require me to memorize asusctl commands or debug kernel issues at 2 AM. It just… works.
The Zephyrus Is Still My Cornerstone
The ASUS Zephyrus hasn’t changed. It’s still the same laptop that powered my agency through 2022’s hardware shortages and 2023’s AI boom. What has changed is the OS: one that stops being a hurdle and starts being an asset. After years of Linux loyalty, I realized sometimes the “best” OS isn’t the one with the most fans, it’s the one that lets you focus on your work, not fixing your computer.
For me, that’s Windows 11 Pro. And honestly? The Zephyrus has never felt more powerful.
P.S. If you’re a Linux diehard, no hard feelings, CachyOS will always have a place in my heart. But anyone who’s tired of distro-hopping and constant updates should give Windows 11 Pro a shot. Especially on a machine as capable as the Zephyrus.