My goal is not so much to get a GNU/Linux laptop as it is to avoid Microsoft Windows. Most laptops come with a Windows license, which costs me money and gives a

My goal is not so much to get a GNU/Linux laptop as it is to avoid Microsoft Windows. Most laptops come with a Windows license, which costs me money and gives aid and comfort to the enemy. It is easier to find a laptop with Ubuntu preinstalled than to find one with no OS whatsoever. Given you are wiping out the OS, "Linux" and "no preinstalled software" are synonymous, but "Linux" is a better keyword.