The company utilizes free and open-source software, and offers a choice of Ubuntu or their own Ubuntu-based Linux distribution Pop!_OS as preinstalled operating systems.

[6] In 2003, Fetzer registered the domain system76.com to sell computers with Linux operating systems preinstalled, but the idea was not pursued until two years later.

Richell explained that the company hoped to spark an "open source revolution", giving consumers a choice to not use proprietary software.

[7] In response to Canonical switching to the GNOME desktop from the Unity interface for future releases of Ubuntu in May 2017, System76 announced a new shell called Pop.

[10] System76's products include the Thelio series of desktops, the Meerkat mini computer, several laptops, and several rack mount servers.

In May 2016,[11] the company released the Launch series of mechanical keyboards, which feature the open source QMK firmware and built-in USB hubs.