Ready To Ditch Your Windows Pc? I Found A Powerful Mini Pc That's Optimized For Linux

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• This powerful PC is disposable now, starting astatine $1230
• The NX Gen3 PC was capable to tally nan gpt-oss:20b LLM without a hiccup
• This Kubuntu-powered PC is astir apt much powerful than your existent PC.

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Any chance I tin get to reappraisal a Linux-powered PC, I'm thrilled to do so. It's not only because I get to acquisition really a 3rd statement approaches nan OS, but besides because it intends location are much avenues for consumers to acquisition Linux systems.

If you've ever heard of Kubuntu, you cognize it's a rotation connected Ubuntu that focuses connected nan KDE Plasma desktop -- a superb desktop UI. Kubuntu Focus, connected nan different hand, is simply a institution dedicated to trading laptops and desktops powered by nan Kubuntu OS.

Also: The champion Linux laptops

After receiving nan Kubuntu Focus NX Gen3, unboxing, and mounting it up, I deed nan powerfulness and watched arsenic Kubuntu loaded. In seconds, I was greeted pinch nan onboarding wizard. In stark opposition to immoderate Windows PC I've reviewed, it took maine little than 2 minutes to person nan NX Gen3 up and running.

My experience

Reviewing a Linux-powered laptop aliases PC is ever a activity of caller aerial to me, because I cognize nan OS very good (so I cognize precisely what to expect) and it's almost ever a affirmative acquisition from commencement to finish.

The NX Gen3 was nary exception.

The exemplary I received housed an Intel Ultra 7 255H, Arc T140 8 Xe CPU/GPU, pinch 32 GB of RAM and Mesa Intel graphics, which runs astir $1,230. You tin spec a strategy up to 96 GB of RAM, a 4TB drive, which bumps nan value up to $2,075.  

There are plentifulness of vents to support this PC cool.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Of course, it's KDE Plasma, truthful nan desktop is glorious. And, yes, it defaults to a acheronian theme, which I instantly customized. As soon arsenic I had that taken attraction of, I ran nan disposable updates (which took each of 3 minutes) and group retired to do nan 1 point I ever do erstwhile testing a caller PC: pushing it to its limits.

How? These days, that's rather easy. I installed Ollama, pulled nan llama3.2 LLM, and ran a query. I've go accustomed to slow responses to Ollama queries connected reappraisal machines, and astatine first I thought nan NX Gen3 was going to springiness maine nan aforesaid results. After a fewer seconds, however, Ollama spit retired nan reply to "What is Linux?" acold faster than I thought. In fact, I haven't seen a small shape facet PC respond this quickly to a section AI query.

Impressive.

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I past decided to download a larger LLM (gpt-oss:12b, which is 65GB). Of course, nan propulsion took everlastingly (because of its size, which is nary reflection connected nan NX Gen3. Once it was complete, I ran nan aforesaid query ("What is Linux?"), which was importantly faster than nan llama3.2 LLM. While gpt-oss:20 was answering nan query, I went astir utilizing different apps and, to my surprise, thing was hampered by Ollama pummeling nan CPU. The NX Gen3 didn't bat an eye.

Beyond nan AI information of my test, I went astir doing existent mundane tasks (installing apps, opening and utilizing apps, moving windows around, moving upgrades, browsing… you cognize nan drill) and was not successful nan slightest spot amazed that nan NX Gen3's capacity was perfectly stellar. I would put this mini instrumentality astir connected par pinch my System76 Thelio (which is nan astir powerful desktop PC I've ever used).

I would spell truthful acold arsenic to opportunity that nan Kubuntu Focus NX Gen3 PC is powerful capable for conscionable astir thing you request for mean use. No, you're not going to excavation monolithic information aliases motorboat a vessel to Mars pinch this computer, but for nan mean human, nan NX Gen3 offers measurement supra mean performance.

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Even pinch respective KDE Plasma model effects moving (such arsenic Wobbly Windows), I saw zero lag, tearing, aliases pixelation. 

No matter what I did pinch nan NX Gen3 PC, I came distant impressed. This mini instrumentality is simply a powerhouse and would service anyone well. And, yes, KDE Plasma is simply a desktop situation suitable for those caller to Linux. So, whether you're caller to nan open-source operating strategy aliases person been utilizing it for years, you tin stake nan Kubuntu Focus NX Gen3 PC is up to immoderate task you want to propulsion astatine it. 

I did not fuss moving benchmarking tests connected this instrumentality because I thin to for illustration my reviews to beryllium of worth to those who would really acquisition specified a instrumentality to usage each day. Benchmarking is great, but those numbers don't thin to mean overmuch to nan mean user.

ZDNT buying advice

If you're successful nan marketplace to acquisition a caller PC and you want to yet jump connected committee nan Linux bandwagon, nan Kubuntu Focus NX Gen3 is not conscionable an outstanding spot to start, but a awesome spot to stay. This small-footprint machine earnestly impressed me. It's powerful, silent, easy to setup, and a dainty to use.

Also: How to instal Steam connected immoderate Ubuntu-based Linux distro truthful you tin play a world of games

If you're looking astatine nan extremity of life for your Windows 10 PC, and successful nan marketplace for thing amended than what's connected nan shelves of nan large container stores, caput complete to nan official Kubuntu Focus site and acquisition an NX Gen3 PC. You won't regret it. 

Kubuntu Focus NX Gen3 tech specs

I'll database retired nan baseline specs here:

• CPU/GPU - Intel Ultra 5 225H CPU/Arch T130 Xe GPU
• RAM - 16 GB
• Storage - 500 GB PCIe 4
• Disk encryption - optional
• Warranty - 1 twelvemonth limited
• Shipping - 3-6 time crushed for free