ZDNET’s key takeaways
- This highly effective PC is on the market now, beginning at $1230
- The NX Gen3 PC was in a position to run the gpt-oss:20b LLM with out a hiccup
- This Kubuntu-powered PC is most probably extra highly effective than your present PC.
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Any likelihood I can get to evaluation a Linux-powered PC, I am thrilled to take action. It is not solely as a result of I get to expertise how a 3rd occasion approaches the OS, but additionally as a result of it means there are extra avenues for customers to buy Linux techniques.
Should you’ve ever heard of Kubuntu, you understand it is a spin on Ubuntu that focuses on the KDE Plasma desktop — an excellent desktop UI. Kubuntu Focus, however, is an organization devoted to promoting laptops and desktops powered by the Kubuntu OS.
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After receiving the Kubuntu Focus NX Gen3, unboxing, and setting it up, I hit the ability and watched as Kubuntu loaded. In seconds, I used to be greeted with the onboarding wizard. In stark distinction to any Home windows PC I’ve reviewed, it took me lower than two minutes to have the NX Gen3 up and working.
My expertise
Reviewing a Linux-powered laptop computer or PC is at all times a breath of recent air to me, as a result of I do know the OS very effectively (so I do know precisely what to anticipate) and it is nearly at all times a optimistic expertise from begin to end.
The NX Gen3 was no exception.
The mannequin I obtained housed an Intel Extremely 7 255H, Arc T140 8 Xe CPU/GPU, with 32 GB of RAM and Mesa Intel graphics, which runs round $1,230. You possibly can spec a system as much as 96 GB of RAM, a 4TB drive, which bumps the value as much as $2,075.
There are many vents to maintain this PC cool.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
After all, it is KDE Plasma, so the desktop is wonderful. And, sure, it defaults to a darkish theme, which I instantly personalized. As quickly as I had that taken care of, I ran the accessible updates (which took all of three minutes) and got down to do the one factor I at all times do when testing a brand new PC: pushing it to its limits.
How? Today, that is fairly simple. I put in Ollama, pulled the llama3.2 LLM, and ran a question. I’ve grow to be accustomed to gradual responses to Ollama queries on evaluation machines, and at first I assumed the NX Gen3 was going to present me the identical outcomes. After a couple of seconds, nevertheless, Ollama spit out the reply to “What’s Linux?” far sooner than I assumed. In actual fact, I have never seen a small form factor PC reply this shortly to an area AI question.
Spectacular.
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I then determined to obtain a bigger LLM (gpt-oss:12b, which is 65GB). After all, the pull took eternally (due to its dimension, which isn’t any reflection on the NX Gen3. As soon as it was full, I ran the identical question (“What’s Linux?”), which was considerably sooner than the llama3.2 LLM. Whereas gpt-oss:20 was answering the question, I went about utilizing different apps and, to my shock, nothing was hampered by Ollama pummeling the CPU. The NX Gen3 did not bat an eye fixed.
Past the AI portion of my take a look at, I went about doing precise on a regular basis duties (putting in apps, opening and utilizing apps, transferring home windows round, working upgrades, shopping… you understand the drill) and was not in in the slightest degree shocked that the NX Gen3’s efficiency was completely stellar. I might put this tiny machine almost on par with my System76 Thelio (which is probably the most highly effective desktop PC I’ve ever used).
I might go as far as to say that the Kubuntu Focus NX Gen3 PC is highly effective sufficient for absolutely anything you want for common use. No, you are not going to mine huge information or launch a ship to Mars with this pc, however for the common human, the NX Gen3 affords method above common efficiency.
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Even with a number of KDE Plasma window results working (corresponding to Wobbly Home windows), I noticed zero lag, tearing, or pixelation.
It doesn’t matter what I did with the NX Gen3 PC, I got here away impressed. This tiny machine is a powerhouse and would serve anybody effectively. And, sure, KDE Plasma is a desktop atmosphere appropriate for these new to Linux. So, whether or not you are new to the open-source working system or have been utilizing it for years, you’ll be able to guess the Kubuntu Focus NX Gen3 PC is as much as no matter process you need to throw at it.
I didn’t hassle working benchmarking checks on this machine as a result of I are likely to favor my evaluations to be of worth to those that would truly buy such a machine to make use of day by day. Benchmarking is nice, however these numbers do not are likely to imply a lot to the common consumer.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
Should you’re available in the market to buy a brand new PC and also you need to lastly soar on board the Linux bandwagon, the Kubuntu Focus NX Gen3 isn’t just an excellent place to begin, however an incredible place to remain. This small-footprint pc significantly impressed me. It is highly effective, silent, simple to setup, and a deal with to make use of.
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Should you’re trying on the finish of life on your Home windows 10 PC, and available in the market for one thing higher than what’s on the cabinets of the massive field shops, head over to the official Kubuntu Focus site and buy an NX Gen3 PC. You will not remorse it.
Kubuntu Focus NX Gen3 tech specs
I will checklist out the baseline specs right here:
- CPU/GPU – Intel Extremely 5 225H CPU/Arch T130 Xe GPU
- RAM – 16 GB
- Storage – 500 GB PCIe 4
- Disk encryption – non-compulsory
- Guarantee – 1 yr restricted
- Delivery – 3-6 day floor without spending a dime
