Ready to ditch your Windows PC? I found a powerful mini PC optimized for Linux

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Any chance I get to review a Linux-powered PC I enjoy doing so. It’s not just because I experience a third party approach to the operating system, but also because it means there are more options for consumers to purchase Linux systems.

If you’ve ever heard of Kubuntu, you know it’s a variant of Ubuntu that focuses on the KDE Plasma desktop – a brilliant desktop user interface. Kubuntu Focus, on the other hand, is a company dedicated to selling laptops and desktops powered by the Kubuntu OS.

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After receiving the Focus NX Geneunpacking and setting up, I turned on the power and watched Kubuntu load. Within seconds I was greeted by the onboarding wizard. In stark contrast to every Windows PC I’ve reviewed, it took me less than two minutes to get the NX Gen3 up and running.

My experience

Reviewing a Linux-powered laptop or PC is always a relief for me, because I know the operating system very well (so I know exactly what to expect) and it’s almost always a positive experience from start to finish.

The NX Gen3 was no exception.

The model I received included an Intel Ultra 7 255H, Arc T140 8 You can specify a system with up to 96GB of RAM, a 4TB drive, bringing the price up to $2,075.

Of course it’s KDE Plasma, so the desktop is beautiful. And yes, it has a dark theme by default, which I immediately adjusted. Once I had that taken care of, I ran the available updates (all of which took three minutes) and set out to do the one thing I always do when testing a new PC: push it to its limits.

How? Nowadays that’s quite easy. I installed Ollama, got the llama3.2 LLM and ran a query. I’ve become accustomed to slow responses to Ollama questions on review engines, and initially I thought the NX Gen3 would give me the same results. But after a few seconds, Ollama spat out the answer to the question “What is Linux?” much faster than I thought. In fact, I’ve never seen a small form factor PC respond so quickly to a local AI query.

Impressive.

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I then decided to download a larger LLM (gpt-oss:12b, which is 65 GB). Of course, it took forever (due to its size, which is no reflection on the NX Gen3. When it was done, I ran the same query (“What is Linux?”), which was significantly faster than the llama3.2 LLM. While gpt-oss:20 answered the query, I went around using other apps and, to my surprise, nothing was hindered by Ollama pounding the CPU. NX Gen3 gave no problems.

In addition to the AI ​​portion of my test, I also did actual daily tasks (installing apps, opening and using apps, moving windows, upgrading, browsing… you know the drill) and wasn’t the least bit surprised that the NX Gen3’s performance was absolutely stellar. I’d almost put this little machine on par with my System76 Thelio (the most powerful desktop PC I’ve ever used).

I’d go so far as to say that the Kubuntu Focus NX Gen3 PC is powerful enough for just about anything you need for average use. No, you’re not going to collect massive amounts of data or launch a ship to Mars with this computer, but for the average person the NX Gen3 offers well above average performance.

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Even with various KDE Plasma window effects active (such as Wobbly Windows), I didn’t see any slowdown, tearing, or pixelation.

No matter what I did with the NX Gen3 PC, I was impressed. This little machine is a powerhouse and would serve anyone well. And yes, KDE Plasma is a desktop environment suitable for people new to Linux. So whether you’re new to the open-source operating system or have been using it for years, you can rest assured that the Kubuntu Focus NX Gen3 PC will handle whatever task you throw at it.

I haven’t bothered to run any benchmarking tests on this machine as I prefer my reviews to be of value to those who would actually buy such a machine to use every day. Benchmarking is great, but those numbers don’t mean much to the average user.

ZDNT purchase advice

If you’re in the market for a new PC and want to finally jump aboard the Linux bandwagon, the Focus NX Gene is not only an excellent place to start, but also a great place to stay. This computer with a small footprint really impressed me. It’s powerful, quiet, easy to set up and a pleasure to use.

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If you’re nearing the end of life of your Windows 10 PC and are looking for something better than what’s on the shelves of the big box stores, check out the official Kubuntu Focus site and buy an NX Gen3 PC. You won’t regret it.

Technical specifications of Kubuntu Focus NX Gen3

I’ll list the basic 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 year limited
• Shipping – 3-6 days free shipping