KDE Slimbook II Linux laptops receive Kaby Lake i5 and i7 processors

Not too long ago, KDE and a Spanish hardware maker known as Odin Group teamed up and released the KDE Slimbook as "the only professional laptop with KDE's seal of approval." The hardware specs of that notebook included Skylake i5 and i7 processors, up to 16 GB RAM and 500 GB SSD storage, as well as a 13.3-inch full HD display. The recently introduced KDE Slimbook II comes with a thinner and lighter design, newer processors, more maximum storage, and other improvements.

Although the KDE Slimbook II does not come with the latest Intel processors, the hardware specs are not that bad. The most important part is that this machine has been developed with KDE and runs an operating system that was specifically tailored for it. Known as KDE Neon, it is based on Ubuntu and comes with a rich collection of pre-installed programs, such as LibreOffice, Firefox, VLC, and KDE's own software suite that includes the Dolphin file explorer, the Kdenlive non-linear video editor, as well as the Kontact calendar, email, and task manager.

Returning to the hardware, we should mention the Intel Core i5-7200U and Intel Core i7-7500U processor options, up to 16 GB RAM, up to 1 TB SSD storage, USB 3.1 Type-C connectivity, and the 13.3-inch full HD matte display. Compared to its 3-pound and 0.6-inch thick predecessor, the new Slimbook is about an ounce lighter and 0.1-inch thinner.

While the KDE Slimbook II is not cheap, it definitely looks like a tempting choice for those who think that the Ubuntu-powered Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition is too expensive and having no seal of approval from KDE can be considered a problem. The Core i5-powered Slimbook II starts at US$856, while its Core i7-driven sibling has a price tag of around US$978.