Kubuntu Focus NX Gen 3 mini PC lineup launched with Intel Arrow Lake-H processors and pre-installed Linux distro

The mini PC and desktop division of Kubuntu is refreshing the Focus NX series with the latest Intel Arrow Lake mobile processors. The previous gen was powered by the Alder Lake chips, but the new Gen 3 models feature either the Core Ultra 5 225H or the Core Ultra 7 255H SoCs.

It looks like the Gen 3 models are actually rebranded Asus NUC 15 Pro Slim units that come with pre-installed Kubuntu and some customized tools like an integrated System Rollback to help prevent compatibility issues, power and fan tools, 1-click app installer, plus a more welcoming UI that eases in users coming from Windows.

Internal tests conducted by the Kubuntu team reveal that the new Arrow Lake processors provide 22% faster single-core performance, while the multi-core performance gains may reach 50%. The biggest leap over the last gen models is brought by the integrated Arc GPUs that could deliver up to 3x more FPS and also enable advanced options like XeSS. Additionally, the SoC comes with a 13 TOPS NPU for AI-powered apps.

Two SO-DIMM slots allow users to add up to 96 GB DDR5-5600 RAM, whereas the storage side features two M.2 slots, one with PCie 5.0 support and the other limited to PCie 4.0 for up to 6 TB total capacity.

Port selection is quite generous for the unit that measures 117 x 112 x 37 mm (4.6 x 4.4 x 1.5 inches) as it features 2x Thunderbolt 4 connectors, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen2X2, 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB 2.0, 2x HDMI 2.1 video outs, 2.5 GbE jack, but no audio jack. Wireless connectivity is enabled through a Wi-Fi 7 + BT 5.4 card.

Price-wise, the Kubuntu Focus NX Gen 3 is a bit more expensive than the Asus models that come with pre-installed Windows. For reference, the Asus NUC 15 Pro Slim barebones with Core Ultra 7 255H is priced at $684, while the Kubuntu mini PC version with the same CPU, 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD costs $1,090. The Core Ultra 5 225H option starts at $895.