Image: MindShare
As part of its "Kubuntu Focus" project, the US distributor MindShare has launched the "Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen4", a high-end Linux laptop with an Intel Core i7-12700H, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop GPU and a 165 Hz QHD Panel presented, which should offer Linux users the highest possible performance and compatibility.
High-end Linux laptop with Alder Lake and Ampere
The Lambda Tensorbook from Razer, which is specifically aimed at professional users in the field of deep learning, is now facing competition, which is also at the top of the hardware shelf at just as high prices and relies on the hybrid CPUs of the Alder Lake type and mobile GPUs of the Ampere generation. In terms of hardware, the notebooks also have a 165 Hz QHD panel in common.
The Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen4, which uses Kubuntu (an official derivative of Ubuntu, Canonical's well-known Linux distribution, with the highly modular free desktop KDE Plasma) as its operating system, has the following specifications.
Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen4 Specifications
CPU
Intel Core i7-12700H
R.A.M.
16 GB (2× 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL22 in dual channel32 GB (2× 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL22 in dual channel64 GB (2× 32 GB) DDR4-3200 CL22 in dual channel
GPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU @ 130 Watts*
3,840 CUDA cores, 6 GB GDDR6@14 GbpsNvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti laptop GPU @ 140 watts*
5,888 CUDA cores, 8 GB GDDR6@14 GbpsNvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop GPU @ 155 watts*
7,424 CUDA cores, 16 GB GDDR6@14 Gbps
SSD
PCIe SSD(s) from Samsung with 1× 500 GB to 2× 2 TB
PCIe 4.0 x4
3,500 Gbps and 2,700 Gbps (Write)
Screen
15.6" QHD IPS display
2,560 × 1,440 pixels, 165 Hz, 5 ms, 100% DCI-P3
Connectivity
1× Thunderbolt 4 with 40 Gbps1× Wi-Fi 6 formerly IEEE 802.11ax with 2×2 MIMO1× Bluetooth 5.2 with 2×2 MIMO1× RJ-47 Gigabit Ethernet1× DisplayPort 1.4a1× HDMI 2.0
Battery pack
80 Wh for 3.5 to 6.5 hours (iGPU) runtime
*) including Dynamic Boost 2.0
MindShare also offers a detailed graphical overview of all external connections of the Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen4, which weighs 2.4 kg with dimensions of 358 × 240 × 24 mm (W×D×H).
The Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen4 offers numerous connections (Image: MindShare)
Also interesting for playing under Linux
The other extras of the Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen4, which is based on Kubuntu 22.04 LTS and KDE Plasma 5.24 and, unlike the Lambda Tensorbook developed by Razer, is also addressed to gamers according to MindShare, include a keyboard with RGB lighting and a dedicated "Kubuntu Superkey, a 2-megapixel 1080p webcam and noise-cancelling microphone.
Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen4
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The large touchpad with multi-gesture control measures 121 × 73 mm, while the built-in speakers have a rated power of 2 × 2 watts.
A tailor-made distribution
Based on Kubuntu 22.04 LTS, the "Kubuntu Focus" project implements its own tailor-made distribution. In addition to its own and adapted system tools, for example for controlling the RGB lighting of the keyboard and the selection of various predefined modes and presets for either more performance or more battery life, the adapted operating system also offers additional kernels.
Unlike the official Ubuntu foundation, which as an LTS release with Linux 5.15 LTS also relies on a system kernel with long-term support, the latest Linux 5.17.x is already available for selection on the Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen4.
Starting at $1,895 in the US and Canada
Priced at $1,895 before tax, the Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen4 combines a Core i7-12700H, 16GB DDR4-3200, a 500GB PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD, and a GeForce RTX 3060 laptop GPU.
The top configuration with 64 GB of DDR4-3200 CL22, 4 TB of SSD storage and a GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop GPU is priced at $4,610. The notebook can now be personalized using the configurator and then ordered. For the time being, the model is reserved for customers from the USA and Canada.
