Kubuntu Focus Laptop is Now Ready for Pre-Order

If you’ve ever wanted a KDE-specific, Linux-powered laptop, now’s your chance.

The Kubuntu Focus is a new Linux laptop effort set to marry the Kubuntu Linux distro and a laptop aimed specifically for gamers, power users, developers, video editors, and anyone who seeks performance and seamless Linux compatibility.

And now, this brand new laptop is ready for pre-order.

The laptop was born from a collaboration between Kubuntu, Tuxedo Computers, and MindShareManagement Inc. The Focus will not only highlight the KDE desktop environment, it will be the first officially recognized laptop created specifically for the Kubuntu Linux distribution.

Kubuntu Focus: A new top-of-the-line Linux laptop arrives

For years, there have been high-powered Linux laptops like Dell's XPS 13 Developer Edition, System76's Serval WS, and ZaReason's UltraLap 6440 i5, but I've never seen anything quite as powerful out of the box as the Kubuntu Focus from the Kubuntu Council, MindShareManagement, and Tuxedo Computer.

The specs alone are pretty darn impressive. It starts with the CPU. The Focus uses an Intel Core i7-9750H 6 core 4.5GHz Turbo processor. There are faster CPUs out there, but you're not going to find many of them in a laptop. This is backed up by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 GPU with 6GB of video RAM.

To run applications with all that processor power, the Focus comes with 32GB of Dual Channel DDR4 2666 RAM. This, in turn, gets its data from a 1TB Samsung 970 EVO Plus NVMe-connected Solid-State Drive (SSD).

What all that horsepower gives you is an outstanding performance. With the CPU set to 'Performance' mode via the CPU frequency widget, GeekBench 5.0.4, I saw single core measurements of 1,292 and a multi-core rating of 5,734. There are maxed up faster desktop systems, but you'd need to look long and hard for laptops that can give it a run for its money.

That said, you may find yourself using the Focus in desktop mode more often than you'd like. With great power comes great battery drain. Running the machine hard, I saw a battery life of just less than three hours. When not beating the heck out of it, it came in at a respectable three and a half hours. Still, I'm used to getting five or six hours out of a laptop these days.

Kubuntu Focus: First Boot And Initial Impressions Of This Powerful New Linux Laptop

Tuxedo Computers and the Kubuntu Council recently introduced us to the Kubuntu Focus, a premium Linux laptop designed for power users, developers and gamers. I’ve cracked open my review unit and wanted to introduce a series of articles by taking a first look at the modified KDE desktop and start exploring what distinguishes this particular laptop from the crowd.

You can buy the official Kubuntu 'Focus' Linux laptop now

Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux-based desktop operating systems in the world. Why? Well, it is easy to use, preloaded with useful software, and has one of the best online communities.

Not everyone likes the default GNOME desktop environment, however, so some folks opt for different flavors of Ubuntu, such as Xububtu (which uses Xfce) or Kubuntu (which uses KDE Plasma). Speaking of the latter, today, you can buy an official Kubuntu laptop. Called "Focus". It is an absolutely powerhouse with top specs.

The Official Kubuntu 'Focus' Linux Laptop Goes on Sale

Here’s a Kubuntu Exclusive Linux Laptop Priced at $2285

We have a lot of manufacturers focusing on Linux laptops nowadays. For instance, the latest $200 Pinebook Pro laptop. And, of course, System 76 also makes some of the best Linux laptops for several years.

Now, The Kubuntu Council, MindShareManagement Inc, and Tuxedo Computers teamed up to come up with a premium Kubuntu-powered laptop for power users: Kubuntu Focus.

Here, let me highlight some of the key specifications of the laptop and what you need to know about it.

Kubuntu Focus KDE Laptop Launches New $1,795 USD Base Model

Formally announced earlier this month was Kubuntu Focus as the most polished KDE laptop we've ever tested. Besides offering a great KDE desktop experience, the Kubuntu Focus offers high-end specs while now there is a slightly cheaper base model introduced.

The Kubuntu Focus is great for a KDE laptop, but the former base pricing of $2,395 was a bit tough to swallow for some. The Kubuntu Focus crew has now introduced a new $1,795 USD base model that while still pricey is a bit easier to manage in comparison to other high-end laptops.

Kubuntu Focus Linux laptop now available (for $1800 and up)

The Kubuntu Focus is a premium notebook with a 16.1 inch display, an Intel Core i7-9750H hexa-core processor, and NVIDIA RTX graphics. But the most unusual feature is that rather than Windows, it ships with Kubuntu — a version of Ubuntu Linux with the KDE desktop environment.

First announced in December, the Kubuntu Focus is now available for purchase, and it should ship in early February.

The notebook has also received a bit of a price cut — rather than starting at $2300 as originally planned, there’s now a more affordable entry-level model with a $1800 price tag.

Kubuntu Focus Linux Laptop Now Has a Cheaper Version

The officially recognized Kubuntu Focus Linux laptop now has a cheaper version, which makes the powerful machine more affordable to those who want to buy a Linux computer.

Announced earlier this month, the Kubuntu Focus laptop now has new configuration options starting a US $1,795 for the base model, which comes with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GPU, 16GB RAM, 250GB Samsung EVO Plus NVMe storage, one 180W power supply, and one year limited warranty. Previously, the cheapest version cost US $2,285.

The Kubuntu-Powered Premium Laptop is Available for Purchase

We recently wrote an article on buying a Linux preloaded laptop from the best 16 places.

Kubuntu Council has announced a premium Kubundu powered laptop called Kubuntu Focus.

Kubuntu Focus Laptop is a collaboration of Mindshare Management Inc, and Tuxedo Computers.

Most vendors offer Ubuntu running laptops with GNOME, except few.

But this is a new option for Linux users to experiment with Ubuntu’s KDE flavor.

In the news: Kubuntu Focus Laptop Is Now Ready...

The Kubuntu Focus is a new Linux laptop effort set to marry the Kubuntu Linux distro (https://kubuntu.org/) and a laptop aimed specifically for gamers, power users, developers, video editors, and anyone who seeks performance and seamless Linux compatibility. This brand new laptop is ready for preorder (https://kubuntufocus.myshopify.com/).

The laptop was born from a collaboration between Kubuntu, TUXEDO Computers, and MindShareManagement Inc. The Kubuntu Focus will not only highlight the KDE desktop environment, but it will be the first officially recognized laptop created specifically for the Kubuntu Linux distribution.

But before you visit the site for preorder, understand this is a premium piece of hardware with a premium price tag. The hardware specs alone should clue you in on the price.

Exploring the Kubuntu Focus laptop

If you're a gamer, a developer, or a Linux power user who appreciates powerful hardware, you might be ready for the Focus – a high-end Linux laptop built and tested for Kubuntu.

The Kubuntu Focus [1] is a high-performance laptop outfitted and optimized for maximum compatibility with Kubuntu and its KDE desktop. The Focus, which is produced by the Kubuntu Council, Tuxedo Computers, and MindShareManagement Inc., is the brainchild of MindShareManagement CEO Mike Mikowski. I first heard about this initiative through my role as Councilor for the Kubuntu project. Mike had approached the council via former council member Ovidiu-Florin Bogdan, with whom I co-host the Kubuntu Kafe live stream meetup and podcast.

The idea of the Focus is to provide a highly polished, high-performance laptop computer targeting workflows for web designers, developers, and professional creators. The goal is to offer a "Power out of the Box" experience beyond that of the PC and MacBook.