I tested a premium Linux laptop that's as light as it is powerful - here's why I love it

6 hours ago 5

Kubuntu Focus Ar Gen 1 Laptop

pros and cons

Pros

More than enough performance, even for AI.
Brilliant display.
Keyboard is built like a tank.

Cons

Ships with the Kubuntu Linux distribution and starts at $1,950, which is a little pricy.

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I've used and tested many Linux laptops over the years; sometimes they fall flat, and sometimes they rise above the competition. When a "lightweight and fast" laptop comes to my attention promising "a compelling balance of performance, features, value, and reliability," I take notice -- and hope it lives up to the claims.

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So when Kubuntu Focus reached out about the Ar Gen 1, you can bet I was interested. I've tested Kubuntu Focus hardware before (such as the NX Gen 3), and they always impress. My hopes were high for this new laptop.

When the laptop arrived, I pulled it out of the box, and the first thing I noticed was the weight. Compared to my 13-inch MacBook Pro, this 16-inch laptop is noticeably lighter. At 3.13 pounds, this baby is hardly noticeable on my lap. Although the chassis might feel a bit plasticky, it's actually all machined metal with polymer key caps for high durability (more on the keys in a bit).

There is a lot of good to say about this laptop… a lot. I'll start with the setup. If you're used to purchasing MacOS or Windows laptops and desktops, buying one with Linux preinstalled is going to be a serious wake-up call.

After booting the Ar Gen 1 and entering the default disk encryption key (which is listed in the quick setup reference guide that comes in the box), all you have to do is set up your user account. That's it. Once you've done that, you'll find yourself at the login screen. Select your user, type the password, and you're in. It took me about two minutes from start to first login. Try that with a new MacOS or Windows laptop.

You'll also need to connect to your wireless network. Once that's done, you'll most likely be prompted to update the software. Initial setup is as quick and painless as it gets.

Next comes the display: It's a beautiful matte-finish 16-inch LED IPS panel at 165Hz with a 2560 x 1600 resolution. You get a max brightness of 450 nits, 150/150/150 degree viewing angles, as well as a 180 "lay flat" open angle, 100% sRGB color, and the ability to connect up to two external 4K monitors (using USB-C and HDMI).

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The default desktop is KDE Plasma, which supports a wide range of configurations and themes. The default theme does include a handy hint widget that gives you a short list of keyboard shortcuts for things like Quick Launch, System Monitor, Desktop Show, Overview Toggle, and Touchpad Toggle. It's a nice touch, especially for new KDE Plasma users.

There are also five desktop icons: Kubuntu Website, Curated Apps, Guided Solutions, Feature Guide, and Reference pages. For example, the Curated Apps launcher opens the default web browser to a page listing all the apps that have been tested and are recommended for use with the Kubuntu Ar Gen 1 laptop.

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The Guided Solutions link takes you to a page that includes how-tos to help you get going, the Feature Guide lists features found in the Kubuntu Focus laptop, and the Reference Page is all about help and FAQs.

As for performance, you're getting a laptop powered by an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H Panther Lake CPU with a 1.9 GHz Base, 4.8 GHz Turbo, 16 Cores, 16 Threads, and 18 MB Smart Cache. It's fast.

Combine that with 32 GB of RAM and you have yourself one high-performing laptop. To experience that power, start opening several apps and you'd be hard pressed to watch the Ar Gen 1 stutter. I did do my usual and install Ollama, but when I went to install it, I found that Snap was the default universal package manager and using Ollama/Alpaca with Snap is a real PITA. I decided to install Flatpak, so I could use the standard Ollama installation, knowing it would all work.

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In the end, I wound up using Ollama from the command line and it performed exactly how I'd expect from a premium laptop: flawlessly. While having Ollama write a Linux application for the KDE Plasma desktop, I continued working and never noticed so much as a hiccup.

Battery life on this laptop is quite good. It arrived fully charged. After setup, update, installing several apps, running Ollama, and writing this article, the battery was still at 69% (and that's after sitting idle overnight). The battery is a 73 WHr embedded smart lithium-ion with up to (according to the marketing material) up to 12 hours of modest use with medium-low display brightness and 10 hours of battery life with typical usage. The Ar Gen 1 battery can reach 100% with 90-minutes of fast-charge.

There is really not much bad to say about the Kubuntu Focus Ar Gen 1 laptop. In fact, I really had to dive deep into the realm of nitpicking to find something to label "bad." In the end, the only bad thing I could come up with was the action of the keys. They are really stiff. If you're a light-handed typist (as I am), these keys take some getting used to. However, once you do grow accustomed to the keys, they feel rock solid (and I do love their font).

ZDNET's buying advice

If I were in the market for a new laptop, you can bet I would highly consider the Ar Gen 1. This laptop screams premium and with its lightweight and large display, it makes using it effortless. Of course, the first thing I would do is change the theme to one that's lighter and less boring (come on, what's up with these dark themes?).

As for the price, the base unit starts at $1,950, so it is a bit steep. Given the cost of chips these days, that's no surprise. But if you've ever purchased a MacBook Pro, you're used to this level of price point.

Kubuntu Focus Ar Gen 1 tech specs

OS: Kubuntu 26.04 LTS with KDE Plasma 6.6 LTS
Display: 16.0" (406mm) LED IPS @ 165 Hz, WQXGA 2560 x 1600 16:10, Narrow Bezel Matte, Max Brightness 450 nits, Viewing Angles > 150/150/150°, "Lay-flat" 180° open angle, Vibrant > 100% sRGB Color, Connect up to 2 external 4K (3840 x 2160) displays @ 60+ Hz with USB-C and HDMI.
CPU: Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, Panther Lake Series, 1.9 GHz Base, 4.8 GHz Turbo, 16 Cores,, 16 Threads, 18 MB Smart Cache.
GPU: Intel Arc® B390 Graphics, 12 Xe Units up to 2.5 GHz, Shared System VRAM
Memory: Built-in dual-channel LPDDR5X RAM, 32GB capacity, 7467 MHz frequency
Storage: 1 x M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4 x 4, Read/Write Speeds up to 7450/6900 MB/s
Chassis: All Machined Metal External Surfaces, High-Durability Polymer Key Caps, 3.13 lb (1.42 kg) with Battery, 14.1 x 10.0 x 0.8 in (358 x 253 x 20 mm), User-Accessible Components Include Disk, Wi-Fi, Battery, Fans
Battery: 73 WHr Embedded Smart Lithium-Ion Battery, Up To 12 Hours of Modest Use with, Medium-Low Display Brightness, 10 Hours Typical, 90-Minute (Est.) Fast-Charge
Network/Bluetooth: Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE211, M.2 2230 Card, Triple-Band 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz, 2x2 Communication Channels, 300 Mbit/s @2.4 GHz; 2.4 Gbit/s @ 5 GHz; 5.8Gbit/s @ 6 GHz, Dual-Mode Bluetooth 6.0
Webcam: 2.0 MegaPixel HD 1080p (1920 x 1080), Top-Center Mounted, Integrated Microphone Array, Physical Security Shutter, In-Use White LED Indicator
PORTS: 1 x USB-C 3.2 / Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort, Up to 40 Gbit/s, 1 x USB-C 3.2 / DC-IN 65 W, Up to 10 Gbit/s, 1 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x USB-A 3.2. 1 x MicroSD Card Reader, 1 x 2-in-1 Audio

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