Kubuntu Focus Ir16 Laptop Sets New Built-for-Linux Standard

The Linux Kubuntu Focus Iridium pre-built laptop line is a good alternative for running Linux on Windows PCs.

Focus Computers, founded almost five years ago as an alternative to Macs and Windowss, was created for developers, power users and productivity enthusiasts. The Ir16 and Ir14 are both Carbon Systems enterprise-class computers with Kubuntu’s Linux-first support and excellent OS integration.

Linux offers the ability to choose from dozens of different distributions that can be installed on virtually any desktop or laptop computer, new or old. This is a great strategy for Linux beginners who are looking for an operating system that they can install on existing computers.

By upgrading to Kubuntu’s powerful Linux-based system, you eliminate the possibility of hardware-related glitches. This saves you the trouble of downloading and installing multiple Linux OSes.

Kubuntu focus is a modified version of Kubuntu – one of the world’s most popular Linux distributions, based on Ubuntu. It has been tweaked for maximum performance, and it includes a collection of well-integrated system tools that are not available anywhere else.

The manufacturer is a good example. Kubuntu FocusThe second-generation laptops are now available. Iridium offers five models ranging in screen size from 14 inches to 15.6 and 17.3 inch.

The new Intel i5-13500h 12 core/16 thread processor and the 16-inch second generation laptop arrived in June. The new Ir16 is priced at $1145 and the Ir14 at $1080.

The internals of these laptops are quite impressive. Both laptops have an Intel i5-13500H processor with integrated Iris Xe graphic at 1.65 GHz. The backlit, no-flex keyboard offers excellent tactile feedback.

The large glass touchpad with a centered location supports scrolling, fast toggle, and multi-touch. Both models are equipped with dual-band WiFI 6, and Bluetooth 5.3.

I received an Ir16 as a loaner for review. This laptop exceeded my expectations.

Linux Users: A Worthwhile Switch of Approach

Purchasing a computer built specifically for Linux is neither new nor innovative. Some enterprise computer makers such as HP, Lenovo and Dell offer computers pre-installed in Linux instead of Microsoft Windows. Other manufacturers also offer their hardware with a selection of Linux distributions available on the market or in-house versions.

I’ve tried several pre-built Linux options, and most are less than perfect. I found that the Linux distros pre-installed were not to my taste or the desktop environments included in the packages did not appeal to me.

The manufacturer may not have fine-tuned the operating systems to optimize software performance for hardware. It was only possible to fix the problem by installing a different Linux distribution myself. That approach negated to me the value in buying a Linux computer that was already installed.

KFocus changed my view of purchasing a dedicated Linux PC. Kubuntu, which was launched in October 2004 is a Linux distribution that has a high reputation. It is an official Ubuntu flavor that uses KDE Plasma Desktop in place of Ubuntu’s Gnome default desktop environment.

Kubuntu’s Focus Iridium comes with the Kubuntu Suite. 24.04 LTS Noble Numbat. You can configure either laptop with up to dual-channel DDR5 96 GB RAM and dual NVMe 8.0 TB storage. Full-disk (but optional) encryption is included, and a YubiKey can be ordered.

KDE Plasma Desktop is something I’m very familiar with. I have become accustomed to it over the years. Focus’ installation was almost impossible to tolerate.

Instantly, I became a fan. A Hints Widget, displayed in the top-right corner on the desktop, provides useful hints to both Linux beginners and veterans.

Software Solutions are a Surprisingly Strong Selling Point

The KDE Plasma desktop that comes with other Kubuntu versions is a powerful computer environment. It is not intuitive or user-friendly.

I dislike the confusing and sometimes awkward operation of desktop widgets. The quality of the KDE-developed applications also disappointed me.

Focus addressed these shortcomings and more, with model-specific shortcuts to tile windows, switch desktops, access hardware controls such as brightness, volume and sleep mode, or take screenshots. The collection of apps that were specifically designed for this purpose was also very useful.

KDE Plasma community, which is available in the majority of Kubuntu editions, has KDE specific apps that run well on many installations. There are glitches depending on your hardware configuration.

The Curated Apps in the browser window makes it easy to find a program that is recommended for a particular purpose.

Durable Design Doubles Desirability

My unit met almost all of the criteria for performance, quality, and productivity. The Ir16 has a magnesium metal chassis with lid.

It came with 32 GB DDR5 and a Samsung storage drive of 1,000 GB at 3500 MBps. Measuring 14.1″ x 9.7″ x 0.7,” its 3.30 lbs. It was easy to transport. The display is a 16:10 wide angle LED (IPS/WUXGA), 450nit panel.

The system is Kubuntu LTS stock with Focus hardware integration and optimizations delivered on top. The developer also rejected the plans to release interim releases with updates every nine months.

The strategy of the developers paid off. The company decided to not create a separate Linux ecosystem and distribution with a second desktop environment. It “focused” instead on supporting Kubuntu and Ubuntu directly.

Be mindful of the LTS concept. If you install an interim version over the LTS or use another laptop environment, then the company won’t support or fix anything that doesn’t work.

Bottom Line

Kubuntu Focus Ir16 is a laptop that offers a significant improvement over other Linux pre-built laptops. Some modifications could make it even better.

The hardware, for example, has a decent but not exceptional selection of ports. There is one USB C, one USB A, a single HDMI and an SD Card reader.

Better ports could handle more peripherals. It also has no Ethernet port. I had to use a USB Ethernet Adapter which used one of the USB ports.

Focus is not designed to be attractive, but rather for functionality. The outer appearance of the Focus line is a dull, flat-black with no other branding to identify its make or model. Optionally, you can purchase a silver metal circular emblem.

You will get a laminated sticker instead. The lack of color in the case doesn’t help to create a brand that is classy.

Credits: Images featured in this post are either courtesy of Kubuntu or taken by the writer.

Suggestions for a Review

Would you like to recommend a Linux application or distribution for review? You love something or you’d like to learn about it?

Email your ideas to me, And I’ll take them into consideration for a future article.

Use the reader comments feature to share your thoughts!