One of the strengths of Linux is that it runs on almost any device right out the box, without the need to go hunting for drivers. Many of these devices are ones which originally shipped with Windows, and typically finding a device running Linux from the outset can be quite difficult due to the narrow range of products. Now the range got slightly wider.
The latest device to come pre-installed with Linux is the KDE Slimbook, the end product is the result of a collaboration between the Spanish company Slimbook and the KDE community. The reason this ultra-thin computer was conceived is detailed on the Slimbook website:
“We were not content with the quality of laptops available on the market. The majority shipped with proprietary and locked-in software solutions, filled with not-uninstallable bloat where the user was left at the mercy of whatever the company selling them a laptop saw fit for them to work with. As creators and makers we knew what it meant to be locked into a set of solutions defined by others. Many alternatives took whatever hardware they could find when they wanted to provide more free options and the end result was often lackluster and as such, lowering the enjoyment in using the computer, our main tool in creating, and shipping with underwhelming specs.
We saw a problem, and we solved it: The KDE Slimbook.”
The device comes in two variants, an i5 model and an i7 model. The i5 model starts at €729. Its specifications are detailed below:
- 6th generation Intel i5 processor – Intel i5-6200U @ 2.3GHz
- OS: KDE Neon (Ubuntu-based)
- Display: 13.3 inches
- Resolution: 1920x1080
- Graphics card: Intel Graphics HD 520
- Material: Aluminum
- 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x mini-HDMI out
- Colour: Grey
- RAM: 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB
- SSD: 120GB SSD (Upgradeable)
- Keyboard: Led backlight
The i7 edition starts from €849 and includes the same specifications as the i5 version, minus the i5 processor which has been switched out for an Intel i7-6500U processor clocked at 2.5GHz. The ultra-thin laptops weigh 1.36kg and measure 33 x 22 x 1.8cm.
The KDE Slimbook is already available for pre-order from the Slimbook website and they’re expected to ship in mid-March, 2017.
Source: OMG! Ubuntu! | KDE Slimbook image via Slimbook
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