A rare Linux laptop sale is happening right now
The Linux-first brand's two top-tier models are hundreds of dollars off.
Kubuntu Focus, a Michigan-based brand of computers that come with the Kubuntu Linux distribution preinstalled, has put two of their laptops on sale. They're discounts of $200 or $300, depending on the model you choose.
Happening now
In a company news post last week, Kubuntu Focus announced a temporary discount on its two top-tier laptops, the Focus M2 (Gen 7) and the higher-caliber Focus Zr (Gen 2).
- The Focus M2, which normally starts at $3,395 and goes up based on your configuration choices, is now priced at $3,195. The M2 is a 16-inch laptop with an Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti dedicated graphics card.
- The base model for the Focus Zr saw a price drop from $4,395 to $4,095. For your money, you get an 18-inch laptop featuring either an Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti card (or the 5080 Ti if you don't mind opening your wallet $800 further).
Kubuntu Focus
These Focus model generations were announced in June when they both got CPU refreshes. Both models come with Kubuntu 26.04 LTS preinstalled along with the company's own "KFS" suite of software for configuring and managing your Kubuntu workstation. The laptops have guaranteed long-term desktop support via the "bullet-proof KDE" program announced in August. You also get free shipping within the continental United States and Canada.
Zooming out
Why this announcement matters: U.S.-based, Linux-first computer retailers are rare, and sales from them are even rarer. The costs of computers in general have skyrocketed, so finding decent deals (outside of Amazon and other big monopolizing retailers) is a real challenge.
My take: I've reviewed multiple Kubuntu Focus laptops, including the previous-generation Focus M2, and I liked them so much I bought one of them myself. I'm happy with it, so if I were in the market for another laptop, I'd consider taking advantage of the sale.
Jordan Gloor
Diving in
Go further: Go to the Kubuntu Focus blog for more details, which includes information on the upcoming Plasma 6.6.7 upgrade and the path to upgrade to Kubuntu 26.04 LTS.
Get it now: Head to the official order page for the Focus M2 or the Focus Zr to configure your laptop and take advantage of the sale.
- While the discounts were live when this article was published, the Kubuntu Focus team didn't give a specific expiration date. They did indicate it's temporary: "You may want to hurry: component costs keep increasing, and stock is limited, so this sale may not last long."
