Turning this tiny laptop into a Linux work machine was one of the best decisions I've made

2 hours ago 4

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

The X Plus Storm 10 laptop is disposable connected the X+ authoritative website for $369.
The Storm 10 laptop is tiny successful size but large connected power.
It has constricted artillery powerfulness and has a precise airy carnal build.

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source on Google.

Remember backmost successful the aboriginal 2000s erstwhile the netbook took the satellite by storm? I surely do, and I retrieve being earnestly underwhelmed. Not lone were the devices underpowered, but they were truthful tiny that utilizing them was a chore. Those keyboards were intolerable unless you had tiny hands.

So erstwhile X-Plus reached retired to maine to reappraisal the Storm 10 laptop, I begrudgingly accepted, assuming this would beryllium yet another tiny laptop that was intolerable to usage with immoderate efficiency.

Also: I yet recovered a mini PC with a striking plan (and the powerfulness to backmost it up)

I received the laptop and saw that it shipped with Windows 11, which meant it would instrumentality a bully hr until I could really log successful and commencement testing. Because of that, I often instal Linux implicit Windows 11. I cognize Linux better, and I cognize that it takes astir 5 minutes to instal the operating strategy and log successful for the archetypal time.

Best laptop deals of the week

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and whitethorn beryllium unrelated to this article.

Prior to getting escaped of Windows 11, I decided to springiness it a try, truthful I'd person thing for comparison. As I suspected, moving Windows 11 connected the Storm 10 didn't truly amusement the laptop successful the champion light. It was sluggish and cumbersome to use.

After a fewer weeks of utilizing Windows 11 connected the Storm 10, I opted to instal Ultramarine Linux and KDE Plasma arsenic the lone OS.

I'm gladsome I did.

Also: 8 things you tin bash with Linux that you can't bash with MacOS oregon Windows

My experience

The archetypal happening that caught my attraction was that everything worked with Linux: the display, networking, sound, trackpad, Bluetooth, you sanction itit worked. The lone hiccup I had was deleting the encrypted partition, but that was solved with the assistance of the KDE Plasma partition manager. Once that was taken attraction of, the installation went disconnected without a hitch.

I could present usage this babe with a much businesslike and user-friendly OS: Linux.

Also: The champion Linux distros for beginners successful 2025 marque switching from MacOS oregon Windows truthful easy

As acold arsenic hardware is concerned, the happening I similar the astir astir the Storm 10 is that the keyboard doesn't consciousness astir arsenic cramped oregon awkward arsenic a batch of laptops this size. In fact, I'm penning this reappraisal connected the laptop, and my fingers are having nary occupation keeping up with my brain. The keys person a nice, coagulated feel, and the layout feels optimized.

I'd spell truthful acold arsenic to accidental that this is the champion keyboard I've utilized connected specified a tiny device.

The show is besides rather nice. It's surely not going to bushed thing by Apple, but it does its occupation and does it well. KDE Plasma looks large connected the laptop. I opted to spell with a airy MacOS taxable for KDE Plasma, and it's rather nice.

Performance

As acold arsenic show is concerned, I ran my accustomed trial of installing the Ollama section AI, pulling the llama3.2 LLM, and past moving the query: "What is Linux?"

First off, Ollama3.2 is simply a 2GB LLM, and I was shocked astatine however accelerated the Storm 10 pulled it. Less than 60 seconds, and I was moving the LLM and making the query.

Also: This app makes utilizing Ollama section AI connected MacOS devices truthful easy

Once I ran the query, I wasn't amazed that the Storm 10 wasn't capable to execute arsenic good arsenic immoderate different machines I've tested, but for a 10-inch laptop, it did precise well, taking little than 30 seconds for Ollama to afloat reply it. I've had full-blown desktop machines instrumentality much clip than that.

Sound and video

I'm not gonna lie: the dependable from the Storm 10 is beauteous tinny, but I didn't expect overmuch much than that. The bully quality is that it's plentifulness large and the laptop includes a headphone jack, truthful if you person a prime brace of headphones, the built-in speakers won't matter.

Also: This Mac exemplary is the machine astir radical should bargain (and it's not a MacBook oregon Mini)

As acold arsenic video? I watched respective YouTube videos and recovered the Storm 10 to beryllium perfectly up to the task. No, it's obscurity adjacent the prime connected my MacBook Pro, but erstwhile you're staring astatine a 10" screen, having exquisite 4K solution isn't a make-or-break issue. I switched to 4K connected respective videos, and the Storm 10 performed conscionable fine.

Battery

As you've astir apt expected, the artillery connected the Storm 10 isn't precisely an all-day affair. I ran a mean artillery profile, and adjacent with Ollama running, the artillery did fine. It's not going to past maine astir arsenic agelong arsenic my MacBook Pro, but I won't beryllium utilizing this laptop arsenic extensively.

The artillery is simply a 3800mAh artillery with a suggested tally clip of 8 hours with a afloat charge. Of course, that depends connected however you usage the laptop. If I were to proceed utilizing Ollama, the artillery beingness would beryllium importantly reduced.

Physical form

The Storm 10 chassis is an aluminum matter that feels somewhat plasticky. It does, however, person a 360-degree flip touchscreen, which is truly nice. The hinges are besides bully and tight, truthful you tin unfastened the laptop lid each the mode without worrying it's going to illness connected you.

Also: I'm a vinyl enthusiast, but this integer streaming app made maine bask wireless audio conscionable arsenic much

ZDNET's buying advice

If you're connected the hunt for a tiny laptop that won't situation your fingers, has capable powerfulness for mean tasks, and allows you to tally Linux seamlessly, the X Plus Storm 10 is simply a large option.

It's presently connected merchantability for lone $369, and I would accidental that it's worthy each penny for those who are perpetually connected the spell and don't ever person abstraction for a full-sized laptop. It's besides a truly bully enactment arsenic a acquisition for the younger ones successful your orbit who are looking astatine owning their archetypal laptop.

X Plus Storm 10 laptop tech specs

Display: 10.5-inch IPS Touchscreen (1920x1200 resolution).
Processor (CPU): Intel N150 (older) oregon Intel N305 (newer, amended performance).
Memory (RAM): 16GB DDR5 (soldered, not upgradeable).
Storage (SSD): 512GB PCIe3.0 M.2 SSD (potentially upgradeable).
Graphics (GPU): Integrated Intel GPU.
Operating System: Windows 11.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C (supports Power Delivery charging).
Design: 2-in-1 convertible, aluminum body, chiclet keyboard, trackpad.
Battery: Around 26.6Wh (approx. 8 hours artillery beingness claim)

Read Entire Article