I Converted This Tiny Laptop Into A Linux Work Machine, And It Shouldn't Work This Well

5 days ago

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

The X Plus Storm 10 laptop is disposable connected nan X+ charismatic website for $369.
The Storm 10 laptop is mini successful size but large connected power.
It has constricted artillery powerfulness and has a very ray beingness build.

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

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

Also: I yet recovered a mini PC pinch a striking creation (and nan powerfulness to backmost it up)

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

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

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

I'm gladsome I did.

Also: 8 things you tin do pinch Linux that you can't do pinch MacOS aliases Windows

My experience

The first point that caught my attraction was that everything worked pinch Linux: nan display, networking, sound, trackpad, Bluetooth, you sanction itit worked. The only hiccup I had was deleting nan encrypted partition, but that was solved pinch nan thief of nan KDE Plasma partition manager. Once that was taken attraction of, nan installation went disconnected without a hitch.

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

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

As acold arsenic hardware is concerned, nan point I for illustration nan astir about nan Storm 10 is that nan keyboard doesn't consciousness astir arsenic cramped aliases awkward arsenic a batch of laptops this size. In fact, I'm penning this reappraisal connected nan laptop, and my fingers are having nary problem keeping up pinch my brain. The keys person a nice, coagulated feel, and nan layout feels optimized.

I'd spell truthful acold arsenic to opportunity that this is nan champion keyboard I've utilized connected specified a mini device.

The show is besides rather nice. It's surely not going to hit thing by Apple, but it does its occupation and does it well. KDE Plasma looks awesome connected nan laptop. I opted to spell pinch a ray MacOS taxable for KDE Plasma, and it's rather nice.

Performance

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

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

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

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

Sound and video

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

As acold arsenic video? I watched respective YouTube videos and recovered nan Storm 10 to beryllium perfectly up to nan task. No, it's obscurity adjacent nan value 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 did move to 4K connected respective videos, and nan Storm 10 did conscionable fine.

Also: This Mac exemplary is nan machine astir group should bargain (and it's not a MacBook aliases Mini)

Battery

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

The artillery is simply a 3800mAh artillery pinch a suggested tally clip of 8 hours pinch a afloat charge. Of course, that depends connected really you usage nan laptop. If I were to support utilizing Ollama, nan artillery life would beryllium trim down dramatically.

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 really nice. The hinges are besides bully and tight, truthful you tin unfastened nan laptop lid each nan measurement 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 nan hunt for a mini laptop that won't situation your fingers, has capable powerfulness for mean tasks, and allows you to tally Linux seamlessly, nan X Plus Storm 10 is simply a awesome option.

It's presently connected waste for only $369, and I would opportunity that it's worthy each penny for those who are perpetually connected nan spell and don't ever person abstraction for a full-sized laptop. It's besides a really bully action arsenic a gift for nan younger ones successful your orbit who are looking astatine owning their first laptop.

X Plus Storm 10 laptop tech specs

Display: 10.5-inch IPS Touchscreen (1920x1200 resolution).
Processor (CPU): Intel N150 (older) aliases 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 life claim)