System76 said on Tuesday that it has updated its Lemur-branded laptop with Intel’s new seventh-generation “Kaby Lake” processors. This laptop specifically ships with Ubuntu 16.04.01 LTS (64-bit) installed, thus offering a cheaper price point than an identical solution packing Windows 10. Pricing for the Lemur starts at $700.
According to the product page, this laptop provides five areas that can be configured: processor, memory, operating system drive, additional storage, and the type of Wireless AC connectivity. On the processor front, there are only two choices: the Intel Core i3-7100U (default) and the Intel Core i7-7500U (an added $160).
Here are the base hardware components:
| Processor: | Intel Core i3-7100U @ 2.4GHz |
| Display: | 14.1 inch IPS panel |
| Resolution: | 1,920 x 1,080 |
| Graphics: | Integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 |
| Memory: | 4GB DDR4L @ 2,400MHz |
| Storage: | 500GB 7,200RPM hard drive |
| Networking: | Wireless AC, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth |
| Webcam: | 1,280 x 960 resolution |
| Battery: | 44Wh (removable) |
| Ports: | 1x USB 3.1 Type-C 1x USB 3.0 Type-A 1x USB 2.0 Type-A 1x SD card reader 1x HDMI 1x VGA 1x headphone jack 1x microphone jack |
| Weight: | 3.6 pounds |
| Size: | 13.4 x 9.5 x 0.9 inches |
On the memory front, the laptop can be configured with 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB of DDR4L memory (2x slots). As for storage, options include a 250GB M.2 SSD, a 500GB M.2 SSD, a 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD, a 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD, and a 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD. In order to cram a second storage device into the laptop, customers must first choose an SSD as the primary drive, and then tack on the additional 4TB 2.5 inch SSD for an extra $1,680.
As for the wireless networking options, the default configuration uses a Wireless N component capable of up to 433Mb/s while customers can tack $20 onto the final bill and upgrade to a Wireless AC component capable of up to 867Mb/s. Other features loaded into the updated Lemur laptop include stereo speakers, a chiclet keyboard, a multi-touch touchpad, and a Kensington lock.
If you’re wanting to know the specifics of the two Intel processors used in the updated Lemur, here are some of the specs:
| Core i3-7100U | Core i7-7500U | |
| Process node | 14nm | 14nm |
| Number of cores/threads | 2/4 | 2/4 |
| Base clock speed | 2.40GHz | 2.70GHz |
| Burst clock speed | n/a | 3.50GHz |
| Cache | 3MB | 4MB |
| Energy usage | 15 watts | 15 watts |
| Max memory support | 32GB | 32GB |
| Memory types | DDR4-2133 LPDDR3-1866 DDR3L-1600 |
DDR4-2133 LPDDR3-1866 DDR3L-1600 |
| Max memory bandwidth | 34.1GB/s | 34.1GB/s |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 620 | Intel HD Graphics 620 |
| Graphics base speed | 300MHz | 300MHz |
| Graphics max speed | 1,000MHz | 1,050MHz |
| Max resolution | 4,096 x 2,304 | 4,096 x 2,304 |
Obviously, you’ll see improved performance by choosing the Core i7 option. The processor adds $160 to the final bill, but the additional cost may be worth it. Then again, if you’re looking for an Ubuntu-based laptop that doesn’t need a whole lot of horsepower, then the default Core i3 processor option should do just nicely.
Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS is actually the latest version of the popular Linux-based operating system. The platform is free to use if you’re not looking for a complete laptop solution. The release notes state that this new version is based on Linux kernel v4.4, and includes Python 3, Golang 1.6, OpenSSH 7.2p2, and more. Links to multiple download sites are available within the release notes.
