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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways
- The System76 Thelio r3 comes successful 3 configurations, starting astatine $1,499.
- It's sleek, beautiful, powerful, and tin grip thing you propulsion astatine it.
- Some mightiness find it pricey, but the longevity, performance, and attraction to item is worthy each penny.
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I've been a large instrumentality of System76 for years. They've been champions of Linux machines for a agelong clip and each clip I get a accidental to enactment with 1 of their caller computers, they ne'er neglect to impressment maine connected each level that counts.
I purchased my archetypal strategy from the institution (a Leopard Extreme) backmost successful 2013. That instrumentality served maine for six years, astatine which constituent I upgraded to their latest offering, the Thelio. That was backmost successful 2019, and it performed similar a champ until conscionable recently, erstwhile the On/Off fastener stopped moving and 1 of the HDMI ports ceased to nonstop a signal.
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Although the 2nd instrumentality didn't past astir arsenic agelong arsenic the first, I had to punctual myself that I purchased that archetypal Thelio arsenic soon arsenic they were released, meaning it was a archetypal iteration. Since then, the institution has made superior changes to the Thelio line-up and improved each instrumentality each around.
When my archetypal Thelio hinted that it was connected its past legs, I had to enactment fast. I walk a batch of clip moving astatine my desk, and that instrumentality is indispensable to my day-to-day. So, I started configuring my caller PC and rapidly decided I was going to bash thing I'd ne'er done: motion disconnected Intel. That's right, I went the AMD way with a Ryzen 9 7900X (12 cores/24 threads). The remainder of the customized specs look similar this:
- RAM - 32 GB DDR5 4800 MHz (1x32)
- Internal retention - 500 GB PCIe4 M.2 SSD
- GPU - 8 GB AMD Radeon RX 7600
- Top ports - 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 (Type-C), 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 (Type A), Mic, Headphone
- Rear Ports - 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type-A), 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-A), 1x 2.5Gbps LAN, USB 3.2 Gen2x2 (Type-C)
- Rear Audio - Mic, Line out, Line in
- Networking - 2.5GbE, built-in Wifi 6E (a/b/g/n/ac/ax) with Bluetooth 5.2
- Dimensions - 12.87″ × 8.15″ × 11.46″ (327 × 207 × 291mm)
- OS - Pop!_OS Linux
- Price - As configured, conscionable implicit $2k.
My archetypal Thelio included an Intel i9 CPU and 32 GB of RAM, but depended connected the integrated Intel graphics card. That instrumentality was a beast and didn't blink astatine thing I tossed its way, from virtual machines, containers, video rendering, and conscionable astir thing I required.
Having to accidental goodbye to that r1 Thelio was tough, but I knew its clip had come. When its replacement arrived, nevertheless those concerns were instantly assuaged. Upon pulling the machine retired of the box, I was instantly struck by however the instrumentality had evolved from the archetypal iteration. Yes, determination were plentifulness of similarities, but the differences made this an wholly caller experience.
First off, having ports connected the apical of the lawsuit is simply a invited improvement. I often person to power retired antithetic peripherals (such arsenic paper readers, outer drives, etc.) and hated having to propulsion the lawsuit out, drawback a flashlight, and power 'em out. Now, I tin bash that with ease.
Also, I opted to spell with the etched sheet (instead of the wood insert) and I'm gladsome I did. This summation gives the lawsuit conscionable capable flare to marque it basal out.
But the flare doesn't halt there. Open the lawsuit and you'll find each sorts of artistry connected display, specified arsenic the tiny rocketships carved retired of the chassis. I've ever felt that System76 ne'er failed to spell supra and beyond and this caller Thelio proves it.
Could this instrumentality instrumentality maine to the satellite and back? Maybe.
But what astir performance?
So far, I'm earnestly impressed. The AMD CPU is outperforming the Intel i9. Of course, the powerfulness could beryllium bolstered by the Radeon RX 7600, truthful it's hard to tell. But the wide effect is that the r3 Thelio is simply a large betterment implicit the r1…and that's saying something.
When you've been moving with a superb portion of hardware for years, swapping that retired for thing other tin beryllium a crapshoot. But erstwhile you're dealing with a institution similar System76, you cognize the benignant of effort they enactment into improving their machines and they did not disappoint with their latest Thelio incarnation.
This instrumentality is precisely what I wanted and needed and should service maine good for years to come. Although I've not truly stressed it with immoderate dense workloads to talk of, I've spun up a fig of virtual machines, and gone done my accustomed workday for astir a week present and person been impressed astatine each turn. The System76 Thelio is each upside and doesn't endure from a azygous issue.
ZDNET's buying advice
Of each the computers I've ever used, the System76 Thelio is, acold and away, the best. Hands down. End of story. If you request an upgrade to the hardware you're presently using, you cannot spell incorrect with 1 of these beasts.
If you're looking to regenerate your existent desktop computer, you'd beryllium hard-pressed to find a instrumentality that is adjacent parts powerfulness and quality similar the Thelio. Trust maine erstwhile I archer you that you won't regret the purchase.
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