I turned this little laptop into a work Linux machine and it shouldn’t run that well

ZDNET Key Takeaways

• The X Plus Storm 10 laptop is available on the official X+ website for $369.
• The Storm 10 laptop is small in size but big in power.
• It has a limited battery and a very light physical structure.

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Remember the early 2000s when the netbook took the world by storm? I certainly do, and I remember feeling very disappointed. Not only were the devices underpowered, they were so small that using them was a chore. Those keyboards were impossible unless you had small hands.

So when X-Plus approached me to review the laptop storm 10I reluctantly agreed, assuming this would be another small laptop that was impossible to use efficiently.

Plus: I finally found a mini PC with an eye-catching design (and the power to back it up)

I received the laptop and saw that it came with Windows 11, which meant it would be a good hour before I could log in and start testing. That’s why I often install Linux instead of Windows 11. I know Linux better and I know that it takes about 5 minutes to install the operating system and log in for the first time.

Before ditching Windows 11, I decided to give it a try to have something to compare to. As I suspected, running Windows 11 on Storm 10 didn’t really show off the laptop in its best light. Its use was slow and cumbersome.

After a few weeks of using Windows 11 on Storm 10, I opted to install Ultramarine Linux and KDE Plasma as the only operating system.

I’m glad I did it.

Also: 8 things you can do with Linux that you can’t do with MacOS or Windows

my experience

The first thing that caught my attention was that everything ran on Linux: the screen, networking, sound, trackpad, Bluetooth, you name it, it worked. The only problem I had was deleting the encrypted partition, but it was solved with the help of the KDE Plasma partition manager. Once this was fixed, the installation went smoothly.

Now you could use this baby with a more efficient and easy-to-use operating system: Linux.

Plus: The best Linux distros for beginners in 2025 make switching from MacOS or Windows a breeze

When it comes to hardware, what I like most about the Storm 10 is that the keyboard doesn’t feel as cramped or uncomfortable as many laptops of this size. I’m actually writing this review on the laptop and my fingers have no problem keeping up with my brain. The keys have a nice, solid feel and the layout seems streamlined.

I would go so far as to say that this is the best keyboard I have ever used on such a small device.

The screen is also quite nice. It’s certainly not going to outperform anything from Apple, but it does its job and it does it well. KDE Plasma looks great on the laptop. I opted for a lightweight MacOS theme for KDE Plasma, and it’s pretty good.

Performance

As far as performance goes, I ran my usual test of installing Ollama local AI, pulling the llama3.2 LLM, and then running the query: “What is Linux?”

First of all, Ollama3.2 is a 2GB LLM and I was surprised how fast Storm 10 did it. Less than 60 seconds and I was running the LLM and doing the query.

Plus: This app makes using Ollama local AI on MacOS devices a breeze

Once I ran the query, I wasn’t surprised that the Storm 10 couldn’t perform as well as other machines I tested, but for a 10-inch laptop, it performed very well, and Ollama took less than 30 seconds to fully answer it. I’ve had full-blown desktop machines that take longer than that.

Sound and video

I’m not going to lie: the Storm 10’s sound is quite tinny, but I wasn’t expecting much more than that. The good news is that it’s pretty loud and the laptop includes a headphone jack, so if you have a quality pair of headphones, the built-in speakers won’t matter.

As for the video? I watched several YouTube videos and found that the Storm 10 was perfectly up to the task. No, it’s nowhere near the quality of my MacBook Pro, but when you’re looking at a 10″ screen, having luscious 4K resolution isn’t a deal breaker. I switched to 4K on several videos and the Storm 10 performed well.

Also: This Mac model is the computer most people should buy (and it’s not a MacBook or Mini)

Battery

As you probably expected, the Storm 10’s battery doesn’t exactly last all day. I ran a moderate battery profile and even with Ollama running, the battery performed well. It’s not going to last as long as my MacBook Pro, but I’m not going to use this laptop as often.

The battery is 3800 mAh with a suggested run time of 8 hours on a full charge. Of course, that depends on how you use the laptop. If I continued using Ollama, the battery life would be drastically reduced.

physical form

The Storm 10’s chassis is aluminum and feels a little plasticky. However, it has a 360-degree rotating touchscreen, which is really nice. The hinges are also nice and tight, so you can open the laptop lid completely without worrying about it falling on you.

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ZDNET Buying Tips

If you’re looking for a small laptop that won’t challenge your fingers, has enough power for average tasks, and lets you run Linux without problems, the Storm X Plus 10 It is a great option.

It is currently on sale for only $369and I’d say it’s worth every penny for those who are constantly on the go and don’t always have room for a full-size laptop. It’s also a very good option as a gift for the younger people in your orbit who are thinking about getting their first laptop.

Technical specifications of the X Plus Storm 10 laptop

• Screen: 10.5-inch IPS touch screen (1920×1200 resolution).
• Processor (CPU): Intel N150 (older) or Intel N305 (newer, better performance).
• Memory (RAM): 16 GB 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: Convertible 2 in 1, aluminum body, chiclet keyboard, trackpad.
• Battery: About 26.6 Wh (about 8 hours of battery life)