The Penguin X3 Mini Edition GNU / Linux Desktop

The Penguin X3 Mini Edition GNU / Linux Desktop
When it comes to support not all hardware is alike. We pride ourselves in shipping systems that can be properly supported by the GNU/Linux community. By utilizing the right set of chips and components where a complete set of source code exists users aren't left wondering whether or not they'll be able to cleanly upgrade from one release to another or continue to have support for graphics/wifi/sound/printer/or other peripherals/components.

The Penguin X3 Mini Edition GNU / Linux desktop introduces support for the 13 & 14th Gen T series Intel® Core™ desktop processors - a powerful set of Intel® Core™ desktop processors for small compact systems. Whether you are looking for a powerful entertainment system or one for creating and sharing content this generation of processors is ready to take you to the next level.

Our line-up is aimed at those looking for quality, performance, and freedom. You can expect a thoroughly tested system with support for every component and accessory "out of the box". Designed for GNU/Linux our systems aren't distribution specific. You can be confident that your favorite distribution will have solid support over the long haul. Contact support regarding any questions or see our short list of some of the distributions supported below.

  • Check out the demonstration video for an up close look at The Penguin X3 Mini Edition GNU/Linux Desktop

  • Perfect for use with the big screen in a home entertainment center environment- optional wireless remote for turning the system on

  • Fast- available with up to a 14th generation Intel i7-14700T 20-core CPU up to 5.2 Ghz

  • 7.1 CH HD Audio (Realtek Audio Chip) with support for up to 24-Bit/192 kHz playback

  • Supports up to 96 GB of DDR5 5600 Mhz Non-ECC Un-buffered Memory (4800 Mhz recommended in non-XMP configuration)

  • Support for most popular and libre (free) Linux distributions

  • No ID required: We have a policy of not complying with or enabling age verification laws on moral and ethical grounds,
    these privacy issues don't just negatively impact youth and have been extended to include operating systems and VPNs

  • For superior support and freedoms sake there is no dependence on OS-loaded binary blobs or proprietary drivers

Looking for additional photos? Here is a front shot of the system and you can see the back ports of the system here (motherboard view only).


International Order? We stock US/Canadian, [censored] (plug type "G", "UK" style), [censored] ("Europlug"), Japan, New Zealand, and Australian AC adapters/plugs. For other countries please inquire. Shipping to most international destinations takes 3-5 business days. Taxes/duties not included. If the configuration you want is not an option below please contact support with your regional requirements.

All laptops and desktops are assembled at our US facility. This means taxes are not included in the prices shown. The taxes depend on the final destination of the goods rather than where the order was assembled. Orders going outside the US will therefore have any local taxes collected on delivery. To get an idea about the local tax rate in your country check out this wikipedia article.

Category Specification
Chipset Intel® Q670 Chipset
CPUs 13th & 14th Generation Intel T series CPUs
Memory 2 x DIMM, Max. 966GB, DDR5 4800 Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory non-XMP mode*
Audio Supports: Jack-detection
Supports up to 24-Bit/192 kHz playback
Graphics Port Info 1 x DisplayPort (Supports max. 4K@60Hz as specified in DisplayPort 1.4)
1 x HDMI™ port (Supports 4K@60Hz as specified in HDMI 2.1)
1 x VGA port
LAN support 1 x Intel® 1Gb Ethernet
I/O Ports 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5G) ports (2 x Type-A)
2 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x Type-A)
1 x DisplayPort
1 x VGA port
1 x HDMI™ port
1 x Intel 1Gb Ethernet port
3 x Audio jacks
1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse combo port
Default distribution Most recent version of Linux Mint
Internal Expansion Slots/Port 1 x V-M.2 slot (Key E, potentially for wifi)
1 x 4-pin CPU Fan header
1 x 4-pin CPU OPT Fan header
1 x 4-pin Chassis Fan header
1 x 24-pin Main Power connector
1 x 8-pin +12V Power connector
1 x M.2 slot (Key M, storage)
4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports (storage)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5G) header supports additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
1 x USB 2.0 header supports 2 additional USB 2.0 ports
1 x Clear CMOS header
1 x COM Port header
1 x Front Panel Audio header (AAFP)
1 x Mono-out header(with Amp IC)
1 x SMBUS header
1 x Speaker header
1 x SPI TPM header (14-1pin)
1 x 10-1 pin System Panel header
Optical Drive Options External USB only
External 5.25" Drive Bays 0
External 3.5" Drive Bays 0
Full Height PCIE Expansion Slots No
Front Ports None
Dimensions (H x W x D) 151 x 306 x 179 mm (6" x 12" x 7")
Graphics Intel
Compatible with Microsoft Windows 10 & 11 64-Bit

OpenBSD 7.2+ works with at least full resolution graphics with HDMI output, wifi where selected, audio output, USB, and ethernet

FreeBSD 13.2 will work with at least the wifi if selected, audio out, HDMI out w/ frame buffer graphics driver (no 3d accelerated graphics yet, and may be limited to 1024x768 resolution), USB, and an NVME hard disk, and ethernet.

Note: Beyond a basic installation and compatibility information we offer no end-user support for non-GNU/Linux operating systems.

Note: Please contact support for updated information on FreeBSD and other popular operating systems, releases, or features/accessories we have not validated.


Have questions?
E-mail support or call us at: 1-888-39-THINK (84465)
Out Of Warranty & Other Support Services Available
 Price
For Mail-In Service Add (Per Computer) $89
USB Peripherals Setup/Tutorial
(Printers, Portable Audio Players, etc.) 		$89
Operating System Installs $125
Software Installations $49
Networked Peripherals Setup/Tutorial (Printers, etc.) $89
Data Transfers of up to 4TB $59
Data Transfers of up to 8TB $99
Diagnostics (this is only if no repairs are made) $125
Upgrades/Repair (per half hour; if no others apply) $125
Phone Support (per half-hour / non-warranty) $125
OS Media $44
Discounted blocks of phone support are available for purchase. It's US $437 for 5 half hour blocks and US $769 for 10.
Partial List Of Supported Releases:

Trisquel 11, 11.01, 12
Ubuntu 22.10, 23.04, 23.10, 24.04, 24.10, 25.04, 25.10, 26.04
Fedora 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44
Linux Mint 21.3 Edge, 22, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3
Kubuntu 22.10, 23.04, 23.10, 24.04, 24.10, 25.04, 25.10, 26.04
Lubuntu 22.10, 23.04, 23.10, 24.04, 24.10, 25.04, 25.10, 26.04
Debian 12, 13
Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) 6, 7
Arch 2022.11.1, 2022.12.1, 2023.01.1, 2023.02.1, 2023.03.1, 2023.04.1, 2023.05.1, 2023.06.1, 2023.07.1, 2023.08.1, 2023.09.1, 2023.10.1, 2023.11.1, 2023.12.1, 2024.01.1, 2024.02.1, 2024.03.1, 2024.04.1, 2024.05.1, 2024.06.1, 2024.07.1, 2024.08.1, 2024.09.1, 2024.10.1, 2024.11.1, 2024.12.1, 2025.01.1, 2025.02.1, 2025.03.1, 2025.04.1, 2025.05.1, 2025.06.1, 2025.07.1, 2025.08.1, 2025.09.1, 2025.10.1, 2025.11.1, 2025.12.1, 2026.01.1, 2026.02.1, 2026.03.1, 2026.04.1, 2026.05.1, 2026.06.1, 2026.07.1, 2026.08.1, 2026.09.1
Manjaro 21.3.7, 22.0, 22.0.1, 22.0.2, 22.0.3, 22.0.4, 22.0.5, 22.1.0, 22.1.1, 22.1.2, 22.1.3, 23.0, 23.0.1, 23.0.2, 23.0.3, 23.0.4, 23.1.0, 23.1.1, 23.1.2, 23.1.3, 23.1.4, 24.0, 24.0.1, 24.0.2, 24.0.3, 24.0.4, 24.0.5, 24.0.6, 24.0.7, 24.0.8, 24.1.0, 24.1.1, 24.1.2, 24.2.0, 24.2.1, 25.0.0, 25.0.1, 25.0.2, 25.0.3, 25.0.4, 25.0.6, 25.0.7, 25.0.8, 25.0.9, 25.0.10, 26.0, 26.0.1, 26.0.2, 26.0.3, 26.0.4, 26.1.0
openSUSE Leap 15.5+
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 10 Series 10.0, 10.1, 10.2
Rocky Linux 10 Series 10.0, 10.1, 10.2
AlmaLinux 10 Series 10.0, 10.1, 10.2
CentOS Stream 10

Most recently released distributions are compatible out of the box. Contact us for details about support for your preferred distribution.

A processor is the brain of the computer. A faster processor benefits more demanding tasks like video editing, gaming, and software development, but for less demanding users a faster processor translates into a longer useful life.

PCs usually slow over time due to insufficient ram. An AI induced ram shortage is currently unfolding with an eta of it lasting 3-4 years [2026]. Get what you need now as prices will increase and shortly be completely unavailable.

M.2 NVME SSD drives are fast hard drives. Please plan for 3-4 years [2026] of your storage needs as AI investment induced industry wide shortages are driving up prices and drives will probably be completely unavailable shortly. This is a real apocalypse.

Don't just get a bigger drive. Get a faster drive. Experience twice the speed with a new solid state drive. Newer SSD technology can give you that boost you always wanted cutting start times in half and increasing the speed of programs.

The disk(s) can be partitioned using one of a few different schemes. If unsure choose the first option. If you want something else entirely select other and enter the description of how you want the system setup in the distribution to install section.

Upgrade to Blu-ray today! Our Blu-ray drives suppport writing discs up to 100GB in size. Thanks to a compatible SATA to USB bridge our writer can also be flashed with third party firmware to improve support for playback of 4k Blu-ray content.

Looking to pick up some high quality discs compatible with your new drive? We stock CD, DVD, and Blu-ray discs. Select from a variety of media types, quantities, and spindles.

If your planning to place your desktop at a distance from your modem/router you may want to add a wireless connection. The built-in ethernet is fast, but wifi makes connecting to the internet quick and easy no matter where your system is going.

If you want more desk space, a newer flat panel monitor may be just what you need. Flat panel monitors take up less desk space and have wider screens for a larger viewing area. Only available for shipping within continental US via UPS ground.

We recommend using a DisplayPort cable for technical and ethical reasons. The DisplayPort was designed for the PC and works seamlessly where HDMI sometimes doesn't. The HDMI forum restricts "open" and free implementations and doesn't want your business.

Get a a pair of best-in-class speakers and hear the world like you've never heard it before! There are many options for speakers, but not all are created equal. We've gone and selected some of the best speakers on the market to offer. * Ships to USA only.

Match the décor of your new PC with a keyboard and mouse that isn't tied to Microsoft. All of our desktop keyboards and mice are of high quality and never include a MS logo (more keyboard & mice products)

Picking up a wireless mouse or other device that requires a double A battery? Not sure if you have double any double A batteries left. No problem. Just grab a few with the order.

Select one of our awesome mouse pads. Check out the great pictures in our catalog.

Get the piece of mind knowing that if your computer has a problem there are knowledgeable GNU/Linux experts you can call on for help. Our extended warranty offers protection for up to 3 years from the date of purchase for both parts and labor.

Don't have a VPN provider yet? Get PenguinVPN! If this is purchased with a computer we'll pre-configure your computer for access to our privacy friendly VPN service. For the maximum protection get a router with our PenguinVPN service.

Get a printer that works for you! We have a variety of models from inexpensive inkjet printers, cost effective B&W lasers, all-in-one office printers, and even high end color laser printers. Note: We can only ship printers to those in the United States.

Get extra ports! If you have lots of accessories take advantage of a USB hub to keep everything organized and connected.

Home theater PC? Get a wireless remote with the system and easily turn the system on/off without getting up off the couch.

Our AC adapters are compatible with power grids from around the world. However different countries and regions utilize different power outlets which require different plugs/cables. Select whats right for you. Unsure? Contact support

Protect your investment with a surge protector or uninterruptible power supply (UPS). When power is interrupted, or fluctuates outside safe levels, a UPS instantly provides clean battery backup power and surge protection. * US market only

Most USB data transfer cables on the market include a proprietary flash component that interferes with their usability. With our USB data transfer cable no such component exists. You can utilize standard file transfer tools supported under GNU/Linux.

Do you practice good PC hygiene? Need to transfer data? Get a USB drive! Need speed? Upgrade to a SSD! Drives formatted with fat32 have optimal compatibility between operating systems. Ext4 is better for backups and data transfer in GNU/Linux.

Joining the free software revolution is easy! Pick up a introductory book to learn the basics and how to administer your system. Explore the desktop and check out popular applications in your distribution of choice.

We can install just about any distribution of which there is a recent release. Enter the distribution you would like installed and any configuration requests here. A list of commonly requested distributions have been vetted at the top of the page.