Focus Zr GEN 1
The Zr GEN 1 workstation combines the most powerful mobile hardware with the best out-of-the-box Linux experience. Highlights include a 5.4 GHz 24-core CPU, Blackwell RTX 50-series GPUs, high-speed DDR5 RAM, and PCIe 5.0 storage. Recommended for software development, 3D modeling, Kubernetes clusters, AAA Steam games, machine learning, and content creation. Advanced CPU and GPU efficiency help it run cooler and quieter across all workloads.
Blaze through single- and multi-core jobs like never before with the cool and efficient Ultra 9 275HX “Arrow Lake” CPU. This processor packs 24 cores, 24 threads, and 36 MB of Smart Cache. Combined with high-speed DDR5 RAM, the CPU performance exceeds most mobile and desktop systems. Geekbench 5 tests show performance increases of 5% and 11% for single- and multi-core scores over the i9-14900HX CPU from prior-generation model.[01]
While the performance bump is nice, the big story with this CPU is the leap in efficiency. Intel claims a 40% improvement over the i9-14900HX, and our experience supports this.[01a]
Get amazing performance and features with performance-tuned[02] NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX Blackwell GPUs. Fourth-gen ray-tracing and fifth-gen tensor cores provide a significant performance increase across all workloads tested, including machine learning, video editing, simulations, 3D rendering, and Steam games.
Compared to the prior generation, the 50-series GPUs provide substantially more and faster VRAM. This is important for certain workloads such as machine learning and rendering. The 5080 has 16 GB GDDR7 VRAM, up from 12 GB GDDR6 in the 4080. The 5090 has 24 GB GDDR7 VRAM, up from 16 GB GDDR6 in the 4090.
Each laptop also has an integrated Intel iGPU with 4 Xe cores at 1.9 GHz. The Zr will remind you to use this GPU when on battery to conserve power. It provides strong desktop performance and is useful when you want to use all the VRAM of the NVIDIA GPU for tasks like ML or 3D rendering.
Enjoy simple beauty without sacrificing performance. The Zr GEN 1 marries enterprise-class hardware with meticulous OS integration and Linux-first support. It features excellent build quality, with an aluminum deck and lid, and a resin screen bezel and underside. Everything you see, touch, and hear exudes quality, including Audio & Visual capabilities, Precision Keyboard & Touchpad, and Focus Tools.
Enjoy world-class visuals with a large, bright, vibrant, and fast 18" display. Specs include WQXGA (2560 x 1600) resolution, 525 nits brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color, 240 Hz G-Sync, and wide viewing angles (> 135°).
Enjoy quality audio with a crisp and loud high-dynamic-range 5-speaker system. Join meetings with near-zero setup using the integrated noise-cancelling microphone array and the crisp, 5.0 megapixel 2880x1800 webcam. Secure against prying eyes with the integrated privacy shutter.
The Focus Hardware System optimizes the display and sound by setting the correct kernel parameters and the nominal DPI for both the graphical desktop and virtual terminals.
Control your computer with precision. Light the keyboard LEDs with one of 65,536 colors. Type quickly and accurately with reliable scissor mechanisms and 3.5 mm of travel. Use 2- and 3-finger gestures on the precision glass touchpad to tap and scroll effortlessly through documents.
The Focus Hardware System optimizes the keyboard and touchpad: it adjusts the Hints Widget to provide guidance specifically for the model; it configures the touchpad driver sensitivity and multi-touch support; and it provides a tool to set and preserve the keyboard’s LED color.
Make hard things easy with open-source Kubuntu Focus Tools. These are integrated with Kubuntu 24.04 LTS, and are enhanced automatically with regular software updates.
Consider, for example, the Power and Fan tool. Open the tool, unplug the AC, and see how power-saving optimizations are applied in real time. Another example is System Rollback, which can be used to restore your system to a snapshot taken weeks earlier with just a few clicks.
Get started fast with the comprehensive Welcome Wizard. Explore capabilities from the Feature Guide. Configure, install, and launch Curated Apps with a single click. Complete complex workflows in record time with Guided Solutions. Many more can be found on the Focus Tools page.[03]
Communicate fast with high-speed Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Ethernet. Enjoy the ease of connecting just about anything to 8 high-speed ports without expensive dongles or docks.
Rapidly communicate using technologies like 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4, whether at home, at work, or on the road.
Connect to anything, anytime, with all the high-speed ports you need. For example, you can surround yourself with three external 4K monitors, edit photos from a micro SD card, navigate with a wireless mouse and keyboard, and charge-and-debug a phone. All at the same time.
We benchmark all Focus systems extensively to optimize for compatibility and performance. We hope you find the highlights below helpful when assessing the capabilities of the Zr GEN 1. We encourage you to compare the results here with your device or others.
Run GPU-accelerated ML in minutes with the Focus Deep Learning Suite. It guides you to install Anaconda and then add and test TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Jupyter Notebook as needed. Develop with industry-standard PyCharm from the included JetBrains Toolbox.
We have compared the RTX 5080 M with the last-gen RTX 4070 M on Stable Diffusion 1.5 and Qwen3-0-6b tests. The TSMC “4N” lithography and 5th-generation Tensor cores makes the 50-series GPUs faster, cooler, and more efficient.
We continuously validate, curate, and pin the Deep Learning Suite, graphics drivers, CUDA, cuDNN, TensorRT, and OptiX to always provide excellent performance, reliability, and compatibility across ML and GPU workloads. Improvements and maintenance are provided seamlessly through normal software updates.
| Benchmark[05] | RTX 5090 M (est)[06] | RTX 5080 M | RTX 5070 Ti M | RTX 4090 M | RTX 4080 M | RTX 4070 M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stable Diffusion 1.5 | 189 Images / 5 min | 116 Images / 5 min | 92 Images / 5 min | 127 Images / 5 min | 118 Images / 5 min | 80 Images / 5 min |
| Qwen03-0-6b | 870 Gen / 5 min | 534 Gen / 5 min | 482 Gen / 5 min | 579 Gen / 5 min | 528 Gen / 5 min | 459 Gen / 5 min |
| Video RAM | 24 GB | 16 GB | 12 GB | 16 GB | 12 GB | 8 GB |
In addition to its much higher efficiency and cooler temperature, the Ultra 9 275HX CPU shows between 0-5% single-core and 11-13% multi-core performance improvements compared to the prior gen M2's i9-14900HX. The superior cooling and the high-speed DDR5 RAM enable the 8 performance cores, 16 efficiency cores, and 24 threads of the “Arrow Lake” processor to achieve peak performance.
| Zr GEN 1 | M2 GEN 6 | M2 GEN 5 | M2 GEN 5 | M2 GEN 4 | M2 GEN 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Ultra 9 275HX | Ultra 9 275HX | i9 14900HX | i9 13900HX | i7 12700H | i7 11800H |
| GB 5 Single GB 5 Multi | 2,402 22,820 | 2,405 23,818 | 2,288 21,539 | 2,120 19,807 | 1,893 12,753 | 1,690 10,410 |
| GB 6 Single GB 6 Multi | 3,148 18,459 | 3,214 19,524 | 3,208 17,274 | 2,881 15,616 | 2,510 12,060 | na |
Experience unparalleled mobile GPU performance. The 16 GB RTX 5080 and the 24GB RTX 5090 are the most powerful GPUs we've ever offered in this form factor.
When plugged in, the GPU uses the highest available frequencies to provide maximum performance.[02a] Compare this with some laptops which throttle frequencies up to 40% to fit a bigger GPU in a smaller case. A full-speed GPU, like the one in the Zr, can out-perform some frequency-throttled GPUs with nominally higher specs.
Run the most demanding benchmarks well over 60 FPS on High or Ultra settings. This GPU provides class-leading performance for video editing, simulations, 3D rendering, Steam games, and machine learning.
| Benchmark[07] | RTX 5090 M (est)[10] | RTX 5080 M | RTX 5070 Ti M | RTX 4090 M | RTX 4080 M | RTX 4070 M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superposition Medium 1080p | 305/40,707 | 248/33,095 | 192/25,843 | 247/32,990 | 207/27,664 | 136/18,140 |
| Superposition High 1080p | 229/30,543 | 186/24,832 | 141/18,788 | 184/24,533 | 156/20,841 | 103/13,744 |
| Superposition Extreme 1080p | 101/13,500 | 82/10,976 | 64/8,470 | 82/10,996 | 70/9,411 | 48/6,377 |
| Heaven 4 Medium[08] | 538/13,539 | 437/11,007 | 343/8,652 | 426/10,735 | 371/9,348 | 263/6,621 |
| Heaven 4 Ultra[09] | 325/8,165 | 264/6,638 | 197/4,961 | 249/6,278 | 210/5,288 | 137/3,452 |
Render Blender scenes faster than >99% of all devices tested with the RTX 5080 M. This is greater than the most expensive proprietary Unix® laptops.
Besides the amazing GPU hardware, the OptiX rendering library provided with NVIDIA RTX GPUs is usually many times faster than OpenCL or CPU rendering used by non-NVIDIA systems.[11]
| 5090 M (est)[12] | 5080 M | 5070 Ti M | 4090 M | 4080 M | 4070 M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,650 | 7,014 | 5,688 | 8,504 | 6,734 | 4,198 |
We try to provide all the details you need to decide if the Zr GEN 1 is right for you. If you have questions, please call 844-536-2871 or write TellMeMore@kfocus.org.
| OS and SOFTWARE | ● Kubuntu 24.04 LTS with KDE Plasma 5.27 LTS ● Kubuntu Focus Tools ● Click-to-launch Curated Apps ● On-Demand Enabled Repositories ● Continuous Support via Normal Software Updates ● Enhanced Reliability with Tested and Curated Kernels, Video Drivers, and Desktop Packages |
|---|---|
| DISPLAY | ● 18.0" Display ● WQXGA IPS LCD ● 2560 x 1600 Resolution ● 100% DCI-P3 Color ● 168 DPI Pixel Density ● 240 Hz Refresh Rate ● Max Brightness > 525 nits ● Anti-Glare Coating (Matte Finish) ● G-Sync Capable with MUX ● Viewing Angles of > 135/135/135° ● Connect Up To 4 Displays: Integrated WQXGA and Three External 4k Monitors with 2 x USB-C, 1 x HDMI. |
| PROCESSORS | ● Intel 15th-Generation “Arrow Lake” Core Ultra 9 275HX Processor
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| GRAPHICS | The Zr Gen 1 contains both a discrete GPU (dGPU) and an integrated GPU (iGPU). One can use the iGPU to maximize battery life or free up VRAM for GPU compute. ● Up to 4 active displays ● iGPU: Intel® Graphics
● dGPU: NVIDIA 5090
● dGPU: NVIDIA 5080
|
| MEMORY | ● Dual-Channel DDR5 262-pin SODIMM ● Expandable up to 192 GB ● High-speed 4000+ MHz |
| STORAGE | ● 1 x M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe GEN 5x4 (NVMe) ● 3 x M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe GEN 4x4 (NVMe) ● Drive Selections
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| CHASSIS | ● Aluminum Alloy Deck and Lid ● Resin Screen Bezel, Underside, and Keys ● User Accessible Components (Storage, Memory, Wi-Fi, Fans) with Standard Phillips Case Screws ● 15.83 x 12.60 x 1.10 in (402 x 320 x 28 mm) ● 8.60 lb (3.9 kg) with Battery |
| BATTERY | ● FlexiCharger Battery Optimization in BIOS ● 98 Wh Embedded 8-Cell Polymer Battery Pack ● Up to 4.0 Hours Modest Use on iGPU with Medium-Low Display Brightness ● Up to 2.0 Hours Modest Use on dGPU with Medium-Low Display Brightness |
| POWER SUPPLY | ● 330 W Power Supply ● Input: AC 100~240 V, 50~60 Hz ● Output: DC 20.0 V, 16.5 A |
| KEYBOARD | ● Full Size Keyboard ● Numeric Keypad ● 3.5 mm travel ● 65,536-Color LED Backlight ● User Configurable Color and Intensity with Function Keys ● Customize to any color with Focus Tool ● Kubuntu Super Key |
| NETWORK AND BLUETOOTH | ● Built-in 2.5 Gigabit RJ-45 Ethernet LAN ● Intel® Wi-Fi 7 BE200 + Bluetooth, M.2 2230 Card
|
| TOUCHPAD | ● Large Precision Glass Touchpad with Multi-Touch and Scroll
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| WEBCAM | ● 5.0 MegaPixel (2880 x 1800) ● Temporal Noise Reduction (TNR) Reduces Static in Low Light ● Top-Center Mounted ● Integrated Microphone Array ● Physical Security Shutter |
| SOUND | ● High Definition Audio ● 2 x 1 W Front-Firing Tweeter Speakers ● 2 x 2 W Side-Firing Mid-Range Speakers ● 1 x 4 W Central Subwoofer Speaker ● Integrated Microphone Array ● Headset Audio Out + Mic In |
| PORTS | ● 2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with Thunderbolt 5, Displayport 2.1b (Power Delivery DC-In on one port) ● 1 x HDMI 2.1b with DSC ● 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ● 2 x 2.5 Gigabit RJ-45 Ethernet LAN (10/100/1000/2500 Mbit/s) ● 1 x 2-in-1 Audio Jack (Headphone + Microphone) ● 1 x Micro SD Push-Push Card Reader ● 1 x 330 W DC Power ● 1 x Kensington Lock |
| INTERNAL SLOTS AND EXPANSION | ● 5 x M.2 Card Slots
● Other Expansion Opportunities
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| COOLING | ● Dual Fans With Heat Dissipators ● User Selectable Power Profiles ● Logarithmic Fan Curve Keeps Unit Near-Silent on Idle-to-Modest Use ● Adjust Power Profiles with Power and Fan |
| SECURITY | ● Kensington Lock Mount ● Physical Security WebCam Shutter ● Optional No-Cost Full Disk Encryption ● Optional Pre-Configured YubiKey 5 NFC 2FA |
| WARRANTY | ● One-, Two-, or Three-Year Limited Warranty ● Includes Unmatched Linux-First Support ● Business and Personal Extended Support Contracts Available |
● [01] Unless otherwise noted, benchmarks were run on AC power with compositing disabled and the CPU set to high-performance mode with the linear fan curve. Max GPU temperature was 73° C and the max fan volume was 42 dB measured two feet from the screen center.
Geekbench 5 results:
(2,402/22,820)(2,405/23,818)(2,288/21,539)(1,893/12,753)(1,690/10,410)(1,672/8,121)Geekbench 6 results:
● [01a] See graph by Intel shown at CES 2025.
● [02] [02a] NVIDIA RTX 5080 M and RTX 5090 M GPUs can be configured to use lower power limits; the Zr is configured to provide up to the maximum 175 W TGP when needed.
● [03] See the full and detailed list of tools on the Tools Page.
● [04] Versus CPU-only ML pipelines.
● [05] Stable Diffusion and Qwen3-0-6b are found on the United Compute score board in their respective tabs.
● [06] AI benchmark results for RTX 5090 M are based on a ratio of publicly available benchmarks.
.● [07] Unless otherwise noted, all GPUs shown are mobile variants. Scores are shown in the form Average FPS / Composite Score.
● [08] Heaven Medium settings include medium quality, 1080p resolution, normal tessellation, and 2x antialiasing.
● [09] Heaven Ultra settings include Ultra quality, 1080p resolution, normal tessellation, and 8x antialiasing.
● [10] Graphics benchmark estimates for RTX 5090 Mobile are calculated using online comparisons showing a 23% increase from the RTX 5080 Mobile GPU.
● [11] Blender results links include RTX 5070 Ti (5688), RTX 3080 Ti (3936), and RTX 4060 (3828). RTX 5070 Ti testing done using Blender 3.6 to provide accurate comparison with prior, 3.x-version benchmarks.
● [12] Blender result for RTX 5090 is estimated based on publicly available scores with a maximum score of 8850RTX 5090 laptop GPU.
FREE SHIPPING: Applies to shipping to continental US and Canada. All orders are fully insured and signature verified. Shipping costs to other locations are reduced by an equivalent value which varies by model.
5-DAY TURNAROUND: Unless otherwise noted, all units are stocked for timely builds, and are typically shipped within 3-5 business days. All RAM, NVMe drives, and SSD drives are name-brand components renowned for reliability and high performance. These are firmware-upgraded, stress-tested, and warrantied for your system.
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