System76 builds desktops and laptops designed for desktop Linux, and now the company has revealed its latest high-performance desktop. The new Thelio Mira has a redesigned case, AMD Ryzen 9 processors, and the usual best-in-class Linux support.
You might notice that the new Thelio Mira looks different than the company’s other desktop PCs, with the color stripe removed (which had a woodgrain finish as one of the options) and a more subtle System76 logo. The announcement explained, “Rather than treating the computer as a decorative object, the design focuses on clarity, durability, and purpose. […] The result is a machine that reads less like consumer electronics and more like professional equipment—precise, purposeful, and built to last.”
Even though the update case design might be more sleek and refined, it now just looks like every other desktop PC—it reminds me the most of HP’s typical PC tower design. That might be a selling point for System76’s target market, but it is a bit disappointing to see the distinct hardware design fade away. It’s fully manufactured in the United States, though.
Like all of the company’s computers, the Thelio Mira is designed from the ground up to run desktop Linux. It ships with either Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS or Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, but any modern Linux distribution should work about the same—you just need to install a few additional components for full functionality.
The Thelio Mira is powered by AMD’s Ryzen 9000 series processors, with your choice of an Ryzen 9 9950X3D, Ryzen 9 9950X, Ryzen 9 9900X, Ryzen 7 9800X3D, Ryzen 7 9700X, or Ryzen 5 9600X. Across all configurations, it has an ASRock X870 Pro RS WiFi motherboard with System76’s custom firmware, and a Thelio Io daughterboard that handles fan and power controls.
System76 is selling the desktop with NVIDIA’s RTX 5000-series graphics cards, ranging from the 6GB RTX 3050 to the 32GB RTX 5090, or a 16GB AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT. If you don’t need much graphical power, there’s also an option for an RTX 3050, or just using the integrated graphics on the Ryzen CPU. It’s a normal desktop PC, so you can swap in your own GPU as well—it just can’t exceed 358 millimeters in length (348 mm is the recommended maximum) or more than three slots.
Even though the case design isn’t as flashy, it does help squeeze the most performance out of that hardware. The Thelio Mira uses quick-access magnetic panels and a “thoughtfully organized interior” to help with serviceability and repairability, and “improvements to thermal design and system architecture deliver higher sustained performance, with CPU clock speeds increasing by up to 19% while reducing operating temperatures by as much as 13.5 degrees.”
The rest of the hardware configuration includes 16-192GB RAM, a 500GB-4TB NVMe SSD, optional additional storage (one NVMe, one 2.5-inch), Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4. As with the GPU, all of the components are standard PC parts on a regular ATX motherboard, so you can easily upgrade or replace the hardware.
You can order a Thelio Mira PC from the System76 online store. The base configuration costs $1,699, with a Ryzen 5 9600X, integrated graphics, 16GB RAM, 500GB NVMe drive, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4.
Source: System76 (1, 2)
