ZDNET’s key takeaways The Herk Orion Ryzen-powered mini PC is on sale now from the official Herk store. This tiny machine is fast, compact, silent, and well worth the price tag. The Orion performed better with Linux than it did with Windows 11. I’ve been using and reviewing PCs for a long time. I used to build my own PCs (back when it was impossible to find a machine that came with Linux pre-installed). While I no longer have time to spend choosing components and building a custom machine, I still appreciate a well-designed, well-built PC.Also: Apple’s new M4 Mac Mini is smaller, more powerful, and its first carbon-neutral MacThe Herk Orion is such a system. This extremely small form factor desktop PC is powered by the Ryzen 9 CPU, which means it can handle just about workflow you throw at it.The machine I received had Windows 11 pre-installed (even though I requested a Linux version). After a few weeks of using the machine as-is, I decided to install the latest version of Ubuntu and see how the experience compared.The specsHere are the specs for the unit I was sent:CPU – AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS with 8 cores and 16 threadsClock speed – 4.0 GHz with a 5.2 GHz boostGPU – AMD Radeon 780M at 2800 Hz with RDNA3 iGPURAM – LPDDR5 dual channel – 32 GBCooling system – vapor chamberStorage – 1 TB SSD PCIi Gen4 x 4 M.2 2280Number of M.2 slots – 2x (1 unused)Connectivity – 2.5 Gbps LAN, WiFi6e up to 2.4 Gbps, and Bluetooth 5.2Ports – USB 3.2 x2; USB 2 x2; USB 4(15w) x2Supported OSes – Linux and WindowsPower supply – DC17V/140WThe specs confirm that the Orion is a very capable machine.My experienceTake the following with a grain of salt because I’ll always choose Linux over Windows.Any machine that runs Windows 11 is already at a disadvantage. When I compare the same machine running Windows vs. Linux, it’s no contest and Linux wins every time. The machine boots faster, apps install and launch quicker, and processes run more smoothly — everything is just better on Linux.That said, Windows ran really well on the Orion, so much so that I considered leaving the Microsoft OS on the device (in case there came that rare moment when I needed Windows). But eventually, I caved and installed Linux.Also: 5 reasons why Linux will overtake Windows and MacOS on the desktop – eventuallyWhere Windows 11 showed the Orion to be capable, Ubuntu 24.04 made it come alive to the point where I thought, “Yeah, I can see using this machine as my daily driver.I’ve also become a fan of AMD CPUs. My first Ryzen was with my current System76 Thelio, and I’ve found Linux performs remarkably well with the hardware, and the Orion is no different. Would I replace my Thelio with an Orion? No. However, when I purchased my latest Thelio, I had to drop nearly $2,000 for it. The Orion, on the other hand, sells for $649 from the official Herk site. If money were an issue, I’d seriously consider the Orion as a viable contender for my desktop.The Herk Orion mini PC is almost silent. Yes, there is a fan in the machine, but it’s as quiet a PC fan as I’ve ever (or have not) heard. In a silent room, you can hear it, but with even a little background noise, the sound of the fan fades away.Ports a plentyI’m not saying that the Orion has all the ports I need, but given the system’s size, what’s included is impressive. The only thing that surprises me is the lack of a DisplayPort option. But with dual HDMI ports, you shouldn’t have any problem setting up a dual-monitor workstation. There are also ports on the front, so you won’t lack connections. Jack Wallen/ZDNETSpeed, speed, speedThis PC is faster than you might think. I ran a full upgrade with Ubuntu and was impressed with how quickly it was completed. The Orion won’t break any speed records, but for less than $700, this machine has more speed than you’ll likely need (especially if you’re using this as a typical desktop computer). Also: I switched from Intel to AMD – here’s why I’m never going backSure, if you throw the Orion some seriously heavy workloads  — such as hosting a local LLM for AI — it likely will slow down a bit. But running standard apps — web browser, email client, music streaming service, office suite — this machine will put a smile on your face.ZDNET’s buying adviceAs with any small form-factor PC, it all boils down to space. If you lack room for a full-blown desktop PC or just like to keep things minimal, the Herk Orion will fill a much-needed void with speed, reliability, and a tiny footprint. One last pitch for Linux: Consider purchasing an Orion with Linux pre-installed so you can get the most out of that Ryzen CPU. Linux not for you? The Windows version still makes for a snappy little machine. I’ve enjoyed my time with the Herk Orion and found it to be one of the best tiny form factor PCs I’ve used to date.