While there’s already quite a few different Thelio-branded desktops to choose from on System76’s website, as of today we have yet another one: the Thelio Mira.
The Mira sits between the base Thelio desktop and the Thelio Major in terms of size, cost, and upgradability. It bears a slightly larger footprint than the base Thelio at a dimension of 17.18″ x 9.96″ x 13.03″ (or 436.35 x 253 x 331mm), yet has the benefit of holding up to two graphics cards, versus the one GPU the base desktop can have.
The base specs for the desktop are as follows:
- 3rd-gen AMD Ryzen 5 3600 (up to 4.2 GHz, 6 cores, 12 threads)
- 8 GB RAM
- 240 GB M.2 SSD
- NVIDIA GT 1030
As for graphics cards, when customizing the order, there are a wide variety to choose from besides the GT 1030:
- GTX 1650
- RTX 3070
- Quadro RTX 4000/5000/6000/8000
The CPU can be upgraded to any of the following 4th-gen Ryzen processors:
- Ryzen 5 5600X (3.7 to 4.6 GHz, 6 cores, 12 threads)
- Ryzen 7 5800X (3.8 to 4.7 GHz, 8 cores, 16 threads)
- Ryzen 9 5900X (3.7 to 4.8 GHz, 12 cores, 24 threads)
- Ryzen 9 5950X (3.4 to 4.9 GHz, 16 cores, 32 threads)
RAM can be maxed out to 128 GB @ 3200 MHz. As for maximizing the internal storage, the Thelio Mira has two options:
- 4 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe
- 36 TB — 16 of which are PCIe 3.0 NVMe and the remaining 20 from 2.5″ SATA III drives
Like any other System76 device, the Thelio Mira can have Pop!_OS 20.10, 20.04, or Ubuntu 20.04 pre-installed as an operating system. The case comes in a walnut finish, but this can be replaced with birch (free), Dark Matter (adds $59), Martian Red (adds $59), or Neptune Blue (adds $59).
The motherboard (off-the-shelf ASUS ROG Strix X570-E) has the following ports:
- 1 USB Type-C (with USB 3.2 2nd-gen support)
- 7 USB 3.2 2nd-gen
- Gigabit and 2.5G Ethernet (separate ports)
- 5 audio jacks
- 1 optical S/PDIF out
It also has baked-in Wi-Fi 6/Bluetooth 5.0. As for the power supply (from EVGA), the wattage given depends on the GPU configuration. The base starts at 650W and can go as high as 1000W; it’s also 80+ certified.
In regards to the Thelio Mira itself, this is what Carl Richell, CEO of System76, has to say:
Thelio Mira rounds out the System76 desktop line with capacity for large, high performance GPUs and additional memory. Thelio Mira fits nicely between the base Thelio and HEDT Thelio Major models providing a new option for customers to design the perfect desktop for their needs.
As per System76’s press documentation, they note that the Mira is “meticulously engineered” so that it can perform intense workloads while maintaining a cool and quiet profile. Here’s how it works:
Large-blade fans blow cool air up into the system. Meanwhile, copper pipes in the heat sink use phase-change cooling to move heat away from the CPU. Hot air is then expelled out the exhaust port. This bottom-up cooling system keeps your desktop running smoothly under high loads. Chassis-specific thermal engineering yields quiet and effective cooling in perfect balance, and large 140mm fans move air more effectively at a lower RPM, producing quieter acoustics.
Upgrading or repairing the desktop is easy. Just unscrew the lid of the unit and lift it up. There’s apparently a “screw bay” that holds enough screws to fit as many 2.5″ hard drives as the unit can hold. Some of the drives in the system are also hot-swappable.
You want to know what the price on this thing is? No, you probably don’t. It’s $1,499. And that’s just the base price. Maxing out all the options? Now we’re talking five-digits: $23,250. I imagine a good chunk of that price has to do with the case itself. It’s hand-made at their base station in Denver, Colorado, USA, “where rigid aluminum is cut, powder coated, and molded into a light, durable chassis.” If it were possible, I would just buy the case and put my own components in it; it’d probably be a lot cheaper. But, they need to make money, so I guess the price makes sense.
On a related note, if you are interested in System76’s laptops offering, we have recently reviewed the Serval WS laptop as well as the Darter Pro. Check them out as well!
