Bleujour, a French tech company, is jumping into the increasingly crowded mini PC space with a fresh new option called the Kubb Essential. It’s designed to stand out in a market full of lookalike boxes by leaning into a simple cube shape and offering several playful color choices, including white, black, blue, and magenta.
Despite its clean, minimalist vibe, the Kubb Essential isn’t just about looks. It’s built around Intel’s Core Ultra 200H series (Arrow Lake-H) laptop-class processors, aiming to deliver strong everyday performance in an ultra-compact footprint. Buyers will be able to choose between two CPU options: the 14-core Core Ultra 5 255H and the 16-core Core Ultra 7 255H. The Core Ultra 5 version is expected to be around 15% slower in multi-threaded workloads, but for typical home and office use—web browsing, productivity apps, media, communication, and light creative work—either chip should feel plenty responsive.
One of the most appealing specs for a mini PC this small is memory support. The Kubb Essential is listed with up to 96 GB of DDR5 RAM, which is more than enough for heavy multitasking and demanding workflows that usually push compact systems to their limits. Storage is listed at up to 512 GB of NVMe SSD space, and there’s also support for extra capacity via a 2.5-inch drive bay. However, it’s still unclear whether the NVMe storage is user-upgradeable.
Connectivity and ports also look well-rounded for a compact desktop. The mini PC is expected to include dual USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, dual HDMI outputs for multi-monitor setups, 1G Ethernet, plus modern wireless support including WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3/5.4.
As you’d expect from a 1.7-liter system measuring roughly 12 x 12 x 12 cm (about 4.7 inches per side), there’s no space for a dedicated graphics card. Instead, graphics duties are handled by Intel Arc integrated GPUs (Arc 130T/140T). This setup should be ideal for everyday visuals, 4K video playback, and casual or lightweight gaming at modest settings—think less “high-end gaming rig” and more “small desktop that can occasionally play a game when you want it to.”
For now, pricing and release timing remain unknown, and there’s no confirmed global rollout. That said, the company has previously shown interest in selling beyond France, including in larger international markets like the United States. If you’re shopping for a mid-range mini PC today, you may need to wait for official Kubb Essential availability details before deciding whether it’s the right compact Arrow Lake-powered desktop for your setup.
