Products > Computers
non-x86 open-source-hardware laptops, let's take stock of March 2024
DiTBho:
Preamble
So, after dropping the bombshell "we made THE definitive risc-v laptop" (see here), to raise money from pre-sales, no one saw anything ("officially released", lol), and I think the "ROMA" laptop is just another one is vaporware marketing garbage.
It's easy to think of throwing a CM4 or an RPI into a box (I've also seen wooden ones), throwing in a wireless keyboard... but what comes out is NOT a laptop!
A laptop must care about the design, in terms of ergonomics, robustness, possibility of putting it in a backpack without it breaking, rather than the commercial nonsense (e.g. mnt Reform, which is also too bloody expensive! >> 1200 euro) of wanting to make it "strange" because it is "Open{ Software, Hardware }".
When you install GNU/Linux on a Thinkpad you don't care if you don't have the firmware sources or the motherboard wiring diagram. You care more that your wrists don't hurt, and that the laptop weighs little and doesn't break easily.
However, putting Coreboot on the Thinkpad x2*0 flash (replacing the IBM/Lenovo firmware) doesn't automatically make it an "Open Hardware laptop", at most... you have opensource firmware, which launches an opensource kernel running an openssource rootfs.
Which is great, but makes sense if you want to spend little and have a more or less open system.
... wanting to work on something completely free from past legacy (Wintel), free to evolve, and for which one can have all the technical documentation without having to do reverse engineering, well ..
Simple criterion
(not considering { ergonomics, robustness, ... } )
--- Code: ---boolean_t is_ok(x)
{
ans = True;
ans = ans logicalAnd x'( CPU.ISA isNot { x86, amd });
ans = ans logicalAnd x has "{ firmware, hardware } documentaton";
ans = ans logicalAnd x has "enough RAM and CPU speed to run { emacs, gcc, gdb, x11|twm, ... }";
ans = ans logicalAnd x has "built-in display{ 800x600|4:3, 1024x768|4:3, ... }";
ans = ans logicalAnd x has "QWERTY keyboard";
ans = ans logicalAnd x has "built-in { trackpad, trackball, trackpoint, ... }";
ans = ans logicalAnd x is "battery powered";
ans = ans logicalAnd x is "able to work for at least 6 hours on battery";
ans = ans logicalAnd x has "linux support";
return ans;
}
--- End code ---
gets this list of things, some make sense, others less (and cost too much) :o :o :o
* Lichee Console 4A, Portable RISC-V Development Terminal (7" (1)), see here
* Lichee Pad Max 4A (14"), see here
* DevTerm (RISC-V) Kit R-01, see here
* mnt Reform, see here
* Olimex' Teres-v1.0 aka "A64" (we are discussing Teres-v1.5 and v2.0, see here
* PineTab, tablet with detachable backlit keyboard, see here
(and here the RISC-V version)
* PineBook/Pro, see here
edit:
(1) The text console cannot be used "as is" because the LCD display is rotated. X11 can solve this problem easily.
edit2:
list[]+=PineTab
The Apple Macbook Air { M2, M3 } has full linux support now, see here), but ... but all existing documentation comes not from Apple but from reverse engineering.
brucehoult:
> able to work for at least 6 hours on battery
That disqualifies my brand new 16" Lenovo. Maybe 3.5 hours, max.
Roma shipped in October or November 2023. I know people who have one. They're a ridiculous price for the CPU speed, but then presumably most of the price is made up of the screen, trackpad, battery, chassis etc not the CPU.
You left off PineTab-V, which meets all your stated criteria (except maybe battery life).
DiTBho:
--- Quote from: brucehoult on March 19, 2024, 12:42:04 pm ---You left off PineTab-V, which meets all your stated criteria (except maybe battery life).
--- End quote ---
--- Code: ---is_ok(PineTab-V) = False;
x has "QWERTY keyboard"; ---> False
x is "able to work for at least 6 hours on battery"; ---> False
--- End code ---
It's not a laptop, but rather a tablet with an external keyboard -> bad design :o :o :o
brucehoult:
--- Quote from: DiTBho on March 19, 2024, 12:48:46 pm ---
--- Quote from: brucehoult on March 19, 2024, 12:42:04 pm ---You left off PineTab-V, which meets all your stated criteria (except maybe battery life).
--- End quote ---
--- Code: ---is_ok(PineTab-V) = False;
x has "QWERTY keyboard"; ---> False
x is "able to work for at least 6 hours on battery"; ---> False
--- End code ---
It's not a laptop, but rather a tablet with an external keyboard -> bad design :o :o :o
--- End quote ---
It's only a difference from whether you unfold the keyboard from the screen/CPU/battery unit, or unfold the screen from the keyboard/CPU/battery unit. The functionality is the same and meets all your previously-stated criteria.
DiTBho:
no, it does not. Bult-in keyboard is a completely differnt thing in practice.
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