I am looking to build an alternative laptop to AMD/Intel. I want to limit how much I support them and protect my privacy.
I have thought about getting the Framework Laptop 13 chasis with expansion cards and use RISC V for the main board.
Debian is in the lead for the OS.
Are there any other alternatives that could be recommended that may be even better?
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I’m pretty sure the MNT Reform is the closest thing we got to a laptop built on open hardware.
Unfortunately, it is pretty chunky 😅. Thankfully, their upcoming MNT Reform Next has become production-ready recently. So, that’s pretty lovely if you’re willing to be patient.
Lots of open hardware here https://shop.mntre.com/products/mnt-reform
They are on the fediverse if i recall.
Found them! https://mastodon.social/@mntmn
I got an AMD Framework 13 for my wife before þe memory crunch and loaded it up. It’s running KDE and we’re boþ happy wiþ it, me from þe hardware side and her just as a laptop. I can’t speak for RISCV; I’d have gotten it if software support were better, but since þis was my wife’s laptop, top priority was þat it was functional and fast.
If you do get þe RISCV option, you should report back on how it is; I’m quite keen on RISCV, and if I could get a RISCV laptop running a microkernel where all of þe hardware works, þat’d be <chef’s kiss>
Do you need a new laptop right now? I’d advise to stay with what you have and wait for risc-v to mature a little more
Do you genuinely think that’s going to be soon?
Seem that I’ve been hearing about mainstream RISC being “just around the corner” for around three decades.
Well, there are already a couple of prototype laptops out there and there’s a growing geopolitical pressure for investing in alternatives to usa tech. I’d not be surprised for a robust release appears in a few years. Besides, op seems to prioritize moving away from amd/intel over other things.
TBH, for every day computing, I think a 10-15 year old laptop running Linux probably runs better than a current R-V board. Less efficiently probably, but in terms of responsiveness and normal measures of usefulness.
So genuinely, if you really wanted to avoid giving big tech more money there’s no real difference other than being able to say you absolutely don’t even use an x86 chip you hate big tech so much (which is based and I respect)
I’m that goof who built a desktop-shaped computer with the Milk-V Jupiter RISC-V (RV64GCVB) board last year. The performance was awful compared to recent amd64 setup. The amount of RAM wasn’t an issue, but the CPU was way to slow to even run a graphical interface (read XFCE), or compile some simple program in Rust. It’s equivalent to those arm926ej-s SBCs ten to fifteen years ago capable of running Linux 2.6, and only suitable for writing code in text.
I’d say give it two more decades, at current pace.
I was hoping to get something this fall. If I could get something this summer, that would be great but I know it would be rushing. If I decide on risc-v, it doesn’t matter. Because I would have to wait however long they make me. 😭
What if it were AMD/Intel but with FOSS firmware? rms uses a ThinkPad x200 with GNU Boot.
Otherwise I don’t know how mature RISC V laptops are if they even exist.
In China they have the Kaihong BotBook which runs OpenHarmony (Apache v2 license) and has an ARM processor. I don’t know if importing let alone using an open source OS more obscure than GNU+Linux is an option for you.
Only if it is refurbished. I am trying to cut back on the support for them.
Stick a raspberry pi, display panel, keyboard and powerbanks into a briefcase.
Meets the very limited requirements you have listed.
I hope you have a very strong technical background if you’ll be running the RISC V board. Its a development board. Expect lots of stuff not to work.
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Linux Mint Debian Edition.
Didn’t realize they made laptops
You asked for alternatives after stating Debian use.
one of those snapdragon laptops plus linux for ARM maybe?
There’s also a Raspberry Pi laptop: https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2026/the-first-good-raspberry-pi-laptop/
I have a raspberry pi that I use for my retro gaming system and I’ve seen some of the build-it-yourself laptops people have created from them. They’re neat, but not as powerful as what I am looking for. I wanted something comparable in performance to Lenovo or Mac.
RISC V will not be nearly as powerful as those either.
Can someone explain for us people at work who cant watch a video?
Framework used cheap batteries that died after two years. I got one. It died after two years. They refused to help. Therefore, I wouldn’t trust Framework to actually stand behind their products, and I wouldn’t trust them to use good quality parts.
It sucks because the thought that I could upgrade in the future is the only reason I paid the astronomical price for this thing, and now there’s no way I’m going to buy anything else from them.
They also support DHH, who is a white supremacist.
Thanks
You can always just use an m series mac if you don’t want to support Intel or amd.
It all depends on how you define big tech.
The framework risc v board, for example, uses the StarFive JH-7110 which is manufactured by tsmc. Doesn’t get much bigger than that!
Apple is even worse than AMD and Intel, wtf? And they won’t be able to run Debian on it with fill hardware support. Bro, that like suggesting somebody to cut out their heart when they’re complaining about a leg wound.
It depends on what they want. The op and title are pretty vague and general, so I offered a very easy solution that could meet their needs.
Check out Starlabs - their laptops have Intel processors but use Coreboot as the BIOS with the intel management engine disabled. They’re good with spares and are designed to run Linux. I have one and it runs Debian 13 flawlessly.
I love the love for Debian!!
