Free and Open Source Software @beehaw.org sleepybisexual @beehaw.org 1 yr. ago

Are there any good foss Linux handhelds?

I like the look of the uconsole but want to know if there are any alternatives with similar form factor. I want to get a protabel Linux machine

25 comments

Steam Deck?
- While it does contain a lot of FOSS, SteamOS3 isn't publicly available yet so I don't think it counts. You could just put a different OS on the Deck though!
  
  Bazzite is my favorite Steam Deck operating system
- Steam Deck!
- With HoloISO? Is it compatible? I think?
  
  https://github.com/HoloISO/holoiso
Recently I became aware of 'StarLite' tablets -- the prices are pretty steep, but the specs look really good, esp. wrt the screen.
- Heard of it but those prices tho
  
  Maybe it's not on sale everywhere, but it's the same price as a 256GB Pixel Tablet for twice the RAM, twice the storage, and full Linux instead of Android.
  
  Tablets are traditionally a closed design, with the OS tightly locked down. Even if that price were high, which I'd challenge it's not aside from the CPU choice (probably by necessity), there's bound to be a bit of a premium for early devices to a niche market.
- Starlabs look cool. Their own hardware, coreboot, Linux out of the box, UK company. Planning to get one of their laptops when I'm done with my current one.
I'm not sure why you would go with anything but the steam deck, unless budget is a factor.
The Pyra Console is the ultimate Linux handheld for computing and gaming :)
PinePhone Pro with keyboard case?
Old droid & Maemo Leste?

(That's what I use.)
Like an SBC? Retroid pocket?
Supposedly Orange Pi is working on some.
I know that anbernic have good linux handhelds, but i don't know if is foss
- Tehyre more focused on gaming, I mean ones with keyboards like uconsole. Loikign for a portable computer. Laptops too big and vayties suck
  
  Are physical keyboards a must? What about something like a Fairphone running Ubuntu Touch?
  
  Or, for that matter, what is driving the need for Linux? Could it be satiated with an android device and/or x2go to a self- or cloud-hosted Linux desktop VM/VPS
  
  Oh! I got it now. Hope you find a good one
If you mean for gaming, I'm mostly happy with my Anbernic 351M running modified Ubuntu, ArkOS.

If you want a phone factor, the Pinephone is fun to mess with and has a bunch of different distros you can run.

If you're thinking about drawing, see if you can get your hands on a convertible laptop with a Wacom digitizer built into the screen, from Fujitsu. Install any distro.
I believe I saw a video where somebody installed Linux on the GPD Win Max. They make a few different portable devices that maybe can run Linux
- Gpd is cool but super expensive

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