A RISC-V laptop preloaded with Ubuntu is in development, and Canonical is involved.
The DC-ROMA RISC-V Laptop II is made by DeepComputing, a company formed by self-described “RISC-V pioneers” back in 2022, and based in Hong Kong. Their aim: develop and release all kinds of products to help drive development of the RISC-V ecosystem.
And this is the second-generation version of their DC-ROMA laptop, though the first to run Ubuntu.
This laptop is powered by the SpacemiT K1 system-on-a-chip, which packs 8 64-bit RISC-V cores running at 2.0GHz. This supports the RVA 22 Profile RVV 1.0 for “high performance computing”, and offer “powerful AI capabilities” — albeit at 2 TOPS, top.
DC-ROMA II Specs
| Display: | 14-inch IPS, 1920×1080, 60 Hz |
|---|---|
| SoC: | SpacemiT K1 64-bit RISC-V (8-core @ 2 GHz) |
| NPU: | AI Fusion Computing Engine (<2 TOPS) |
| RAM: | 8/16 GB |
| Storage: | Up to 1 TB SSD |
| Networking: | Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Ports: | 2x USB 3.0 2x USB Type-C 3.5mm audio MicroSD slot 10 Pin port |
| Battery: | <8 Hours |
| Weight: | 1.3 Kg |
| Price: | TBC |
A 14-inch 1080p screen IPS screen at 60hz is there to gawk at, and a choice of 8GB or 16GB of memory the laptop chassis is all-metal for a durable and premium feel, and heat flow is improved over the first-gen model.
A 10-pin port is accessible on the side of the device for… Well, the usual things a 10-pin port is useful for.
Plus, the DC-ROMA RISC-V Linux Laptop II —long name, eeesh— offers a pair of USB 3.0 ports; a pair of USB Type-C (only 1 is full-function); plus a microSD card slot.
There’s also a 3.5mm audio jack, reset and fastboot buttons, and a webcam. Connectivity is catered to with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.
Buyers will have a choice of 8GB or 16GB RAM, and “up to 1TB SSD”.
Ubuntu is pre-installed on this laptop but it uses a custom version of Ubuntu 23.10. Official support for Ubuntu 23.10 ends next month.
Hopefully an LTS upgrade will be provided at some point to help ensure the longevity (and security) of it.
There are changes to the app lineup on the device too, including the use of Chromium rather than Firefox as the default web browser.
What’s Ubuntu on RISC-V Like?
Will Ubuntu run well on this laptop?
I have no experience with Linux on RISC-V myself, but based on first-hand experiences of others in the Linux community (like those who bought the PineTab-V RISC-V tablet) the experience is… not daily driver material yet.
Anyone needing bang for their buck will find a RISC-V purchase a little RISK-Y!
That said, it’s vital that accessible, performant(-sounding) hardware is out there so open-source developers and hackers can help bolster support, port things over, optimise technologies, and help push the limits of this platform.
Which is exactly why DeepComputer is producing these, and why Canonical, as we saw last month, is keen to make Ubuntu the reference Linux OS for RISC-V:
“This development showcases the adaptability and robustness of Ubuntu [and] Canonical’s commitment to the RISC-V ecosystem. Our vision with DeepComputing is that we are not just collaborating on a product, we are igniting a movement towards an environment where open standards and collaboration can thrive.”
Gordan Markuš, Director of Silicon Alliances at Canonical
Pre-order the DC-ROMA RISC-V Laptop II
Anyone attending the RISC-V Summit 2024 in Munich, Germany will be able to go hands-on with this RISC-V laptop, as DeepComputing is in attendance.
If you think you’d like to buy one, pre-orders open NEXT WEEK, on June 18 — though no price has been revealed as of writing.