Group: Hardware/Computers/Laptops/Freeable laptops/Pinebook PRO
Contents
Introduction
This page research if it's possible to replace a Libreboot Thinkpad with a Pinebook PRO and how much freedom issue the Pinebook PRO has.
Research
Nonfree firwmares:
- Internal WiFi / Bluetooth [1]
- dptx.bin
- Video decoding offload?
- Others?
WiFi
An adapter [2] exists to enable to connect NGFF A/E key WiFi cards.
=> TODO: Look if ath9k compatible cards exist in that form factor.
Alternatively it's possible to use external USB WiFi cards, but they will be limited to 2.4GHz and there is a tradeoff to make between the range and the key size.
=> TODO: look if it's possible to put the USB WiFi card inside the laptop.
Storage
- 128M flash chip: can probably be used for the bootloader: This way you could encrypt fully the other storage which require nonfree firmwares.
- removable eMMC (64G or 128G available at the time of writing)
- MicroSD (SD3.0, MMC 4.5, up to 50MB/s)
- Adding an NVMe is also possible but this has some downsides:
- This occupies the PCIe connector. It might be a better idea to try to find a way to connect an ath9k compatible card on that connector.
- The NVMe has a nonfree firmware and probably has DMA access to your RAM